"Dearly Departed" Stage Play Needs Cast
Auditions for "Dearly Departed" play. Looking for cast. Please see the breakdown below. About the project: "In the Baptist backwoods of the Bible Belt, the beleaguered Turpin family proves that living and dying in the South are seldom tidy and always hilarious. Despite their earnest efforts to pull themselves together for their father’s funeral, the Turpins’ other problems keep overshadowing the solemn occasion: Firstborn Ray-Bud drinks himself silly as the funeral bills mount; Junior, the younger son, is juggling financial ruin, a pack of no-neck monster kids, and a wife who suspects him of infidelity in the family car; their spinster sister, Delightful, copes with death as she does life, by devouring junk food; and all the neighbors add more than two cents. As the situation becomes fraught with mishap, Ray-Bud says to his long-suffering wife, “When I die, don’t tell nobody. Just bury me in the backyard and tell everybody I left you.” Amidst the chaos, the Turpins turn for comfort to their friends and neighbors, an eccentric community of misfits who just manage to pull together and help each other through their hours of need, and finally, the funeral." Additional info: No monologue necessary, actors will cold read from the script. Callbacks 02/16 if needed. Shows: April 28, 29 & May 5, 6 - 8pm. April 30, May 7 - 2pm.
16 roles
Elderly father who dies in the first scene (Doubles as Reverend Hooker).
Bud's widow. Christian, family woman who tells it like it is in a quiet unassuming manor.
Bud & Raynelle's elder son. Recovering alcoholic who likes to take a nip every now and then. Terribly scared of death and none to happy that he has to foot the bill for the funeral.
Ray-Bud's wife. Desperately wants to have a baby but cannot carry to term. Motherly type who tries to take care of everyone.
Bud & Raynelle's younger son. Completely broke because of a bad business decision. Recently had an affair that his wife finds out about at the beginning of the play.
Junior's wife. Completely broke because of Junior's bad business decision. Could have been a professional singer but married instead. A bit passive/aggressive in personality. Sings a hymn at the funeral.
Bud's sister. Devoutly and aggressively Christian. Very loud and controlling of her offspring and of any situation.
Marguerite's son. Out of work with no future plans which his mother never lets him forget. More of an observer than a doer.
Bud & Raynelle's daughter. Overweight young woman who never really was allowed to grow up. Eats constantly and speaks only when spoken to. (Must be able to belch on command.)
Parish minister. A minister tired of ministering. Becomes "ill" at the funeral. (Doubles as Bud)
An elderly friend of the family. Caregiver to her sickly husband and doesn't let anyone forget it.
Veda's husband. Hard of hearing and hard to understand. Being kept alive by oxygen masks and medication.
A younger pregnant friend of the family. Seems to get pregnant just by looking at a man. All of her children are named after famous actors.
Ray-Bud's boss. Knows exactly how he wants to die. First priority is to "take care of our own".
Cousin by marriage. Very wealthy, very proper. Helps serve the food at the luncheon. Bit of a gossip.
Extra men needed for non-speaking roles Ages 20 and up.
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