Auditions for The Spirit of Annie Ross

A comedy by Bernard Farrell.

Directed by: Jan Saussey

Synopsis:
"The Gerry Ryan Show" on the local radio station has set a challenge for a number of people to stay overnight in a haunted house. Each participant has his or her own reason for taking part in the challenge, and, as the night progresses, their psychological ghosts appear.

This is a mysterious, hilarious world from which there is no escape, where characters are forced to explore their own personal hauntings as they unravel the ghostly past of Annie Ross. The unseen heroine is not the legendary jazz singer but a maid who died in the 1930s, having murdered the master and aborted his child.

So now, this quartet is to spend the night in the house to see if Annie's ghost still walks, and, to raise money for a charity - the Let Us Feed the Starving Children of Africa project.

Production dates: 4 – 25 May, 2019

Characters: (Ages are an indication only)

I’m keen to set this story in England – so bring whatever accent you do best.

Larry: 50-60yrs. Down to earth. Totally pragmatic. Does not believe in the afterlife or ghosts. Works for a building society and is in line for promotion to General Manager. Confident he’ll get it. Larry was the driving force behind the Starving Children fundraising campaign and desperately wants to beat the bungee jumpers group in raising money... for charities’ sake, of course.

Helen: Larry’s wife 40- 50yrs. Seriously into her hobbies from lampshade making to public speaking – a different one for every day of the week! This helps her ‘put up with’ Larry, as he’s not that easy to live with. Helen is completely in control of her own destiny… Even if she is afraid of the dark.

Requires a skilled actress with the ability to inhabit Helen’s experiences with each taxing situation she faces.

Katie: 19-25 yrs. A young hairdresser with a bubbly zest for life and positive, outgoing personality. Katie recently lost her mother, so has a personal reason to be part of this night’s experiment. She has some delicious one-liners, so we need an actress with excellent comic timing but also the control and focus to hold the audience in the palm of her hand in an emotional heart-breaking scene.

Colin: 30-40 years. A teacher having a sabbatical year “to be a free spirit”. A rather blunt and insecure person who easily ‘puts his foot in it’ then scurries to rectify the situation. A good role that needs light and shade to show the inner complexities of Colin.

William: The caretaker of the mansion. 50- 75yrs. He’s grumpy old character with attitude who begrudges everyone being there ‘in his domain’. Walks with a limp. A fabulous cameo role!

Rehearsals: Tues & Thurs: 7.30pm to 10pm. Sundays: time TBA
Rehearsals start on Sunday, March 3, 5pm-8pm.

For expressions of interest and scripts please contact:
Dominique at HLT: info@hlt.org.nz or
Director Jan Saussey: jan.saussey@gmail.com