Making God Laugh
by Playhouse 2000
Jul. 02 - Jul. 03 (2017)
Follow one family’s trip across four decades to confirm the old adage – “We Plan, God Laughs!”
There are many sayings about “the best laid plans” – among the truest is Woody Allen’s observation, “if you want to make God laugh, tell him your plans.”
Ruthie and Bill have plans for their little family; a son in the priesthood, an actress daughter, and a middle son who keeps up with the times. Over the course of 40 years and four holidays, we get to watch the comic – and sometimes poignant-outcomes they didn’t prepare for as the modern world takes its toll.
Enjoy their forays into a future they could not predict in this brand new play the Chicago Sun Times called “a gem of comic relief…a heartwarming new comedy.”
Making God Laugh – August 18 – Sept 3, 2017 – VK Garage Theater
- Auditions July 2, 2017 at 2:30 p.m. and July 3, 2017 at 6:30 p.m.
Please be prepared to read from the scripts. Directors Amy Goodyear and Susan Balentine will be looking for 5 adults, 3 men and 2 women, for the following characters:
RUTHIE, the matriarch of the family. She starts the play in her late forties or early fifties and ages thirty years as does everyone. She’s bossy, authoritative, means well but tries to steer the world more than is humanly possible. She needles each of her children and even her husband, Bill, to an extent but at bottom, way down there, truly loves them all.
BILL, our patriarch. He loves everyone and is a go-with-the-flow sort. Easygoing, wouldn’t hurt anyone’s feelings, desperately in love with his kids and wife. Being the dad of these people and Ruthie’s husband is his life’s work and he’s successful at it. He lives a little in fear of Ruthie but the worm turns when it must.
RICHARD, eldest son. Mid-to-late twenties as we start. He wants to conquer the world and is always looking for ways to do that. Not a plugger, more of an entrepreneur. He buys the latest everything and dresses “up to the second” stylish. He’s a good guy but has perhaps seen too many movies of how men behave rather than behaving as he would. A one-time football hero, he misses that kind of spotlight.
MADDIE, second child. Mid-twenties at the top. She’s an aspiring actress. A strong-willed person who loves her family. She’s closest to Thomas and the two of them have a long-standing habit of picking on their big brother as a team. It’s good-natured except when it’s not. Of all the kids, she’s the only one to have moved away from her hometown. She lives in New York and struggles with the artist’s life as well as her life-life. She and her mother have a difficult relationship.
THOMAS, son two, the baby of the family and the “good” son. A nice, even-tempered guy, in the style of his father, who thought his life was on a plan. A devoutly religious man studying for the priesthood at the beginning he’s nonetheless funny, warm, and not at all rigid in his approach to life. He means very well but like everyone has his life turn out differently than he planned.
Auditions for Playhouse 2000 shows are roughly 8-12 weeks prior to the opening weekend of the show. Everyone is invited to audition, but we do our best to work very professionally. Actors should expect approximately 6 weeks of rehearsals. A full rehearsal schedule is typically available after auditions.
Auditioners for each show are only expected to attend one audition session unless specially informed about call-backs.
Fill out the form at the bottom of the audition page of the P2K website - click HERE. Thanks.
