Seeking Talent for "Present Laughter" Show

(Lead) A cigarette-holder-wielding matinee idol slipping reluctantly into middle age; self-dramatizing, self-important, and hopelessly self-infatuated.

(Lead) Garry's (separated) wife; stylish and able to hold her own at a party, alongside (or even in spite of) London's most celebrated, romantic leading man; not easily shaken, gracious, witty, but when she lets her guard down, full hearted; self-possessed and dignified.

Garry's secretary, pal, and confidant; hard working and indispensable to Garry, she tries to be a taskmaster, but must instead be a bastion of patience, albeit with varying degrees of success; she's quite competent and great at managing people, but her stress and the lack of time in a day emerge in a sardonic sense of humor.

An aspiring, experimental playwright who still lives with his parents in Uckfield; his unfulfilled ambition has left him loudly obsessive, quietly jealous, and secretly resentful; human psychology eludes him somewhat, so he's taken to writing dystopian fantasies; lofty and grandiose, he would love to transform the theater to a world of ideas. Seems gamely unaware of social cues or rules regarding personal hygiene. Develops an annoying hero-worship of Garry.

Henry's wife; a femme fatale whose appetite for social status is matched only by her other appetites; savvy, coy, yet witty; extremely stylish, she's aware of her sexual prowess and enjoys leaving others feeling destabilized.

Garry's recent dalliance; a pretty, gently-bred debutante who grew up absolutely idolizing Garry Essendine; quirky and shrewd; she truly believes she's meant to be Garry's muse; a budding social climber, she does not realize that her attempts to be more sophisticated than she is are highly transparent; any touch of innocence about her is balanced by her ambition.

Garry's producer; shrewd and business savvy; hospitable yet proud; after many years of working with Garry, he appreciates him, but would prefer Garry's petulance be managed by someone else; he feels he deserves a wife befitting his success, but doesn't mind indulging a few mistresses on the side.

Garry's manager; smart but with a romantic streak; deferential to a point, but not without taste and a sense of the theater's tradition; enjoys being Garry's artistic sounding board; he's fallen deeply and obsessively in love with Joanna and is carrying on with her behind Henry's back.