Casting Notice for GEDS October production of
John Steinbeck’s Of Mice and Men
Directed by Christopher Bailey
Auditions will be held Wednesday, May 17th at 7:30 pm at the English Church Hall, Rue de
Mt. Blanc, 14 bis (take the outdoor lakeside stairwell to the basement)
All are welcome to audition for GEDS' first production of the 2017-2018 season. Performance dates
are October 3-7, 2017 at Théâtre Espérance in Eaux-Vives.
Auditions will be conducted as cold readings of selected scenes from the play. Actors will
be given an opportunity to read several roles. If an actor would like to prepare a
monologue in advance, it should be under one minute. For copies of the script or
scheduling issues with the audition night please contact Christopher Bailey at
[email protected], although we encourage people to come to the
audition night as part of the casting decision will be based on the interaction with the
other actors. If you would like to participate in a backstage or support capacity, please
contact Bailey at the above email.
Rich with diverse idiosyncratic characters, drawn with the clear precision of a novelist’s eye,
the unfolding story of love and sacrifice is a desperate call for social justice but told with
the simple power of a folk tale. Adapted from his own novel, Of Mice and Men is the only
play Nobel Prize winning author John Steinbeck ever wrote.
Set in a California ranch during the Great Depression, the story is about two itinerant farm
workers, Lennie and George, and how they try to scratch out a subsistence living while
dreaming of one day owning a farm themselves. Both outsiders, Lennie because of a mild
mental disability, and George from a hard scrabbling cynical nature, the two become
dependent on each other to navigate the world of California ranches while trying to find
their place in the world.
With an increasing number of invisible and voiceless migrant multitudes around the world
today, driven by despair, whether through natural or man-made causes, their untold yet
universal and increasingly still relevant story of survival is given powerful voice in
Steinbeck’s beautiful language and storytelling which unwinds with the inevitability of a
coming storm.
As with Bailey’s production of Crimes of the Heart last year, rehearsals begin with a month
long intensive workshop in ensemble acting technique in June, 2 weekday evenings a week
for the month. Mid-summer the production will go on hiatus in which the cast is expected
to memorize their lines, with a traditional rehearsal process picking up again in late August
with three weeknight rehearsals for six weeks. The production week will be the first week
of October with the cast obligated to be available the previous weekend. The entire cast is
expected to participate in both sections of the rehearsal process. The workshop phase will
be open for auditing by any GEDS member who wishes to observe.
Character List
(9M, 1W, but actively considering non-traditional casting)
Lennie - A large, lumbering, childlike migrant worker. Due to his mild mental disability,
Lennie completely depends upon George, his friend and travelling companion, for guidance
and protection. The two men share a vision of a farm that they will own together, a vision that
Lennie believes in wholeheartedly. Gentle and kind, Lennie nevertheless does not understand
his own strength.
George - A small, wiry, quick-witted man who travels with, and cares for, Lennie. Although
he frequently speaks of how much better his life would be without his caretaking
responsibilities, George is obviously devoted to Lennie. George’s behavior is motivated by
the desire to protect Lennie and, eventually, deliver them both to the farm of their dreams.
Candy - An aging ranch handyman, Candy lost his hand in an accident and worries about his
future on the ranch. Fearing that his age is making him useless, he seizes on George’s
description of the farm he and Lennie will have, offering his life’s savings if he can join
George and Lennie in owning the land.
Curley’s wife - Curley’s wife is never given a name and is only mentioned in reference to
her husband. The men on the farm refer to her as a “tramp,” a “tart,” and a “looloo.” Dressed
in fancy, feathered red shoes, she represents the temptation of female sexuality in a maledominated world. Steinbeck depicts Curley’s wife not as a villain, but rather as a victim. Like
the ranch-hands, she is desperately lonely and has broken dreams of a better life.
Crooks - Crooks, the black stable-hand, gets his name from his crooked back. Proud, bitter,
and caustically funny, he is isolated from the other men because of the color of his skin.
Despite himself, Crooks becomes fond of Lennie, and though he derisively claims to have
seen countless men following empty dreams of buying their own land, he asks Lennie if he
can go with them and hoe in the garden.
Curley - The boss’s son, Curley wears high-heeled boots to distinguish himself from the
field hands. Rumored to be a champion prizefighter, he is a confrontational, mean-spirited,
and aggressive young man who seeks to compensate for his small stature by picking fights
with larger men. Recently married, Curley is plagued with jealous suspicions and is
extremely possessive of his flirtatious young wife.
Slim - A highly skilled mule driver and the acknowledged “prince” of the ranch, Slim is the
only character who seems to be at peace with himself. The other characters often look to Slim
for advice.
Carlson - A ranch-hand.
The Boss - The stocky, well-dressed man in charge of the ranch.
Whit - A ranch-hand.