Auditions: Worst Wedding Ever – a Comedy By Chris Chibnall

Directed by Ashton Brown
Auditions: Sat, 7 Sept from 9am by appointment.
Rehearsals: Tues 7.30pm, Thurs 7.00pm, and Sun 7pm. Season: 9-30 Nov

Scripts are available from info@hlt.org.nz

Synopsis
Rachel and Scott Have Their Future All Planned Out: Marriage, a Family Home, the Lot. However, After a Home Purchase Goes Awry, Their Plans Start to Veer off Course and What Was Once a Wedding Worthy of Envy Becomes a Humble Diy Extravaganza. With a Cast-off Dress, an Overbearing Mother, a Questionably Talented Pub Band, and an Overflowing Port-a-loo, It's a Recipe for Disaster.

Roles
Ages Are Indicative Only)
Rachel Late S-early S) the Bride-to-be. Determined to Have the Perfect Wedding, Meticulously Planned to Ensure Everything Goes Smoothly. Despite Her Strong-willed Nature, Rachel Finds Herself Overwhelmed by the Mounting Chaos. She Juggles Her Desires with the Conflicting Expectations of Her Family, Striving to Maintain a Facade of Control While Secretly Fearing Everything Might Fall Apart.

Scott Late S-early S) the Groom. Deeply in Love with Rachel and Eager to Start Their Life Together. Initially Quite Passive in the Wedding Planning Process, He Finds Himself Increasingly Bewildered by Escalating Events. He Tries to Remain Supportive of Rachel While Grappling with Pressure and the Dominating Family.
Casting Note: Scott Is Described in the Script As Being of Asian Descent. We Welcome Interest from All Ethnicities That Come Under This Broad Category, Including Those Who Identify As Indian, Pakistani, Asian or Pasifika.

Liz S-60s) Rachel’s Mum. While She Has Her Daughter’s Best Interests at Heart, She Isn't Shy About Expressing Her Views. Her Well-intentioned Meddling Puts Her at Odds with the Family, Especially Scott.

Mel S-60s) Rachel’s Dad and the More Diplomatic Parent. He Tries to Maintain a Sense of Calm and Perspective amid the Chaos. As Tensions Rise Within the Family, He Navigates Delicate Emotional Territory While Trying to Keep the Peace.

Alison Late S) Rachel's Older Sister Who Is Trying to Get over a Failed Relationship. Cynical, Jaded, and a Bit of a Train Wreck, She Has Taken to Drinking to Get Through the Festivities. She Often Makes Inappropriate Comments and Will Flirt with Almost Anything.

Andy Late S) Rachel’s Younger Brother. A Bundle of Bravado and High Energy, Who Considers Himself a Man of the World. He’s Been Estranged for some Time Due to Poor Life Decisions That Hurt His Family and Has Been Reluctant to Face Them.

Mike Mid S) Alison’s Ex-fiancé and Lead Singer of the Band Has Been Called in As a Favour to Play at the Wedding. Having Happily Moved on from Alison, He Is Mostly Relieved to Have Booked a Gig and Reconnect with the Family He Used to Be a Part of.

Graeme Male, S-40s) a Vicar Who Is Desperate to Come Across As Relatable and Eager to Prove That the Church Is Cool. Determined to Show That Not Every Vicar Is a Conservative Fanatic, He Sees the Wedding As the Perfect Opportunity to Engage with The Youth’.

Director’s Notes
I like to Work Extremely Collaboratively with My Actors, Creating a Rehearsal Process That Is Open, Challenging, and Fun. I Encourage Actors to Take Risks and Play with Ideas. Although the Roles Vary in Size, This Play Is Very Much an Ensemble Piece with Engaging and Interesting Characters. Set in Dorset, the Play Requires English Accents. A Standard Rp Accent’ Is Fine for the Audition, and I Will Work with Actors to Develop Their Accents Throughout Rehearsals.

About the Director
Ashton Is a Professional Actor, Writer, and Director, Whose Credits Include Shortland Street, Power Rangers, 7 Days, and Funny Girls. After Graduating from Drama School with a Bachelor of Screen & Stage Arts Majoring in Acting, He Returned to Hlt in Peter James’s Dead Simple (2020). In 2021, He Directed Hlt’s Season of the House. He Has Also Directed Professionally at the Pumphouse and Several Full-scale Musicals. As a Comedian, Ashton Loves Working with Comedic Texts and Finding the Truth That Underlines All Good Comedy.