Auditions for OSU Theatre’s Spring 2022 production of Tom Stoppard’s On the Razzle will be March 7 and 8 at 6:00 pm on the Withycombe Main Stage in Withycombe Hall (2901 SW Campus Way, Corvallis OR). 

Adapted from the 19^th century German farce which was the basis for The Matchmaker and Hello Dolly, On the Razzle is a joyously witty play full of charming characters and ridiculous situations. When the newly engaged cantankerous shop owner, Zangler promotes his chief sales assistant Weinberl to partner, Weinberl and his naïve pal (and trusty assistant) Christopher decide to indulge in a real adventure in the big city before settling down to lives of serious responsibility. What follows is a zany comic romp full of mischief, mistaken identity, clever word play, and a touch of romance.

Auditions are open to all. There are 22 roles in the production and there will be some doubling to have a cast of 14-18 performers. Auditions will consist of cold readings from the script and having fun doing silly accents. Scripts will be available for check-out in the Withycombe Hall Theatre Arts Main Office (Withycombe 141).

There will be a mandatory cast read-through and meeting Wednesday, March 16^th at 6:00 pm. Regular staging rehearsals will begin March 28 and be held Monday through Thursday 6:00-10:00 pm and Sundays 12:00-6:00 pm. Tech week will begin Saturday, May 7 at noon with dress rehearsals running May 8-11. Performance dates are May 12-14 and 20-21 at 7:30 pm and May 22 at 2:00 pm. All cast members must be present for all rehearsals the week prior to tech, tech/dress week, performances, a possible pick-up rehearsal May 19, and a strike following the closing performance. Please bring your schedules with any possible conflicts to the audition.

If you have any questions regarding the audition process or production, please contact the director Elizabeth Helman at elizabeth.helman@oregonstate.edu

Available Roles:
Weinberl - Loyal assistant and newly-minted partner to Zangler, a bit of a dreamer
Christopher - Weinberl’s assistant, sweetly naïve
Sonders - the dashing but dorky not-so-secret lover of Zangler’s niece
Marie - Zangler’s niece, desperately in love with Sonders, in spite of Zangler’s disapproval
Zangler - Grumpy shop owner and guardian of Marie (doesn’t approve of shenanigans)
Gertrude - Zangler’s overworked housekeeper
Belgian Foreigner - A mysterious messenger bearing important and life-changing news!
Melchior - A fast-talking, clever servant to Zangler
Hupfer - Zangler’s overworked tailor
Philippine - Madame Knorr’s shop assistant
Madame Knorr - Purveyor of fine fashions for women and fiancée to Zangler
Mrs. Fischer - Kind widow and friend of Madame Knorr
Coachman - a wild (rather lustful) coachman
Lisette - Miss Blumenblatt’s witty (rather lustful) French maid
Miss Blumenblatt - sympathetic and romance-obsessed aunt to Marie
Constable - on the case to untangle the mess of the “razzle”
German Couple - treating themselves to a nice night out at the Imperial Gardens café
Scottish Couple - treating themselves to a nice night out at the Imperial Gardens café
2 Waiters - Italian with outrageous accents and physical comic skills
Ragamuffin - A young kid and Christopher’s future assistant
Lightening - a horse