10/09/2026
AUDITIONS
Desire. Repression. Longing. The dangerous possibility of something more.
Surfside Playhouse announces auditions for a bold reimagining of William Inge’s Pulitzer Prize-winning American classic, PICNIC.
On a sweltering Labor Day weekend in a small Kansas town, the arrival of a charismatic stranger disrupts the delicate balance of a community where appearances are everything and desire is rarely spoken aloud.
This production will explore the sensuality, vulnerability, and emotional volatility simmering beneath Inge’s words. Through heightened physicality, movement, and intimate ensemble storytelling, we will examine what happens when the lives we’ve carefully constructed collide with the lives we secretly desire.
WE ARE SEEKING:
Fearless, collaborative performers who are willing to explore bold character choices, physical storytelling, and emotionally honest work.
Actors should be comfortable participating in movement-based rehearsals and exploring the physical relationships between characters.
Auditions will be held November 8 and 9 and will consist of readings from the script. To receive audition materials and an audition appointment, please email Artistic Director Chris Ikner at [email protected].
PICNIC runs January 8 - 24, 2027.
Dance training is not required, but movement will be a large component of this production. We encourage EVERYONE to come to audition!
We are particularly interested in performers who bring individuality, vulnerability, and a willingness to challenge traditional interpretations of these iconic characters.
All roles are available, and we are looking for actors of all types.
INTIMACY AND PHYSICAL STORYTELLING
This production will incorporate stylized movement, physical storytelling, and choreographed intimacy as integral elements of the artistic vision. All intimate moments will be approached through a collaborative, consent-based rehearsal process with clearly established boundaries and choreography. Actors will have the opportunity to communicate their personal boundaries throughout the rehearsal process, and those boundaries will be respected.
No nudity or intimate physical contact will be required during auditions. Any intimacy, shirtlessness, or appearances in underwear required for the production will be discussed openly with performers prior to rehearsals, with clear expectations established in advance.
Our goal is to create a rehearsal environment where actors feel supported, respected, and empowered to explore bold, vulnerable, and emotionally honest work.
Please review the following character descriptions:
HAL CARTER - Male
A strikingly handsome, charismatic drifter whose arrival awakens the desires and insecurities of an entire community. Hal possesses an effortless sexuality and physical confidence that mask a profound fear of inadequacy. Restless, impulsive, and desperate to prove his worth, he is both dangerously seductive and heartbreakingly vulnerable.
Physical Requirements: Strong physical presence and comfort with stylized movement, choreographed intimate scenes, shirtless appearances, and appearing in underwear.
MADGE OWENS - Female
The beautiful young woman everyone believes has a perfect life. Beneath her carefully maintained exterior lies a woman suffocating under the expectations placed upon her. Madge longs to be desired for more than her beauty and struggles between the security of the life planned for her and the dangerous excitement of following her own desires. Sensual, introspective, and emotionally courageous.
Physical Requirements: Comfort with choreographed intimate scenes, appearing in underwear, and participating in sensual, movement-driven storytelling.
MILLIE OWENS - Female
Madge’s younger sister. Brilliant, rebellious, awkward, and fiercely independent. Millie resents the attention her sister receives while secretly longing for the same sense of desirability and acceptance. Her sharp intelligence and defiant humor conceal a young woman navigating insecurity, emerging sexuality, and the painful transition into adulthood.
Physical Requirements: Comfort with choreographed physical intimacy appropriate to the character, appearing in underwear, and participating in stylized movement sequences.
FLO OWENS - Female
A fiercely protective mother who has sacrificed her own happiness in pursuit of security for her daughters. Flo believes that beauty, reputation, and marriage are the keys to survival. Controlling, anxious, and emotionally guarded, she is driven by the fear that her daughters will repeat her own disappointments. Beneath her rigid exterior is a woman haunted by the life she never had.
ROSEMARY SYDNEY - Female
An unmarried schoolteacher whose sharp wit, brash confidence, and outspoken independence conceal an overwhelming terror of loneliness. Rosemary is funny, provocative, desperate, and capable of extraordinary emotional volatility. Her encounters with Hal expose the fragile divide between desire and humiliation. A demanding role requiring fearlessness, emotional range, and physical expressiveness.
HOWARD BEVANS - Male
Rosemary’s longtime boyfriend. A successful, easygoing businessman who enjoys companionship but fiercely protects his independence. Howard is charming, humorous, and seemingly uncomplicated, though his reluctance to commit reveals an emotional immaturity of his own. His relationship with Rosemary becomes a confrontation between comfort and obligation.
ALAN SEYMOUR - Male
Handsome, educated, privileged, and seemingly destined for success. Alan represents everything Hal believes he can never become. Madge’s respectable boyfriend and Hal’s former college friend, he possesses an outward confidence rooted in wealth and social standing. Beneath his polished exterior lie jealousy, entitlement, and a growing awareness that money cannot guarantee love.
Physical Requirements: Strong physical presence and comfort with stylized movement, choreographed intimate scenes, shirtless appearances, and appearing in underwear.
HELEN POTTS - Female
A warm, eccentric widow whose quiet existence is unexpectedly enlivened by Hal’s arrival. Helen possesses a gentle curiosity about life and a surprising appreciation for beauty, youth, and human connection. Though outwardly conventional, she understands longing more deeply than those around her might suspect. A character filled with humor, tenderness, and quiet emotional wisdom.
IRMA KRONKITE - Female
A lively, opinionated schoolteacher and friend of Rosemary. Irma delights in gossip, social gatherings, and the excitement of the annual picnic. Beneath her cheerful exterior is a woman deeply invested in the conventions and expectations of her community. Offers strong opportunities for ensemble interaction and character-driven humor.
CHRISTINE SCHOENWALDER - Female
An enthusiastic, outspoken schoolteacher who joins Rosemary and Irma in the town’s social festivities. Christine contributes humor, energy, and an observant presence to the community. Her reactions to the unfolding events help illuminate the town’s attitudes toward romance, reputation, and propriety.
BOMBER - Male
A cocky, energetic local teenager fascinated by Madge and eager to demonstrate his masculinity. Bomber’s bravado, teasing, and youthful swagger reveal the influence of the town’s attitudes toward women, attractiveness, and sexual desirability. Requires strong comic instincts, physical confidence, and an energetic stage presence.
Physical Requirements: Strong physical presence and comfort with stylized movement, choreographed intimate scenes, shirtless appearances.
