Auditions Christmas Carol 2024

Auditions for A Christmas Carol

A play adapted from the novella by Charles Dickens

October 21 at 7 PM
First Baptist Chruch
169 Landham Road, Sudbury
&
October 24 at 7PM
The Martha-Mary Chapel
Wayside Inn Road, Sudbury

Seeking four actors, to be
Directed by Mike Lague
Assisted by Paula Ruberti McNabb
Produced by Kathryn Denney

Our production is a semi-staged reading of Charles Dickens’ beloved “ghost story of Christmas”, performed in the classic simplicity of the Martha-Mary Chapel at Longfellow’s Wayside Inn in Sudbury, MA.

Our script is based on Dickens’ own condensation of the story, used for his public readings. It has been further abridged by Brad Amidon, and adapted for four actors by Mike Lague.

The Narrator guides us on Scrooge’s journey into the past, present, and future, where he encounters various citizens of London, all portrayed by two actors. While this 75-minute presentation will be enhanced by sound effects and projections, and performed in Victorian garb, it is our skilled actors who will bring to life the rich variety of characters in Dicken’s story.

All proceeds from this production will be donated to:

  • A Place To Turn – a choice food pantry located in Natick that takes pride in offering their MetroWest clients a friendly and dignified experience.
  • The Wayside Inn Foundation – The Wayside Inn is a nonprofit charitable Massachusetts corporation created in 1944 to own, operate, and maintain The Wayside Inn Historic Site, a campus of nine historic buildings on more than 100 acres.

How to Audition

Actors will be seen in groups of up to 10, by appointment only: to reserve your place in an hour-long appointment slot, please use our signup form below. Sides will be available in advance of the audition to those who sign up, in mid-October, and the script will be available shortly before that. Before you fill it out, please note the following:

  • Be ready to select an hour-long appointment slot on one of
    Monday, October 21 (7:00-10:00 PM) or
    Thursday, October 24 (7:00-10:00 PM).
    • If you cannot make any of these times, you will be able to select None of the above, and we will contact you to discuss an audition time.
  • Callbacks (if needed) will be held on Monday, October 28, at the First Baptist Church in Sudbury.
  • Be prepared to upload your resume and headshot (when you receive a confirmation email for your signup):
    • Resume: PDF format is preferred, but most any document type will do (no image files, please).
    • Headshot: If you do not have a headshot, a front-facing picture of your head or head and torso, with just yourself centered in it, is acceptable. JPEG or PNG format is preferred, but any image format will do. (no PDF files, please).
  • Instructions for uploading your files will be in the confirmation email sent to you when you sign up.
Sign Up to Audition

Important Dates

  • Our preliminary readthrough will take place on Tuesday, October 29 at 7PM.
  • Rehearsals: Some Tuesday and Thursday evenings from 7-10 PM beginning on Tuesday, October 29, with breaks on Halloween, Election Day, and Thanksgiving week.
  • Our limited tech week will be December 2 – 4 (Monday-Wednesday).

There will be three performances in December 2024, on two weekends:

  • Saturday, December 7, at 4:30 PM
  • Friday, December 13, at 6:30 PM
  • Saturday, December 14, at 4:30 PM

Character Descriptions

  • Narrator* (Adult of any age or gender):
    Our narrator will be on book, introducing our characters and settings, and guiding us on our journey. Must have a compelling narrative style, and be comfortable with Dicken’s delightful Victorian prose.

  • Ebenezer Scrooge (Male presenting, 50 or older):
    The classic character, as written by Dickens. Our actor must be able to portray Scrooge’s transformation of character and emotional growth and awareness in a subtle yet convincing manner.

  • Male Greek Chorus (Male presenting, 25 or older):
    Plays nephew Fred, Bob Cratchit, Jacob Marley, Fezziwig, Ghost of Christmas Present, Joe the “low shop” owner, and more. Our actor must be able to change character at the drop of a hat (literally, in this case). Upper and lower class British accents a definite plus.

  • Female Greek Chorus** (Female presenting, 25 or older):
    Plays a Charitable Lady, Ghost of Christmas Past, Mrs. Cratchit, Mrs. Fezziwig, Belle (Scrooge’s former fiancee), Scrooge’s niece (Fred’s wife), Servant, Scrooge’s charwoman, and more. Our actor must be able to change character and accents with convincing speed and skill. Upper and lower class British accents a definite plus.

*The Narrator will be on book, and will give the appearance of reading, although they should be as familiar with the script as possible. Ideally, Scrooge and the Greek Chorus players should be off book.

**A few characters will have a different gender than in the original story (female instead of male), to balance the roles of the Male and Female Greek Chorus, and to make certain scenes playable by two actors.

Email our production staff at xmas-carol@sudburysavoyards.org with any questions.