This Random World
By Steven Dietz
“l want to be just beside my life. Because maybe right beside my life everything makes sense. Maybe there … everything connects.”
SYNOPSIS:
We want to believe that serendipity brings us together; but is that Just a myth? Mining the comedy of missed connections, THIS RANDOM WORLD asks the serious question of how often we travel parallel paths throughout the world without noticing. From an ailing woman who plans one final trip, to her daughter planning one great escape and her son falling prey to a prank gone wrong, this funny, intimate, and heartbreaking play explores the lives that may be happening just out of reach of ow· own.
CHARACTERS:
Scottie Ward – a woman in her 70s, she is private, quite withheld, intelligent, dry-witted, formal, but not a classic matriarch; she is sassy, feisty, enjoys a full, enriched world beyond the knowledge of her children.
Tim Ward/Man – a man in his late 20s, brother to Beth, son to Scottie; his girlfriend has broken up with him, his work is not going well, he is trying to figure things out. At his sister’s suggestion, he puts a fake obituary into the paper and then can’t seem to take it back; he is sweet, a bit of a loser, still struggling to find himself, but it’s time he grew up.
Beth Ward – a woman in her late 30s, sister to Tim, daughter to Scottie; generally obsessed with controlling her life, and her death, she is about to travel to Nepal…to go off radar and (maybe) to let go of the control; her defense is her best offense, she is appealing, likeable, but loud and sometimes overbearing.
Bernadette – Scottie’s aide, 30s, she is competent, reserved, but has energy and determination; starts to turn it loose when she can’t contact Scottie’s kids.
Rhonda – Bernadette’s younger sister, late 20s, she has become mystical since her mother’s passing, wants to believe in more than just this life, misses her mother.
Claire – late 20s, Tim’s ex-girlfriend, she never quite moved on after they ended their high school romance, which was the practical thing to do. She is a strong and confident, not a fragile flower but has a bit of guile; hides the noise around her. Slightly haunting quality.
Gary – 30s, Claire’s ex-boyfriend, he breaks up with her because she cannot live in the present; he takes a trip to Nepal in order to find excitement, but it doesn’t work out well for him.
DATES:
Tech week begins March 1. Opening night is March 4, then March 5, 10, 11, 12. Rehearsal will be 4 days a week beginning Jan 10 (read through and table work).
AUDITION DETAILS
Please fill out an audition form prior to auditions
Auditions will be held in the black box on January 5, 2022 from 3:30pm – 6pm. You can leave once you have auditioned.
Please prepare one chosen side. It does not have to be memorized, but please familiarize yourself with it the best you can.
A callback list will be posted here the evening of Jan 5. Callbacks will be on Jan 6.
The cast will be posted the evening of Jan 6.
SIDES
(a member of stage management will read other characters)
Tim & Beth: pgs 9-12, begin with Tim’s “Beth, you are not dying!” End with Beth’s “I told you this, I sent you a link”
Scottie & Bernadette: pgs. 16-18
Claire: pgs. 27-28 (monologue)
Gary: pgs. 29-31 end with Gary’s “I can feel my toes, most of them.”
Rhonda: pgs. 22-23, end with Tim’s “I didn’t come to see you Rhonda.”
