UPCOMING SCHUSTER THEATRE AUDITIONS
A DIVINE KERFUFFLE
By H. Russ Brown
Play, Comedy/Farce
Directed by Jordan Wolfe and John-Patrick Driscoll
Auditions:
Monday and Tuesday, August 25th and 26th at 6:00PM in the Schuster Theatre
Auditions are open to both Gannon University students and Erie community members, with the understanding that casting priority will be given to students. Open to actors 17 and up.
Audition Requirements:
Please prepare a comedic monologue, 60 seconds to a minute and a half in length.
Actors may additionally be asked to read sides from the show.
Please wear clothing that you can move in.
Performance Dates:
Thursday, October 16, 7:30PM
Friday, October 17, 7:30PM
Saturday, October 18, 7:30PM
Thursday, October 23, 7:30PM
Friday, October 24, 7:30PM
Saturday, October 25, 2:00PM MATINEE
Saturday, October 25, 7:30PM
Synopsis:
The year is 1895 and Sarah Bernhardt is the greatest actress to ever grace the Victorian stage – just ask her! The “Divine Sarah” fears, however, her once bright star may be fading with all the attention suddenly being lavished on a talented, younger rival. When she stumbles across an incredible new script written by a naïve, but up-and-coming playwright, though, Sarah is convinced her path to theatrical immortality is assured… until her rival also gets her hands on a copy. Throw in a fuss-budget theatre manager, a stern Teutonic maid, a nimble-footed usher, plus a hilarious jumble of confusions and complications – and the stage is set for the ultimate showdown as the two dueling divas cross wits and blades in this frantically funny farce!
Available Roles:
SARAH BERHARDT
Famous French actress of the Victorian era. The first true superstar of the stage. She is beautiful, passionate, very driven, and very, very charming.
HERTA
Sarah’s trusted right-hand. They are a stern/stoic German who acts as “enforcer”.
EMILIO
A young, Italian delivery man.
CYRIL TIDD
Managing Director of the Daly Theatre. Money conscious, persnickety, and a touch snobbish. He is completely enamored of Sarah.
DAISY
Coat Check Girl at the Daly Theatre. She is vivacious and persistently cheery.
CLUMPS
Usher at the Daly Theatre. They are quick, clever, resourceful, efficient.
DIGBY P. BARDWELL
Playwright and young nephew of Cyril Tidd. He is honest, eager, soulful, and very intelligent.
ELEANORA DUSE
Famous Italian actress of the Victorian stage. She is Sarah’s most bitter rival and acting foil. She and Sarah are two sides of the same coin.
REPORTERS #1-4 / ADORING FANS
A small ensemble who portray members of the local press and rabidly, adoring fans of Sarah Bernhardt (aka the “throng”).
A note from the directors:
A Brief History of Farce and where the auditions should lead us.
Farce is not subtle. It’s surgical. So, bring on the crazy choices and make them work! Every slammed door, every near miss, every gasp, groan, and mistaken identity is timed not by chance - but by discipline. And it’s in that meticulous chaos that true freedom emerges. A Divine Kerfuffle owes its spirit to centuries of theatrical mischief: from the ancient Roman comedies of Plautus, to the commedia dell’arte acrobatics of Renaissance Italy, to the sparkling, priceless, perfect mayhem of Georges Feydeau and the glorious backstage breakdowns of Michael Frayn’s immortal Noises Off.
Farce is one of the oldest and most physically demanding forms of comedy in the theatrical canon. As actors in a farce, you're stepping into a tradition that spans from ancient ritual to modern absurdity — and demands timing, precision, and abandon.
A Short History:
Ancient Beginnings: Farce evolved from Greek and Roman comedy, especially the bawdy, mistaken identity plays of Aristophanes and Plautus.
Medieval France: The word “farce” comes from farcire (Latin for “to stuff”) - comic scenes “stuffed” into serious religious plays. Over time, farce became a form in its own right (La Farce de Maître Pathelin being a classic).
Commedia dell’Arte: In 16th-century Italy, masked improvisation, exaggerated gestures, and physical gags formed the backbone of stock character farce.
Feydeau and the French Masters: By the 19th century, Georges Feydeau perfected the form - rapid entrances and exits, lovers hiding in closets, and society unraveling through ridiculous misunderstandings.
British Invasion: The 20th century gave us Noël Coward, Joe Orton, and eventually Michael Frayn, whose Noises Off is a farce about a farce - chaos on chaos.
Today: Farce endures in everything from Boeing Boeing to Broadway revivals - demanding split-second timing, fearless physicality, and a deep trust between actors. South Park is a Farce in cartoon form.
Your Job in This Tradition:
Commit with truth to absurd situations.
Stay hyper-aware of your body, your rhythm, your fellow actors.
Never comment on the joke - let the audience discover it.
You’re not just playing a part. You’re making chaos look effortless.
Break legs. Slam doors. Trust the timing.
Also check out other Arts events in Erie, Theatre events in Erie, Comedy events in Erie.
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