Principals Caractacus : An eccentric, brilliant English inventor, his inventions and his children are his life. He is scatterbrained and easily distracted, leaving and up to their own devices while he tries to invent something that will make their lives better. Sings solo and harmonies. : An adventurous boy who is very curious and imaginative, he likes to dream up crazy stories. He is the son of and brother to. Sings solo and harmonies. : An adventurous girl with a vivid imagination, she is inquisitive and creative. She is the daughter of and sister to. Sings solo and harmonies. : An elderly gentleman who is even more eccentric than his son Caractacus. Kind and loving grandfather to and. He is a former war hero who loves to tell stories. Sings solo. Scrumptious: The daughter of Lord Scrumptious, and advocate for the children. She has a quick tongue and a caring heart. Strong and independent, but gentle. Sings solo and harmonies. Bomburst: The tyrannical ruler of Vulgaria, who acts like a 40 year old child, and wants to steal Chitty Chitty Bang Bang to keep it all for himself. A lover of toys, he is very immature, needy, and whiny. Sings one duet. ess Bomburst: The cruel wife of Bomburst and is the one to order the kidnapping of all Vulgarian children. Tyrannical, manipulative and dramatic. Sings solo and harmony. Toymaker: With all children outlawed in Vulgaria, this toy- making genius only works for the child- like. Smart but frightened. He hides the family and helps to free the children. Some singing. : A spy working for the and ess of Vulgaria. Though he is not very smart, he is the leader of the spies. Speak- sings. : A spy working for the and ess of Vulgaria. Clumsy and slow- witted. Speak- sings. Featured Junkman: A cantankerous old man who wants to melt Chitty down into scrap metal. Grouchy. Childcatcher: The one put in charge of kidnapping all children in Vulgaria. Evil and manipulative. Hates children almost as much as the ess. Lord Scrumptious: A major confection manufacturer and s father. He is extremely busy, important and decisive.
Miss Philips: Assistant to Lord Scrumptious. Very busy, brusque and formal. Coggins: The kind owner of the local garage who lets and play in the scrap heap. Kind, but realistic. Sid, Violet and Dotty: Neighbors enjoying the Fun Fair. Turkey Farmer: A farmer who purchases one of inventions. Inventors: Six of the most famous inventors in Vulgaria. They help try to build a Vulgarian car just like Chitty. They sing solo lines on one song. Stephen, Greta, Susan, Toby, Peter, Marta, Daniel and Winnie: Vulgarian children hidden by the Toymaker to save them from the Childcatcher. They sing one song (Daniel and Winnie have solos). Mummy: The ghost of and s mother. She sings part of Hushabye Mountain solo. Chef: Lord Scrumptious chief candy cook. Ensemble English Crowd: and s imaginary race crowd. Some of the crowd will join in the scenes set in England. They sing two songs. Scrumptious Candy Factory workers: Lord Scrumptious employees. They include Miss Philips assistant. They sing and dance one song. Morris Men: Entertainers who perform at the Fun Fair. Four of them have solo lines. They sing and dance one song. Vulgarian Military: Members of the Vulgarian armed forces. They include seven roles with speaking lines. Vulgarian Spy Corps: and s spy team. They make and seem like rocket scientists. They sing one song. Vulgarian Servants: The and ess s servants.
Sewer Children: Vulgarian children hidden by the Toymaker. They will be joined by the eight featured children listed above. They sing one song. Vulgarian Royal Court: Guests of the and ess. They sing and dance one song. Dogs: A local pack of dogs. They include Edison, the family dog.
Audition Materials 2 nd and 3 rd graders No auditions for Junior Players 4 th graders AND 5 th 8 th graders who do not want any lines You only need to prepare the song (Chitty Chitty Bang Bang). On audition day, all 4 th graders will come into the music room together to practice and sing in small groups for Mr Linnes, our music director. 5 th 8 th graders who want to have lines Prepare one scene from the audition packet. All roles can be performed by boys or girls. Please choose one that best reflects a character you would like to play. We will be looking at the character you create, voice (volume and diction), movement and how well you understand what s going on. If you are not memorized, be familiar enough with the piece that your face is not buried in the script. You ll also be singing the song from the audition packet (Chitty Chitty Bang Bang). Mr Linnes might also work with you to see how high or low you can sing. A note on scenes This year, you ll notice that we re using scenes instead of monologues. You ll be preparing one of the characters and the other character will be read by our reader (a director or other adult who will be sitting in a chair). When you re practicing, have someone else read the other lines or record them and practice the scene with yourself!
Scene A Caractacus and ask their father for a large amount of money in order to save their favorite car from the Junkman. tells them he s sure they can work something out, even though he has no money. Thirty shillings. How on earth am I supposed to find thirty shillings? I haven t the foggiest. Still they don t ask for much, do they? That s because they don t get much. That s true! But I m doing my best. Nothing can replace their mother. I know. I know. But thirty shillings! Thirty shillings! Ah, well. Nothing s impossible. One of these inventions is going to work one day, isn t it,? Most entirely certainly. Absolutely.
Scene B or and come up with what they believe is an ingenious way to save their beloved car from the Junkman and help their father buy the parts he needs to finish his latest invention. We ve been thinking. We know how to raise the money for the car. We can sell our treasures. Look, King Alfred s crown. The nail from Noah s Ark. The stone possibly from Stonehenge. These things are enormously valuable. Take them, Daddy. You can sell them. And you can use the money to buy the car.!!! And for all your inventions.
Scene C and kidnap and bring him to Vulgaria, believing him to be the brilliant inventor Caractacus who can build the car the has ordered. Blimey!! Ladies and gentlemen. Fellow Vulgarians. The entire Vulgar nation wishes to welcome the brilliant Caractacus, inventor extraordinaire. Ah. Caractacus, as you may know, is distinguished in the field of mechanics. Ah, I think there s been a bit of a Why, even now he is working on a car that floats on water. a bit of a mistake. Which he is now going to develop for Vulgaria and its greater What do you mean, a mistake? I m not him. Not who? Caractacus. I mean, I am Caractacus, but I m not the inventor (interrupting) Seize him! not the inventor, to turn down a challenge such as this.
Scene D or ess The and ess are getting ready for the s birthday celebration. ess I have such a special surprise birthday planned for you today. You do? Tell me, tell me, what s the theme this year for my party? ess Shan t. It s a surprise. Tell me about my party. ess You ll have to wait and see. Tell me, tell me, tell me. ess Don t make me count!! I have a special present planned for you today. This year, the Toymaker The Toymaker! What has he made? Is it a toy? ess It s like a sixth sense with you, isn t it.
Scene E meets the family at the garage in the middle of a school day. Excuse me, but shouldn t you be in school? It s a holiday. And what holiday would that be? Eastmas! Eastmas? Halfway between Easter and Christmas. A very special day when, um, when school is closed. You re not sick, are you? Oh no. We re fine. Good. Where s your mother? Mummy s over in the churchyard. Well, she ought to be looking after you. (beat) Oh, I m terribly sorry.
Scene F or On orders from the to acquire the car, the Vulgarian spies plot to fit in with the English. All we need to do now is buy the car. It s not so simple. Mr Coggins wants to sell it to that nice Englishman. I don t think he s going to sell it to two Vulgarians. Ohhhh. I ve got it! Vee von t tell him ve are from Vulgaria., one only has to look at you to know how vulgar you are. Yes, I have a Vulgar heart. Yes. I have a Vulgar mind. Yes. Can t I speak English and still be Vulgar? No,. That would make you American. Ve must be English From now on, you,, will be Gordon. (haughtily) Gordon. And I,, will be They think. Doris? (pause finally) Brilliant!
Scene G Toymaker or Childcatcher The family is hiding in the Toymaker s shop when the Childcatcher comes searching for children. Childcatcher (from offstage) There are children in here. I can smell them. The Childcatcher knocks on the door. Toymaker It s him. The Childcatcher. Quick, hide. Childcatcher Children! Toymaker Alright, I m coming! The Toymaker opens the door and the Childcatcher enters. Childcatcher Children, children. There s a twitch in my nose. I can smell children. Toymaker Children in a toyshop? Don t be absurd. Childcatcher Absurd? My nose is never wrong. The Childcatcher is sniffing for children. Toymaker You ve no right to come in here! No right! Childcatcher No right. There are children in here. I can smell their blood and when I find them you will have made your last toy.