Director’s Notes for

Moments Unmasked

Conceived & Directed by Jhana Brown for the Dolphin Players.

Welcome to auditions for Moments Unmasked! This original evening of comedy explores what happens when our polished public filters completely break down. Through four distinct short plays spanning different theatrical eras—from classic Edwardian satire to sharp 1990s physical comedy and roaring Victorian farce—the show pulls back the curtain on social etiquette, romantic panic, and family greed.

We are actively seeking both brand-new and returning performers to join our cast. Whether this is your first time stepping onto a stage or you are a seasoned veteran, there is a place for you in this production!

Casting Approach & Line Load

• Multiple Role Casting: Ideally, actors will be double- or triple-cast across the different plays to build an agile ensemble. However, multi-role casting is NOT a strict requirement. Depending on audition turnout and chemistry, roles may be distributed across a larger cast.
• Balanced Workload: No single actor will be carrying an overwhelming memory burden—no actor will have more than 154 lines in total across the entire evening.

The Four One-Act Plays

1. Overtones by Alice Gerstenberg

Two elegant high-society women host a perfectly polite tea party while their wild, primitive alter egos stalk the stage to blurt out what they are actually thinking. This 1913 satire relies on physical mirroring and sharp comedic contrast between outer restraint and inner chaos.

• Characters:
• Harriet: Poised, wealthy, high-society matriarch holding up a perfect public image.
• Hetty: Harriet’s aggressive, primal alter ego who says what Harriet is really thinking.
• Margaret: Elegant and soft-spoken on the surface, but secretly desperate for financial security.
• Maggie: Margaret’s uninhibited alter ego, single-mindedly driven by hunger and self-preservation.
  
  

2. The Florist Shop by Winifred Hawkridge

Set in a vibrant 1915 flower boutique, a sharp, highly observant clerk grows tired of watching people hide their true feelings and takes matters into her own hands. Her secret, unauthorized floral interventions spark a hilarious chain reaction that forces an uptight couple to drop their guards after a 15-year engagement.

• Characters:
• Maud: The clever, sentimental, and manipulative shop clerk who drives the plot.
• Henry: A stiff, ultra-traditional customer who has dragged his feet on getting married for 15 years.
• Miss Wells: Henry’s long-suffering, high-society fiancée trapped in a stagnant engagement.
• Mr. Slovsky: The pragmatic, no-nonsense owner of the flower shop.

3. English Made Simple by David Ives

A young man and woman attempt to navigate the clumsy, frantic dance of modern party flirting while a deadpan narrator with a whistle continuously freezes the action to translate their hidden subtext. This 1994 fast-paced comedy turns social anxiety into a high-speed, physical time loop.

• Characters:
• Jill: A sharp young woman attempting to survive awkward party small talk.
• Jack: An anxious, overthinking young man stumbling through romantic conversation.
• The Narrator: A clinical, deadpan master of ceremonies armed with a whistle and script who controls the scene.
  
  

4. The Dear Departed by Stanley Houghton

In this classic 1908 British drawing-room farce, two fiercely competitive sisters don heavy masks of pitch-black grief over their suddenly deceased father—while secretly scrambling to steal his best furniture before the rest of the family arrives. The comedic climax occurs when the old man walks downstairs completely alive, catching them red-handed.

• Characters:
• Mrs. Amelia Slater: A fierce, greedy, and commanding matriarch who leads the furniture heist.
• Henry Slater: Her henpecked, submissive husband who is steamrolled into helping.
• Victoria Slater: Amelia’s 14-year-old daughter who witnesses the family’s hypocrisy.
• Mrs. Elizabeth Jordan: Amelia’s rival sister, equally greedy and adept at performative mourning.
• Ben Jordan: Elizabeth’s jolly, cynical, and sharp-tongued husband.
• Abel Merryweather: The eccentric, whiskey-loving grandfather who is very much alive.
  
  

Audition Preparation & Requirements

• Monologues Optional: Auditioners are welcome to prepare a 1-minute comedic monologue, but this is strictly optional.
• Provided Sides: Printed audition sides (short excerpts from the plays) will be provided at auditions for cold reads.
• Focus: We will be looking for character commitment, physical expressiveness, vocal projection, and how well you take direction during scene work.

Rehearsal & Production Schedule

• Initial Orientation & Table Read: Mid-December table read followed by a holiday break for script familiarity.
• Early Rehearsals (January): Early rehearsals are designed as 90-minute to 2-hour blocks focused on blocking and character work. Please note that official rehearsal start times will depend on the overall availability of the cast and crew and may be adjusted once casting is finalized.
• Tech & Performance Dates: Full tech runs begin the first week of February, with performances running across mid-February weekends (plus a OCTAFest showcase of Overtones in March).
  
  

Questions?

If you have any questions prior to auditions, please reach out to the director or stage management team. We look forward to seeing you at auditions!