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The Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane
From the Book by Kate DiCamillo | Adapted by Dwayne Hartford
Directed by Brian Tabak & Carolyn Quigley Mazierski
Edward Tulane is an expensive toy rabbit made of china. He is loved by a little girl, but vain & self-centered Edward doesn’t care; he has no interest in anyone besides himself. Edward is accidentally thrown overboard on an ocean voyage and so begins his journey—a journey over which he has no control, for he is a toy rabbit. As years pass by, Edward meets many different people in many different situations who teach Edward valuable lessons. Through his miraculous journey, Edward learns what it is to love, what it is to lose that love, and how to find the courage to love again. Based on Kate DiCamillo’s beautiful novel of the same name.
Audition Information
REHEARSAL & SHOW DATES
Please identify all conflicts with the below schedule on your audition form.
Limited conflicts during the rehearsal process may be accommodated, but the readthrough, tech/dress/pickup rehearsals, show dates, parade, and set strike are required.
| 5/6 (W) | 6:30p-10p | Intros, Read Through, Costume Measurements, Headshots |
| 5/27 – 7/9 (M-F) | 6:30p-10p | Rehearsals (none on 6/19, 7/4) |
| 7/3 (Th) | 4:30p-7:30p | East Aurora 3rd of July Parade |
| 7/10 & 7/11 (Th, F) | 6p-10p | Tech Rehearsals |
| 7/14 – 7/17 (M-Th) | 6:30p-10p | Dress Rehearsals |
| 7/18, 19, 20 (F-Su)
8/1, 2, 3 (F-Su) 8/15, 16, 17 (F-Su) |
7:30p curtain
5:30 actor call |
Show Dates |
| 7/31 & 8/14 (Th) | 6:30p-9p | Pickup Rehearsals |
| 8/18 (M) | 6:30p | Set Strike |
CASTING INFORMATION
- Actors will be notified of callback requests via phone call/text message/email on March 10.
- Callbacks (if necessary) will be held on Wednesday, March 12 @ 7 pm.
- Auditioners will be notified of the audition outcome by Friday, March 21.
Please do not assume you were not cast if you are not asked to callbacks. A cast list will be posted on AP’s Web site (www.auroraplayers.org) and Facebook page. If you are cast in the show, we ask that you refrain from discussing casting until after the official cast list has been publicly posted by Aurora Players. Thank you!
CAST: CHARACTERS AND DESCRIPTIONS
The 6 actors in this show play more than 30 different characters in total; most of the roles give the actor the opportunity to play multiple characters. This allows for flexible casting with age, gender, and character assignment. The breakdown below is the most likely casting for the main characters, but the ages, genders, and character assignments of the actors who are cast are not strict req’s. Actors will also play additional minor roles not listed here.
Actor A (Any Gender, Age 15-Adult)
| Edward | Edward is an expensive china rabbit who thinks very highly of himself. The rabbit himself is “played” by a toy rabbit who can neither move nor speak. This actor works as the “interpreter” for Edward, voicing his thoughts and emotions. Ideally, this actor could play an instrument (guitar, banjo, violin, accordion, etc) while acting, but this is not required. Edward is in every scene and, through his interactions with the other characters, eventually learns the importance of love. |
Actor B (Female/NB, Adult)
| Narrator / Traveler | A very active part of the story – integral to every scene. Is charged with guiding our audience through this sometimes emotional story and bridging the gap, along with the Actor playing Edward, between our toy rabbit’s thoughts and the audience. |
| Pellegrina | Abilene’s caring no-nonsense grandmother who is a bit suspicious of Edward. |
Actor C (Female/NB, Age 15-30)
| Abilene | 10 years old. Edward’s original owner. Caring, playful, and loving. |
| Sarah Ruth | 4 years old. Timid. Is ill & weak with tuberculosis, and has frequent coughing fits. Speaks mostly in 1-2 word sentences. |
| Lolly | Adult daughter of Nellie & Lawrence. A cold, somewhat uncaring, businesswoman from the big city. |
Actor D (Male/NB, Adult)
| Bull | A kind, cheerful hobo who is lost, but doesn’t seem to mind as long as he is in the company of others, including his best friend and dog, Lucy. |
| Neal | A gruff, no-nonsense, mean diner owner from Memphis. |
| Lucius | A kindly, matter-of-fact doll mender. Very good at his job and knows it. |
Actor E (Female/NB, Age 15-Adult)
| Nellie | A kind-hearted, sad woman adjusting to being an empty-nester. Lives a quiet rural life. Lawrence’s wife. |
| Lucy | Bull’s old, loyal, protective, curious dog. Does not speak. Barks. |
| Marlene | Stereotypical southern diner waitress, full of “darlin’”s and “sugar”s |
Actor F (Male/NB, Age 15-Adult)
| Bryce | 10ish years old. Hard-worker out on the farm. Heart of gold. Cares for and protects his sister, Sara Ruth, at all costs. Always seems to have a runny nose. Plays the harmonica and turns Edward into a marionette. |
| Lawrence | A kind-hearted fisherman living a rural life. Loves his wife. Nellie’s husband. |
Director: Brian Tabak
Brian’s heart has been aquiver since he learned that he’d have the opportunity to make his Aurora Players’ directing debut with Theatre in Hamlin Park’s production of The Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane …so much so, in fact, that his cardiologist is growing concerned.
For much of the 2010s, Brian was the Creative Director for WNY’s longest-running improv program, CSz Buffalo, and during his time there he performed in more than 1,100 ComedySportz (CSz’s flagship competitive improv show) matches.
In the last decade or so, Brian has slowly shifted his focus to scripted theatre, appearing on stages scattered about WNY. He can frequently be seen at NRTG’s Ellicott Creek Playhouse (The Creature in Young Frankenstein, Garry in Noises Off, and Charles in Blithe Spirit among others), was recently seen as Jonathan in Rocking Horse Productions’ The Play That Goes Wrong and Andy Dufresne in The Shawshank Redemption at Desiderio’s, and made his Aurora Players debut in 2023’s One Man, Two Guvnors.
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