Auditions: The Boys Next Door
AUDITION DATE: Sunday, April 6, and Monday, April 7, 2025
AUDITION TIME: 7:00 pm
DIRECTOR: Sam Eisenhuth
Following four mentally disabled young men living in a New England group home, The Boys Next Door provides a glimpse into the inner lives and experiences of these complex, colorful characters — doughnut-loving Norman, bookworm Lucien, Arnold the chatterbox and Barry with his fantasies of being a golf pro. Along with their increasingly burnt-out social worker, the boys next door show that joy, fear, hope and humanity belong to all of us.
CHARACTERS:
- Arnold Wiggins – 30s-40s. A man who lives with a mild mental disability. He tends to be very obsessive-compulsive. He is hyperactive and talks constantly.
- Norman Bulansky – 20s-30s. A man with mental disabilities who works at a doughnut shop. Eating doughnuts at his job has caused him to become overweight.
- Lucien P. Smith – 50s-60s. A large Black man who faces extremely debilitating mental disorders. Despite the fact that he cannot read, Smith insists on checking out armloads of books from the library.
- Barry Klemper – 20s-early 30s. A 28-year-old man with schizophrenia who believes he is a pro golfer. He gets highly agitated over small things. This is partly because Barry has had a traumatic life growing up.
- Jack Palmer – mid-30s. The social worker for the four handicapped men. He has found himself increasingly burned out and is thinking about a new line of work.
- Sheila – 20s. Norman's girlfriend. Like Norman, she faces mental disabilities.
- Mr. Klemper – 50-70. Barry's abusive father. During the course of play, he decides to visit Barry while in the Boston area.
- Mrs. Fremus – 50-80 (actor can be aged with wig and makeup). A widow who lives next door. She loves to knit. Very hard of hearing.
- Mrs. Warren – 30-50. A cheerful next-door neighbor who stops by to ask if her son’s lost hamster has been seen.
- Clara – 20+. Sheila's mentally disabled friend. Very possessive of her bowl of popcorn.
- Mr. Hodges – 30+. Barry's golf student whose patience only goes so far.
- Mr. Corbin – 30+. Arnold’s boss, a mild-mannered movie theater manager
- Senator Clark – 45+. Dignified middle-aged man.
"The Boys Next Door" is presented by special arrangement with Broadway Licensing, LLC, servicing the Dramatists Play Service collection. (www.dramatists.com)