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WRCT 50 years

Want to audition?

Winter 2025

Arsenic and Old Lace

By Joseph Kesselring
Directed by Stephanie Hoerth

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Audition Dates:

December 16 and 17
6:30 PM to 8:30 PM
 
Production Dates:
February 27 and 28 at 7 PM;
March 1 at 2 PM;
March 6 and 7  at  7 PM;
March 8 at 2 PM
 

Comedy

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CHARACTER DESCRIPTIONS AT BOTTOM OF PAGE

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Arsenic and Old Lace

Stephanie Hoerth

Director

Stephanie Hoerth
ABOUT THE PLAY:

Drama critic Mortimer Brewster’s engagement announcement is upended when he discovers a corpse in his elderly aunts’ window seat. Mortimer rushes to tell Abby and Martha before they stumble upon the body themselves, only to learn that the two old women aren’t just aware of the dead man in their parlor, they killed him! Between his aunts’ penchant for poisoning wine, a brother who thinks he’s Teddy Roosevelt, and another brother using plastic surgery to hide from the police—not to mention Mortimer’s own hesitancy about marriage—it’ll be a miracle if Mortimer makes it to his wedding. Arsenic and Old Lace is a classic black comedy about the only thing more deadly than poison: family.
 

Audition Form for  the WRCT Fall Production of Arsenic and Old Lace

Audition dates:
December 16 and 17
6:30–8:30 PM

Production Dates:
February 27 & 28 at 7 PM;
March 1 at 2 PM;
March 6 & 7 at 7 PM;
March 8 at 2 PM 6:30 PM to 8:30 PM​

Character descriptions at the bottom of this page.

Comedy
11 men, 3 women (of the 11 men, some are smaller parts)

Thank you for your interest in participating with WRCT!*

Please complete the following form.
A copy will be given to the director and stage manager to review during auditions.

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*WRCT welcomes actors and volunteers of all experience levels, whether you are brand new or a veteran thespian!

 

*It is important that WRCT is inclusive when casting productions. As a community theatre, we believe in having as many participants as is possible, and giving people of all experience levels a chance to enjoy theatre.

Your information:

OR

What is you age group?
Best way to contact you

Theatre experience, if you have any. (If not, it's okay!):

Have you participated with WRCT before?
For which role(s) would you like to audition?

*See character descriptions at the bottom of this page.

If you are cast and the director feels the character is best portrayed with physical alterations, would you be willing to (check all that apply.)

I am willing to:
If not cast, would you like to work on a backstage crew?

NOTE: Checking yes WILL NOT affect your chances of being cast. Please talk with the director or stage manager to let them know how you'd like to help.

Arsenic-700w.jpg

Rehearsals/Production schedule:

Rehearsals will be live at the WRCT Auditorium. See the director's schedule for details.

Thanks you for submitting your audition form. The Director and Stage Manager will have a copy available at auditions. Break a leg!

*CHARACTER DESCRIPTIONS:
 
Abby Brewster (Female) Ages: 55-65, 65+:
A sweet elderly woman with Victorian charm who poisons elderly men. Abby is the
sister of Martha and an aunt to Teddy, Jonathan, and Mortimer.
 
Martha Brewster (Female) Ages: 55-65, 65+:
: Also a darling elderly lady who poisons elderly men. Martha is the sister of Abby and
an aunt to Teddy, Jonathan, and Mortimer.
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Mortimer Brewster (Male) Ages: 20-30, 30-40: Nephew of Abby and Martha, Mortimer is a drama critic. A good-hearted cynic, he is engaged to Elaine. Mortimer cares for his aunts, but his world is turned upside-down as he tries to untangle their crazy, homicidal dilemma.

Jonathan Brewster (Male) Ages: 30-40, 40-55:
Nephew of Abby and Martha Brewster, Jonathan is a psychopath who has had
plastic surgery and now looks like Boris Karloff.

Dr Einstein (Male) Ages: 30-40, 40-55:
A plastic surgeon and an alcoholic, Dr. Einstein has changed Jonathan's face three times.

Elaine Harper (Female) Ages: 20-30, 30-40:
An attractive girl in her twenties, and Mortimer’s fiancée, Elaine is the daughter of the
Rev. Dr. Harper, who lives next-door to Abby and Martha. She is surprisingly wise in the ways of the world for a minister's daughter.

Teddy Brewster (Male) Ages: 30-55:
Nephew of Abby and Martha Brewster. Teddy is a delightfully certifiable man who is
under the happy delusion that he is Theodore Roosevelt.

Officer Brophy (Male or Female) Ages: 20-30, 30-40, 40-55, 55-65:
Police officers who regularly visit the Brewster home for tea and cookies, and who have no idea that these kindly old ladies are actually murderers.
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Officer Klein (Male or Female) Ages: 20-30, 30-40, 40-55, 55-65:
A pleasant neighborhood police officer, partner to Brophy.

Reverend Harper (Male) Ages: 40-55, 55-65:
Kindly and conservative Minister and father of Elaine, Mortimer’s bride-to-be.

Officer O’Hara (Male) Ages: 40-55:
A police officer, O’Hara is a would-be playwright who pesters Mortimer to read his play.

Mr. Witherspoon (Male) Ages: 55-65:
The superintendent of Happy Dale Sanitorium.

Lieutenant Rooney (Male) Ages: 55-65:
A tough and dominating police officer, the commanding officer of the precinct.

Mr. Gibbs (Male) Ages: 55-65, 65+:
A bitter old man who wishes to rent a room from the Brewster sisters.
 

Upcoming auditions

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