OPEN YOUTH AUDITIONS - Fade to Black

Fade to Black

In collaboration with Ashland Children’s Theatre

Written by Eve Smyth 

Directed by Luca Riley

Open Auditions: Wednesday, August 27 and Thursday, August 28 at 7pm

Rehearsal Timeframe: September-October

Evening Performances (7pm): October 11

Matinee Performances (3pm): October 11, 12

Content Label: G

This theatre is committed to equity, diversity, and inclusion and to creating a welcoming place for actors of all backgrounds to explore their craft. We are eager to work with artists of color and other artists from marginalized communities. All auditions are free and open to the public. This audition is for an amateur, volunteer production. Theatre staff and volunteers do not discriminate on the basis of age, national origin, race, gender, ethnic background, ability, religious beliefs, sexual orientation, or any protected class.

Auditions will be held in person at the Majestic Theatre. This is a youth-led Teen Scene production. Auditions are open to actors between the ages of 12 and 17.

SHOW SYNOPSIS

Harvey Griffin, the Hollywood director, is making a movie, but it's not going well. Between the leading actress, Nora Evans, demanding to have the script changed, the screenwriter Gloria Turner refusing to change it, and the all powerful producer, CJ’s unquestioning support of Gloria, it seems that nothing could get worse. Until, late one night, tragedy strikes, immediately halting the film. Meanwhile, private detective Nathan Homes (not Holmes) recently having heard from an old friend, is startled by the tragedy and he and his assistant Helen Watson are immediately on the case. Thus ensues a wild and hilarious goosechase full of intrigue, overdramatic actors, incompetent goons, and far too many donuts. 

FROM THE DIRECTOR, Luca Riley

Fade to Black is a fun, fast paced, noir style comedic murder mystery. Teen Scene’s second annual production, filled with opinionated movie stars, conniving producers, sneaky detectives, completely incapable goons, donut romance, and a meddling reporter, is a fun time for everyone! I’m super excited to direct this show, and I will be looking for actors ready to engage in a collaborative, creative environment that is safe and welcoming for all. 

PREPARATION NOTES

You do NOT need to prepare a monologue or piece, we will be reading sides from the script. 

Wear comfortable clothes to audition; be ready to have fun, and collaborate with other actors as part of your audition. 

Auditions will consist of group warmups, theatre games, and cold reads from the script. 

CASTING NOTE

Teen Scene is a youth-led theater company. We invite actors aged 12-17 to audition for any role.

CHARACTER DESCRIPTIONS

All characters do not have a specific race or ethnic background; we're excited to see a diverse pool of actors audition for all roles. Ages listed are the approximate ages of the characters themselves. 

NATHAN HOMES 

Character Age: 20’s to 30’s

Character Race: Any

Character Ethnicity: Any

Character Gender: Male

Desired Actor Gender: Male-presenting

Ability/movement/intimacy: Any

Character Description: Intelligent, funny and charismatic, Nathan Homes is a well-known Hollywood private detective. Although he is observant while on the job, he is a bit thick headed when it comes to romance. 

HELEN WATSON

Character Age: 20’s to 30’s

Character Race: Any

Character Ethnicity: Any

Character Gender: Female

Desired Actor Gender: Female-presenting

Ability/movement/intimacy: Any 

Character Description: Nathan’s assistant, Helen Watson is sassy, smart and very good at her job. Even when her job means shepherding Nathan around, making sure he doesn’t get into trouble, and frustratedly waiting for him to notice her… someday. 

GLORIA TURNER

Character Age: 20’s to 30’s

Character Race: Any

Character Ethnicity: Any

Character Gender: Female

Desired Actor Gender: Female-presenting

Ability/movement/intimacy: Any

Character Description: Ambitious but kind hearted, Gloria Turner is a renowned screenwriter for Hollywood. She loves her work, and is deeply committed to the creative integrity of her scripts. 

CATHERINE “CJ” JAMES

Character Age: 40’s

Character Race: Any

Character Ethnicity: Any

Character Gender: Female

Desired Actor Gender: Any

Ability/movement/intimacy: May be lead offstage struggling, but can be altered according to actor preference

Character Description: The iron fisted and infamous top dog producer of Hollywood, CJ will stop at nothing to keep her productions on track.  

HARVEY GRIFFIN

Character Age: 40’s to 50’s

Character Race: Any

Character Ethnicity: Any

Character Gender: Male

Desired Actor Gender: Any

Ability/movement/intimacy: Any

Character Description: Frustrated and overworked, yet humorous to the last,  Harvey Griffin is the director of CJ’s current movie. 

NORA EVANS

Character Age: Late 30’s

Character Race: Any

Character Ethnicity: Any

Character Gender: Female

Desired Actor Gender: Female-presenting

Ability/movement/intimacy: Any

Character Description: The wildly over-the-top aging starlet, and famous actress Nora Evans is determined to have her way in everything. 

ROBERT SCOTT

Character Age: Late 40’s 

Character Race: Any

Character Ethnicity: Any

Character Gender: Male

Desired Actor Gender: Male-presenting

Ability/movement/intimacy: Must act very in love with Marla, and possibly embrace her, although that may be changed depending on actor preference 

Character Description: An aging Hollywood heartthrob, Robert Scott is kind and easy going, but very committed to the production. His greatest love in the world is donuts. 

BETTY TAYLOR

Character Age: Early 20’s

Character Race: Any

Character Ethnicity: Any

Character Gender: Female

Desired Actor Gender: Female-presenting

Ability/movement/intimacy: Any

Character Description: Light hearted but ambitious, the rising Hollywood actress Betty Taylor, is determined for her first big movie to be a success. 

NELLIE

Character Age: 20’s to 30’s

Character Race: Any

Character Ethnicity: Any

Character Gender: Female

Desired Actor Gender: Any

Ability/movement/intimacy: 

Character Description: Always ready to be helpful, Nellie is known as the gofer of the film set. But in her spare time, she can also be a ridiculously incapable goon. 

ELSIE

Character Age: late 30’s

Character Race: Any

Character Ethnicity: Any

Character Gender: Female

Desired Actor Gender: Any

Ability/movement/intimacy: Any

Character Description: Nora Evans’ sarcastic and somewhat cynical sidekick, Elsie, always has a dryly hilarious comeback ready. 

MORRIS

Character Age: 30’s

Character Race: Any

Character Ethnicity: Any

Character Gender: Male

Desired Actor Gender: Any

Ability/movement/intimacy: Any

Character Description: Even-tempered and sturdy Morris is the camera man. In his spare time, however, he has been known to put on big black coats and stand menacingly at the ends of alleys. 

DARLENE THOMPSON

Character Age: 20’s to 30’s

Character Race: Any

Character Ethnicity: Any

Character Gender: Female

Desired Actor Gender: Any

Ability/movement/intimacy: Any

Character Description: The conniving and disingenuous reporter, Darlene Thompson, is always looking to make the best story possible out of any situation. 

MARLA

Character Age: 40’s

Character Race: Any

Character Ethnicity: Any

Character Gender: Female

Desired Actor Gender: Female-presenting

Ability/movement/intimacy: Must act very in love with Robert and possibly embrace him, although that may be changed depending on actor preference 

Character Description: The sweet, warm, kind-hearted owner of a donut shop, Marla, wants nothing more than to bring people love and joy through donuts.