ABILENE COMMUNITY THEATRE ANNOUNCES
OPEN AUDITIONS FOR THE ELEPHANT MAN
Abilene Community Theatre is pleased to announce in-person, open auditions for the play THE
ELEPHANT MAN, by Bernard Pomerance, directed by mike stephens.
When: Monday, December 8, 2025, and Tuesday, December 9, 2025, from 7 to 9 PM
Where: ACT Main Stage
Rehearsal dates: December 15, 2025 (Read-Thru, tentative); January 5
– February 19, 2026,
Mondays through Fridays, 7 PM to 10 PM
Performance dates: February 20 - 22 and February 27 – March 1, 2026
Auditions are for all parts, and no previous acting experience is necessary. Auditions for this show will
consist of monologues (see Monologues information section) and of cold readings from the script.
Please bring your calendar or dates reflecting any conflicts you may have the week of December 15-19,
2025, and January 5 – March 1, 2026.
Synopsis:
THE ELEPHANT MAN is about John Merrick (the “Elephant Man”), his humanity, and his quest to define
himself as a man within society after spending much of his life as an outcast.
Originally premiering in London in 1977, THE ELEPHANT MAN debuted on Broadway in 1979 and ran for
918 performances until 1981. The story is based on the life of Joseph Merrick, referred to in the script as
John Merrick, who lived in Victorian era Britain and was known for the extreme deformity of his body.
David Schofield originated the lead role of Merrick, and subsequent productions starred actors including
David Bowie, Mark Hamill, Bruce Davison, and Bradley Cooper. In 1979, it won the New York Drama
Critics' Circle Award for Best Play, the Drama Desk Award for Outstanding New Play, and the Tony for
Best Play, as well as awards for acting and directing.
Characters:
The cast consists of 11 actors (7 males, 4 females) playing 21 characters:
• JOHN MERRICK – the Elephant Man (Male, age 20-40s)
• FREDERICK TREVES – the Doctor who “adopts” Merrick (Male, 20-30s)
• CARR GOMM – the administrator of the London hospital (Male, 50s+)
• BISHOP WALSHAM HOW – a Man of the Cloth who take interest in Merrick (Male, 50s+)
• ROSS / LORD JOHN – Merrick’s former manager; a friend of Merrick (Male, 40s+)
• PORTER / MAN / CONDUCTOR (Male)
• SNORK / BELGIAN POLICEMEN / LONDON POLICEMAN (Male)
• MRS. KENDAL – a friend of Merrick’s (Female, 30s+)
• MISS SANDWICH / DUCHESS / PINHEAD – a nurse; royalty; sideshow performer (Female, 30s+)
• COUNTESS / NURSE / PINHEAD – a nurse; royalty; sideshow performer (Female, 30s+)
• PRINCESS ALEXANDRA / PINHEAD – royalty; sideshow performer (Female, 20s+)
*** Note on age range: Please do not be alarmed if you do not fit the ages in the description. Casting
will be determined according to chemistry as a priority, not age. That said, only actors aged 18 and
above will be considered. Actors of all races and ethnic groups will be considered for all roles. ***
Monologues:
Monologues will be prepared (not necessarily memorized, but not cold readings), 1 to 2 minutes in
length, from plays written in the 1970s, or depicting a Victorian England scene (think THE IMPORTANCE
OF BEING EARNEST, DR. JEKYLL AND MR. HYDE, and PYGMALION), with a “proper” British accent.
Note: Please DON’T select a monologue from THE ELEPHANT MAN.
Accents:
We will audition with British accents. But it will be the judgment of the director on whether accents will
be used in the actual production, depending on the capability of those cast. The importance is not only
to entertain the audience, but to be heard with clarity and understood.
This play has moments of apparent “stage nudity” / near nudity and undressing, both male (Merrick,
Treves), and female (Kendal). There are also instances of stage violence against the disabled. The actor
will never be asked to perform movements without proper consent and boundaries in place; however,
the play depicts such movements that are important to the plot.
Note to college students: you are welcome to audition for THE ELEPHANT MAN. But if you are a theatre
student, you must have a signed permission note from the department chair to be considered for
casting.
If you have any questions or need more information, please contact Mike Stephens
(
bXdzdGVwMzE2IHwgZ21haWwgISBjb20=).
THE ELEPHANT MAN, by Bernard Pomerance, is being produced by special arrangement with Concord
Theatricals, Inc on behalf of Samuel French, Inc.
Abilene Community Theatre is a 100% volunteer non-profit theater (501c3) established to share and
promote theatre arts in Abilene and the Big Country. With a mission “to entertain, engage, and edu-
cate”, involvement in Abilene Community Theatre has been spearheaded by those who feel strongly
about creating a space to develop art in the community. Formed in 1954, the 2025-26 Season is ACT’s
71st year of operation. Abilene Community Theatre is located at 809 Barrow, Abilene, Texas 79605
Also check out other Arts events in Abilene, Theatre events in Abilene, Performances in Abilene.
