OPEN AUDITIONS – The Elephant Man

AUDITION DATES:
Sunday, August 3 at 2:00 PM
Monday, August 4 at 7:00 PM
Tuesday, August 5 at 7:00 PM.

THE ELEPHANT MAN by Bernard Pomerance, directed for the Garfield Center for the Arts by E.T. Wilford.

AUDITION NEEDS: Please come prepared to move, vocalize, and read sides from the script. There are no prepared monologues needed, but please brush up on vocal warm ups on your own time prior to arriving. Please dress in clothing you do not mind getting dirty in, you may need to be on the floor for some of the audition time (sweats and old t-shirts are fine).

PLEASE NOTE: There will be a request to re-read some sides in English accents–whatever you feel best with. Traditional, Gloucester, Stratford, Liverpool, Essex, Cockney, London, etc. Whatever range you have to present, please bring to us. If you are not familiar with performing English accents, resources may be provided to actors who are cast in the show.

ROLES FOR AUDITIONS:

FREDERICK TREVES: (Traditional London accent / DOES NOT DOUBLE / AGE: 30-40ish) The lead surgeon of the London Hospital who discovers Merrick in a sideshow attraction. Treves carries a great deal of guilt for his rising position as the “Elephant Man” gains attention within his hospital amongst the social elite, in spite of his deteriorating condition. Eventually becomes a surgeon to the royal family, against his own guilt. A deeply morally complex man navigated by the rigidity of his time.

CARR-GOMM: (Traditional London accent / DOES NOT DOUBLE / Age: 40-60ish) The manager of the hospital, oversees finances and Treves especially. A wise man. More empathetic than his no-nonsense persona leads on. Does not tolerate intolerance. A closed book but an open mind. A mentor to Treves.

JOSEPH MERRICK: (The Elephant Man, inhibited speech, Essex accent / DOES NOT DOUBLE, obviously / Age 27) The self described “Elephant Man”, deeply inhibited by physical limitation. The director will describe his condition to actors in the audition. The author cautions that actors with histories of back or muscle issues should not play Merrick. Physically encumbered.

MRS. KENDAL: (Traditional London accent, but more refined. A performer. Socially couth. DOES NOT DOUBLE. Age 30-50) An actress within the London scene. Makes herself known to “high society”. A deep empathy within her. Effortlessly charming.

ROSS: (Cockney accent, gruff. DOUBLES AS A NURSE, POLICEMAN, OTHERS, ETC. Age 40-60) Course. Opportunist. Thinks only of himself. Doubles as those who would also take opportunity where they would find them.

PINHEADS: (Cockney accent to start, but maybe all over the map. Deformed. DOUBLES AS DUCHESS, PRINCESS ALEXANDRA, OTHERS. Female-presenting, but no specific gender, Age 20-50. PHYSICALLY VERSATILE) The PINHEADS area duo that does a lot of physicality. As DUCHESS and PRINCESS, they are royalty, overplaying their station and their accents. Pinheads move a lot — royalty does not. Multiple costume changes.

EXTRAS: (General English accents, doubling as men and women, as needed. No specific gender. Ageless) Playing Lords, Commoners, Policemen, Train Conductors, these are versatile actors who do not leave the stage and are ingrained in almost every scene. Physicality/versatile movement is a must.