Audition – The Importance Of Being Earnest

Characters Needed

JACK (ERNEST) WORTHING
(male-identifying, age range 27-35)
The play’s protagonist. Serious and sincere, a seemingly respectable young man who leads a double life. At his country estate he is known as Jack. In London, he is known as Ernest. He is in love with his friend, Algernon’s cousin, Gwendolyn.

ALGERNON
(male-identifying, age range 24-32)
The play’s secondary hero, nephew of Lady Bracknell, cousin of Gwendolyn and best friend of Jack. Brilliant, witty, selfish and amoral.

GWENDOLYN
(female-identifying, age range 20-28)
Lady Bracknell’s daughter and Algernon’s cousin. In love with Ernest. Sophisticated, intellectual, cosmopolitan and utterly pretentious.

CECILY
(female-identifying, age range 15-23)
Jack’s 18-year-old ward who lives in the country. Unsophisticated, romantic and imaginative. Like Gwendolyn, she is obsessed with the name Ernest and has invented a romance between herself and her Uncle Jack’s wastrel brother, Ernest.

LADY BRACKNELL
(female-identifying, age range 55 AND UP)
Algernon’s snobbish, mercenary and domineering aunt and Gwendolyn’s mother. Cunning, narrow-minded and authoritarian, given to making hilarious pronouncements.

MISS PRISM
(female-identifying, age range 35 and older)
Cecily’s governess, an endless source of pedantic bromides and cliches. Seemingly puritanical and rigid, she does have a softer side and entertains romantic feelings for Dr Chasuble.

DR CHASUBLE
(male-identifying, age range 35 and older)
The rector on Jack’s estate. Full of Victorian moral judgements but entertaining secret romantic feelings for Miss Prism.

LANE
(male-identifying, age range 25-75)
Algernon’s manservant. Lane and Merriman could be played by the same actor.

MERRIMAN
(male-identifying, age range 25-75)
The butler at Jack’s country house. Lane and Merriman could be played by the same actor

Callbacks: Wednesday, August 31 at 7:00PM

Rehearsal period: Tues