MainStage Irving-Las Colinas announces auditions for their upcoming production of Inherit The Wind
A Classic Drama by Jerome Lawrence and Robert E. Lee
Directed by Harry Friedman
IMPORTANT DATES
Audition Dates / Times:
Saturday: May 30 – 10:00am – 2:00pm
Sunday: May 31 – 2:00pm – 6:00pm
Callbacks will be by appointment immediately following Sunday's auditions
Auditions will be by appointment and will be cold readings from the script. All
performers can expect Mon – Fri rehearsals and be available should Sat or Sun
rehearsals be required. I will try my best to accommodate conflicts as much as
possible to make it easy on the cast. Those not participating in rehearsals on a
particular night, will not be called.
Performance dates: July 24, 25, 26, 31, August 1, 2, 6, 7, 8
Tech week: July 19 - July 23 - NO CONFLICTS
IMPORTANT AUDITION INFORMATION
Auditions are held by appointment at MainStage222 at 222 E Irving Blvd, Irving, TX
Please bring a current resume and headshot.
We are committed to diverse casting and all roles are open to characters of all backgrounds. If there is a role you feel is right for you, please audition!
CHARACTERS
Inherit The Wind requires a number of people to play numerous roles. The town
is full of characters that portray the day to day townsfolk that make up the two
sides of the story. Those in support of Bertram Cates, and those against. In
several cases, those cast will have to play multiple roles as well as members of
the jury that ultimately decide the fate of Bertram Cates.
However, the principal characters are as follows:
Bertram Cates – 20s Male - A twenty-four-year-old science teacher and the defendant
in the trial. Cates has been arrested for teaching his students the theory of evolution
from a biology textbook.
Matthew Harrison Brady – Mature Male - A national political figure and a three-time
loser in presidential campaigns who arrives in Hillsboro to lead the prosecution in
Cates’s trial. Brady defends the literal truth of the Bible against what he labels Cates’s
big-city agnosticism. He is a big personality and dominates when in a crowd.
(This role is Cast ) Henry Drummond – Mature Male - A famous lawyer from Chicago
whom the Baltimore Herald sends to defend Cates. Drummond argues for freedom of
thought.
E. K. Hornbeck – Male 30’s+ and could be far more mature - A cynical, wisecracking
journalist and critic. Hornbeck travels to Hillsboro to cover the trial for the Baltimore
Herald.
Rev. Jeremiah Brown – Mature Male - The figure of religious authority in Hillsboro.
Rachel Brown – 20’s Female - The daughter of Reverend Brown. Twenty-two-year-old
Rachel is close friend of Cates, and their relationship has a romantic element.
The Judge – Mature Male - The judge presiding over Cates’s trial.
Meeker – 30s+ - The bailiff at the Hillsboro courthouse.
Mrs. Brady – Mature Female - Matthew Harrison Brady’s wife. Mrs. Brady monitors her
husband and nags him not to overeat. Brady calls her “Mother.”
Melinda Loomis – Youth Female - A twelve-year-old girl. May be older if 12 is playable.
Melinda believes in the Bible.
Howard Blair – Youth Male – Can play 15. A student in Cates’s science class. At the
trial, Howard gives testimony that is used against Cates.
Mrs. Krebs – 40s+ Female - An outspoken Hillsboro woman.
Mr. Bannister – Male 20’s+ - A member of the jury. Bannister has read neither Darwin
nor the Bible because he is illiterate.
Elijah – Male 30s+ - A mountain man. The illiterate Elijah sells Bibles to the
townspeople and preaches his beliefs to the crowd.
Mayor – Mature Male - The mayor of Hillsboro. The mayor supports Brady and
welcomes him to town.
Tom Davenport – Male, Younger than Brady - The local district attorney. Davenport
assists Brady during the trial.
Harry Y. Esterbrook - A radio host from WGN in Chicago. Esterbrook broadcasts the
announcement of the verdict and Cates’s sentencing.
There are several other characters ranging from 11yrs to 50+ that make up the
townspeople, jurors, extras, etc.
ABOUT THE SHOW
A gripping courtroom drama inspired by the famous 1925 Scopes Monkey Trial, which challenged the legality of teaching evolution in a Tennessee classroom. When a high school teacher is put on trial for introducing Darwin’s theory to his students, the case quickly becomes a national spectacle, drawing two of the country’s most formidable attorneys to the small-town courtroom. As the fiery legal battle unfolds, the trial becomes more than just a question of science versus religion, it sparks a larger debate about intellectual freedom, the role of education, and the ongoing struggle to balance faith and progress. A timeless and thought-provoking reflection on the fundamental right to think.
COMPENSATION
Actors receive a gas stipend and comp tickets.
For questions or more information, contact admin@mainstageirving.com.