ATTENTION: AUDITIONS FOR CHILDREN AND TEENS AGES 8 – 17 HAS BEEN MOVED UP TO SEPTEMBER 13TH AT 6:30 P.M. IF YOU ARE UNABLE TO MAKE THAT YOU CAN STILL COME ON SEPTEMBER 25TH AT 7:30 P.M.

The Playhouse at McConnellstown to Hold Auditions for Holiday Favorite “A Christmas Story”

The Playhouse will hold auditions for “A Christmas Story” on September 13th from 6:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. for children and teens ages 8-17 and September 25th from 7:30 to 8:30 for adults age 18 and up in its building located at 11680 Raystown Road, Huntingdon, PA in the village of McConnellstown. The show performance dates are November 16th, 17th, 23rd, 24th, and 30 and December 1st at 7:30 PM and November 18th and 25th and December 2nd at 2:00 PM. Additional performance dates for evenings and matinees may be possible. Please bring your calendar with all conflicts between September 25th and December 2nd. Scripts are available for perusal and all scripts must be returned to The Playhouse before auditions on Tuesday, September 25th.

All actors will be required to attend all scheduled rehearsals during the final week before the show opens. Rehearsals are usually 3 evenings each week; work days are held on Saturday mornings, and Saturday and/or Sunday rehearsals are possible. For more information, please contact The Playhouse at 814-627-0311. You may also find us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter @LittleTheater.

Ralphie Parker only wants one thing for Christmas—a Red Ryder BB gun. However, he is not sure he will ever make it to Christmas. Whenever he tells someone how much he wants his beloved “oiled blue steel beauty,” someone always responds with, “You’ll shoot your eye out.” Even a department store Santa Claus tells him the same thing.

The days leading up to Christmas are filled with Ovaltine, daydreams, and encounters with the local bully. Ralphie’s old man displays his prize winnings proudly in the front window even though the leg lamp sets Mrs. Parker’s teeth on edge. Filled with quirky and lovable characters, this zany, heartfelt, and nostalgic holiday classic is as delightful as the biggest, shiniest present under any tree.

The cast breakdown is as follows:

Ralphie Parker (10-13) The young protagonist. Equal parts dreamer and schemer, Ralphie doesn’t just covet an air rifle, he also knows (or thinks he knows) exactly how to persuade the adults around him that his cause is a righteous one.

Ralph Parker: (30s+) Ralphie’s older, wiser alter ego, functions as the story’s narrator.

Ralphie’s Mother (30s+): A patient parent with firm convictions It takes a lot to ruffle her feathers, but the provocative leg lamp that Ralphie’s father wins in a send-away contest seems to do the trick.

The Old Man (30s+): The Parker family’s beleaguered patriarch is a grumpy, good-hearted father with a penchant for highly original (and to the audience’s ears, profanity-free) insults and a deeply held desire to be a winner.

Randy (8-11): Ralphie’s little brother is cute, but getting him to eat his breakfast or don his snowsuit can be a serious headache.

Schwartz and Flick (10-13): Ralphie’s two best friends. Flick is the unfortunate guinea pig in the infamous frozen-flagpole-licking experiment, and Schwartz becomes the scapegoat when Ralphie accidentally utters an unspeakable word.

Scut Farkas (13-16): The schoolyard bully who routinely torments Ralphie and his friends. He has yellow eyes!

Miss Shields (late 20s+): Ralphie’s teacher. She’s also an integral component of his campaign for the perfect Christmas gift.

Esther Jane and Helen (10-13): Two of Ralphie’s classmates. Helen is something of a child prodigy, and Esther Jane takes a particular interest in Ralphie.

Department Store Santa (40s+): Scary, annoyed, and ready to stop listening to children when it’s closing time.

Additional adults (18+) and children (8-17) are encouraged to fill various ensemble roles. All casting requirements are at the discretion of the production’s director.

In addition to actors and actresses for the production, we are also looking for stage managers and stage crew. We also encourage anyone who would like to work with lights, sound, costumes, properties, and set design to contact Artistic Director Daniel Weston at danwest@littletheater.com.
While experience is helpful, The Playhouse at McConnellstown does not require previous theatrical experience. We do, however, require that you have the desire, commitment, and the drive to help us produce the high-quality shows that our audiences have come to expect. Please come join us for a wonderful theatrical experience. We look forward to seeing you at auditions!