“I’ve never heard of the show The People vs. Mona.” You’re in luck! This crazy off-Broadway musical is a love story, murder mystery, courtroom shenanigans, fate-of-a-small-town-hanging-on-the-verdict musical. With the same offbeat and hilarious vibe as a John Mulaney SNL musical sketch mixed in with some rather poignant observations on gentrification and the importance of cultural heritage in America’s towns, it’s a musical that is batsh*t insane but always a great time both for the audience and the performer. A small, multicultural cast play multiple roles in a parade of witnesses on the way to a sequence of surprise endings. Written by Jim Wann (Broadway’s Tony nominated “Pump Boys & Dinettes”) the tuneful score combines folk, blues, gospel, jazz, rock, musical comedy, school anthem, marching band and bossa nova with a theatrical sensibility.
Mona Mae Katt, a third-generation Latina-American, owns the Frog Pad, the long-time musical heart of Tippo, Georgia, a town in need of a plan to revive itself. She stands trial for murdering her husband of 10 hours, C.C. Katt. A series of singing witnesses all point the finger at her, yet hilarity ensues when everybody in town clearly has crazy motives of their own. Presented in two acts, the musical is geared specifically for musical theatre actors who enjoy singing their asses off, comfortable with improv/audience participation and exercising their amazing comedic timing.
Seeking 4 female-presenting actors and 4 male-presenting actors. Non-AEA, volunteer and travel stipend only. Please note: Our casting notices may include gender, ethnicity, and ability descriptions; however, we invite actors of ALL abilities, genders, and racial identities to submit for any role that is exciting to them.
Please prepare 24 bars of your favorite comedic musical theatre song and prepare sides for the characters you’d like to be considered for. Sign up for an audition slot (Monday 3/27 7-10 pm or Tuesday 3/28, 7-10 pm) on SignUpGenius: https://www.signupgenius.com/go/10C094AA5AB28A4FEC43-thepeople. Callbacks are on Wednesday 3/29 from 7-10 pm.
Character Sides Folder: https://www.dropbox.com/sh/j8aw3t969282v2r/AABbrHdoiDRku26WcK1XW-zna?dl=0
The People vs. Mona, the Musical
Music and Lyrics by Jim Wann, Book by Patricia Miller
Directed by Enrico Banson
Shows: November 3rd through the 26th, 2023
Fridays and Saturdays at 8pm, Sunday Matinee 2pm
Special Thursday Pay-What-You-Can Performance November 9th, 2023 8PM
Rehearsals begin Sunday, September 10th, 2023
Non-AEA, Volunteer position, travel stipend
For questions or comments, email director@masquers.org
Characters
MONA MAE KATT – Female-presenting, Latina, late 20’s/early 30s. Defendant; owner of the Frog Pad Bar; down-to-earth; naturally sexy; passionate and idealistic. A little rockabilly/#yallternative vibe. 80’s Linda Ronstadt meets comedienne Anjelah Johnson.
JIM SUMMERFORD – Male-presenting, any ethnicity, 30’s. Defense Attorney and the show’s narrator; easygoing Southern gentleman with undeniable charm. Think a southern fried version of Ted Lasso with a teeny dash of Blake Shelton.
MAVIS FRYE – Female-presenting, Caucasian, 30’s. Prosecutor; ambitious; upscale; chic; read way too many Ayn Rand novels. A more mean-spirited Leslie Knope with a touch of Reba McEntire.
OFFICER BELL – Male-presenting, Caucasian, 40’s. Traffic Cop. Sensitive and moody. Jean Valjean if he was one of the cops on Reno 911. A big, operatic voice is a plus.
JUDGE ELLA JORDAN/REV. ROSETTA PURIFY – Female-presenting, Black, 40s-60s. Smart. No-Nonsense. Also doubles as Reverend Purify, a dynamic spiritual leader. Mrs. Howard from Abbott Elementary with the vocal powerhouse of Patti LaBelle.
TISH THOMAS/”BLIND WILLY” CARTER – Female-presenting, Non-White, 20’s-30s. Journalist, sultry and in-the-know. Also doubles as “Blind Willy” Carter, a wise-cracking blind street musician. Must move well. A little bit Jasmine Cepha-Jones, a little bit Maya Rudolph and a little bit Ben Vereen.
MR. PATEL/DR. THEODORE BLOODWEATHER – Male-presenting, Indian/South Asian descent, 30’s/40’s. Mr. Patel is a recent motel proprietor. Assimilated, proud, kind of a tech bro. Also doubles as Dr. Bloodweather, the humorless and dead-serious coroner (See what we did there?). Kal Penn with the comic musical versatility of Josh Gad.
EUPLE R. PUGH/BAILIFF – Male Presenting, any ethnicity, 50’s-60’s. Elderly attorney and local hero. Also doubles as the bailiff, who’s cool and collected. A singing and dancing Carl from Up.