About the Show

Auditions

Audition Days

Making God Laugh is a family comedy that takes place in four scenes, each ten years apart, set at various holidays. Starting in 1980, the newly “launched” kids – a priest, an aspiring actress, and a former star football player – all return home, where we learn of their plans and dreams as they embark on their adult lives.

The “empty nest” parents contend with their own changes too, as old family rituals and dubious recipes are trotted out and ancient tensions flare up. Over the course of thirty years’ worth of celebrations – Thanksgiving, Christmas, New Years Eve and Easter – we see how, despite what we may have in mind, we often arrive at unexpected destinations.

As Woody Allen once said “If you want to make God laugh, tell him your plans…”

Audition Preparation

No preparation needed. Monologues and Sides will be provided at auditions.

Characters

RUTHIE, the matriarch of the family. She starts the play in her late forties or early fifties and ages thirty years as does everyone. She’s bossy, authoritative, means well but tries to steer the world more than is humanly possible. She needles each of her children and even her husband, Bill, to an extent but at bottom, way down there, truly loves them all.

BILL, our patriarch. He loves everyone and is a go-with-the-flow sort. Easygoing, wouldn’t hurt anyone’s feelings, desperately in love with his kids and wife. Being the dad of these people and Ruthie’s husband is his life’s work and he’s successful at it. He lives a little in fear of Ruthie but the worm turns when it must.

RICHARD, eldest son. Mid-to-late twenties as we start. He wants to conquer the world and is always looking for ways to do that. Not a plugger, more of an entrepreneur. He buys the latest everything and dresses “up to the second” stylish. He’s a good guy but has perhaps seen too many movies of how men behave rather than behaving as he would. A one-time football hero, he misses that kind of spotlight.

MADDIE, second child. Mid-twenties at the top. She’s an aspiring actress. A strong-willed person who loves her family. She’s closest to Thomas and the two of them have a long-standing habit of picking on their big brother as a team. It’s good-natured except when it’s not. Of all the kids, she’s the only one to have moved away from her hometown. She lives in New York and struggles with the artist’s life as well as her life-life. She and her mother have a difficult relationship.

THOMAS, son two, the baby of the family and the “good” son. A nice, even-tempered guy, in the style of his father, who thought his life was on a plan. A devoutly religious man studying for the priesthood at the beginning he’s nonetheless, funny, warm and not at all rigid in his approach to life. He means very well but like everyone has his life turn out differently than he planned.

Volunteers

Sign up

Ushers (2) are responsible for scanning tickets, helping patrons to their seats, and cleaning the theater after the show.
Concessions volunteers (2) are responsible for selling drinks and snacks before the show and at intermission.

As a thank you, volunteers can enjoy the show for free!

Production Team

Director
Chad Litton

Assistant Director
Juan Gelpi

Scenic Designer
Brian Nelson

Master Carpenter
Jason Bryhn