GreenMan Theatre to hold auditions for annual murder mystery

Thespians who are just dying to play a role in a murder mystery comedy are invited to audition for GreenMan Theatre Troupe’s “The Ghost with the Most … Murders!”

Auditions will be held at 7 p.m. Thursday, Dec. 12, and 1 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 14, at First United Methodist Church of Elmhurst, 232 S. York St. Callbacks, if needed, will be by invitation on Sunday, Dec. 15, at 6 p.m.

In “The Ghost with the Most … Murders!,” written and directed by Justin Vidovic, a murderer is on the loose … but so is the juice! And that must mean that somebody has said his name three times. But who? Character Lillia's friends are all ghosts, so when she finds out they may have been murdered, she's on the case. But when the murderer strikes again, Lillia realizes that she's in over her head and that maybe Buggle Shoes, the ghost with the most, is the only one who can save her.

GreenMan Theatre’s annual murder mystery “will offer the chance to do comedy, thrilling and dramatic acting, singing and dancing — all in one show,” Vidovic said.

It will feature the talents of 10 actors. Auditions will be cold reads. Rehearsals will be held four days a week based on casting. Not every actor will be called for every rehearsal. The ages listed below are of the characters, not the actor:

• Buggle Shoes (age: dead; gender: any) is a vulgar and erratic ghost. He attended Juilliard, is a graduate of Harvard Business School and lived through the Black Death.

• Seelia (30 to 55) is an avant-garde artist from New York City who is struggling with being bored in Connecticut. She wears men's sweaters as pants.

• Marvin (30 to 55) — Marvin is a low-level real estate guy who loves bird watching and sweater vests. Married to Seelia, but fears that he bores her.

• Lillia (15 to 25) — Lillia is strange and unusual, gothic, dry. She can see ghosts.

• Alan (27 to 45) — Alan is a ghost who tucks in his shirts. He is strait laced, friendly and very in love with his wife.

• Betty (27 to 45) — Betty is kind, friendly, cheerful, strait laced like her husband, Alan, and dead.

• Otto (24 to 65, any gender) — Otto is a pretentious con-artist. A weasel who manipulates those around him for minor gain. He does, however, have some knowledge of the supernatural.

• June (24 to 50) — June sells houses with a falsely sweet persistence.

• Betty's cousin. Scott (15 to 25) — Goes to school with Lillia. Has a crush on her. He plays softball and loves ska music (a lot).

• Pluto (40 to 5,000) — Pluto is an overworked, chain-smoking, burnt-out caseworker for the dead. She is Buggle Shoe's old partner.

GreenMan Theatre’s “Ghost with the Most … Murders!” murder mystery dinner will be held on Feb. 14-15 and 21-23, 2025, at Angelo’s Ristorante, 247 N. York St. in Elmhurst.

For more information, visit www.greenmantheatre.org.

In its 21st season, GreenMan Theatre Troupe is a nonprofit 501(c)3 organization whose mission is to provide a source of cultural enrichment and pride for the community by presenting diverse, quality productions and providing opportunities for personal growth in the theatrical arts. GreenMan has been presenting plays in Elmhurst since being founded in 2003. Past productions include “Dracula," “Pride and Prejudice" and “Doubtful Abbey.” GreenMan also offers classes and workshops for members and the community and welcomes new members and participants in all aspects of theatre production. GreenMan programs are partially supported by Explore Elmhurst, as well as other individual and corporate donations.