"Unorthodox" Audition for the Theater

Jewish. Raised in Brooklyn's Satmar Hasidic community, Devoiri enters an arranged marriage and becomes a young mother before deciding she will leave her community. Torn between duty and independence, she possesses an unforced sincerity that can read as naivete. Intelligent, curious, and deeply imaginative, she often sees herself in literary heroines like Jo March, and writes a book in hopes of creating the stable future where she can raise her child. Excellent singer.

Jewish. Seen across multiple stages of her life. As a young Holocaust survivor arriving in America, Fraida believes she may be infertile, unable to build the family she longs for, but a marriage proposal from a young Hasidic man changes the course of her life. In later years, she is the devoted grandmother who becomes Devoiri's touchstone & protector. Family, faith, & legacy are central to her identity, as well as her beloved garden. Warm, shrewd, resilient, & deeply loving. Excellent singer.

Jewish. Doubles as BAYLA and other roles. Devoiri's aunt. Practical, frank, and funny, she shepherds her niece through the matchmaking process and prepares her for the realities of married life. Dry wit and winning frankness. Doubles as BAYLA, a woman who has left the Hasidic community and is separated from her child. Bayla's experience becomes both warning and inspiration for Devoiri. Resilient, grounded, with hard-won strength. Excellent singer.

Jewish. Doubles as other roles. Fraida's closest friend and confidante, who has a sharp, dry sense of humor in spite of it all. She helped save Fraida's life in Poland and remains a steadfast presence throughout the decades. Protective of her friend, Edith is skeptical of Menachem and the Hasidic community. Sharp, funny, clear-eyed, and fiercely loyal. Strong singer.

Jewish. Doubles as other roles. A formidable presence within her family and community. Determined to secure the ideal wife for her son and committed to preserving tradition. Expects obedience, devotion, and many grandchildren from her daughter-in-law. Dry, exacting, and unapologetic; capable of cutting reproach when challenged. Excellent singer.

Jewish. Doubles as SHPRINTZA, ROIZA, and other roles. A young publishing editor who recognizes the potential of Devoiri's story and encourages her to claim her own voice. Ambitious, confident, and highly capable, with genuine empathy beneath her professional drive. Doubles as ROIZA, another granddaughter of Fraida. Doubles as SHPRINTZA, Eli's exuberant younger sister, who initially welcomes Devoiri into the family before loyalties are tested. High-spirited and self-important. Excellent singer.

Jewish. Doubles as other roles. Seen as both a young man and an elder. A Holocaust survivor whose faith, optimism, and love of family shape the life he builds with Fraida. His sincerity and quiet conviction inspire Fraida to join the Hasidic community. In later years, he is the spiritual anchor of the family. Steady, compassionate, and deeply devout. Excellent singer.

Jewish. Doubles as other roles. Devoiri's husband in an arranged marriage. Raised in a strict Hasidic household, he desires a traditional family and initially embraces Devoiri's unusual sense of intellectual curiosity. As their marriage is tested, he struggles to reconcile the wife he has with the life he imagined. Sheltered, dutiful, and ultimately kind-hearted. Excellent singer.