Open Auditions for A Woman in Black

Adapted by Stephen Mallatratt - Based on the novel by Susan Hill

Directed by Joe Garoutte

Thursday, July 24 | 6:30 - 9 pm 

Saturday, July 26 | 2 - 5

You do not need to attend both days.

Please arrive at least 15 minutes early to fill out an audition form. We'll be there 45 minutes before start time—feel free to come early to review sides and get comfortable in the space.
You can also download the audition form below, fill it out at home, and bring it with you.

Callbacks, if needed:

Thursday, July 31 | 6:30 - 9 pm

It all happens at The Bingen Theater. 210 Oak St Bingen, WA

This is an open audition; no need to sign up for a slot. 

Please come prepared with a calendar of any conflicts you may have during the rehearsal period. This is important.

Please prepare a short monologue (1–2 minutes) that showcases your storytelling ability.
We’re particularly interested in pieces with a sense of mystery, suspense, or the uncanny, think the atmospheric style of Edgar Allan Poe or a classic ghost story told by firelight. This doesn’t have to be horror, but it should allow you to demonstrate vocal nuance, emotional pacing, and your ability to draw an audience in with words alone. We're also interested in your ability to memorize, as this is a heavy lift for two actors memorizing all the lines between them.

If auditioning for the Woman in Black, who has no lines, be prepared to show your ability to move.

We will also be doing cold reads from a variety of scenes from the play.

Performances - October 3, 4, 10, 11, 17, 18- at 7:30 pm

October 5 & 12 - Matinees at 2:00 pm

Rehearsals to begin the second week of August.



SYNOPSIS

In an empty theater, aging solicitor Arthur Kipps hires a young actor to help him recount a terrifying experience from his past, an attempt to finally rid himself of the lingering fear that has haunted him for years.

As they rehearse Kipps's story, they reenact his journey to a remote town in the north of England, where he was sent to settle the estate of the recently deceased Alice Drablow. At the eerie and isolated Eel Marsh House, surrounded by marshes and cut off by the tide, Kipps encounters strange locals, unexplained sounds, and glimpses of a mysterious woman dressed in black.

What begins as a simple retelling becomes increasingly real, as the theatrical recreation stirs something sinister. The boundary between performance and reality begins to dissolve, and the ghostly Woman in Black—whose presence signals doom—seems to step out of the shadows and into the present.

A gripping two-person play with a third silent role, The Woman in Black is a masterclass in atmosphere and suspense, using minimal staging, sound effects, atmospheric lighting, and theatrical illusion to chilling effect.

THE CHARACTERS

Arthur Kipps

Age: 50s–70s
Gender: Male-presenting
A reserved and emotionally burdened solicitor who endured a haunting experience in his youth. In the play-within-a-play structure, Kipps serves as both narrator and supporting character—recreating his journey by performing the roles of various people he encountered. The actor playing Kipps must be a skilled storyteller with a command of multiple character voices and physicalities, shifting seamlessly between personalities and moods. He carries the weight of a man who has tried to suppress deep fear and trauma for decades.

The Actor

Age: 20s–40s
Gender: Male-presenting
Engaged by Kipps to help dramatize and present his story, the Actor is confident, charismatic, and initially skeptical of the ghostly material. He takes on the role of the “younger Kipps” in the re-enactment, immersing himself in the solicitor's past and gradually unraveling as the line between fiction and reality becomes blurred. This role requires emotional depth, adaptability, and strong stage presence, as the Actor drives the narrative and builds tension throughout.

The Woman in Black

Age: Flexible
Gender: Female-presenting
A ghostly, silent figure cloaked in mourning garb. She does not speak but exerts a chilling presence through stillness, timing, and physicality. Her appearances are sudden, unsettling, and always signal doom. This role is often played by a movement-trained performer who can evoke fear and dread without words—her very presence on stage is a psychological weapon. She may also make appearances unseen by the main characters, adding to the audience’s suspense.

General information about our Auditions

Big Britches Productions is always looking for new people to come play! Whether you’ve "tread the boards" for years or are new to the stage, we want to encourage everyone to audition. 

WHAT YOU SHOULD KNOW

• At some auditions you will cold read from sides from the show and some directors prefer you prepare sides from the show or a monologue or a song for a musical production. Be sure to keep an eye on this Auditions page for the particular show you are interested in.
• We know that it can be disappointing not to get a part. (We've been there!) If we have more people audition than roles available, directors have to weigh several factors when choosing a cast. We encourage you to come and audition often. Just because you weren’t right for one role doesn’t mean that you won’t be perfect for another. 
• Keep your options open when auditioning. It is easy to say “there’s no part for me” or “I’m too old, young, tall, short, etc. for this role” but you never know what the director has in mind and you could be just what they are looking for in a role. 
• We also like to encourage performers to get involved in the production side of shows. Helping backstage, with props, in the booth, or as a stage manager is a great way to get involved with the theatre. 
• It's a good idea to come prepared with your calendar so you can mark any conflicts you may have with a proposed rehearsal schedule. We know people have lives outside the theater and do our best to accommodate people's conflicts.