Auditions · September 8, 2026
The Death of
Jacob Marley
An immersive murder mystery staged in the round as part of a candlelit madrigal dinner event.
Welcome to the Exchange
A room full of powerful people. One dead partner. Eight possible stories.
The audience attends the London Stock Exchange Christmas party, watches every guest become a suspect, and casts the final vote on who killed Jacob Marley. The production depends on bold character choices, precise comic timing, vocal clarity, active listening, and the ability to remain alive in character while the audience is close enough to notice every reaction.
Production commitment
The complete rehearsal and performance calendar
Rehearsal times and individual calls will be announced after casting. Candidates should report every known conflict for the dates below.
Before you arrive
Prepare choices, not polish.
Plan to remain for up to 60 minutes unless you receive an individual time slot. Cross-gender casting is welcome, playing ages are flexible, and alternate character names may be used.
- 01
Read the synopsis and every character profile, even if you have one role in mind.
- 02
Choose a primary and secondary role. Prepare the first-listed side for your primary role and review its companion side.
- 03
Do not memorize. We are looking for a connected reading and clear choices, not a memory contest.
- 04
Prepare a 30- to 60-second in-character introduction: who you are, why you belong at the Exchange party, and what you thought of Jacob Marley.
- 05
Bring a complete list of conflicts through the first weekend of November.
- 06
Wear comfortable clothing and shoes. Costumes, props, and a British accent are not required.
In the room
What to expect
Casting decisions consider the full ensemble, not only isolated readings.
Check in
Arrive about 10 minutes early to confirm contact information, role interests, and conflicts.
Warm up
A brief group welcome, vocal warm-up, and movement warm-up introduce the immersive staging.
Prepared side
Read the side assigned to your primary role with another actor or a designated reader.
Redirect
Repeat part of the side with a different objective, pace, physical relationship, or emotional temperature.
Chemistry reading
You may be paired for Belle/Ebenezer, Belle/Cayden, Marley/Ebenezer, or suspect/inspector combinations.
Character improv
Respond to a simple prompt set at the Exchange party. Listening and truthful reaction matter more than instant comedy.
Additional reading
You may be asked to read another role. That usually means the team sees more than one possibility.
The company
Choose a role. Review the room.
Prepare the first-listed side for the role you most want to read. Review the companion side and be ready to use it if requested.
01
Jacob Marley
A shrewd manipulator whose polished confidence gives way, in death, to outrage, sarcasm, betrayal, and flashes of real fear.
02
Ebenezer Scrooge
Private, suspicious, and formidable, but not yet fully hardened. Belle unsettles him, as do Marley's accumulating secrets.
03
Master of Ceremony
The audience's polished, witty, unflappable guide - able to control an immersive event without appearing to strain.
04
Belle Fezziwig-Fletcher
The calm emotional center: warm and socially graceful, but every bit as shrewd as the people around her. Her history with Ebenezer still carries weight.
05
Cayden Fletcher
A nervous outsider trying to pass as established wealth. His secret loan from Marley makes every question dangerous.
06
Ewan Wells
A charismatic self-made businessman who claims the moral high ground over old money until resentment cracks his polish.
07
Madam Aubrey Gordan
A grand, past-her-prime diva who expects every room to remain her stage. Flirtation, comedy, wounded pride, and real anger live close together.
08
Inspector Alistair Smith
The youngest character: an inexperienced investigator among powerful suspects. Nervous and easily influenced, but earnest enough to keep digging.
Advance reading
Eight approved audition sides
Unassigned roles may be read by another actor or a member of the production team. You do not need to recruit a scene partner.
Old Wounds
Prelude: An Unwelcome Exchange
Belle and EbenezerThe Body Is Not Yet Cold
Act I, Scene I: The King Is Dead
Jacob Marley and EbenezerWelcome to the Exchange
Prelude: An Unwelcome Exchange
Master of Ceremony and EwanInspector Checklist
Act I, Scene III: Elementary
Inspector Alistair Smith, Jacob Marley, and Master of CeremonyThe Self-Made Man
Act II, Scene I: Deadly Sins
Ewan, Inspector Alistair Smith, and Jacob MarleyAnything for You, Inspector
Act II, Scene I: Deadly Sins
Madam Aubrey Gordan, Inspector Alistair Smith, and Jacob MarleyA Matter of a Small Loan
Act II, Scene I: Deadly Sins
Belle, Cayden, Inspector Alistair Smith, and Jacob MarleyWhat People Are Capable Of
Act II, Scene I: Deadly Sins
Ebenezer, Inspector Alistair Smith, and Jacob MarleyWhat the team watches for
Specificity. Clarity. Listening. Adjustability.
- A believable character rather than a generalized accent or costume idea
- Projection, articulation, pacing, and clarity in the round
- Visible listening and reaction when someone else has the line
- Comic timing that preserves the stakes of the murder
- Comfort with audience proximity and sustained character presence
- Willingness to take direction and support a scene partner
- Reliable preparation and realistic availability
Ready to enter the Exchange?
Bring the character. We will provide the reader.
The play includes a staged death, murder investigation, verbal conflict, flirtation, and occasional mild profanity. Share access needs or staging boundaries on the audition form or privately with the production team.