Open Audition: The Man Who Came To Dinner – Nov 14

Pentacle Theatre hosts open auditions for The Man Who Came to Dinner, on stage January 29 – February 20, 2027

Directed at Pentacle Theatre by Scott Ramp. Written by Moss Hart and George S. Kaufman

When: 1 p.m. – 5 p.m., Saturday, November 14, 2027

Where: Pentacle Theatre’s downtown rehearsal studio, 197 Liberty St SE

Casting call:

Casting actors able to play up to 15 male-presenting roles, 9 female-presenting roles.

Pentacle Theatre affirms, promotes, and celebrates inclusivity in theater arts, embracing and welcoming people of every race, ethnicity, gender identity, sexual orientation, ability, age, religion, socioeconomic status, and other lived experiences.

The story:

“Portly Sheridan Whiteside, critic, lecturer, wit, radio orator, intimate friend of the great and near great, met his Waterloo in the shape of a small piece of ice on the doorstep of Mr. and Mrs. Ernest W. Stanley, of Mesalia, Ohio, while trekking across the country on his annual lecture tours. Result: the idol of the airwaves rests until further notice in the home of the surprised Mr. and Mrs, Stanley.  Possibility: Christmas may be postponed this year.”

So runs the lead article in the Christmas 1939 issue of Time magazine. Whiteside turns the Stanley household upside down, forcing everyone in town to cater to his egotistical demands. Meanwhile, his beloved secretary has given her notice after falling in love with a local reporter, and Whiteside must engage every weapon in his considerable arsenal of guile and manipulation to keep her in his employ – including blackmail, deceit and the intervention of the fading sexpot actress Lorraine Sheldon and the elegant British wit of playwright Beverly Carlton.

The characters:

Casting actors able to play the following roles, genders and ages:

• Sheridan Whiteside – (50+) Famous, acerbic radio personality and theater critic; the central character.
• Maggie Cutler – (30+) Whiteside’s devoted secretary, who falls in love with Bert.
• Bert Jefferson – (30+) A young local newspaper reporter and Maggie’s love interest.
• Lorraine Sheldon – (30+) Glamorous actress and Whiteside’s friend, brought in to disrupt Maggie and Bert’s romance.
• Beverly Carlton – (40+) Sophisticated, witty English actor; a friend of Whiteside.
• Banjo – (40+) Whiteside’s outrageous, mischievous friend and accomplice.
• Mr. Ernest W. Stanley – (40+) The wealthy, conservative Ohio businessman
• Mrs. Ernest W. Stanley (Daisy) – (40+) His wife.
• Richard Stanley – (18 – 25) Their son.
• June Stanley – (18 – 25) Their daughter, an outspoken young woman with progressive political views.
• Harriet Stanley – (60+) Another member of the Stanley household/family.
• John – (age open; 21+) The Stanley household’s butler.
• Sarah – (age open; 21+) The Stanley household’s maid.
• Miss Preen – (age open; 21+) Mr. Whitside’s nurse.
• Dr. Bradley – (60+) The local physician treating Whiteside.
• Professor Metz – (40+) An eccentric entomologist.
• Mrs. Dexter – (35+) A local visitor.
• Mrs. McCutcheon – (35+) A local visitor.
• Sandy – (21 – 25) A young man connected with Whiteside’s circle.
• Mr. Baker (age open; 21+)
• Mr. Westcott (age open; 21+)

Things to know:

Doors open at 12:30 p.m. and open auditions for all roles begin promptly at 1 p.m. Please be on time and plan to stay through 5 p.m.

Please arrive early to fill out an audition form. We encourage you to download the form at PentacleTheatre.org/auditions and complete it in advance. Please write clearly, especially your contact information. Headshots and resumes are not required but are always appreciated.

Bring your calendar and provide a complete list of your conflicts through February 20, 2027. If you have a conflict with the audition date, please contact the director.

Rehearsals: Generally, 6:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m., Mondays through Thursdays. The director will set weekend rehearsals and work sessions as needed. Please keep this in mind when providing your list of conflicts. Rehearsals will be scheduled to make the best use of everyone’s time. Cast members are required to attend every rehearsal once The Man Who Came to Dinner moves into the theatre. If you have questions about rehearsals, please contact the director.

Show dates: January 29 – February 20, 2027 (Note: Cast members may be required to make special appearances for marketing purposes in the weeks before the show opens.)

Suitability: The Man Who Came to Dinner is suitable for ages 12+.

Information: If you have questions or a conflict on the audition date, please contact director Scott Ramp at scottramp@gmail.com or 626-233-2667

For more information, see Pentacle Theatre full press release here.

Author: The Instigator