Auditions Coming Up For New H.P. Lovecraft Production At Playhouse 38

GENEVA, IL — Playhouse 38 will hold auditions Aug. 24 for its upcoming adult performance of an H.P. Lovecraft production described as "mysterious" and "strange."

The Geneva Park District-run theater will stage "The Shadow Over Dunwich" four times between Oct. 27-29. Rehearsals will be held Monday through Wednesday from 7:30-9:30 p.m. Aug. 28 through Oct. 26 in preparation.

The play follows the famed horror writer during the spring of 1925 as he deals with writer's block and tries to find his muse by visiting the mysterious town of Dunwich, Massachusetts. His weekend away is packed with intrigue and inspiration but soon gives way to something strange and sinister.

"Comedies and dramas are well represented in community theater, so when a new play from an underrepresented genre such as horror comes along, it's an incredibly exciting opportunity to join your community to create something new and terrifying," playwright Jonathan Tobin said in a statement.

Local thespians aspiring to perform can register online — with the activity code 5211703-01 — for the audition happening at 6 p.m. Aug. 24 at Playhouse 38, 321 Stevens St. Participants must be 18 years or older to audition, which is free.

People auditioning should prepare a short, memorized monologue and be ready to possibly read selected sections from the director.

Not all roles in productions are audience-facing, and coordinators are looking for people to fill back-of-the-house roles. Those interested in being involved off-stage can contact Cultural Arts & Recreation Coordinator Tanya Osika at tosika@genevaparks.com.

Here's a look at the cast of characters, per descriptions provided by theater staff.

• Howard Lovecraft, ages 35 and 47. Male. Intelligent, driven, and anxious. Horror writer. Dialect: New England
• Samuel Loveman, age 38. Male. Friends with Howard. Quick-witted. Intelligent. Dialect: Midwest
• Joe (or Jo) Sargent, age 40s. Male or Female. Superstitious. Drives the bus between New York and Dunwich. Dialect: New York City
• Walter (or Wilma) Gilman, age 40s. Male or Female. Runs the Gilman House. Overly friendly. Verbose. Creepy. Dialect: Western Massachusetts
• Robert Osborn, age 40s. Male. New to Dunwich. Runs the general store. Wavering Christian. Scared. Dialect: Southern
• Barnabas (or Barbara) Marsh, age 50s. Male or Female. Groundskeeper. Highly uneducated. Worships Noah. Creepy. Dialect: Mountain hillbilly
• Zadok Allen, age 50s. Male. Perpetually drunk. Manic. Suffering from liver failure. Dialect: Irish
• Noah Whateley, 57. Male. Ambitious. Obsessive. Consumed by madness. Dialect: Western Massachusetts
• Shadows, ageless. Genderless. Entities that live inside Howard's mind and move like creatures from another world. No dialect