LUCKY STIFF Auditions

Seeking the Following Roles

Harry Witherspoon (20s – 50s) A shy, sweet-natured and insecure British shoe salesman. Lonely, and beset by dogs and prying neighbors in his dreary boardinghouse, Harry knows that life is passing him by, but he feels incapable of making any changes or taking any chances. He is a dreamer who yearns for more – excitement, adventure, romance, but he’s convinced that he’ll never have those things, until a mysterious telegram arrives.

Annabel Glick (20s – 50s) A representative of the Universal Dog Home of Brooklyn, Annabel is a woman with a natural bent for causes. She takes life very seriously, and denies herself any small pleasures, for fear that if she waits for happiness to knock, it won’t. Instead, she dedicates herself to good works. Annabel is the type who wears protest buttons and carries a bag full of useful things like tire gauges and granola bars. Burned by relationships in the past, she devotes herself fully to her work.

Rita LaPorta (20s – 50s) A fiery, hard-edged woman with an extremely volatile nature and a severe case of nearsightedness. Rita is passionate, impulsive, jealous, manipulative and very insecure about her looks. She is also putty in the hands of the man she adores. She can be incredibly charming one minute and incredibly childlike the next. Things often get out of control when Rita is around. She lives in New Jersey, wears tacky and outlandish outfits that she thinks are amazing, and is a chain smoker.

Vinnie DiRuzzio (20s – 50s) Rita’s brother, an optometrist. A nervous and conservative man, a pillar of the community and a person who would never do anything out of the ordinary, risky or controversial. Vinnie is a neurotic pushover who is the polar opposite of his sister. He is an uptight hypochondriac, and is allergic to most things, including Rita’s cigarette smoke.

Luigi Gaudi (20s – 60s) A boisterous and gregarious Italian, who is seemingly wealthy and well traveled. Luigi is a charming and charismatic man of the world, and he loves the good things in life – the best cigars, the best champagne, and the best suits. Although he seems to make friends everywhere he goes, there is also something mysterious about him. Everywhere Harry goes, Luigi seems to pop up.

Dominique DuMonaco (20s – 50s) A fabulous French nightclub singer.

The Dead Body of “Uncle Anthony” Hendon (40s – 60s) Though deceased, this is a fun and physically comedic role, as the corpse often lurches forward in his wheelchair, rolls onto the floor, etc … Uncle Anthony also comes to life in a musical nightmare sequence.

Ensemble (all ages) A hilarious revolving door of eccentric characters, including the Landlady, the Spinster, the Punk, the Truck Driver, the Solicitor, the Bellhop, the Salesman, the Emcee, the Nun, the Old Texan, the Eye Patient, the Waiter, the Dapper Gambler, the Leper, the Secretary, the Nurse, the Southern Lady, the Drunken Maid, and more!

About the Show
When Harry Witherspoon, a down and out shoe salesman, learns that he stands to inherit six million dollars from a deceased uncle he’s never met, he can’t believe his luck! There’s only one catch. In order to inherit the money, Harry has to take his uncle’s dead body on the vacation of a lifetime!

But as the unlikely pair set off for the French Riviera, Harry learns he’s not the only one chasing the cash. Hot on his tail are his uncle’s gun-toting girlfriend, her high-strung optometrist brother, a mysterious woman who seems to be following Harry’s every move, and a never ending parade of colorful characters, who may or may not be in disguise!
Part murder mystery, part wild goose chase, part romantic comedy, this hilarious musical farce of mistaken identities, millions in diamonds, and a wheelchair bound corpse will leave you dying of laughter!

More Audition Info
* Please be prepared to present ONE or TWO songs from the Lucky Stiff Audition Packet.
* You will NOT only be considered for the character you choose to sing for at your audition.
* Auditioning for the show means you are auditioning for all roles that you may be right for.
* The music in the audition packet clearly indicates where each song selection should start and stop.
* All of the songs are readily available on youtube and itunes for you to listen and rehearse.
* Remember that everyone in the audition room wants you to succeed! If you have questions, please reach out! We are happy to help you through the audition process. Please email all questions to jeff@grandstreettheatre.com
* Please arrive at least 15 minutes before your scheduled audition time slot. Auditions will take place at Grandstreet Theatre, 325 Park Avenue. Please enter through the main entrance on Park Ave. You will audition one at a time in a private room for the director, music director, and possibly a few other members of the production team.
* There may be some quick hellos and chit chat as you enter the audition room, but once you are asked to begin, we recommend introducing yourself and the song that you have chosen to sing.
* You will have a brief moment to take a breath and prepare before you dive in to your audition, but each time slot is only 5 minutes, so we strongly recommend warming up before you arrive.
* When performing your material, we suggest that you don’t make direct eye contact with the people behind the audition table. We want to watch your work, not be your scene partner. We recommend picking a spot on the wall to focus on, perhaps slightly above the heads of the directors.
* Remember to breathe!
* The directors may give you some suggestions and adjustments to try, but they may not.
* Headshots and resumes are NOT required to audition, but you are welcome to attach them to your audition form if you like.
* With your permission, we may take your photo as you arrive for your audition.
* With your permission, we may record your audition.
* We strongly recommend memorizing your audition material, but you are welcome to hold your sheet music in hand if you need to.
* If none of the audition dates work for you, but you are still interested in auditioning, please contact: jeff@grandstreettheatre.com to discuss additional options.
* Remember, you need to SIGN UP for a time slot in order to audition! Sign up HERE!

The Rehearsal Process
* At Grandstreet Theatre, we work very hard to respect everyone’s time and create rehearsal schedules accordingly. We understand that you are volunteering your time and we will do our best to accommodate your schedule.
* You will only be called to rehearsal when you are needed. You will not be called to every single rehearsal.
* We do our best to schedule rehearsals on Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday evenings between 6:30PM and 9:30PM. We try to keep weekends clear to allow for downtime and the possibility for weekend travel. However, we sometimes add occasional Sunday rehearsals when necessary.
* Rehearsal schedules are created from the schedules and conflicts of those involved. Therefore, we can only approximate what a typical rehearsal schedule usually looks like. We can’t provide specific rehearsal schedules until a cast is in place.
* We always work hard to honor and avoid the conflicts you provide us with on your audition form.
* At Grandstreet, we work very hard to start and stop rehearsals at the scheduled times.

Tech Week
April 6, 2025 through April 10, 2025 / Tech week is the final week of the process where all of the technical elements of the show are put in place.  No actor may miss a rehearsal during tech week.

The Lucky Stiff Team
Director / Designer – Jeff Downing
Music Director – Anna Milburn
Stage Manager – Syd Mammano

Get In On the Act!
* No experience necessary! Did you know that almost every Grandstreet show has at least one actor making their Grandstreet debut? If you have never been in a show before, don’t worry! We will teach you everything you need to know.
* Being in a show at Grandstreet is the perfect way to make new friends, serve your community, and make incredible theatre!
* We work very hard at Grandstreet to ensure that every production is organized, professional, challenging, rewarding, and most importantly … fun!
* What are you waiting for?! Take a deep breath and SIGN UP to AUDITION!