“The Curious Savage”
AUDITIONS

Auditions: Sunday, August 2nd and Monday, August 3rd. 6:00-9:00pm at The Keeton (108 Donelson Pike, Nashville).

The Keeton Theatre, 108 Donelson Pike Nashville 37214.

All actors will do cold readings from the script. Bring a headshot and resume if you have them. Seeking a cast of 11 people: 6 women, 5 men.

Sign up here for your audition night here.

We would love to have a diverse cast.
All roles are available. This is a volunteer opportunity. 

Performance Dates: October 9th - 12th. Rehearsals will begin August 31st.

For any questions, contact the director, Michael Welch at mikewelch308@gmail.com.

SYNOPSIS

When Ethel Savage’s late husband leaves her a small fortune, she decides to make the best of it, establishing a fund to support various dreamers with whimsical aspirations. But her three greedy stepchildren – a socialite, a senator and a judge – commit her to a mental institution, hoping to “bring her to her senses.” In the sanitarium, a warm and inviting home known as “The Cloisters,” Ethel befriends the other residents, a colorful crew of kind, generous and delusional souls. In time, Ethel finds happiness with them and plans to spend the rest of her life among them. Meanwhile, the stepchildren, discovering that Ethel has hidden the family fortune, attempt to browbeat her into confessing where the money has been stashed. 

With warmth, humor and dignity, The Curious Savage celebrates those who are often overlooked, emphasizing kindness, affection and empathy in a world that too often rewards greed and ambition.

Character Breakdown

THE SAVAGES

Ethel Savage (Age: 55+)

Referred to as "Mrs. Savage" for the majority of the play, she is a witty, kindhearted, blue haired woman with a shifted viewpoint of humanity. The events of the play are centered around her and her decision to hide the money which she has inherited from her late husband from her greedy stepchildren, to give away to those less fortunate or to fulfill others' random, yet important lifelong dreams. She dislikes her stepchildren, but learns to love the residents of The Cloisters, accepting their own realities and delusions with an open-mindedness that others on the outside do not.

Titus Savage (AGE: 30’s-40’s)

He is the eldest stepson of Mrs. Savage. He has been sent so many threatening letters that he is listed by Western Union as a "tangible asset"; Titus is the least popular senator in congress. He is sober, humorless, and direct. Titus also has a temper that tends to come out most when dealing with his stepmother.

Lily Belle Savage (age: 30’s-40’s)

The middle stepchild, was once married to a Slovak prince, and has remarried five times since then. A celebrity heiress, she is arrogant, chic, and self-assured. She is also very selfish and is constantly putting forth the effort to make sure others are respecting her. When Lily Belle first met Ethel, she bit her new stepmother's finger and has promptly been just as vicious ever since.

Samuel Savage (age: mid 20’s-30’s)

The youngest stepchild, Samuel has the distinction of being the judge with the most overturned decisions in the U.S. He walks in the shadows of his siblings, offering a sassy, short comment every once in a while, only to be shot down.

THE CLOISTERS RESIDENTS

Florence (Age: 25-40)

An elegant woman, with a gentle disposition and a sweet smile. She lost her son at an early age and has never emotionally recovered. She carries a doll around named John Thomas, believing it is alive and suffering from the measles.

Jeffrey (AGE: 20’s-30’s)

Once a military pilot, Jeff was shot down in the war, surviving a crash that killed all his men. He now believes that he has a scar on his face, which he constantly hides from others. He plays the piano but is too shy to do so around other people. He is also married to Miss Willie, but does not remember that he is, due to the crash. Miss Willie works at the Cloisters in the hopes that one day her Jeffrey will remember her.

Fairy May (AGE: early 20’s)

Fairy May: Young woman in her early 20’s. She has a happy, cheerful nature, however, she is a perpetual liar and she is terrified of the outside world. She desperately seeks love and approval from others.

Hannibal (age: 30’s)

A sweet, kind man in his 30s. He is a former statistician and loves mathematics. He is quite proud of his talents as a violin player, even though he only knows two chords. He, like the other guests, is frightened of the world outside.

Mrs. Paddy (age: 40’s-50’s)

Mrs. Paddy paints with the quality of Hannibal's violin playing. She paints only seascapes, which strikes Hannibal as "odd, because she's never seen the ocean." The other patients say that Mrs. Paddy stopped talking when her husband told her to "shut up" one day, and she hasn't spoken since. She only speaks to announce what she hates. She hates "everything in the world." Her main lines are lists of random things she hates, strung together loosely alphabetically. Her tirades are ignored by the other characters. She has given up electricity for Lent and turns off all the lights multiple times throughout the play, causing mayhem.

THE CLOISTERS STAFF

Miss Willie (Age: 25-35)

An efficient young woman. She works as a caregiver at the facility so that she can secretly be close to her husband, Jeffrey, who does not remember that they were married before the war. She is kind and loving, with incredible integrity.

Dr. Emmett

A kind, young doctor that treats his patients with genuine care and respect. He is highly professional and does not get caught up in financial nor political affairs. His patients’ health and safety are his top priority.