THE COMMUNITY PLAYERS OF CONCORD, NH
ANNOUNCE AUDITIONS FOR TWO SHOWS:
A Murder is Announced
by Leslie Darbon
Adapted from Agatha Christie’s novel
Directed by Elizabeth Lent
AND
Women at the Well
by Grace Bauer
The CPC 100th Anniversary Celebration Play Reading Series
Directed by Sharon Rae Paquette
Agatha Christie’s A Murder is Announced
Synopsis: “A murder is announced and will take place on Friday, October the thirteenth, at Little Paddocks at 6.30 pm. Friends please accept this, the only intimation.” A most peculiar announcement in the Personal Column of the local newspaper meets with mixed reaction from the villagers – some are frightened, others dismiss it as a prank or hoax, but all are intrigued. Then, at the appointed time and place, a violent death does occur, followed by another only two days later…. Identities are questioned and secrets laid bare, uncovering multiple motives for a number of suspects, before Miss Marple can reveal ‘whodunit’!
When: Monday, November 23, and Tuesday, November 24, 2026, 6:30 – 8:30 pm
Where: The Community Players Studio, 435 Josiah Bartlett Road, Concord, NH. For directions to the Players’ Studio, please CLICK HERE.
Show Dates: February 12, 13 & 14, 2027 at Concord City Auditorium, 2 Prince Street, Concord, NH.
Rehearsal Schedule: Generally three to four nights per week from the beginning of December until the production weekend. There may be limited weekend commitments (depending on weather) until the last two weekends of the production schedule ending February 14. The entire schedule will be available closer to the production.
Audition Form: Please fill out the audition form prior to arriving to audition. There is a place for you to list any of your conflicts on the form. Please try to be accurate with your schedule. You can arrive at either audition session. We will audition folks in groups in the order in which they arrive to audition. Please be familiar with the roles you would like to audition for. Audition sides do NOT need to be memorized. Please CLICK HERE to go to the Audition Form.
These are open auditions – racial, ethnic and non-traditional casting may be considered at the discretion of the director.
Casting: There are 12 roles to be filled in this production. Seven women ages 25 – 60+ and five men ages 25 – 60 are needed to bring this classic whodunit tale to the stage. FYI – A light British or Received Pronunciation (RP) will be used in this production.
Please reach out to Betty Lent with any questions – bettylent54@gmail.com or betty.lent@communityplayersofconcord.org
Audition Sides: Please CLICK HERE for the audition sides.
Character Descriptions:
Miss Marple: Miss Marple is an overly inquisitive, grandmotherly, but shrewd amateur detective. (Age: 60+)
Miss Letitia Blacklock: Owner of Little Paddocks, Letitia is attractive and she has clearly looked after her figure and features. She has taken in Bunny as well as Julia, Patrick and Phillipa. She is reserved and opinionated. (Age: 55+)
Inspector Craddock: Craddock is the local police inspector. He is serious and business oriented. (Age: 45-50+)
Julia Simmons: Julia is staying with her Aunt Lettie. She is studying pharmacy. Beautiful but difficult. (Age: 35 ish)
Patrick Simmons: Julia’s brother, Patrick is a very handsome young man. A jokester; fights with Julia. (Age: 35 ish)
Dora Bunner: Dora is Lettie’s school chum who has become her companion. Befuddled and laughable. (Age: 55+)
Mitzi: Miss Blacklock’s cook, Mitzi is Eastern European looking (e.g. Hungarian, Romanian, Yugoslavian) She is explosive, if not paranoid, but is very funny. (Age: 35+)
Phillipa Haymes: Tall, rather elegant looking, blonde, and classy, Phillipa is a war widow with a young son. (Age: 35 ish)
Edmund Swettenham: A serious young man with pretensions of being a writer, Edmund is dark and foreign looking, though very British. Embarrassed by his mother. He is interested in Phillipa. (Age: 35 ish)
Mrs. Swettenham: Mrs. Swettenham is new to the village, she is very pushy but easily flustered. (Age: 50+)
Sergeant Mellors: Mellors is Craddock’s assistant. Sometimes not too bright but diligent. (Age: 30+)
Rudi Scherz: Rudi is a young Swiss national. (25+)
Note – Ages are approximate
COVID-19 and Other Respiratory Illness Info: To help protect the health and safety of all participants and to minimize potential disruptions to our productions due to illness, cast and production team members are expected to adhere to Covid-19 and other respiratory illness protocols set by the Players board of directors from time to time. These protocols may change during the course of a show’s production cycle, including on short notice. For example, the wearing of masks may be required in the event of illness within the company or as a protective measure during the week(s) immediately prior to show week. Masking is currently optional. For our detailed Covid-19 and other respiratory illness protocol, please CLICK HERE.
A MURDER IS ANNOUNCED is presented by arrangement with Concord Theatricals on behalf of Samuel French, Inc.
www.concordtheatricals.com
Thanks to our Show Sponsor!
Women at the Well
Please join Sharon for auditions of the first show in the series, which will be produced October 22 and 23, 2027. Sharon is looking for a cast of 7 women ages 20 -70+ to be in this ensemble. Auditions will be held at the Player’s Studio, 435 Josiah Bartlett Road, Concord, NH, on December 7, 2026, from 6:30 – 8:30 pm. Sides will be provided at auditions and time allowed for preparation.
Yes, auditions are a year ahead of when we will perform. Sharon would like to meet monthly (via Zoom or in person if able) for table work and readings so that we all can dig into and collaborate fully on this luscious material. The show will travel to Colby-Sawyer College the following weekend October 29th and 30th, so there will be 4-6 performances of the piece.
Women at the Well by Grace Bauer is a collection of narrative poetry spoken through the voices of women from the Old and New Testaments. “Grace sings out of silence alternative stories of the Biblical women. Wry humor is only one element of Bauer’s illuminating re-vision as she inhabits her women in their longing, sassiness, rebellion, compassion, wavering, and triumph.” — Carole Oles
Sharon Paquette is a long-standing member of the Community Players and directed All My Sons, Crimes of the Heart, Lend Me a Tenor, Camelot, and Into the Woods among others for the organization. She is a retired professor of Theatre who taught at New England College and Plymouth State University and was a former Artistic Director of NCCA at Jean’s Playhouse.
Questions? Call or email Sharon at 603-344-5695 or raeofsnshine@gmail.com