War Horse – Equity Principal Auditions

By Ken Davenport

WHO: Production Contract Tour/Tier D

SEEKING: (all roles are available):

Casting note: All actors will be members of an ensemble, and may play multiple characters. Most actors will understudy other actors. Some actors may also manipulate puppets in some scenes.
Albert Narracott:
Seeking actor 18+ to play late teens. Albert is an unsophisticated farm boy in a rural community in Devon, England. Has an unguarded curiosity, particularly about the animals around him. Develops a remarkable bond with his horse, Joey, and becomes obsessive and fierce in his devotion to him. A winning young man, he’s chock full of emotions, although he’s not able to articulate them. Actor should weigh less than 160 pounds. Devonshire accent.
Ted Narracott:
Late 30s – early 50s. Albert’s father; Rose’s husband. Struggling farmer in Devon, England. Doesn’t easily express himself. Impulsive and sometimes volatile; fiercely independent; very stubborn. Gruff, brusque and unaffectionate. Loves his wife deeply, and wants to do the right thing, even though he makes mistakes. Unsentimental and stoic, with a weakness for drink and betting. Devonshire accent.
Rose:
Late 30s-40s. Ted’s wife; Albert’s mother. Devonshire farm woman. Strong, earthy, tough, practical, no nonsense; she’s the one who keeps the farm running. Loyal, clear-eyed and unsentimental. Aware of her husband’s faults, but loves him nonetheless. Absolutely devoted to her son, but never coddles him. Devonshire accent.
Friedrich:
German, early 30s-40s. Officer who befriends and cares for Joey during World War I. Educated, charming and warm, with an independent mind. His painful experiences in the war lead him to question everything he has believed in all his life. Brave and strong, energetic, tireless and powerful. Has a very kind heart. German accent.
Arthur Narracott:
40s-50s. Billy’s father; Ted’s older brother. Devonshire farmer. Country man. Respected, ambitious, successful, strategic and calculating. Knows Ted’s weaknesses, and is not hesitant about exploiting them. Unsentimental and opinionated. Devonshire accent.
Billy Narracott:
Seeking actor 18+ to play late teens. Billy is Albert’s cousin, the son of a Devonshire farmer; country boy. Bullied by his father, Billy in turn tries to bully Albert, but he’s not good at it. He’s almost crippled by his father’s expectations, and is not the strong and imposing man his father is. Actor should weigh less than 160 lbs. Devonshire accent.
David Taylor:
Seeking actor 18+ to play late teens. David is a working-class young man. Probably from London, but could be from any large English city. A regular guy and a good time, he’s instinctively cheerful and optimistic, the kind of guy who is the butt of a joke, but laughs as loudly as anyone else. Sweet natured, he is unprepared for what he must face in the war. He and Albert are in the same unit and become close friends, with Albert emerging as the leader of the two. Cockney or other English regional accent (e.g. Manchester, Yorkshire, Liverpool, etc.).
Lieutenant Nicholls:
20s-30s. British military officer from Albert’s village. Rides Joey into war. Upper class/officer class. Educated man with a quiet authority. Commands the respect of his men naturally, without demanding it. Fair-minded, sensitive, upright, strong, he has confidence in Britain’s military superiority. Calm under pressure, morally certain. He is also an artist, who enjoys sketching images from the Devon countryside. English Accent (RP). Actor should not weigh more than 160 pounds.
Songman / Songwoman:
20s-40s, male or female. Highly skilled folk singer and musician. Performer must be highly skilled on the accordion (or melodeon, concertina or other kind of squeezebox-type instrument) OR a great fiddle player. This character’s songs serve many functions, but the character is a member of a rural Devon farming community that comprises the world of the play. Performer must have a great voice with the ability to sing AND play well in a traditional English folk style.
Paulette:
French, 30s. Tough farm woman. Emilie’s mother. Practical, strong; a real survivor who will do whatever it takes to protect her daughter and survive the war. French accent.
Emilie:
Seeking actress 18+ to play a French farm girl (8-12 years old). Emilie is cheeky, inquisitive, active. Actor should be short. French accent.
Sgt. Thunder:
Late 30s – early 50s. Working-class, blustery, authoritative British Army sergeant in World War I. Although you never see a smile on his face, he has a tough and funny sense of humor, and loves to give his men a hard time whenever he possibly can. Cockney accent.
Chapman Carter:
30s – early 40s. Auctioneer and member of a rural Devon farming community. Genial, energetic, cheerful, good at his job. Warm, outgoing, confident and a good salesman. Devonshire accent.
Klausen:
German man, late 20s – early 30s. Officer serving under Friedrich. Fiercely patriotic and loyal. Single-minded in his task, and will stop at nothing to accomplish it. Impulsive and volatile. German accent.
Stewart:
20s. Captain in the British military in World War I. Rides Topthorn. Completely confident about Britain’s military superiority. Educated, officer class, a bit competitive with Lt. Nicholls. English accent. Note: Actor should not weigh more than 160 pounds.
Taff:
Welsh man, 20s/30s. A soldier who is often made fun of by the other men. Must find a way to communicate with a German soldier in No Man’s Land. Welsh accent.
John Greig:
20s/30s. Villager in a rural Devon farming community. Takes pleasure in watching the auction’s bidding war that emerges between Ted and Arthur Narracott. Later, enlists in the army and fights in France. Devonshire accent.
Thomas Bone:
Mid – Late 30s. Member of a rural Devon farm community. Enjoys a good wager, and enjoys a good time. Devonshire accent.
Dr. Schweyck:
20s-30s. Doctor in the German army; he orders Friedrich to take the reins of the ambulance (driven by the horses Joey and Topthorn) loaded with German soldiers to the hospital. German accent.
Sgt. Fine:
20s – early 30s. Sergeant in the English army. Working class, authoritative. Cockney accent.
Manfred:
German soldier trapped in no man’s land. Must find a way to communicate with an English soldier. German accent.
Joey and Topthorn:
Actors (male or female) should be between 5’7” and 6’2”. Joey and Topthorn are both horses. They are played by puppets, created and designed by Handspring Puppet Company. Each horse is acted/portrayed by a team of three performers. Although the characters do not speak, the actors may have some understudy assignments of speaking roles. Seeking performers who can move with precision, specificity and great control. Performers must be very strong, and in superb physical conditioning, as the roles require stamina and control. The horses are ridden at times during the show, so actors must be strong. Casting personnel state, “We are interested in actor/performers of varying training backgrounds and experience and ask that actors inform us on their resumes with as much relevant information as possible: We are particularly interested in actors with previous experience with puppets, with experience in any kind of exacting, precise and expressive physical theatre and ensemble based work and movement work, with experience in technical mime (i.e. LeCoq) and dance.” As these may include speaking understudy assignments, actors should choose a speaking role to audition for.
Baby Joey:
Joey, as a colt. A different k
ind of puppet, created and designed by Handspring Puppet Theatre. It is acted/portrayed by a team of three performers, who will also play other characters in the play.

REQUIREMENTS: Please bring a photo and resume, stapled back to back. Please note if you play a bugle or other brass instrument, also please note if you sing.

WHEN: 1st reh: 4/9/12 (Joey and Topthorn), 4/23/12 (all others). 1st tour preview: 6/7/12.

PAY: $938/week minimum.

HOW TO APPLY: