Rumors by Neil Simon

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Audition Dates:  

March 22 & 23 at 6:00 - 9:00PM.  Actors only need to attend ONE night of auditions.  There should be no need for callbacks.  Auditions will be held at Westfield Playhouse located at 1836 SR 32 West, Westfield, IN.  Those auditioning are asked to prepare a contemporary comedic monologue that is one minute or less – PLEASE DO NOT GO OVER TIME.  Monologues will be available at auditions for those without a monologue prepared.  You will also be asked to read from the script.  Also, please bring a list of all conflicts between March 29 and May 24.  If you have any questions, please contact the director, Brynn Tyszka, at

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Performance Dates: 

May 8, 9, 15, 16, 17, 22, 23, & 24 .  Friday and Saturday shows begin at 7:30. Sunday shows begin at 2:30

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Synopsis: 

It’s the night of Charley and Myra’s tenth anniversary party, and all their friends are invited. There’s just one problem: nobody knows where Myra is, and Charley is bleeding from the head (and that’s just as the curtain rises). A car accident, a gun shot, a slipped disc, a dropped casserole, a case of whiplash, and several drinks later, the rumors are flying, everyone is at the end of their wits, and no marriage is safe. Will they get everything straightened out? Maybe. But not before the police arrive.

This brilliant piece by Neil Simon has everything you could want in a farse: fast talk, slamming doors, phone cords, mistaken identity, physical comedy, hi-jinx, plenty of booze, and (of course) Mr. Simon’s famously wry and witty backtalk.

Roles to be cast:

(Listed in order of appearance—all characters of ANY ethnicity)

Chris Gorman – stage age: 30-45; wife of Ken; successful lawyer for a publishing company; only recently gave up smoking, and really wishes she hadn’t

Ken Gorman – stage age: 30-45; successful lawyer (Charley is a client); must be comfortable going up and down stairs several times; he’s just trying to hold everything together

Claire Ganz – stage age: late 20’s-early 40’s; “an attractive woman”; maybe a bit younger than the rest; trophy wife; smart-ass; married to Lenny

Lenny Ganz – stage age: 30-45; no physical description; a successful accountant/financial advisor (Charley is a client); hasn’t eaten all day, and dealt with three separate audits that morning, plus a car wreck in which his new BMW was totaled

Ernie – stage age: late 40’s-late 50’s; a psychoanalyst (Charley is a client, as are several others in the group)

Cookie – stage age: late 40’s-late50’s; a reality TV chef; no sense of style; bad back; not the sharpest tool in the shed; must be good with physical comedy

Glenn Cooper – stage age: 30-45; politician; going through a rough patch in his marriage; very concerned about his image, pending the upcoming election for State Senate

Cassie Cooper – stage age: 30-45; Glenn’s wife; should look like the first lady, but also able to play sexy; going through a rough patch in her marriage; very high-maintenance; slightly insane, probably from lack of anything to do

Officer Welch – stage age: 40-60; male; police officer; a BIG guy/strong/vigorous; must feel imposing/intimidating to the rest of the group

Officer Pudney – stage age: early 20’s-early30’s; female; police officer; “just the facts”; also voices Myra at end

March 16, 2020 Announcement from Main Street Productions:

After careful consideration for the State of Indiana’s current COVID-19 guidelines and the safety of our patrons, cast, and crew, Main Street Production’s board of directors has made the very difficult decision to postpone the production of A RAISIN IN THE SUN to a later date. We would like to thank director Nancy Lafferty and the entire cast and crew of A RAISIN IN THE SUN for their tireless efforts and dedication to the production, and it is our hope they are able to share their work and talents with audiences at a later date. Details for alternate performance dates will be announced once they are determined.

If you had already purchased tickets for A RAISIN IN THE SUN, our box office will contact you to receive a refund or a ticket to a future show. We wish to extend our gratitude to all those patrons, sponsors, and ticket buyers whose generous contributions have helped us in our mission to produce great theatre. Since ticket sales are a primary source of our operational revenue, we are especially grateful for any donations that will help us through this difficult period.  

Looking ahead, the board of directors has also made the equally difficult decision to cancel the production of RUMORS, which was slated to hold auditions March 22 and 23 and open May 8. We are hopeful to include RUMORS as part of our 2022-2023 season.

Thank you for your continued support of the Westfield Playhouse.