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Arms and the Man Auditions
By George Bernard Shaw
Directed by Larry Westlake
Produced by Alison Overington
SHOW DATES: Evenings June 30, July 1, 6, 7, 8, 13, 14, 2023 at 8 p.m.
Matinees are July 2, 9, 15, 2023 at 2 p.m.
Important: We will be providing a safe working environment – all participants in this production from creative staff, crews, actors, and other volunteers must be fully vaccinated and provide proof. Masks will/may be required.
The Story
George Bernard Shaw’s comedy follows Raina Petkoff as she learns the reality of the world around her. Set during the Serbo-Bulgarian War of 1885, Shaw’s play takes a critical look at the romanticizing of love and war, the challenges of self-reflections, and the gray world of absolute truth.
Characters and Actors – 5 males, 3 females
Ages reflect the age of the characters and not necessarily the age of the actors.
Raina: (identifying as Female) – early 20’s
The play’s protagonist and heroine. Raina is a romantic idealist living in the provinces of Bulgaria and born into the wealthy Petkoff family. She pines for her fiancé Sergius, who has just led a successful, if ill-planned, cavalry charge against the Serbs. Raina meets and falls in love with Bluntschli, the Swiss “chocolate cream soldier” fighting for the Serbs.
Catherine: (identifying as female) – over 40
Raina’s mother, and matriarch of the Petkoff household. Catherine wants to marry off her daughter to as wealthy and prominent a man as possible. When Sergius appears to be this man, Catherine approves of the union. As it becomes clear that Sergius is not the man he presented himself to be, Catherine is willing to switch her allegiances to Bluntschli. Catherine is also focused on making sure the Petkoffs’ are up to date in their home furnishings and technology and standing in the town.
Louka: (identifying as female) – early 20’s
The Petkoffs’ female servant. She is young, physically attractive, and she uses her appearance to advance her station. Louka is engaged to Nicola, the head male servant. She has a vexed, if flirtatious, relationship with Sergius, who’s engaged to Raina. Louka wants to better her social station by marrying a noble and criticizes Nicola for having no aspirations over those of a common servant.
Bluntschli: (identifying as male) – early 30’s
A Swiss mercenary fighting for the Serbs, and Raina’s love interest, who she calls “the chocolate cream soldier.” He is totally realistic about the stupidity of war. He is skilled in warfare and emotionally sophisticated but has a weakness for sweets. Bluntschli hides in Raina’s room with her help. When he returns in the spring to return Major Petkoff’s cloak, events are set into motion that bring out Catherine and Raina’s conspiracy to help him, and that lead to his engagement to Raina and an ultimately happy ending.
Sergius: (identifying as male) – mid to late 30’s
Raina’s fiancé, and the hero of the Battle of Slivnitza. Sergius, by his own and many others’ admission, has no military skill. He led the charge out of a mixture of foolhardiness and desire for self-aggrandizement. Sergius flirts with the Petkoffs’ servant Louka, and the play ends in their engagement.
Major Petkoff: (identifying as male) – over 50
Head of the Petkoff family, and Raina’s father. The Major is a decent if unambitious soldier, and he seems concerned mostly with maintaining his family’s social position in the rural parts of Bulgaria. He and Catherine are willing to accept Bluntschli as Raina’s suitor by the play’s end only after he demonstrates just how wealthy he is.
Nicola: (identifying as male) – mid 40’s
Head male servant of the Petkoff estate. Nicola initially reprimands Louka for her willingness to leverage information she’s heard as gossip against the Petkoffs. Louka feels that Nicola is not ambitious enough because he is content to be a servant for the rest of his life. Nicola ends the play by breaking his engagement amicably with Louka, allowing her to be engaged to Sergius.
BOOKING AN AUDITION
AUDITION DATES
Tuesday, April 11, 2023, 7 – 10 p.m.
Wednesday, April 12, 2023, 7 – 10 p.m.
CALLBACKS (IF NEEDED)
Saturday, April 15, 2023, 1– 4 p.m.
CALLBACKS ONLY: If you are auditioning, please keep this date open until advised otherwise.
Please be prepared to be available for the full three hours
Auditions will be in person at the Scarborough Players Rehearsal Unit
Auditions must be booked in advance
TO REQUEST AN AUDITION, SEND AN E-MAIL TO audition4sp@gmail.com
Please note: Email is the most efficient way to book an audition
Auditions are booked in 10-minute slots. Please indicate the role in which you are interested.
Requirements: Please prepare a short comedic monologue – no more than 90 seconds. Something you know well. Be prepared to be re-directed. There will be cold readings from the play. Please contact audition4sp@gmail.com for more information about the play.
Due to COVID, once you have booked your audition, we will be sending you forms to complete at home. We also ask you to please email your resume and headshot/photo with your audition request. We will be managing contact, distancing, and numbers in the space.
LOCATION
Auditions and Rehearsals will be held at 780 Birchmount, Unit 5 (West side of Birchmount, south of Eglinton, beside the Alison’s Fine Foods). There is parking in front and near the entrance to the unit. TTC accessible by #17 Bus from Warden Station or any Eglinton West bus from Kennedy Station. However, Eglinton is under construction with the Cross-Town route and traffic can be slow from Kennedy. Please check with TTC for updates.
Very Important:
First read-through will be Tuesday, April 18, at 7:30 p.m.
Most rehearsals will be held on Tuesday and Thursday evenings, 7:30 – 10:30 p.m. and Sundays, 1 – 5 p.m.
Some rehearsals and all performances are at Scarborough Village Theatre, 3600 Kingston Road (at Markham Road).
Additional rehearsals may be added as we move closer to the production opening, especially the week of opening. You will be asked to please list ANY potential conflicts.
Please note: the production opens on the Canada Day long weekend including a performance on July 1, 2023
Scarborough Players is an inclusive community theatre company and encourages all interested individuals from all backgrounds to audition. Those auditioning must be Non-Equity performers and understand that this is a non-paying production. We do not enter into any contracts or agreements with CAEA or ACTRA.