Z-PAC Theatre is holding auditions for the upcoming production of The Lovely Bones. Based on the novel by Alice Sebold, and adapted for the stage by Bryony Lavery, this is a gripping story about life after loss.
As it deals with mature themes, we are mostly seeking an 18+ cast, however younger candidates may be considered. We are seeking a diverse cast, so actors of all ethnicities and backgrounds are invited to apply.
Auditions: Saturday 17th June, 10am, open to all 17 years +, regardless of experience. 11 roles available. See the website to download an Audition Pack.
For more information email veep@zpactheatre.com.au.
CHARACTER BREAKDOWN
Susie Salmon
Female, age 14 – casting age 18-25
Protagonist, murdered 6th
December 1973 by Mr Harvey. Very curious, and a bit too trusting.
She spends a lot of time watching and attempting to communicate with her family in the “In-Between”, a place between the living on Earth and the departed in Heaven. She becomes determined to bring her killer to justice. Susie struggles to come to terms with her own death and must watch her peers grow and gain experiences she will never have. She still has the childhood whimsy and naivete of early adolescence but matures some as she learns to accept her fate.
Mr Harvey
Male, age 30s -50s - flexible casting age
Antagonist, serial killer and rapist. Susie’s murderer. He is quiet and unassuming, but cold and calculating. Lives next door to the Salmon family. He lives alone and keeps to himself. He has a fixation for building structures and works as a dollhouse maker. From each of his victims, he takes a souvenir.
Abigail Salmon
Female, age 30s - 40s
Susie’s mother. She struggles with her role as a mother and longs for independence. She is a free spirit who feels like her life has been sidelined by having children. She becomes distant with her family after Susie’s disappearance.
Jack Salmon
Male, age 30s - 40s
Susie’s father. Is loving and devoted to his family. He grows suspicious of Mr Harvey and becomes obsessed with finding evidence to link him to Susie’s death. This obsession, along with his grief, prevents him from moving on.
Lindsey Salmon
Female, age 13-23 – casting age 18-25
Susie’s younger sister. She is athletic, strong-willed and very clever. She keeps her emotions close to her chest, especially after her sister’s death. She is protective of her family and takes it upon herself to hold them together. She too becomes suspicious of Harvey and tries to assist her father to find evidence against him. Over the years, Susie watches as her sister surpasses her in age, maturity and life experiences.
Buckley Salmon
Male, age 4-14, casting age 15-20
Susie’s younger brother. He starts the play at 4 years old, and so doesn’t really understand what has happened to his sister. However, he is one of the first to feel Susie’s otherworldly presence, perhaps because he still possesses the receptiveness and wonder of childhood. As he ages, he grows resentful of his parents’ inability to move forward with life and as such feels neglected by them.
Grandma Lynn
Female, age 50s-60s
Susie’s grandmother and Abigail’s mother. A larger-than-life personality who is fashion-conscious and a heavy drinker. She brings a warmth and a welcome relief from the overall tension of the play. She can be a tad condescending, but overall has a lot of love for her family. She moves in with the Salmons after Susie’s death and helps them to keep going.
Franny
Female, age 20-30s – flexible casting age
Susie’s “intake counsellor”, guide, and mentor in the afterlife. She is a no-nonsense straight talker, but at the same time warm and nurturing. She was a social worker on Earth before getting in the middle of a domestic violence conflict and being shot in the face.
Len Fenerman
Male, age 30s-40s – flexible casting age
The detective in charge of investigating Susie’s disappearance. He is a widower, having lost his wife to suicide. This loss leaves him with complex feelings of grief, guilt and longing, and allows him to empathise with the Salmon family. He is a kind and well-meaning man. However, he sometimes allows his emotions to cloud his judgement and get in the way of his work. He is also a stickler for following protocol.
Ruth Connors
Female, age 14-24 – casting age 18-25
Susie’s classmate. During her short life, Susie is never close to Ruth, however her soul accidentally brushes past Ruth as she leaves her body. This is the catalyst to Ruth discovering and growing her clairvoyant abilities. It also leads to Ruth developing an obsession with Susie and her death. She is a loner who expresses her intense emotions through poetry and dark clothing.
Ray Singh
Male, age 14-24 – casting age 18-25. Indian
Susie’s classmate and first (and only) crush and kiss. He is kind, sensitive and highly intelligent. Susie’s death profoundly affects him, and his love for her stays with him. The police briefly suspect his involvement in Susie’s disappearance, but he is soon proven innocent. He strikes up a close friendship with Ruth over their shared connection to Susie. Has an English accent.
Ruana Singh
Female, age 30-40s. Indian
Ray’s mother. She is empathetic, supportive, and fiercely protective of her son. Imagine a lioness defending her cubs. She is incredibly strong and offers advice to Susie’s father in his time of need. Like Ray she has an English accent.
Samuel Heckler
Male, age 13-23 – casting age 18-25
Lindsey’s boyfriend and a great source of comfort and healing for her after her sister’s death. He is sensitive, intelligent, athletic and devoted to Lindsey. Lindsey refers to him as the “fixer of broken things”.
Principal Caden
Flexible casting age and gender
Susie and Lindsey’s school principal. He has good intentions and attempts to comfort Lindsey following Susie’s death. However, he lacks tact and is ultimately unhelpful.
If you are interested in auditioning for the following characters, please read the audition scenes labelled “General ensemble”.
Mrs Flanagan
Flexible casting age and gender
Lives on a property next to a sinkhole in which Harvey uses to dispose of Susie’s body. She unknowingly assists him with this body disposal.
Cop
Flexible casting age and gender
A cop working Susie’s investigation. He is prejudiced and jumps to conclusions.
Girl
Female, age 15-18 – flexible casting age
A girl who unknowingly almost becomes a victim of Harvey.
Sophie Cichetti
Female, age 49 – casting age 40s-50s
A ghost who is a previous victim of Harvey’s. She is his oldest victim and possibly his first. She died in Pennsylvania in 1960.
Leidia Johnson
Female, age 6 – casting age 15-20
A ghost who is a previous victim of Harvey. She is his youngest victim and died in Pennsylvania in 1960.
Flora Hernandez
Female, age 8 – casting age 15-20
A ghost who is a previous victim of Harvey’s. She died in Delaware in 1963.
Leah Fox
Female, age 12 – casting age 15-20
A ghost who is a previous victim of Harvey’s. She died in Delaware in 1969.
Wendy Richter
Female, age 13 – casting age 15-20
A ghost who is a previous victim of Harvey’s. She died in Connecticut in 1971.
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