Audition notes:

Please read for characters that are within your age range. Given that restriction, you may read for any of those that fit. I don’t necessarily mean your actual age, but the age you “appear” to someone that does not know you. Unless you are from Alabama, don’t use any accent-if cast we will work on that together. Just be sure I hear you in your natural voice.

Look for hints about the character in the script and PLAY them in the audition. Don’t be afraid to go “large” with the character, but if I ask you to take it down or be more natural, show me you know how to follow direction.

I would like to make this a very large family oriented cast. Many extras are needed for the mob and courtroom scenes, all ages and genders. I encourage family members of those cast, or those who audition, but are not cast in a principle role, to join us and be on stage. I feel really exhilarated and fortunate to direct his wonderful script and look forward to getting it cast, and emerging us in the discovery of what makes each of these characters tick and contribute to the making of this masterpiece of American Theatre.
- Don Hampton (play director)

Character Descriptions

(from the playwright)

Scout (9-11)

A young girl about to experience the events that will shape the rest of her life, she should ideally seem as young as nine. Scout is courageous and forthright. If a question occurs to her, she’ll ask it.

Jem (11-13)

He is a few years older than his sister Scout, and like his sister—perhaps even more than his sister—he’s reaching out to understand their unusual and thus on conventionally admirable father. Probably the strongest undercurrent in Jem is his desire to communicate with his father.

Atticus (45-55)

He is tall, quietly impressive, reserved, civilized and nearly fifty. He wears glasses and because of the poor sight in his left eye looks with his right eye when he wants to see something well. It typical of Atticus that when he found out he was an extraordinary shot with a rifle, he gave up shooting—because he considered it gave him an unfair advantage over the animals. He’s quietly courageous and without heroics, he does what he considers just. As someone comments about him—“We trust him to do right.”.

Calpurnia (30-50)

Black proud and capable, she has raised the motherless Scout and Jem. She’s a self-educated woman and she’s made quite a good job of it. Her standards are high and her discipline as applied to Scout and Jem is uncompromising.

Dill (11-13)

Small, blond and wise beyond his years, he is about the same age as Jem. Dill is neater and better dressed than his friends. There’s an undercurrent of sophistication to him, but his laugh is sudden and happy. Obviously there is a lack in his home life, and he senses something in Atticus that’s missing from his own family relationship.

Heck Tate – (40-50)

Heck is the town sheriff and a complex man. He does his duty as he sees it, and enforces the law without favor. The key to this man’s actual feelings is revealed in his final speeches to Atticus, and this attitude should be an undercurrent to his earlier actions.

Judge Taylor – (50+)

The judge is a wintry man of the South, who does what he can within the context of his time to see justice done in his court. While he tries to run his court impartially, his sympathy is with Tom.

Maudie Atkinson (45-55)

Younger than Atticus, but of his generation, she’s a lovely sensitive woman. Though belonging to the time and place of this play, she has a wisdom and compassion that suggests the best instincts of the South of that period.

Mrs. Dubose – (65+)

She is an old woman-ill, walking with difficulty, her pain making her biting, bitter and angry. However, she’s fighting a secret battle within herself, a battle about which few people are aware, and her existence has in it a point of importance for Jem and Scout.

Stephanie Crawford – (55+)

She’s a neighborhood gossip, and she enjoys it to the hilt. There’s an enthusiasm in her talking over the people of her town that makes it almost humorous. Sometime she says things that are petty, but partly it’s because she simply can’t keep herself from stirring things up.

Reverend Sykes (50+)

Rev. Sykes is the black minister of the First Purchase Church, called that because it was paid for with the first money earned by the freed slaves. He’s an imposing man with a strong stage presence. He should have a strong “minister’s” voice.

Boo Radley (30-45)

Arthur Radley is a pale recluse who hasn’t been outside his house in fifteen years. It takes an extraordinary emergency to bring him out, and once out he’s uncertain about how to deal with people, and with his mission accomplished, he’s eager to return to his sanctuary.

Mayella Ewell (19-21)

The oldest daughter of Bob Ewell, she’s a desperately lonely and overworked young woman whose need for companionship-any companionship-has overwhelmed every other emotion. However, when her effort to reach out explodes in her face, she fights just as desperately for what she thinks is survival.

Bob Ewell – (35-45)

Ewell is a little bantam-cock of a man who lives with his large family by the town dump. As Harper Lee describes their situation- “The town gave them Christmas baskets, welfare money, and the back of their hand.” Bob thinks this trial will make him and important man, and when Atticus destroys his credibility, Bob’s rage and frustration border on paranoia.

Walter Cunningham – (30-40)

Cunningham is a hard-up farmer who shares the prejudices of this time and place but who is nevertheless a man who can be reached as a human being. He also has seeds of leadership, for when his attitude is changed during the confrontation with Atticus, he takes the others with him.

Tom Robinson – (20-30)

Robinson is black, handsome and vital, but with a left hand crippled by a childhood accident and held against his chest. He’s married to Helen and they have young children. He faces up to a false charge with quiet dignity. There’s an undercurrent of kindness, sensitivity and consideration.

Mr. Gilmer – (40-60)

He is a public prosecutor who is doing his job in trying to convict Tom. In many ways his manner is cruel and hurtful. And yet under all this, he too has unexpressed doubts as to Tom’s guilt, and his heart isn’t really in this conviction. Still- he goes after it and it’s a hard thing.

Townspeople

– Black and white, all ages and genders for courtroom and mob scenes. No lines but lots of “ad libing” and character reaction to events taking place.