Auditions
JAN. 6 and JAN. 12, 2008

CYRANO DE BERGERAC, BIG RIVER

Auditions scheduled for Actors’ NET of Bucks County’s “Cyrano de Bergerac” at The Heritage Center, 635 N. Delmorr Ave., Morrisville, PA 19067 (across the river from Trenton).  Directed by Cheryl Doyle, starring George Hartpence.  Auditions Sun,. Jan. 6 from 6 pm through 10 pm, Sat., Jan. 12 from 1:30 pm through 5:30 pm.  Show dates: April 4-20.  No pay, excellent experience with a highly respected area theatre – www.actorsnetbucks.org. Cyrano, Roxane, and Ragueneau already cast; all others, including Christian, are available.  Seeking an enthusiastic, energetic male ensemble for Gascony cadets, poets, marquises, etc., etc. Website has character descriptions. Contrasting monologues requested (can do cold reading if don’t have monologue, but all Actors’ NET auditions are used to consider casting for other shows, so monologues help show is your range).  Also doing preliminary searching for “Big River,” May 23-June 8, Huck and Jim already cast – bring a song with your own accompaniment if interested in musical.  Call 215-295-3694 for appointment. 

Script available as etext (though not our translation) http://www.gutenberg.org/dirs/etext98/cdben10h.htm

Character descriptions, Cyrano de Bergerac (adapted from http://www.sparknotes.com/lit/cyrano/characters.html)
Cyrano de Bergerac (cast) -  A poet, swordsman, scientist, playwright, musician, and member of the Cadets of Gascoyne, a company of guards from Southern France. For all his prodigious talents, Cyrano is cursed with a ridiculously long nose that makes him insecure and keeps him from revealing his love for his cousin Roxane.
Roxane (cast) -  Cyrano’s cousin, a beautiful and intellectual heiress. She has a soft spot for romance and a love for poetry and wit, but falls in love with Christian based entirely on his looks.
Baron Christian de Neuvillette -  Perhaps the opposite of Cyrano, Christian a handsome but simple young nobleman who lacks wit and intelligence. New to Paris and to the cadets, he falls in love with Roxane and joins Cyrano’s company of cadets early in the play. His good looks are matched only by Roxane’s.
Comte de Guiche -  A powerful, married nobleman in love with Roxane (which she does not return) and therefore a natural enemy of Cyrano. Deceitful and always angry, he attempts several times to have Cyrano killed.
Ragueneau (cast) -  Cyrano’s friend, a pastry chef with a deep love for poetry. Ragueneau gives away pastries in return for poems, and, therefore, innumerable poets visit him frequently. He reflects the theme that poetry is food for the soul, and underlines the division between the physical and spiritual aspects of the world. After his business fails, he becomes Roxane’s porter.
Le Bret  -  Cyrano’s loyal friend and confidant. He is a fellow soldier and guardsman. Le Bret worries that Cyrano’s principles will ruin his career, but Cyrano ignores Le Bret’s concerns.
Ligniere - A satirical paoet and drunkard with many powerful enemies. Cyrano protects him from the hundred men hired by de Guiche to ambush him.
The duenna -  Roxane’s companion and chaperone.  A bit like a sophisticated version of Juliet’s nurse in Romeo and Juliet.
Vicomte de Valvert -  An insolent young nobleman lauded by de Guiche as a possible husband for Roxane. After he insults Cyrano’s nose, he is defeated in an ensuing duel – requires an extremely adept fencer.
Montfleury -  A fat, untalented actor whom Cyrano bans from the stage.
Carbon de Castel-Jaloux -  Cyrano’s friend and the captain of his company. A good soldier, leader, and friend.
Bellerose -  The man in charge of the theater at the Hotel de Bourgogne.
Lise -  Ragueneau’s sharp-tongued, greedy, lustful wife; she leaves Ragueneau for a musketeer after Act II.
Capuchin -  A modest and well-meaning monk.
Mother Marguerite de Jesus, Sister Claire, Sister Marthe -  Nuns of convent were Roxane retreats after Christian’s death. Compassionate and loving women.
Plus an enthusiastic, energetic group of 8-10 men to play numerous Cadets of Gascoyne (no age limit, should look reasonably fit), poets (same actors), marquises (same actors), etc.  Lots of work, cool costumes, a chance to carry a sword and engage in controlled rowdiness.  May take some of the smaller parts listed above.
A few “actresses” and female crowd members.