‘A Christmas Cactus’ cast auditions open at The Belfry

The Belfry Theatre announces auditions for its holiday play, A Christmas Cactus, directed by Noblesville’s Elaine Wagner.

Christmas Eve is tough for private investigator Cactus O’Riley when two fugitives burst into her office looking for justice and a dead detective named Jake Marley. She also doesn’t need her secretary’s mother, who arrives and decides to stay because she thinks this is the Christmas murder-mystery party she has always dreamed of attending. Christmas turns into a dickens of a holiday for Cactus as she solves mysteries, delivers small miracles and dodges the affections of the Deputy D.A. Comedy, mystery and romance converge in this charming contemporary Christmas tale where goodwill and justice triumph.

Auditions will be held at 7 p.m. Sunday, Sept. 24, and Monday, Sept. 25, at the Belfry Theatre, 10690 Greenfield Ave., Noblesville. Please prepare a short monologue. There will also be readings from the script.

Cast of Characters

  • Cactus O’Riley — female private detective, age 20s to 40s, attractive, cool and sophisticated; a Lauren Bacall type
  • Fred Booker — secretary to Cactus, 20s to 30s, eager, ambitious, devoted to his mother
  • Adelaide Booker — Fred’s mother, 50s to 60s, naïve and unwittingly funny; believes she is swept up in a Christmas murder mystery party
  • Stuart Windsor — Deputy District Attorney, 30s to 50s, charming, sophisticated and attempting to impress Cactus
  • Neville Smedley — 50s to 60s, an unduly convicted embezzler looking for justice; a somewhat Don Knotts type
  • Ramon Ramirez — 20s to 30s, very sincere, speaks with a Spanish accent, a Charles Dickens aficionado

Performance dates are 8 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays, Nov. 17, 18, 24, 25, Dec. 1 and 2. Matinees will take place at 2 p.m. on Sundays, Nov. 26 and Dec. 3.

This play is presented by special arrangement with Samuel French Inc.

Visit www.TheBelfryTheatre.com