Dearly Departed Auditions – Ames Community Theater (ACTORS)

Auditions for the April performance of Dearly Departed will be Sun. – Mon., Jan. 26 and 27 at 7 p.m.  Doors open at 6:30 p.m.. You will be asked to read from the script.  The show requires physical humor and some singing.

Casting 6 men and 8 women of all ages in a variety of roles.

Synopsis: Bud Turpin up and dies leaving his family to plan, and pay for, the funeral.

Firstborn Ray-Bud drinks as the bills pile up.

Junior, the younger son, is juggling financial ruin, a pack of monster children, and a wife who suspects him of infidelity.

The young daughter, Delightful, a plus-sized girl, copes with death the same way she copes with life, by devouring junk food.

Bud’s sister, Marguerite, is a Bible thumping, righteous, long suffering woman whose mission in life is to bring the Lord to everyone.

Royce, Marguerite’s son, has a room in a boarding house, is currently unemployed, and is a target for his mother. They define a love/hate relationship.

Lucille is Ray-Bud’s wife. She has a sweet disposition, the consummate pleaser and mediator.

Suzanne is Junior’s wife. She is the ultimate victim and overestimates her talent for singing.

Reverend Hooker has one of the funniest monologues I have ever read. Being a preacher is, indeed, his cross to bear.

Other characters include funeral guests Veda and Norval. Norval can’t hear and requires oxygen. Nadine is a fool for love and has children named after famous people. The children have different fathers. Juanita, a cousin, whose life isn’t as wonderful as people think, and The Joy of Life Singers.