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East Aurora, NY 14052
Importance of Being Earnest
By Oscar Wilde
Directed by Christopher Fire
Oscar Wilde’s comedic masterpiece marks the mainstage season finale at Aurora Players. Ernest Worthing lives a comfortable life in London courting the lovely Gwendolen and having dinner with his friend Algernon… though he’s not actually named Ernest. His real name is Jack, and his alias allows him to live a lavish bachelor life when he travels away from his country house under the guise of visiting his nonexistent brother, Ernest. Algernon is quickly inspired to bring Ernest to life in the country to rather hilarious results, leading both men and their acquaintances on a charming and unexpected journey to a happy ending.
Auditions: May 19-20 at 6:45 PM – Callbacks May 21, 2025 at 7:00 PM
(See Info Below)
Director: Christopher Fire
Christopher Fire is a visual artist, director, and actor whose current collaboration with Aurora Players is directing The Hobbit for Theatre in Hamlin Park’s summer 2026 production. Prior contributions to Aurora Players include directing Dearly Departed (2019) and portraying The Wolf in Into the Woods (2022), where he also earned a TANYS award for Excellence in the Creation & Operation of the Shadow Puppet elements. In February, he directed Making God Laugh for Rocking Horse Productions, and, in 2025, That Play That Goes Wrong (also Rocking Horse Productions), which earned numerous awards, including Outstanding Achievements in Direction, Production Design, Concept, Execution and Technical Direction, and Ensemble Performance to the Cast.
Chris holds a BFA in Illustration from UB with a minor in Digital Film from SUNY at Buffalo. In addition to theatre pursuits, Chris has worked in film, art restoration, illustration, and maintains a graphic design side hustle.
Cast List Announced!
MURDER ON THE ORIENT EXPRESS
CAST
HERCULE POIROT………………………Joshua Verby
CONSTANTINE BOUC……………………John Kehoe
MARY DEBENHAM………………..Megan Mahaney
HECTOR MACQUEEN…………………Nick Benstead
PIERRE MICHEL / HEAD WAITER………..Chris Biggie
PRINCESS DRAGOMIROFF………………Jessica Rasp
GRETA OHLSSON…………………………Erin Kosich
COUNTESS ANDRENYI…………………Anne Gerace
HELEN HUBBARD……………………….Tara Potzler
COLONEL ARBUTHNOT…………………Zach Wilcox
SAMUEL RATCHETT……………………..Lucas Smith
DAISY ARMSTRONG…………………Emerson Disch
DETAILS:
- Auditions will be held at Aurora Players: Roycroft Pavilion, Hamlin Park, 166 South Grove Street, East Aurora.
- The production opens Friday, March 13, 2026 and runs for three weekends through Sunday, March 29. Friday/Saturday shows are at 7:30 PM; Sunday shows, 2:30 PM.
- All cast members must be available for first read through on Monday, January 5. Headshots for publicity and the show program will be taken at this time.
- Rehearsals begin January 6; please note any dates you are unavailable for rehearsal on the audition form. Other dates that cannot be missed are: February 28th (tech rehearsal) and dress rehearsals from March 9-11.
PREPARATION:
- Actors of any race and gender identity are encouraged to audition for any role.
- Character ages listed in character descriptions are approximate; any actor may audition for any role.
- Sides will be available at the audition and are linked on this page.
- The nationalities of the characters are important to the story. Accents are preferred. Suggested reference videos are also linked on this page.
SYNOPSIS:
Just after midnight during the winter of 1934, the luxurious Orient Express train is stopped in its tracks by a snowdrift. In the morning, a passenger is discovered murdered in their bunk–stabbed eight times, and the cabin locked from inside. Isolated, and with a killer in their midst, the unusual assortment of passengers must rely on famed detective Hercule Poirot to identify the killer before they strike again!
CHARACTERS AND DESCRIPTIONS:
Hercule Poirot (40+) – world-famous detective. Eccentric, romantic, appreciative of luxury in life. Often underestimated, but fiercely intelligent and concerned with the moral good. (Belgian)
Constantine Bouc (40+) – friend of Poirot. Accustomed to luxury; owner of the train. (Belgian)
Mary Debenham (25+) – governess; cool and capable. Involved with Arbuthnot (British RP)
Hector MacQueen (25+) – personal secretary to Ratchett. Nervous, put-upon, very competent. (American)
Pierre Michel (40+) – train conductor. Charming and attentive to the passengers, extremely efficient and competent at his job. (French)
Princess Natalya Dragomiroff (50+) – imperious, domineering princess of the old school; exiled after the Bolsheviks took power. (Russian)
Greta Ohlsson (40+) – meek and pious missionary; companion to Dragomiroff. (Swedish)
Countess Elena Andreyni (20+) – medical doctor; commoner who married into the aristocracy and became a countess. (Hungarian)
Helen Hubbard (50+) – brash, uncouth, sardonic middle-aged midwesterner. (American)
Colonel James Arbuthnot (30+) – officer in the British military stationed in India; cliched in the era’s ideal of imperialist masculinity; romantically involved with Debenham. (Scottish)
Samuel Ratchett (35+) – owner of a vaguely defined import-export business. Vulgar, chauvinistic and unpleasant. (American)
Questions? Write to info@auroraplayers.org or leave a message with our box office: 716-687-6727. Aurora Players welcomes all to audition, whether new or seasoned actors.
Chris Biggie
PIERRE MICHEL
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