Characters:

The Narrator
Is going to double as prompt and will be on stage all the time. You’ll have
a book but will need to act your lines!
Granny Weatherwax
Mature witch, wise but stubborn, doesn’t suffer fools gladly
In 13/32 scenes, plenty of lines
Nanny Ogg
Mature witch, full of humour and innuendo
In 17/32 scenes, plenty of lines
Magrat Garlick
Younger, soppy witch, believes in herbs and learning from books, about
to marry King Verence, although not completely sure about this, finds her
backbone with some armour later in the play
In 14/32 scenes, plenty of lines
Mustrum Ridcully
Archchancellor of Unseen University, has survived longer than his
predecessors as he has a background in hunting and fishing, was brought
up in Lancre and meets his first love again in the play.
In 7/32 scenes, reasonable amount of lines, could play additional role[s]
King Verence II
Personality a bit like King Charles, he’s trying to reform his country and
organise his wedding to a witch.
In 8/32 scenes, reasonable amount of lines
Shawn Ogg
One of Nanny’s sons, does every job possible at the castle, but if his
mum tells him to do something, she overrides any royal instructions.
In 8/32 scenes, reasonable amount of lines
Jason Ogg
Another Ogg son, the village blacksmith and leader of the Rude
Mechanicals. Does what Nanny tells him, though, usually. All the Rude
Mechanicals will be doing a ‘dance’.
In 7/32 scenes, reasonable amount of lines
Elf Queen
Alluring and evil. Subservient to no-one – apart from her husband
In 2/3 scenes, so some potential to take on other role[s]
Diamanda
The leader of the young witches, very bossy know-it-all who doesn’t
really, has scenes in conflict with Granny and suffers as a result of
thinking she knows it all.
A reasonable number of lines
In 4/32 scenes, only in Act1, could take on other role[s]
Perdita, Magenta, Muscara and Amanita
The rest of the young witch coven, who do what Diamanda tells them to.
I envisage emos in 1920s costumes.
Each only have a few lines.
In 2/32 scenes, only in act 1
They will also play the elves:
Lankin, Moth, Glofinga, Elreg, Ludoland
Evil and cruel, but glamorous, sparkly scraps of fabric that look good
because they wear them.
Few lines, more action.
In 6/32 scenes
Ponder Stibbons
A perpetual student wizard, keen on research, dragged along to Lancre
for fresh air
Few lines but with some scientific words
Librarian
The librarian wizard at Unseen University. A magical accident years ago
turned him into an orangutan and he found it so useful as a librarian in a
magical library he has resisted all attempts to make him human. The role
will either involve wearing an orange furry costume and saying ‘ook’ a
few times, or controlling an orange furry puppet and saying ‘ook’ a few
times.
4/32 scenes only in Act 2, could play other part[s]
The Rude Mechanicals: Carter, Baker, Weaver, Carpenter, Tinker,
Thatcher and Tailor
Their task is to provide humour in the form of acting in a play specially
written for the wedding. Rural accents, not particularly bright, some more
so than others. A few lines each.
In 2/16 scenes in Act 1, Weaver is in two scenes in Act 2, the others are
in 4, so some possibilities for extra role[s]
Mr Brooks
The royal beekeeper, only has one scene but it’s important and is
basically a dialogue with Magrat. Could easily play the Elf King as well.
He’s only interested in bees.
Millie
Magrat’s maid, over-zealous when it comes to royal etiquette.
A few lines, but they’re funny.
In 3/32 scenes, so could double up, one option is playing Young Esme
Young Esme
Opens the play, running from her would-be boyfriend and encountering
the Elf Queen. A few lines, good beginning to Granny’s character, and
definite opportunity to play other role[s]. Only in the opening scene.
Elf King
Lounges in a burial mound chamber with other very male elves, waiting
for the right time to take over humanity. This is not that time, as
explained to him by Nanny Ogg in his main scene.
A few lines, just two scenes. So, can play other role[s].

Auditions for Lords and Ladies, adapted from the Terry Pratchett novel
Very informal ad hoc auditions on Monday 15th June from 7pm at the theatre. If
you can’t make that evening, please email me at dawnsellick@gmail.com and
we’ll sort out either a Saturday at the theatre or an online audition.
Rehearsals will probably be Mondays and Thursdays, at first not in
chronological order but in character order, so I’ll do all the rude mechanicals
scenes at once, for instance.
Production dates are 10th-19th September.
Lords and Ladies is roughly and vaguely A Midsummer Night’s Dream. But with
witches, young and not so young, a king and his former witch/bride to be, rude
mechanicals, a couple of wizards in human form and one who may be in a furry
costume or may operate a furry puppet, and a group of beings from another
realm, don’t say their name, they’re glamorous but evil. Tolkien got it wrong!
Their appearance is one of the themes of the play, how people can be
bamboozled by glitz and glamour and not see the evil beneath.
There are about 30 characters and 32 scenes. This gives scope for some
doubling of parts, depending on what you want to do, and how many people we
have. The three roles who are on stage for about half the play, and
consequently with more lines, are the ‘original’ coven of witches, two of them
have been around longer than the third, to give you a rough idea of ages. The
younger one, Magrat, is engaged to the King, and has quite a bit of character
development.
The coven of younger witches, 4-5 of them, should look or at least behave
considerably younger. They don’t have many lines and are only in a few
scenes, so unless you really want a very small role, you will be doubling as an
elf. These are evil but glamorous, again, not many lines.
Other female roles include the Elf Queen, glamorous and evil, who is only in a
couple of scenes but has a few threatening lines in both of them. Another one
who could play additional roles. Then there’s the queen-to-be’s maid, Millie,
keen on royal etiquette, in a few scenes with a few funny lines. She can also
play Young Esme in the opening scene, confronting the Elf Queen.
For men, we have a group of artisans who are putting on a play, not that they
really understand what it’s all about. Funny and will be doing a violent Morris
dance. In a few scenes, sharing the lines out between them. Their leader is
Jason, the blacksmith, a bit brighter than the rest of them and with more lines.
His younger brother, Shawn, has every job at the castle and is in a few scenes
with a few lines.
From the big city we have three wizards: Ridcully the archchancellor, who’s into
hunting and fishing and trying to re-ignite his youthful romance with a witch,
Ponder Stibbons who is researching magic/science and not at all keen on the
countryside, and the wizard librarian. Who is an orangutan. See earlier note
about furry orange costume. Ridcully is in several scenes and has a moderate
amount of lines, Stibbons has less to say, the librarian says ook.
The royal beekeeper just has one, important, scene, a dialogue with Magrat. He
can also play the Elf King, who sorts out the Queen in the end, not many lines
but also important.
King Verence is in several scenes and has a moderate amount of lines, he has
well-meaning plans to bring the kingdom up to date and has no experience
with women so isn’t handling his forthcoming wedding very well.
For more information and detail, email me!