The Windham Theatre Guild Announces Auditions for Bus Stop by William Inge
December 7 & 8, 2026 6PM to 9 PM
Potential Callbacks: December 9, 2026 6PM
Burton Leavitt Theatre
Production Dates: February 19-28, 2027
Directed by Kevin Michael Reed
All actors auditioning should prepare a 1-2 minute monologue for auditions. The monologue should be prepared and memorized.
Actors auditioning for Cherie should prepare a 1-2 minute song sung a cappella.
Actors auditioning for the role of Virgil should be able to play basic guitar and should prepare a 1-2 minute song played on guitar for auditions.
During callbacks, Actors may be asked to do their monologue or song again or will be asked to read from the script. Sides will be provided as necessary.
Rehearsal Schedule:
December 14th – 17th, 6PM to 10PM.
Beginning January 4th: Monday, Wednesday, Thursday from 6PM to 10PM.
Tech Week begins Saturday, February 13th with an all-day tech rehearsal. Actors should expect evening rehearsals the rest of the week leading up to opening.
We will work with the cast to create a schedule to avoid conflicts, but all conflicts must be provided to production management before rehearsals start.
CASTING BREAKDOWN
CHERIE — Female, playing early–mid 20s An aspiring nightclub singer from the Ozarks. Worldly through experience but still hopeful, Cherie wants affection, security, and control over her future. Her toughness protects a vulnerable spirit. Seeking an actor with humor, emotional depth, and the ability to sing in character. An Ozark/Southern dialect is appropriate. Role involves staged romantic contact. Actors auditioning should prepare a 1 min song sung by a cappella.
BO DECKER — Male, playing early 20s A young Montana rancher and rodeo cowboy whose confidence far exceeds his emotional maturity. Impulsive, forceful, and inexperienced in relationships, Bo must begin learning respect and humility. Requires commanding physical presence, comic timing, and access to vulnerability. Role involves staged physical conflict and romantic contact.
ELMA DUCKWORTH — Female, playing 14-17. A high-school student working as a waitress. Curious, earnest, and drawn to literature and the wider world, Elma eagerly listens to the travelers’ stories. Seeking youthful energy, intelligence, and direct emotional honesty.
GRACE HOYLARD — Female, playing 30s–50s The diner’s owner. Practical, candid, and accustomed to managing other people, Grace combines authority with an appetite for companionship. Seeking warmth, dry humor, and an easy command of the room. Her flirtation with Carl should feel familiar and lived-in.
DR. GERALD LYMAN — Male, playing 40s–60s A former college professor struggling with alcohol and his own destructive behavior. Eloquent and intellectually engaging, he uses learning and charm to attract attention, particularly Elma’s. Requires facility with heightened language and the ability to suggest troubling motives beneath an appealing exterior.
VIRGIL BLESSING — Male, playing 40s–60s Bo’s older friend, ranch hand, and father figure. Patient and observant, Virgil often speaks for feelings Bo cannot articulate. His devotion conceals loneliness and uncertainty about his own future. Seeking understated humor and emotional restraint. Guitar ability is desirable.
WILL MASTERS — Male, playing 30s–60s The local sheriff. Steady, direct, and difficult to intimidate, Will intervenes when Bo’s behavior becomes threatening. Seeking grounded authority, physical assurance, and humanity beneath his firmness. Role involves staged physical conflict.
CARL — Male, playing 30s–50s The bus driver. Sociable, practical, and comfortable with life on the road, Carl brings an easygoing presence to the stranded group. His connection with Grace supplies earthy humor and adult companionship. Seeking relaxed confidence, comic timing, and believable chemistry.