Feb 1 & 2, 2025 Audition Information
Character Breakdown for
“Murder on the Orient Express”:
Hercule Poirot M (French) 40’s – 60’s. Famous Belgian detective; a “Big” personality; authoritative, witty, charismatic and slightly pompous; driven to find the answers, good or bad, with a strong moral sense; very aware of his ability and his well- deserved reputation.
Monsieur Bouc M (French) 30’s – 60’s. A Belgian gentleman of good humor; playful, proud, generous; a predilection for grandeur; a whirlwind of energy.
Colonel Arbuthnot M (Scottish) 30’s – 40’s. Scotsman, middle aged, handsome, very matter of fact, occasionally tender.
Samuel Ratchett M (American) 30’s – 40’s. Middle-aged American businessman, evil at heart and frightening, brusque, unforgiving, stern demeanor; pushy, and domineering.
Helen Hubbard F (American) 40’s – 70’s. An outspoken and flamboyant American from the Midwest; jovial, obnoxious, domineering, deliciously nosy and brash; unapologetic. Also sings. Please familiarize yourself with the song “Alexander’s Ragtime Band”.
Countess Andrenyi F (Hungarian) 30’s – 50’s. Brilliantly beautiful, like something out of a fairytale; impeccably put together, with a warmth that wins over everyone she meets; her delicacy belies a steely edge; she is no wilting flower.
Mary Debenham F (English) 20’s – 30’s. An English beauty; a governess, capable yet romantic; a sadness around her eyes and a hardness about her person.
Princess Dragomiroff F (Russian) 40’s – 70’s. A Russian dowager; very formal, a sweeping, impressive presence; imperial, impatient. Everyone knows when she enters the room. More battle axe than princess.
Hector MacQueen M (American) 20’s – 50’s. Tightly wound, edgy and nervous; he seems to always be on the verge of falling apart or coming unwound. Assistant to Samuel Ratchett.
Michel the Conductor M (French). A good-looking Frenchman, with a quiet, almost grave sense of humor; unfailingly polite.
Head Waiter Marcel M (Turkish) . Snooty, smooth. (doubles as Michel)
Greta Ohlsson F (Swedish) 20’s – 60’s. Inherently odd, and very devout Swedish woman; a frightened, sheeplike quality.
“Calendar Girls”:
Chris – 50, You want Chris at your party. She will talk to people she doesn’t know, find things to say to fill silences and generate laughter.
Annie – 50s, Annie will join in mischief but is at the heart more conformist and less confrontational than Chris. She has enough edge to be interesting, and enough salt not to be too sweet.
Cora – around 40. She is the joker in the pack but never plays the fool. Her wit is deadpan. Doesn’t need to sing like a diva but must be able to sing well enough.
Jessie – late 60s/70s. A lover of life, Jessie’s elixir of life is bravery.
Celia, age anything 35 – 50. A woman more at home in a department store than a church hall. Rebellious.
Ruth – 40s. self-confident, a woman happy in her own skin. Eager to please, but not a rag doll.
Marie – 50s, complicated, She went to her Oz and found Oz didn’t want her. She came back scorched.
John – 50s, Annie’s husband. Not a saint. Not a hero. A human sunflower (?)
Rod – Chris’s husband. Deadpan humor. He can give back what he gets. Drinks a lot, but never a problem.
Lawrence – late 20s. Hesitant without being nerdy. A shy young man with enough wit to make a joke.
Lady Cravenshire – 60s. really doesn’t mean to be patronizing. Makes an entrance. She must glide in like a galleon.
Elaine – 20s
Liam – late 20s
