Audition Notice

The Drowning Girls

By: Beth Graham, Charlie Tomlinson & Daniela Vlaskalic

Director: Carol Santagato-Davies

Audition Details

Location: Markham Little Theatre, Backstage — 9350 Markham Rd.
Audition Dates:
- Wednesday, September 3rd – 6:30pm
- Friday, September 5th – 6:30pm
Callbacks: Sunday, September 7th – 10:30am
To Book an Audition: Email the director at csdavies67@gmail.com

Schedule

First Read-Through: Monday, November 24th – 6:30pm
Rehearsals: Tuesdays and Thursdays starting November 25th – 6:30pm
Performance Dates: February 11, 12, 13, and 14, 2026

About the Play

The Drowning Girls while a stylized piece of theatre with a rhythmic and poetic quality, tells a story that is at the play’s very core. It is based on the real-life murders committed by George Joseph Smith in early 20th-century England. The story centers around three of his wives—Bessie, Alice, and Margaret—who are afforded the opportunity to express the unfolding of their tale; how they met, were wooed, and were drowned, becoming the “Brides of the Bathtubs” at the hand of a controlling conman. The play has the capacity to remind modern audiences that injustices, abuse and misogyny still exist.

Voice and movement are essential to the rendering of the story; the three women are finally allowed to talk, to leave their bathtubs (graves) and although they cannot escape their drowning, the script grants them permission to live and to tell their tale. They take on several roles .

Audition Requirements

Script excerpts will be emailed by Carol ahead of auditions.
Cold reads and movement-based ensemble work will be included at auditions.
Please email a résumé or a brief overview of past roles to Carol.

Character Descriptions

This is a true ensemble piece. All three roles are equal in weight and demand. Performers must be comfortable with exploring various styles of movement on stage and working with water (!) Actors will be required to use voice, movement, and physicality to embody several other characters in the play, both male and female. In addition, because the women are required to go in and out of the bathtubs several times, a certain level of dexterity is required. While the three women do not speak with an accent when they play themselves, an English accent is required for some of the other characters being portrayed.

Bessie Mundy – (20s–30s, Female-presenting, Age 33)

The first wife. Honest, dutiful, and deeply in love—until she begins to question what’s happening around her. Bessie is both the grounding force and emotional center of the trio.
Alice Burnham – (20s–30s, Female-presenting, Age 26)

The second wife. Romantic and a bit of an idealist. She longs for escape and deeper meaning. Alice is the boldest of the trio.
Margaret Lofty – (30s–40s, Female-presenting, Age 38)

The third wife, and a bit older than the others. Margaret brings intellect and sharpness to the trio. She’s observant, skeptical, and often speaks with wit; forthright. She fears being a “spinster” and the labels that accompany this in the early 20th century.