Carrollwood Players Theatre announces open auditions and offstage production opportunities for:
ARNIE AND THE ITCH
By Marc S. Sanders
A CWP Mainstage Production
Presented by Walter S. Sanders and Associates, CPA
Directed and Produced by Marc S. Sanders
______________
Thanksgiving has become demanding on the Solan family.
Not only is there the traditional holiday to prepare for, but there’s also a Bar Mitzvah for young Arnie coming up.
With all this on the mind of his overbearing Grandmother Edith, Arnie will somehow have to endure a tortuous 3 piece suit, court his first crush, and help his older brother avoid the wrath of Grandma when a precious high school graduation ring goes missing in a very unusual way.
This coming of age story depicts the love, conflict and craziness of a caring Jewish family, living in Fair Lawn, New Jersey in 1985.
Presented with the support of the Hillsborough County Board of County Commissioners.
______________
AUDITION DATES:
Sunday, November 9th, 2025 at 7 p.m.
AND
Monday, November 10th, 2025 at 7 p.m.
Auditions will be at Carrollwood Players Theatre, 4333 Gunn Highway, Tampa, FL, 33618
______________
PRODUCTION DATES:
January 23rd - February 7th, 2026
Fridays and Saturdays at 8 p.m.
Sundays at 2 p.m.
Saturday 2 p.m. matinee on January 31st
Call time for all performers and crew on performance dates is 1 hour prior to showtime.
Tech Week:
January 18th - 22nd, 2026
Performers and some production volunteers/crew MUST be available for all tech week rehearsals and all performances. There are no exceptions!
You MUST complete the online sign-up form in advance to attend this audition or be considered for production volunteer opportunities.
PLEASE LIST ALL POTENTIAL DATE SCHEDULE CONFLICTS ON THIS ONLINE FORM.
Complete the form at:
https://forms.gle/xv1KonAJMztBhHA47
IMPORTANT: If you have SIGNIFICANT conflicts between auditions and tech week, please carefully consider whether or not you are in a position to participate in this production. We are looking for performers who are AVAILABLE and COMMITTED to this production.
Please take care to complete the conflict section of this form accurately and completely. Casting and staffing decisions and rehearsal schedules are based in part on information you provide about potential conflict dates.
______________
Rehearsals:
The exact rehearsal schedule is to be determined, but rehearsals are usually 2-3 days per week, mostly weekday nights, but there may be rehearsals on Saturdays in the daytime and/or Sundays in the evening. Weekday evening rehearsals generally begin at 7 p.m. and can last as late as 10 p.m. (possibly later during tech week) Sunday evening rehearsals generally begin at 6 p.m. and can last as late as 10 p.m. There will be a total of approximately 20-25 rehearsals for this production.
The rehearsal schedule intensifies as opening night draws closer. Tech week rehearsals often run later into the evening.
No experience is necessary. All roles are open. All ethnicities, identities and abilities are strongly encouraged to audition for any and all roles. This is a non-paid opportunity.
Headshots and resumes are encouraged but not required.
You may send in advance to
aW5mbyB8IGNhcnJvbGx3b29kcGxheWVycyAhIG9yZw==
______________
Production Volunteer Opportunities: Let us know what you are interested in helping with!
_____________
Casting:
People who audition for the roles of "Missy" and "Todd" should be aware of a brief kissing/snuggling scene.
For anyone auditioning that is under the age of 18 especially, please be aware there is some mature "coming of age" subject matter and mild adult language. Parental and/or guardian approval will be necessary upon acceptance of a role for anyone under the age of 18.
Despite the character descriptions, all ages are welcome to audition, as we are prepared to find ways to age or "de-age" by means of performance, makeup and hair.
Roles Available:
Edith: Able to play mid-50s-60s, Grandmother to Todd & Arnie, wife to Jack, eldest daughter to Fran and sister to Evelyn. She is raising the boys now that their parents passed away. She has a very strong, domineering personality and it is especially elevated this Thanksgiving weekend when Arnie's Bar Mitzvah is also supposed to occur. Can she endure her gossipy sister? Can she survive her family's embarrassment in front of the congregation of her local synagogue? Will she ever get through to Jack inattentiveness, and will she ever find a way to appease her elderly mother?
Jack: Able to play mid 50s-60’s; Grandfather to Todd & Arnie and Edith's husband. He does not have the manic energy that Edith has and that lends to their friction. He is wrestling with an addiction to gambling and the money he owes to his bookie, Robert (the boys' uncle, on their father's side) while trying to conceal it from Edith.
Arnie: Age 13; Younger Grandson to Edith & Jack and brother to Todd. This weekend represents his Judaic turn into a man or "mensch." However, he is dealing with the stress of a first crush, a nagging brother, a domineering grandmother, and a suit that won't stop itching him leading to a terribly embarrassing misunderstanding during the morning Shema of his Bar Mitzvah.
Todd: Age 18; Older Grandson to Edith & Jack and brother to Arnie. A complete misfit, Todd is barely satisfying Edith's expectations while secretly dating his non Jewish girlfriend, Missy. He really gets in trouble when Missy swallows his graduation ring and now must go to extreme measures figuring out a way, with Arnie's help, to get it back before Edith notices it is missing. Todd is also toying with being aware of his grandfather's gambling demons while still getting over the loss of his parents.
Granny Fran: Able to play Late 70s – Early 80s; Great Grandmother to the boys and Edith & Evelyn's elderly mother. Nothing can satisfy Fran as she makes it very well known that she is not happy about being checked into a home. Plus there is no way in hell she will wear the dress Edith has chosen for her to don at the Bar Mitzvah.
Evelyn: Able to play Mid 50s-Early 60’s; Edith’s sister and younger daughter to Fran. Evelyn is the unwanted troublemaker who will deny her most obvious reputation as a gossip, while she heavily lays on the guilt and subtle criticism for Edith to bear.
Robert: Able to play late 20s-early 30s, The boys’ uncle on their father’s side. He was not invited to the Bar Mitzvah though he unexpectedly arrives to collect on a large gambling debt from Robert. He has no scruples, manners or tact and his presence only elevates Edith's stress, while Arnie realizes the man he's admired is in fact disingenuous.
Missy: Age 19; Todd’s non Jewish girlfriend. Missy is very likeable as she guides Arnie through his first crush though she first must deal with a high school graduation ring she mistakenly swallowed while being intimate with Todd. She eventually serves as a therapeutic turning point for both Arnie and Edith.
______________
What to Prepare:
Acting - Auditions will consist of cold readings from the script.
VIDEO AUDITIONS - PLEASE NOTE: We prefer to see all auditions in person. Requests for video submissions will only be considered if we are unable to source sufficient talent from those auditioning in person. If you wish to audition by video only, there is no need to complete this form. Please email us at
aW5mbyB8IGNhcnJvbGx3b29kcGxheWVycyAhIG9yZw== and we'll put you on our backup list.
Alternate audition dates: We regret we are not able to schedule an alternate audition date for you.
What to expect on your audition date:
We expect a LARGE turnout for auditions, and space is LIMITED. We regret we cannot admit any guests, companions, or observers, with the exception of one parent or legal guardian for audtioners under the age of 18.
Auditions begin at 7 p.m. and doors will open at 6:45 p.m. IMPORTANT information is covered at the beginning of each session, therefore it is imperative that you are prepared to begin on time. No auditioners will be admitted after 7:05 p.m.
----------------------------
You MAY apply to audition AND apply for offstage opportunities (in the event you are not cast), though some offstage positions may be filled prior to the audition dates. If you apply to audition AND to volunteer offstage, we will assume your first preference is to perform.
----------------------------
Questions may be directed to
aW5mbyB8IGNhcnJvbGx3b29kcGxheWVycyAhIG9yZw==
You may also like the following events from Carrollwood Players Theatre:
Also check out other
Arts events in Tampa,
Theatre events in Tampa,
Performances in Tampa.
