About the Play:

Place: Here. The stage of Fairfield Ludlowe High School. With some action suggesting a radio station and other locations.

Time: Now. With some action suggesting Sunday, October 30, 1938 and other times.

You’re part of Fairfield Ludlowe High School’s Media Studies class performance-based assessment. Tonight’s subject is the topic of fake news, presented as a fast-paced adventure through the culture of fear. Destinations include a spin on the most infamous broadcast of all time, a hip-hop mini-musical of an apocalyptic bedtime story, and a climax never before seen on a public stage! Will the audience leave with more than a folded program and a torn ticket stub? Don’t touch that dial! The art of fake news is about to be taken to dizzying heights.

Characters:

ABOUT THE CHARACTER BREAKDOWN
- The play is performed by an ensemble cast representing the students of Miss Lincoln’s Media Studies class.
- The students perform all of the roles in the play, including the characters in the radio play of “War of the Worlds” as well as various other fictional and non-fictional characters.
- The cast will be broken down into a small number of ensembles (students, WOTW cast, “Chicken Little,” etc.,) for rehearsal purposes.
- The students will also serve as the on-stage crew, performing tech (sound, projections, shadow puppetry, etc).
- Most roles are gender-neutral.

CHARACTERS: STUDENTS
The following is a list of speaking parts for the Students (although, technically, all of the roles in the play are performed by the Students – but the following are mentioned by name):
PIPER, resident musical theatre aficionado and self-appointed stage manager
WYATT, retro/hipster/aspiring magician (plays Orson Welles)
ROBIN, very opinionated, perfectionist
SAM, a prankster/preppy
QUINN, a rebel/conspiracy theorist
TAYLOR, a free-spirit
BAILEY, a jock
CAMERON, a history buff
DJ DEMILLE, spinning music and mixing sound

CHARACTERS: OTHERS
The following is a list of the speaking parts that are neither students or part of the WOTW broadcast:
SHERLOCK HOLMES, a British private detective
SOAP OPERA ACTOR, an actor on a radio soap opera
QUIZ SHOW HOST, the host of a radio quiz show
QUIZ SHOW CONTESTANT, a contestant on a radio quiz show
MOMMA ROSE, a stage mother on a radio talent show
SOPHISTICATED ANNOUNCER, the announcer on a sophisticated radio show
SITUATION COMEDY ACTOR, an actor on a comedy radio show
COOKING SHOW HOST, the host of a cooking radio show
RADIO BULLETIN (LINDBERGH), a radio news announcer
RADIO BULLETIN (STORM), a radio news announcer
HERBERT MORRISON, a radio news announcer at the Hindenburg disaster
RADIO BULLETIN (GERMANY), a radio news announcer
RADIO BULLETIN (HITLER), a radio news announcer
RADIO BULLETIN (CZECHOSLOVAKIA), a radio news announcer
RADIO BULLETIN (PRESIDENT ROOSEVELT), a radio news announcer
RADIO BULLETIN (GAS MASKS), a radio news announcer
C.B.S. STAGE MANAGER, the stage manager at C.B.S.
C.B.S. TOUR GUIDE, a tour guide at C.B.S.
TOURIST FROM BOISE, on the C.B.S. tour
ORSON WELLES, director/producer/actor
TOURIST FROM KENOSHA, on the C.B.S. tour
ORA NICHOLS, head sound engineer for C.B.S.
TOURIST FROM CLAREMORE, on the C.B.S. tour
JOHN HOUSEMAN, co-producer
CHICKEN LITTLE, a chicken (sings/raps)
HENNY PENNY, a hen (sings/raps)
DUCKY LUCKY, a duck (sings/raps)
GOOSEY LOOSEY, a goose (sings/raps)
TURKEY LURKEY, a turkey (sings/raps)
FOXY LOXY, a fox (sings/raps)
POLICE OFFICER 1 AT C.B.S., a police officer
POLICE OFFICER 2 AT C.B.S., a police officer
REPORTER 1 AT C.B.S., a newspaper reporter
REPORTER 2 AT C.B.S., a newspaper reporter
REPORTER 3 AT C.B.S., a newspaper reporter
ANGRY MOB, in Times Square
POLICE OFFICER 1 IN TIMES SQUARE, a police officer
POLICE OFFICER 2 IN TIMES SQUARE, a police officer
BAILIFF, in a courtroom
THE HONORABLE GEORGE SPELVIN, a judge
JURY FOREMAN, in a courtroom
PERSON IN THE AUDIENCE, in the audience
JOHN NORVELL, a newspaper editor
PRESIDENT THOMAS JEFFERSON, the president of the United States
THE NEW YORK SUN NEWSIE, selling newspapers
P.T. BARNUM, a showman
THE NEW YORK HERALD NEWSIE, selling newspapers
FREDERIC REMINGTON, famed illustrator
WILLIAM RANDOLPH HEARST, media mogul
CHUCK TODD, Meet the Press moderator
KELLYANNE CONWAY, U.S. Counselor to the President
1940s REPORTER/ANNOUNCER, a reporter/announcer
1950s REPORTER/ANNOUNCER, a reporter/announcer
1960s REPORTER/ANNOUNCER, a reporter/announcer
1970s REPORTER/ANNOUNCER, a reporter/announcer
1980s REPORTER/ANNOUNCER, a reporter/announcer
1990s REPORTER/ANNOUNCER, a reporter/announcer
2000s REPORTER/ANNOUNCER, a reporter/announcer
2010s REPORTER/ANNOUNCER, a reporter/announcer

CHARACTERS: “WAR OF THE WORLDS” BROADCAST
The following are characters appearing in the stylized recreation of The War of the Worlds broadcast:
MERCURY ANNOUNCER, a radio announcer
NARRATOR, played by Orson Welles
ANNOUNCER ONE, a radio announcer
MERIDIAN ROOM ANNOUNCER, a radio announcer
ANNOUNCER TWO, a radio announcer
PHILLIPS, C.B.S. News Reporter Carl Phillips
PIERSON, famous astronomer Professor Richard Pierson of Princeton University played by Orson Welles
POLICEMAN AT WILMUTH FARM, a policeman in Grover’s Mill
MR. WILMUTH, owner of a farm in Grover’s Mill
VOICES AT WILMUTH FARM, a crowd
BRIGADIER GENERAL MONTGOMERY SMITH, commander of the New Jersey National Guard
HARRY McDONALD, C.B.S. executive vice-president in charge of operations
CAPTAIN LANSING, of the United States Signal Corps
SECRETARY OF THE INTERIOR, sounds not unlike President Franklin D. Roosevelt
LIEUTENANT VOGHT, bombing commander
BAYONNE RADIO OPERATOR, a radio operator
LANGLEY FIELD RADIO OPERATOR, a radio operator
NEWARK AIRPORT RADIO OPERATOR, a radio operator
2X2L RADIO OPERATOR, a radio operator
8X3R RADIO OPERATOR, a radio operator
STRANGER, formerly from the National Guard

Audition Resources:

Links, etc.

• The 1938 "War of the Worlds" Broadcast on Wikipedia
• Listen to the 1938 "War of the Worlds" Broadcast