AUDITION NOTICE
The Curious Savage
A Comedy
by John Patrick
Directed by Vickie Stricklind
About the show
A warm comedy, set in a 1950s sanatorium called the Cloisters, THE CURIOUS SAVAGE tells the story of Ethel P. Savage, a wealthy widow, who is committed by her manipulative stepchildren so they can get their hands on her inheritance.
Mrs. Savage has been left ten million dollars and wants to set up a fund to help others achieve their dreams, no matter how frivolous. The stepchildren commit Mrs. Savage to the sanatorium, hoping to “bring her to her senses.”
In the sanatorium, Mrs. Savage meets the gentle residents of the Cloisters, various social misfits, the very people who need the help Mrs. Savage can provide.
Contrasting the kindness, loyalty, and compassion of the residents with the greed and vanity of the stepchildren, the play ultimately calls into question conventional definitions of sanity, avarice, and celebrity while highlighting themes of love, loss, and the courage to live honestly and sincerely.
AUDITIONS
Saturday, October 18th, 1:00 - 3:00 pm
Sunday, October 19th, 1:00 -3:00 pm
Location: Bakersfield Community Theatre, 2400 S Chester Ave., Bakersfield
Auditions will consist of warm readings from script excerpts. No prior preparation is needed.
If you are interested in auditioning and cannot attend the scheduled auditions, contact the director at
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REHEARSALS: November and December with time taken off for the holidays, and based on actors availability.
PERFORMANCES: Fridays and Saturdays,
January 9, 10, 16, 18, 23, 24 at 7:30 pm. Matinees Sundays, January 19 & 25 at 2:00 pm
Character descriptions:
NOTE: Actors of all ethnicities, abilities, ages, and gender identities are welcome and encouraged to audition. Age ranges are approximate and not intended to exclude actors from consideration.
THE SAVAGES
Mrs. Ethel P. Savage (60+): Mrs. Savage is a witty, kind-hearted, blue-haired woman with a shifted viewpoint of humanity. She has inherited ten million dollars from her late husband and has chosen to give it away to those less fortunate or to fulfill others’ random, yet important lifelong dreams.
Titus (30s-50s): He is the eldest step-son of Mrs. Savage. Titus is the least popular senator in Congress.
Lily Belle (30s-40s): Lily Belle, the middle step-child, was once married to a Slovak prince, and has remarried five times since then. A celebrity heiress, she is arrogant, chic, and self-assured. When Lily Belle first met Ethel, she bit her new stepmother’s finger and has promptly been just as vicious ever since.
Samuel (30s-40s): The youngest step child of Ethel, Samuel has the distinction of being the judge with the most overturned decisions in the U.S.
THE RESIDENTS
Florence Williams (20s – 40s): The elegant “mother” of the Cloisters, she believes she has a five-year-old son named John Thomas; in fact, John Thomas is a doll. During Mrs. Savage’s stay at the Cloisters,
Florence believes that John Thomas has the measles.
Fairy May (early 20s-30s): Fairy is a compulsive liar who is obsessed with having others love her. She is unkempt throughout the play but believes herself to be stunningly beautiful. She is also very childlike, behaving and speaking in the tone of a six-year-old.
Jeffrey (20s – 30s): Once a military pilot, Jeff was shot down in the war, surviving a crash that killed all his men. He carries emotional scars from the crash. He plays the piano but is too shy to do so around other people.
Hannibal (20s – 50s): Hannibal, once a statistician, was fired and replaced by an electronic calculator. He has since taken up the violin and needs some practice. He is a kind man with a vast array of knowledge stored in his sometimes sarcastic head.
Mrs. Paddy (40s – 60s): Mrs. Paddy paints with the quality of Hannibal’s violin playing. She paints only seascapes, which strikes Hannibal as “odd, because she’s never seen the ocean.” The other patients say that Mrs. Paddy stopped talking when her husband told her to “shut up” one day, and she hasn’t spoken since. She only speaks to announce what she hates. She hates “everything in the world.” She has given up electricity for Lent.
THE STAFF
Miss “Willie” Wilhelmina (20s-30s): Miss Willie is an administrative assistant and nurse. She is extremely kind and understanding towards all the residents of the Cloisters and shows a special affection toward Jeff.
Dr. Emmett (30s-60s): The staff doctor for this wing of the Cloisters, Dr. Emmett is kind and warmhearted, and he works hard to help his patients.
About Bakersfield Community Theatre
Since 1927, Bakersfield Community Theatre has helmed works that encourage diversity and inclusivity, promoted local artists, and focused on the community aspects of theatre. While some scripts call for specific character guidelines, people of all ages, races, ethnicities, gender identities, and physical abilities are encouraged to audition. BCT is a safe and inclusive place, and we take pride in the connection to our community.
bctstage.org
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