RAVENSCROFT
A comedic mystery written by Don Nigro
Directed by Alicia Harabin of Somerville
Produced by Ed Faver of Roselle
WHEN: Monday, Dec. 16, and Tuesday, Dec. 17, at 7:30-9:30 PM; Callbacks by invitation only will be 7:30 PM Thursday, Dec. 19
WHERE: Circle Players, 416 Victoria Ave, Piscataway
A read-through is scheduled for Sunday, Dec. 22. Regular rehearsals will begin after the holidays.
PERFORMANCE DATES: 8 PM Fridays and Saturdays, March 7-22, with a 3 PM. matinee Sunday, March 23.
For more information, e-mail director Alicia Harabin at circleplayersnj@gmail.com.
What begins as a typical Gothic thriller—a remote country estate, a murder, a detective, falling snow—quickly turns into a darkly comedic examination into the nature and value of truth. Inspector Ruffing is called out to Ravenscroft manor to investigate the death of the family’s only male servant, who took a headlong plunge down the main staircase. As he interrogates the five women of the manor, ranging from the widowed lady of the house to the lowly housemaid, he begins to uncover more (and less) truth than he bargained for.
Alicia Harabin of Somerville is the director, and Ed Faver of Roselle is the producer.
Characters needed:
Inspector Ruffing (M, 35-55) - Relegated to a country post, inquiring on the gentry in the midst of a snowstorm, Ruffing is nonetheless insistent upon truth at all cost. A wearied and serious man, Ruffing finds himself trapped in a house full of eccentric and exhausting women.
Marcy (F, 25-30) - “A person with a clear sense of reality,” Marcy is governess to Gillian Ravenscroft. She is an outsider both upstairs and down, and, one suspects, in the world at large. But why?
Mrs. Ravenscroft (F, 35-55) - Seemingly a distractible eccentric, the widowed Mrs. Ravenscroft is head of her household. Quite the flirt, she is confident that she is not past her prime. Nothing gets her down, not even a little death or two.
Gillian Ravenscroft (F, 17) - “Delicate” Gillian speaks the truth, as she sees it, much to her mother’s chagrin. She is at once flighty and deeply insightful. She believes wholeheartedly in ghosts, but sees straight through Inspector Ruffing.
Dolly (F, 18-25) - As the kitchen maid, Dolly holds the lowest position in the household, and perhaps rightly so. She is treated with pity upstairs, but mightily abused by Mrs. French below. “I’m a poor orphan, I swear. You can ask my mother.”
Mrs. French (F, 40+) - A bulldog of a servant, but no less of a woman for it, Mrs. French rules the kitchen. She has a clear sense of her place and her duty and clear expectations of those around her as well.
NOTE: Ages listed are the ages of the characters. Actors of any age will be considered as long as they can play within the listed range. All roles in this show are meaty and will require stamina as all characters will be visible to the audience throughout the play.
Audition sides will be provided.
