, Gentlemen’s Audition Scenes

Below are three scenes from Anne of Green Gables. Please come to auditions with all three of these scenes prepared. You will get to choose which scene to use for your first reading. The director will be looking for the following:

 Clear strong voices that are easily heard and understood from the back of the auditorium.  A delivery that believably creates the scene.  The use of the body and voice to communicate the age and personality of the character.  One way to show the director how committed you are to the show is to memorize one or more of the passages.

Scene 1

Matthew, a farmer in his 60’s is inviting his hired hand in to his house for a bite to eat. Marilla is Matthew’s sister.

Matthew: Come on in. We can have a little bite to eat before we get back to work. The girls were having tea, but it looks like they have finished. There’s some nice leftovers here. (Offering Jerry a piece of cake) Help yourself. Anne should have put this stuff away when they finished. That’s not like her. Marilla would be mighty upset if she came home to a messy kitchen. And they left cookies. I think Anne made these herself. I wasn’t sure what it would be like having Anne around the house. To tell the truth, I was always a little afraid of women—girls too. Still am for that matter. But Anne’s –different. She adds a lot around here. And she’s softened Marilla up a mite, too. Course, Marilla won’t admit that.

Well, better get going.

Scene 2

Mr. Phillips is the village school teacher. Anne has arrived late for class.

Mr. Phillips: , you are tardy. Perhaps you will be more punctual in the future if I have you sit with…Gilbert Blythe, who is occasionally late himself. Now Quiet Everyone. Let me remind you while it is still early in the year that you must study hard at all times. Whether you finish school at Avonlea this year – or next—or beyond that—your ultimate goal is to pass the entrance examinations to Queen’s Academy in Charlottetown. Now, I know some of you cannot afford to go to Queen’s and others may have parents who will not allow you to go. But for now, assume that someday you will be taking those exams and that you will do your best to pass them. Who knows—perhaps one day an Avonlea student may win the coveted Queen’s gold medal—or better yet, the Avery Scholarship, highest of all scholastic honors in the Maritime Provinces. Now, work on your fractions.

Scene 3

Gilbert Blythe is Anne’s age. Both are serious students and have developed an academic rivalry between them. Anne has been out of school because of an injury.

Gilbert: Miss Stacey let me bring your books and assignments to you. I don’t want you to have any excuses when I score higher than you on the Queen’s entrance examinations.

I’m awfully sorry I made fun of your hair when I first saw you. Besides, that was so long ago. I think your hair is awfully pretty now, Honest I do. (Anne turns away and refuses to accept his apology)

All right---and I’ll never ask you to be friends with me again, Anne Shirley. Good-bye.