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Casting Performers for "Poe’s Midnight Dreary" Play

Williamsport, PA, United States
ID: 291829Exp: 8/25/2025
Description:

The company is holding auditions for "Poe’s Midnight Dreary" Show and looking for performers, please see the details below. About the project: Edgar Allan Poe’s life works are hauntingly dramatized in this play. The story is cleverly told through a series of dramatizations of the master’s works: The Tell-Tale Heart, The Black Cat, The Raven, Annabel Lee, The Fall of the House of Usher, The Premature Burial, and The Poetic Principle. These stories are threaded together with the events of Poe’s life as he deliriously remembers them on an anonymous deathbed in a Baltimore hospital. McElvain fully recreates each story on stage, often making use of special stage effects, bringing those haunting images of Poe’s work into the theatrical world. The script can be easily broken into the individual stories. Perfect for one-act competitions. Additional info: What to Prepare For Your Audition: nothing need to be prepared actors will be asked to particapate in cold readings at auditions

24 roles

Edgar Allen PoeMale18-56 y.o.All ethnicities

The titular character, Poe is mysterious and macabre. In his final moments, he is delirious at times but also methodical. He is ever-present throughout the duration of the play and experiences a wide array of emotions.

Dr. John T. MoranMale18-56 y.o.All ethnicities

Dr. Moran is the carer of Poe in his final moments. down-to-earth and calculated, Dr. Moran does his best to ground Poe’s fantastical mind.

Virginia / MadelineFemale18-56 y.o.All ethnicities

The cousin and come-to-be wife of Poe, Virginia is a teenager full of life. She is playful even in moments of despair. Of The Fall of the House of Usher, Madeline is buried alive and becomes a haunting figure.

ChorusBoth genders18-56 y.o.All ethnicities

The Chorus are the cardinal voices of the play. They narrate the story, follow Poe on his journey, and portray other characters like the Raven and the Gossips.

AllenMale18-56 y.o.All ethnicities

The abusive father figure of Poe, Allen is abrasive to his son but loves to entertain a crowd using gestures and accents.

BertramFemale18-56 y.o.All ethnicities

Of The Telltale Heart, Bertram is a cunning killer, spooked by irrational fears. She is a servant who is not what she seems. Her cracked mental psyche causes her to have outbursts and fear her imagination.

Reginald GustafsonMale18-56 y.o.All ethnicities

Of The Telltale Heart, Reginald is an elderly man taken care of by his servant, Bertram. He is oblivious and trusting, likely due to his old age.

Captain O’HerniganMale18-56 y.o.All ethnicities

Of The Telltale Heart, O’Hernigan is an Irish police officer investigating a reported horrific sound. He is personable and just a bit awkward.

FortunatoMale18-56 y.o.All ethnicities

A harlequin / reveler, Fortunato suits the vibes of Mardi Gras. He is a jester who offers many a drink to Poe.

ZacharyMale18-56 y.o.All ethnicities

Of The Black Cat, Zachary is a two-faced, mentally sick man whose emotions flip from page to page. He is a drunk who kills his pet cats with inconsistent regret.

The CatFemale18-56 y.o.All ethnicities

Of The Black Cat, The Cat, otherwise known as the Black Cat or Pluto, is the anthropomorphic personification of a cat. She is feline-like, loving to her carers, but will fear those she deems dangerous. She does not speak… for she is a cat.

WifeFemale18-56 y.o.All ethnicities

Of The Black Cat, she is the wife of Zachary. She loves pets, especially cats, and will take them in on a whim. She is a bit heedless but has an ounce of bravery.

Mrs. ClemmFemale18-56 y.o.All ethnicities

The mother of Virginia and aunt of Poe, Mrs. Clemm is kind and caring. She urges Poe to reconsider his romantic pursuits.

RoderickMale18-56 y.o.All ethnicities

Of The Fall of the House of Usher, Roderick is a doomed soul. He is paranoid and set in his ways, which involves burying his love alive.

AllouisiusMale18-56 y.o.All ethnicities

Of The Premature Burial, Allouisius narrates the story of The Premature Burial, stories of people being buried alive. He is sporadic and charismatic. He appears and reappears with the lights. Thematically, he has a great fear of being buried alive himself.

VictorineFemale18-56 y.o.All ethnicities

Of The Premature Burial, a debutante with multiple suitors, she is unhappy with her romantic decision and fakes her death. She is overly dramatic and a hopeless romantic.

BankerMale18-56 y.o.All ethnicities

Of The Premature Burial, the first husband of Victorine, he is wealthy, pompous, and vengeful.

AntoineMale18-56 y.o.All ethnicities

Of The Premature Burial, the desired love of Victorine, he is Prince Charming coded.

JudgeMale18-56 y.o.All ethnicities

Of The Premature Burial, he decides the dispute between Victorine and the Banker. He is fair and stern.

DoctorsMale18-56 y.o.All ethnicities

Of The Premature Burial, these three doctors bring a corpse back to life. They quip and joke with one another and do not take the situation seriously.

CorpseMale18-56 y.o.All ethnicities

Of The Premature Burial, this corpse is revived from death. Their speech is very poor, but they are quite good at charades.

MotherFemale18-56 y.o.All ethnicities

Of The Premature Burial, the mother of Allouisius, she is the definition of motherly, but finds her son odd.

FatherMale18-56 y.o.All ethnicities

Of The Premature Burial, the father of Allouisius, he is caring but finds his son odd. Coffin Maker – Of The Premature Burial, he makes coffins by request. He is good at his job and takes requests politely.

SailorsMale18-56 y.o.All ethnicities

Of The Premature Burial, these three sailors find Allouisius caught in a storm. They are a bunch of kind boatsmen with some humor shared between them.