Biweekly Theater Writing Challenge #13.6 - Tailor of Riddling Way, scene 7

I really like how this scene came out. I wanted to include a flashback to show what the family was like in public before all the trouble started, and I wanted that scene to hint at what might be brewing beneath the surface without being too obvious about it. Also, it enabled me to get a lot of exposition about the way the family was fairly smoothly. It's particularly important to the character of Reginald, to establish what sort of man he is and what effect it had on his children. I think this came out pretty well.

( I just need to figure out how to transition into this flashback... )

Tailor progress report

So it's looking like I am definitely going to need to split Tailor into multiple episodes. The story has become so large and so complex that I think breaking it down into chunks of about thirty minutes or so is the only way to present it in manageably coherent form. To that end, I think I have finished the script for the first episode, which I shall title "The Gown." It has come out fairly well, I think, and is currently under review by myself and a trusted editor or two. I feel good about it, especially since now I have a solid piece to go through at our read through a week from today. I would like to go even further, though, if for no other reason than a couple of my actors that will be in attendance next Friday only have a couple of lines in the first episode despite a larger presence in later parts of the story. I'd like them to have a little bit more to read than that.

On the note of actors, I have finally cast the piece as well. As I said, this was a surprisingly difficult process given that as my personal, unaffiliated project I could cast it however I wanted. A lot of these roles could easily be switched because of the talent of my actors, but I think this is a pretty solid cast. I'm pleased with it at least.

And so, the cast of The Tailor of Riddling Way:

TOM BARROWS, a local tailor and dressmaker - Jonathan Plesser
ALICE LORING, young heiress to the wealthy Loring estate - Gigi Geller
EMMA LORING, aunt to Alice, once involved in the family business, now a spinster withdrawn from society - Sami Genstein
CONSTANCE DANBURY, aunt to Alice, in her youth a student at university until a spate of ill health, now chronically indisposed - Steph Karol
EDMUND DANBURY, gentleman of old and powerful background, married to Constance, current proprietor of Loring Textiles - Casey Roberts
ROWAN LORING, father to Alice, popular gentleman about town, now local hero after dying in action in WWI - Jonathan Kindness
BETHANY LORING, aunt to Alice, beloved baby of the family until her still-unsolved death at her debutante ball - Carolyn Daitch
REGINALD LORING, Loring family patriarch, father to Rowan, Emma, Constance, and Bethany, captain of industry and prominent citizen - Dave Benger
SUSAN WARREN - longtime housekeeper at Loring's End, deeply devoted to the family - Charlotte Oswald
ABIGAIL BARROWS - mother to Tom, accomplished dressmaker and embroiderer who passed on her knowledge to her son - Caitlin Partridge
JOHN CRIER - young policeman investigating the murder at Loring's End - Andrew Prentice
KENNETH GARNER - local ne'er-do-well, known around town as a drunk - Jared Hite
DELLA CARRUTHERS - proprietor of a popular local working-class pub, friend to Tom - Jenn Giorno

At least, that's the characters I know already exist. I may add more as the script is written out. At the moment, I actually have one more part that I hadn't originally planned on including and now need an actor for. The role is male, and though I know a number of talented male actors I could ask, the one complication is that the actor must be able to put on a slight-- slight, mind you, NOT strong --German accent. I'll have to ask around about that. If anyone knows anyone, let me know, and of course if you fit that description feel free to volunteer.