Audition Notice
Crimes, Camera, Action
A Comedy by Fergus Woods Dunlop
Directed by Sean Duxbury
Audition: Thursday 26 Nov at 7:30 PM in the STUDIO
Production Dates: Wed 10 Mar to Sat 13 Mar 2026 in the Studio
Set in the Golden Age of Hollywood this is an affectionate spoof of the film noir genre (think Humprey Bogart)
The plot follows Stan Shakespeare, a film-noir private detective, reluctantly drawn into Hollywood’s schemes when aspiring starlet Leigh Lakeworth asks for help. The next day, Leigh dies in a suspicious on-set accident. Stan—joined by his bumbling assistant Oliver—investigates the studio, encountering a cast of ambitious actors, controlling producers, and studio enforcers, uncovering secrets, grudges, and financial troubles.
As the investigation unfolds, multiple deaths follow: first Leigh, then matinee idol Hank Castory, followed by Joan Davis and producer Donnie Lapin. Stan learns that each murder is tied to a broader plot of vengeance and studio power struggles, with rival producer Trish Zucker orchestrating the crimes to settle old scores and reclaim control over her career.
Comedic confusion, wordplay, and mistaken identities pepper the journey, keeping the tone light despite the mounting body count.
The play demands high energy and moves at a fast pace with multiple costume changes(which will be minimal) sometimes within the same scene.
I’m looking for 4 actors (2 male, 2 female) aged 20’s / 30’s, three of whom will play multiple characters and the fourth will play the lead Stan Shakespeare.
Unless otherwise stated all characters have American accents
The roles played by each actor are:
Actor 1 (male) – 1 character
STAN Shakespeare – A classic hard-boiled private detective in the film-noir style
Actor 2 (male) – 5 characters
OLIVER Laurence – STAN’s very posh English assistant. In love with GLORIA
HANK Castory – An established matinee-idol star (will need a Texan drawl ala John Wayne & received English).
ANDREI Friend – Prop-master, infatuated with LEIGH (East European accent)
EYE – Gangster – not very intelligent
DONNIE Lapin – Cigar chomping, uncompromising producer
Actor 3 (Female) – 5 characters
LEIGH Lakeworth – An innocent aspiring starlet, dating HANK
BETTE Hawksman – A female director, fighting to survive in a man’s world
EYE – Gangster – not very intelligent
TRISH Zucker – An ailing producer, Hollywood glamour fallen on hard times
JOAN Davis – LEIGH’s understudy in the film (needs to sing – Cry me a River – The Ella Fitzgerald version – not that well)
Actor 4 (Female) – 3 characters
GLORIA Raines – An aspiring actress & singer, has a lisp
HEY – Gangster – not very intelligent
NELLIE Nibbsley – DONNIE’s accountant
This is a provisional breakdown of the characters played by each actor (with the exception of Actor 1) and it may change once we start the blocking. I have a PDF copy of the script to study for anyone who is interested in auditioning
For anyone who is interested please contact me either by mobile 07976 111209 or email (sean.duxbury@googlemail.com).
Thanks
Sean Duxbury
