Bob and Fran Price have four adult children: Pip, Mark, Ben, and Rosie. Each child has his or her own unique struggles and secrets that they try to keep hidden from their parents, but Fran has a knack for knowing what is true in each of their lives, whether it is an unhappy marriage (Pip), heartbreak (Rosie), redefined sexuality (Mark), or drug use (Ben). As the children try to redefine their lives separately from the hopes and dreams of their parents, what is real and genuine in the Price family falls apart under scrutiny, and Bob and Fran must redefine their relationships with their children and with each other.
Below is a brief synopsis of the characters. As long as the ages are believable between the children and parents I’m not too fixated on what age they should be although Rosie is the youngest.
Also I will not be using accents.
Fran Price - Mother of family
Fran is a senior nurse and is the only working parent in the Price Family.
Towards the end of the play, she reveals that she has a secret stash of cash hidden away for post-retirement, but, in a revelation, she revealed that it was originally a 'get-out clause' for her relationship with Bob. During the same speech, she admits that she loved another man, but never slept with him and stuck with Bob for the sake of her children. It is revealed that she died in a car crash in the final scene of the play.
Bob Price is the father of the Family
He is retired.
He has retired earlier than anticipated, due to his taking of a redundancy package that the car company he was previously working for offered him.
Due to his unemployment, Bob has become a very keen gardener and is also a family man. His prized possessions are his children and his plants, in particular, his roses, which are a subject of a few satirical arguments between him and his wife. Bob is distraught when Fran dies and tears the plants that he has spent so long nurturing from the ground in a fit of anger.
Rosie Price is the youngest daughter of the Price Family
She does not know who she wants to be yet and begins the play stating that she had just come back from a European adventure in Berlin, where she met a man called Emmanuel who steals some of her possessions and walks out on her.
As she uncertain about her future, Fran and Bob see her as the opportunity to carry on their legacy the way they want to, keeping her close and always in contact.
However, after spending some time at home she reveals that she wants to move to Brisbane, thus breaking Bob's heart.
Pip Price is the eldest child in the Price Family
She is an education bureaucrat.
She had two daughters with her partner, Steve, but later reveals that she has fallen in love with another man whom she met at a conference in Vancouver, who is also married.
She feels distanced from her mother as she always felt like she was the least favoured sibling.
Mark Price is the eldest son and the second child of the Price Family.
He is an IT Specialist.
Mark comes out as transgender in the second half of the play and announces an intention to move to Sydney for hormonal treatment, announcing that her name is Mia instead of "Mark". Bob and Fran greet the news with shock and hostility.
Rosie sympathises with Mark. Mia appears as a woman in the end scene ready for the funeral of her mother, with whom she never reconciled. The actor playing this part would have to be comfortable with wearing a dress for the last scene.
Ben Price is the youngest son in the Price Family.
He is a financial services officer. At first, he appears to be the highest achieving of the family.
Bob discovers that Ben has been skimming, amounting to a total of $250,000. The two characters end up in a physical fight. Fran wants to help him pay the money back with her secret stash of cash.
Auditions
Auditions will be held in the committee rooms at Witham Public Hall on Thursday 12th June and Tuesday 17th June at 8pm.
Key dates
Sunday 9th November Sunday Rehearsal (long rehearsal)
Saturday 15th and Sunday 16th November - Set up including Tiered seating set up
Monday 17th November - Technical Rehearsal
Tuesday 18th November- Dress Rehearsal
Wednesday 19th - Saturday 22nd November - Production
Sunday 23rd November - Set Down
I look forward to seeing you at auditions whether you want to be a member of the cast or help backstage.
If you have any questions please send message and we’ll reply asap
Jacqui
Possible Audition pieces
Monologues
Rosie P5-8
Pip P23-24
Pip / Fran P40-42
Mark P43 & 55-56
Ben P57
Ensemble
Pip / Fran / Bob / Rosie P25-32
Rosie / Bob / Fran P73-77
Rosie / Mark / Bob / Fran P46-52
Ben / Rosie / Bob / Fran P64-72
Bob / Pip / Ben / Mia / Rosie P80-83
Also check out other Arts events in Witham, Theatre events in Witham, Trips & Adventurous Activities in Witham.
