"War Of The Worlds: The Panic Broadcast" Show Needs Actors
Casting call for "War Of The Worlds: The Panic Broadcast", please see the details below. ONLY LOCAL TALENT WILL BE CONSIDERED. About the project: “The War of the Worlds: The Panic Broadcast” by Joe Landry is a radio play within a play. It depicts an acting troupe recreating the Mercury Theater’s original 1938 broadcast of “The War of the Worlds” (directed by and starring the wunderkind Orson Welles) in an on-air live performance. Landry’s play requires a small cast to play multiple characters including old-time radio announcers, Orson Welles, John Houseman, military personnel, pundits, men and women on the streets, politicians, and characters in period radio commercials. The actors must have the ability to transform their voices, and good senses of humor and fun. The cast may be any ethnicity. As the performance weaves its spell, we leave the radio studio behind and take a journey into a nightmarish disaster with no seeming relief—until there is. Rate: CONTRACT Independent Theatre Contract $515 weekly minimum Additional info: Please prepare EITHER a short monologue appropriate for the character, or one of the Sides that will be available at the audition. Also, please bring your headshot and resume stapled together. 1st Rehearsal: September 21, 2026 Preview: October 7, 2026 Opens: October 8, 2026 Closes: November 1, 2026
5 roles
A leading man type radio personality, able to project authority and be accessible as well. In the radio play within the radio play, Freddie plays the Studio Announcer, the voice of reason who registers and processes for the audience the astonishing attack of the Martians, and is an eyewitness to the Martians devastating capture of New York. Doubles as other characters of both high and low status as needed.
Orson Welles in “The War of the Worlds”: a leading man type who can capture Welles’ intelligence, easy authority and Puckish sense of humor. Note: the actor does not need to imitate nor resemble Welles. But he should be an engaging storyteller who will take us on a journey into the heart of darkness and back out again. Also doubles as minor characters of high and low status as needed.
Appealing, young and versatile. Jake plays the idealistic writer Howard Koch, and doubles as a great variety of characters of both high and low status. He is the equivalent of a great utility player on a baseball team.
Experienced and versatile. In the radio play within the radio play Harry plays John Houseman (Welles’ long-suffering, patient co-producer, an intellectual, slightly stuffy man), the Stranger, a menacing survivor of the Martian takeover and conspiracy theorist par excellence, and doubles as other characters of both high and low status.
Appealing and versatile. A variety of characters of both high and low status, primarily Carl Phillips, a winning, sympathetic, gee-whiz cub reporter who is eyewitness to the landing of a Martian spaceship and then dies in the subsequent battle. Lana also provides live sound effects, Foleystyle, for the broadcast.
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