Audition Material

JAKE LAURENTS (in his 20s/30s): plays George Bailey / Young George

FREDDIE FILMORE (in his 30s-50s): plays Announcer, Joseph, Mr. Gower, Henry F. Potter, Uncle Billy Bailey, Ernie, Pete Bailey (Child), Mr. Bailey, Old Man Collins, Ed, Man, Giuseppe Martini, Nick, Bridge Keeper, Binky

HARRY "JAZZBO" HEYWOOD (in his 30s/40s): plays Harry Bailey / Young Harry, Bert The Cop, Clarence Oddbody, As-2, Sam Wainwright, Lawyer, Dr. Campbell, Randall, Tom, Man 2, Charlie, Carter, Horace the Bank Teller, Tommy Bailey (Child), Mr. Welch

SALLY APPLEWHITE (in her 20s/30s): plays Mary Hatch Bailey / Young Mary

LANA SHERWOOD (in her 30s/40s): plays Violet Bick / Young Violet, Matilda, Ruth Dakin Bailey, Rose Bailey, Mrs. Hatch, Passerby at Run on Bank, Mrs. Thompson, Mrs. Davis, Schultz, Janie Bailey (Child), Zuzu Bailey (Child)

George

I’ve got a whole hatful of wishes, Mary. I’m shaking the dust of this crummy little town off my feet and I’m going to see the world. Italy, Greece, the Parthenon, the Coloseum. Then I’m coming back here to go to college and see what they know...and then I’m going to build air fields and skyscrapers a hundred stories high and bridges a mile long! What do you want, Mary? Do you want the moon? All you gotta do is just say the word and I”ll throw a lasso around it and pull it down.

George
Now, hold on, Mr. Potter. You’re right when you say my father was no business man. I know that. Why he ever started this cheap, penny-ante Building and Loan, I’ll never know. But neither you nor anybody else can say anything against his character, because his whole life was… Why, in the twenty-five years since he and Uncle Billy started this thing, he never once thought of himself. Just remember this, Mr. Potter, that this rabble you’re talking about…. They do most of the working and paying and living and dying in this community. Well, is it too much to have them work and pay and live and die in a couple of decent rooms and a bath? Anyway, may father didn’t think so. People were human beings to him, but to you, a warped, frustrated old man, they’re cattle. Well, in my book he died a much richer man than you’ll ever be

Clarence 

(just saved George from a suicide drowning) “Cheerio, my good man! I’m your guardian angel. I haven’t won my wings yet. That’s why I’m an angel Second Class. But you can help me earn them by letting me help you.” 

Henry Potter 

(to George’s father, who runs the Building and Loan) “Mr. Bailey, Mr. Bailey, Mr. Bailey. There is nothing quite so loathsome as a family business. Now, Peter, you know what I’m here for. I’m on a very tight schedule. I’ve a family to evict at three. Have you put any pressure on those people of yours to pay their mortgages? No? Hell, I don’t care if times are hard. I don’t care if they’re out of work Foreclose!!! Are you running a business or a charity ward?” 

Potter:

 So that’s it George. You’re short eight thousand dollars in the books, eh? You say it was lost. Did you notify the police? Why did you come to me? What about your good friend Sam Wainwright? What security would I have, George? What collateral? Your life insurance that’s only worth five hundred dollars? And you want eight thousand! Look at you. You used to be so cocky. You were going to go out and conquer the world. You once called me a warped, frustrated old man. What are you but a warped, frustrated young man? Crawling in here on your hands and knees for help. No securities, no stocks, no bonds. You’re worth more dead than alive! Why don’t you go to the riffraff you love so much and ask them for help? You know what I’m going to do for you? As a stock holder of the Building and Loan, I’m calling the state examiner to get a warrant for your arrest. Misappropriation of funds, manipulation, malfeasance - Go on and run! You can’t hide in a little town like this. Merry Christmas, George.

Joseph

 (the Superintendent of Angels) “Number 320 Sycamore Street was the old Granville house. The one George and Mary threw rocks at and made wishes. Mary had prepared the house, including a turkey dinner, romantic decorations, and even a marriage bed. Yes sir, that’s where they spent their honeymoon, that’s where they started their lives together. Mary made the leaky old house a home, while George toiled away at the Building and Loan office.”

Violet 

“Hello, Georgie-Porgie, do you like my new dress? Are you headed for the library again? Doncha ever get tired of just reading about things? Wanna make a night of it with me instead?” 

Mary:

 (18 years old) Hello, George. Your mother just phoned and said you were on your way over to pay me a visit. I got back Tuesday. Would you like to come in? I worked in New York for a couple of vacations, but I don’t know. I was homesick… homesick for Bedford Falls… for my family and… oh, everything. Would you like to sit down or would you rather leave? It was nice about Harry and Ruth getting married, wasn’t it? Don’t you like her or is it marriage in general you’re not enthusiastic about, huh? (As an old maid) The library’s closed. It’s Christmas Eve and we can’t stay open all night. I should really be getting home and it’s none of your business where I live sir. The library is closed. Maybe you should try back the 26th. And how do you know my name? I told you, the library is closed. You sound desperate so I’ll help if I can. What is it? This town used to be called Bedford Falls but that was some time ago. I wasn’t very old when Potter was elected and took the town, along with its name, for himself. I’ve seen pictures of the place when it was called Bedford Falls. It looked like a very nice place. Things have changed, but that’s with the times. I have to go. Get you hands off me! I’ll call a cop! Let me go! Get away from me! Help! Help! Police!

Rose: How do you like the new sister-in-law? Looks like she’ll keep Harry on his toes. George, um… Do you know that Mary Hatch is back from school? Nice girl, Mary. Stop grumbling! Give me one good reason you shouldn’t call Mary. She’s not crazy about Sam Wainwright. And besides, Sam is away in New York, and you’re here in Bedford. All’s fair in love and war, George. I don’t know about war but I know about love. What’s that, George? Instead of seeing Mary you’re thinking of going to the library? The library? Oh, George, George, George! You go and see Mary, you hear?

Young George 

(to young Mary, who is choosing ice cream) “Hi there, Mary, made up your mind yet? You want the chocolate with coconuts? Oh yeah, that’s right, you don’t like coconuts. Say, brainless, don’t you know where coconuts come from? Lookit here---from Tahiti---Fiji Islands, the Coral Sea! See my new magazine? Only us explorers get it. I’ve been nominated for membership in the National Geographic Society.” 

Young Mary

(as Young George makes her an ice cream cone) “Is this the ear you can’t hear on?” (He doesn’t respond) “George Bailey, I’ll love you till the day I die.”

Janie 

(playing a Christmas carol on the piano) “I have to practice for the party tonight, Daddy.”

Zuzu

“Look, Daddy. Teacher says, every time a bell rings, an angel gets his wings.” 

Pete

 “Mommy says we can stay up until midnight and sing Christmas carols!” 

Tommy 

“Excuse me. Excuse me...excuse me? I burped.”

Please prepare to read the following lines/sides. Material does not have to be memorized.