NORWICH — The Norwich Theater Company is holding auditions for the spooktacular show, The Vultures, from 7 to 9 p.m., September 19 through 21, in the Martin W. Kappel Theater, located at 27 West Main Street in Norwich.

The performance will take place November 6 through 8 with rehearsals occurring Monday through Friday, excluding Wednesdays, from October 5, until show week.

“Participants should prepare to cold read and scream,” said Chenango Arts Council Programming and Development Coordinator Mary Beth Miller.

The script and alternative audition dates are available by calling the shows Director Terry Colf, at 607-371-3776.

Miller noted any level of acting skills can audition, from new talent to returning actors.

Director Terry Colf said The Vultures, written by Mark A. Ridge, depicts a dark and stormy night at Westmont Estate.

Colf explained The Vultures is a comedic, modern-day, gay spin on the classic murder mystery genre and questions who will inherit the fortune.

“There will be some suspense because there is a murder,” said Colf.

“The story is built along the lines of Clue, maybe not as funny yet there are a bunch of relatives that are waiting to inherit an estate 20 years after a family member has died and there is typical family squabbling,” he said.

Colf said he doesn’t want to give anything away and without going into names, he hopes the audience accepts the characters as they are.

“I want the audience to be accepting of the gay relationship that makes itself known, it’s part of the show,” he added.

Colf noted one of the characters is an underwear model and he hopes to play up on that and have some fun with it.

He said the story begins with guests arriving to hear the reading of a will with the housekeeper declaring, “The relatives are descending in like a wake of vultures ready to pick the carcass clean.”

“There are ten speaking parts in this production, anywhere from moderate to significant number of lines,” he added.

There are ten characters, two present female, seven males and one can be either male or female.

The characters are:



Talbot is male or female and is a dark, severe, androgynous being. The character dresses in black and wears dark spectacles. Age anywhere between 50 to 80.

Mr. Crosby is a friendly male lawyer in his 50s or 60s.


Harrison Blyth is a tall handsome male model with an amazing body. His age range is mid 30s to 40s.


Mary Roberts is a stately female, well dressed yet bitter old woman who appears to dislike everyone. Her age is between 50s to 70s.

Ashley Hopwood is a young perky female nail technician in her 20s and from the South. She is a little loud, tacky and not so bright.

Charles Willard is a charming mild mannered male realtor in his 30s or 40s.

Paul Jones is a male, sweet and gentle accountant in his late 2-s or 40s and is the love interest and distant cousins of Hunter.

Hunter West is a male hairdresser in his late 20s or early 30s. He is friendly, charming, and the distant cousin and love interest of Paul.

Rinehart is a male hospital guard in his 30s or 40s, is big and can be trusted.


Dr. Avery is a friendly male small town doctor. His age range is somewhere between 60s to 70s.

Colf mentioned he has concerns filling some non-typical parts as this is a male heavy show and shared sometimes casting can be the most challenging part of his job. 

He said he’s anticipating the new stage lighting which will be in place before the show, allowing additional special features.

“The new equipment will make it easier for lighting change ups,” he added. “Rather than the way we had to scramble before.”

Now retired, Colf said he has much more time to spend with the theater. Besides directing, he’s held many stage roles with the theater company and said he started as an assistant director before getting his feet wet.

He first jumped into directing musicals, which he noted are much more complicated.

“Typically with musicals, there more people, more costs, the band must be involved, and getting everyone in sync can be a lot,” Colf said.

Colf has directed The Drowsey Chaperone, Elf The Musical, and Nonsense The Mega Musical.

Home to the Martin W. Kappel Theater, Chenango Arts Council is located at 27 West Main Street in Norwich. For more information on Arts Council programing, call 607-336-2787, visit ChenangoArts.org, or email info@chenangoarts.org.