Casting Call for
The Great Cross-Country Race
or The Hare and the Tortoise
The Royal River Community Players invites actors of all ages (aged 9+), experience, and abilities to sign up for our production of the Great Cross-Country Race. This play from England is a lark, a merry chase, peopled with human-like animals who make better sense than people. Assembled for Sports Day, the animals cannot find anybody to compete with the fleet hare in the cross-country race until the slow-moving tortoise agrees to challenge him. In the course of the race, the scatter-brained hare tends to get diverted by his encounters with members of the human race—stopping to gorge on a fisherman's picnic lunch, getting trapped in the urban-Notcouths' poaching bag, pausing to spy on a pair of "soppy dates," getting pinned up by the ears to Mrs. Stainer's clothesline. Meanwhile, the tortoise plods steadily and relentlessly on to the finish line. Only the animals speak intelligible language. The humans' gobble-de-gook is as incomprehensible to us as it is to our animal friends.
Director: Jessica Libby
Production Manager: Rachel Lotstein
Stage Manager: Matt Boucher
Costume Designer: Michael Donovan
CASTING CALL:
The Royal River Community Players invites actors of all ages (aged 9+), experience, and abilities to sign up for our production of the Great Cross-Country Race. Casting is available to everyone, regardless of experience. There are no prescribed expectations around age, race, or gender of any of the roles listed below, and actors are encouraged to audition for any characters that they are most excited about. Audition slots are limited and will be allocated on a first-come, first-served basis.
Roles:
Fleet.... a Hare
Sett..... a Badger
Warren..... a Rabbit
Spinney..... a Hedgehog
Paddle..... a Water-Rat
Brush..... a Squirrel
Sloe..... a Tortoise
MDark..... a Rook
Basket..... a Dog
Jackie..... a very nice young man
Robin..... another
A Fisherman..... the common variety
Maude..... one-half of a courting couple
George..... the other half
Mr. Urban Notcouth..... a picnicker
Mrs. Urban Notcouth..... his wife
Sophia..... his daughter
Brando..... his son
Farmer Black..... an irate farmer
Mrs. Stainer..... a near-sighted housewife
AUDITIONS:
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Auditions will take place on Monday, December 8 and Thursday, December 11, from 6:00 PM to 8:30 PM
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Callbacks will be on Sunday, December 14, from 1:00 PM to 3:00 PM.
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Casting will be finalized no later than Thursday, December 17.
Before auditioning, please ensure that you do not have any conflicts during Tech Week or on either weekend of the show.
Preparation:
You should prepare a one-minute monologue. Since the play is a British comedy, we recommend selecting a piece within that genre. We encourage actors to memorize their monologue; however, if this is your first audition, you may read it during the performance.
When signing up, you will be asked to choose an audition slot. Upon arrival, please check in with the production manager, who will provide you with any additional forms to complete and put you in the queue.
During your audition, you will meet with the production crew. To help them get to know you, they will ask some questions before you perform your prepared monologue.
If you have any questions, encounter difficulties accessing audition materials, need accommodations, or have specific access needs, please don't hesitate to contact us at Admin@royalrivercommunityplayers.com.
REHEARSALS:
Rehearsals will commence on Tuesday, January 6, 2026, with a read-through involving the full cast and crew. Weekly rehearsal will be on the following days:
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Tuesdays, 6:30 PM to 8:30 PM
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Thursdays, 6:30 PM to 8:30 PM
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Sundays, 6:00 PM to 8:00 PM
Full run-throughs will start on Monday, February 23, Tuesday, February 24, and Thursday, February 26.
Not all cast members will be called to every rehearsal; a complete schedule will be provided after casting.
Tech Rehearsals
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Monday, March 2, 6:00 PM to 9:00 PM
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Tuesday, March 3, 6:00 PM to 9:00 PM
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Thursday, March 5, 6:00 PM to 9:00 PM
Please ensure you have no conflicts during Tech Week or the performances before signing up for auditions.
Costume Fittings:
Costume fittings will take place alongside rehearsals. Costumes will be ready by March 6th.
PERFORMANCES:
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Friday, March 6, 6:00 PM - 9:15 PM
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Saturday, March 7, 1:00 PM to 4:15 PM
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Sunday, March 8, 1:00 PM to 4:15 PM
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Friday, March 13, 6:00 PM to 9:15 PM
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Saturday, March 14, 1:00 PM to 4:15 PM
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Sunday, March 15, 1:00 PM to 4:15 PM
CONTACT:
Please let us know if you have any questions! Thank you.
Show or rehearsal questions:
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Jess Libby - Director - jmlibby210@gmail.com
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Rachel Lotstein – Production Manager - rachel.lotstein@gmail.com
General RRCP Questions:
FAQ:
Does it cost anything to participate?
No! We do not charge anyone to participate in RRCP.
Will everyone be cast?
While we wish we could include as many actors as possible, not everyone will be chosen for a role. Please note that being cast or not is not a reflection of the actor's talent or effort. Many factors influence casting decisions, including the actor's availability for rehearsals, the specific roles that need to be filled, age appropriateness, and RRCP's mission to have a diverse mix of ages and acting experience in all of our casts.
How else can I help?
RRCP is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization that relies on the generosity of our donors and the dedication of our volunteers to produce high-quality theater productions. Please visit our website at www.royalrivercommunityplayers.com to make a donation (we appreciate any amount) and/or learn more about volunteer opportunities. Thank you for your support!
Any other questions about RRRCP can be sent to admin@royalrivercommunityplayers.com
The Great Cross-Country Race is presented by arrangement with the Dramatic Publishing Company