OPEN CALL AUDITION: Grand Horizons - December 2, 2023
Ottawa Little Theatre presents
Grand Horizons
Written by: Bess Wohl
Directed by: Chantale Plante
Production Dates:
April 3 – 20, 2024 at 7:30 pm (Wednesdays – Saturdays) and matinees on April 7 & 14 at 2:30 pm (Sundays)
All actors must be available for all performances.
Open Call Audition:
Auditions will be held on:
Saturday, December 2, 2023 at 1:00 pm
Please arrive at least 15 minutes early to fill out your audition card – onstage readings will commence at 1:00pm sharp.
Call-backs if required will be Monday December 4, 2023.
Audition Location:
Ottawa Little Theatre
400 King Edward Avenue, Ottawa
(Please use 235 Besserer Street entrance.)
Synopsis:
Bill and Nancy have spent fifty full years as husband and wife. They practically breathe in unison, and can anticipate each other’s every sigh, snore, and sneeze. But just as they settle comfortably into their new home in Grand Horizons, the unthinkable happens: Nancy suddenly wants out. As their two adult sons struggle to cope with the shocking news, they are forced to question everything they assumed about the people they thought they knew best. Funny, shocking, and painfully honest, Bess Wohl’s Tony-nominated comedy is a hilarious, heartbreaking commentary that explores a family turned upside-down and takes an intimate look at the wild, unpredictable, and enduring nature of love.
Character Descriptions
** Please note that we welcome all actors of any gender identity or expression, race, or ethnicity to audition. **
BILL
Male, between 70-85 years old
Lives in Grand Horizons. Nancy’s husband (for 50 years). Grumpy and a little resigned. Former pharmacist. Working on his stand-up routine. Specializes in crude and dirty jokes. Notices more than he lets on. Deflects earnestness. Scared of dying alone.
NANCY
Female, between 70-79 years old
Lives in Grand Horizons. Bill’s wife (50 years). Retired librarian. Kind, giving, and resourceful. Willing to speak her mind. Always dreamed of writing her own book. Fantasizes about eating in a restaurant alone. Runs a clothing drive where she sends dead people’s clothes to Syrian refugees. Loves Bill but is not in love with Bill. She wants to be “a full person.”
BEN
Male, between 36-45 years old
Oldest Son. Jess’s husband. Expectant father. Successful lawyer. Has stress eczema. Follows the rules. Feels like he must take care of everyone and resents it. Practical. Dependable. Resistant to intimacy. Repressed and tightly wound. Lost. Terrified. Wants to be a good husband to Jess and a great father to their child.
BRIAN
Male, between 35-40 years old
Gay, Youngest son. High school theater teacher. Sensitive. Emotional. Spoiled. Needy. High strung. Lonely. He wants to be loved. And seen. Doesn’t think love lasts. He lacks true intimacy in his life.
JESS
Female, between 30-40 years
A therapist. Ben’s wife. Very pregnant with first child. Newly credentialed family therapist (and sometimes it shows). Strong-willed and outspoken. Afraid to end up like Nancy in 50 years.
TOMMY
Male, between 25-39 years old
Brian’s late-night hook-up. Flirty, fun, funny, blunt and adventurous. Well adjusted. Saves the drama for consensual fantasy play and keeps it out of his everyday life. Loves himself enough to not let himself play the role of caretaker anymore. He’s been there and isn’t going back. Sees completely through Brian’s neediness and narcissism and respects himself enough to not stick around for the inevitable drama. He’s a man who knows what he wants and what he doesn’t.
CARLA
Female, between 66-74 years old
She’s having an affair with Bill. Lives in Vista View. Retired dentist’s receptionist. Taking stand-up comedy class. Sexts texts with Bill. Cheerful, may be frumpy, and warm. The kind of person who wears themed outfits for holidays. Nervous. She doesn’t recognize herself anymore. Spent her life cheering others up. As she became older, she became invisible.
Sides:
The following are audition sides relevant to each of the characters. Sides are linked below.
Copies of the sides will also be available at the audition.