Betty's Summer Vacation - Auditions

A beach house. Some very strange housemates. And a summer that goes completely off the rails. Betty's Summer Vacation is a dark comedy by Christopher Durang that satirizes the media's sensationalization of true crime and tragedy, following a woman named Betty who rents a beach house for a relaxing vacation that descends into chaos with her bizarre roommates, including a serial killer, a flasher, and a sex-obsessed neighbor, all while a Greek chorus comments on the events like a TV show. The play, which premiered in 1999, uses extreme and absurd situations—like rape, incest, and a severed head—to critique the public's fascination with horror and gossip, contrasting the "tabloid-ization" of culture with Betty's desire for normalcy.

CHARACTER BREAKDOWN

We are seeking a diverse cast of performers, all races, genders and identities are encouraged to audition.

BETTY: a nice, pretty normal young woman, late twenties. Sensible, does her best to be reasonable.

TRUDY: friendly, chatty, needy, rather desperate underneath. A bit younger than Betty.

KEITH: sensitive, quiet, mysterious. Late twenties. Finds it hard to be around people. Seems sweet, seems weird.

BUCK: handsome, sexy lout-hunk. Might look like a beach guy out of Baywatch. Unabashedly sexist, on the make all the time.

MRS. SIEZMAGRAFF: lively, vibrant woman, mid-forties; oblivious to anyone else's discomfort. Auntie Mame-ish.

MR. VANISLAW: an insane derelict who exposes himself to women in bathrooms; naked except for raincoat and sneakers. A little scary, but also just insane. Happy in his way.

THE GROUP OF VOICES: two men, one woman. They laugh, they applaud. They live in the ceiling.

Listing sourced from Playbill. Submit directly with the company — Playwright Co isn't involved in casting decisions.