AUDITION – “TIL BETH DO US PART”

AUDITION NOTICE – “TIL BETH DO US PART” – A Marital Confection.

By Jessie Jones, Nicholas Hope & Jamie Wooten
PERFORMANCE PERIOD: MAY 18 th – JUNE 11 th 2022

SYNOPSIS

Described as a “Side-splitting comic romp about marriage”, career-driven Suzannah Hayden needs a
lot more help on the home front than she’s getting from her husband Gibby. Lately, nurturing his
marriage of twenty-seven years hasn’t been the highest priority for Gibby, but pretty soon he’ll wish
it had been. Enter Beth Baily, Suzannah’s newly-hired assistant, a gregarious, highly-motivated
daughter of the south. Beth explodes into the Hayden household and whips it into an organised,
well-run machine. This couldn’t have happened at a better time for Suzannah, as her boss, Celia
Carmichael, the CEO of Carmichael’s Chocolates, is flying in soon for an important make-or-break
business dinner.
Gibby grows increasingly wary as Beth insinuates herself into more and more aspects of their lives..
In no time, she exceeds her duties as a household assistant and interjects herself into Suzannah’s
career. As Suzannah’s dependence on Beth grows and Gibby’s dislike of the woman deepens,
Suzannah gives Beth carte blanche to change anything in the household that “will make it run more
efficiently”. The change Beth makes is to convince Suzannah that Gibby must go!!
When he realises it’s Suzannah’s career Beth is really after, a newly-determined Gibby sets out to
save his marriage, aided by Suzannah’s best friend, Margo, a wisecracking and self-deprecating
divorcee and her ex-husband Hank, who is in the midst of his own mid-life crisis. Their effort to stop
Beth at any cost, sets up the wildly funny climax in which things go uproariously awry, just as
Suzannah’s boss arrives for that all-important dinner.

The play is set in Cincinnati, Ohio so American accents required.

ROLES: (In order of appearance)

SUZANNAH HAYDEN (50s) –
She is focussed, energetic and well-dressed. She is a busy executive
very much a corporate type who is utterly driven by her career. Extremely frustrated as what she
sees as the domestic inertia of her husband Gibby. Lead role for an experienced actress.
GIBBY HAYDEN (50s) –
Husband of Suzannah. Good-natured and easy-going. Tends to take Suzannah for granted and
although he loves her, displays a sexist attitude towards her in terms of his expectations of her. Lead
role for an experienced actor.
MARGO JAMES (40s)
Hank’s ex-wife. Good friend of Suzannah and Gibby. Vivacious and acerbic, but with a sharp wit.
Currently having no luck with men she dates. Supporting role.
BETH BAILEY (50s)
Energetic and irrepressibly charming. She is very much from the deep south (Mississippi) and
relevant accent required. Controlling and manipulative. Lead role for an experienced actress.
HANK RUSSELL (40s)
Margo’s ex-husband and good friend of Gibby and Suzannah. Confident, cocky and charming. Thinks
he’s God’s gift to women. He and Margo maintain a relationship of sorts. Supporting role.
CELIA CARMICHAEL (60s)
CEO of Carmichael’s Chocolates and Suzannah’s boss. Only appears in Act 2, Scene 3. Very corporate
and business-like. Minor role, but a nice cameo. Could be doubled with an ASM role.

AUDITION DETAILS

LOCATION: 1812 Theatre, 3 Rose Street, Upper Ferntree Gully
Auditions are by appointment only. Please contact the Director, Keith Hutton to register your
interest and book an audition on Tel 0430 032 332 or e-mail: [email protected]

Audition pieces will be provided ahead of auditions. There is no requirement to learn your audition pieces, but it will be expected that you have read the entire play and display a good familiarity and understanding of your role.
A rehearsal schedule will be provided at the audition. However as a guide, all rehearsals will occur at 7pm Sunday and 7.30pm Tuesdays and Thursdays. An initial read-through for all cast and crew will occur on Sunday 6 th March at 1812 Theatre. First rehearsal will occur on Sunday 27 th March at 7pm.

PERFORMANCE DATES
May 18 th Charity Performance 8pm – May 19 th Opening night
Wednesdays to Saturdays 8pm
3 Sunday matinees on May 22 nd , 29 th and June 5 th commencing at 4pm
Closing night Saturday June 11 th at 8pm
Please ensure you would be available for all performances before auditioning. If you have a
conflict with any of the rehearsal dates, please advise the Director at audition and wherever
possible we can work around it.