Casting for Inspector General is complete. Click here for the callboard.

CHARACTERS:Please note that there are many speaking roles in this production. Some of the characters can be played by either male or female (names will be changed as necessary). There are great roles as well for the soldiers, merchants, citizens, and school children. Character descriptions will be forthcoming.

ANTON ANTONOVICH, the Mayor.
ANNA ANDREYEVNA, his wife.
DRIZELLA ANTONOVNA, his daughter(s).
ANASTASIA ANTONOVNA
MAYOR’S ASSISTANT herself.
CINDERELISKY ANDREEV Antonovich family maid
FATHER ANDREEV town’s minister
Mrs. Andeev his wife.
ALEKSEY CHAPAYEV escaping Mayor

KASLOV THE GREAT
traveling two-bit medicine show salesman
VASILY & STALINA
traveling gypsy and Kazlov’s assistants
IVAN ALEKSANDROVICH KHLESTAKOV,
Mistaken Inspector General

LUKA LUKICH KHLOPOV,
Superintendent of Schools.
AMMOS LIAPKIN-TIAPKIN, the Judge.
ARTEMY ZEMLIANIKA, Hospital Director.
IVAN KUZMICH SHPEKIN, the Postmaster.
PIOTR DOBCHINSKY. } Country Squires.
PIOTR BOBCHINSKY. }
SERGEY, Ivan’s unexpected servant
CHRISTIAN IVANOVICH HUBNER, the district Doctor.
CAPTAIN STEPAN IKHOVERTOV, the Police Captain.
SVISTUNOV. }
PUGOVITZYN. } Police Sergeants.
DERZHIMORDA. }
PAVLOV town jailer
CLEANING LADY jail maid
ABDULIN, a Merchant.
INSPECTOR GENERAL Himself
(the real one)
TIMUR merchant
MISHKA, the Governor's Servant.
POOR MOTHER Citizens in remote village
POOR FATHER
POOR SON AND DAUGHTER

ALSO, Orphans and school children, Patients and Workers at the hospital, Merchants, and Citizens.

This loose adaptation by Sean Griffith of Gogol’s play TheGovernment Inspector is set in a small Russian town during the early 1800s. The corrupt mayor and his officials learn that the Imperial Inspector General is coming “incognito” to assess the local government and the administration of the town. The panicked mayor quickly comes up with a plan to try and cover up the many unethical practices while seeking out the identity of the inspector.

Ivan, an uneducated orphan, travels with a two-bit side show that cons people out of their money. When Ivan’s honesty gets the best of him, he finds himself abandoned, alone, and hungry. When he arrives to the corruption-ridden village he is mistaken as the Inspector General. The officials pull out the red carpet for the confused Ivan granting his every whim and plying him with bribes in hopes of escaping jail or worse. Ivan finally realizes the mistaken identity and plans to escape with a full belly and a small fortune. Before he leaves, however, he meets a beautiful young woman who tells him of the town’s corruption and their need of his help. Things really heat up when the real Inspector General shows up and Ivan has to make the most important decision of his life: leave rich or stay to face the corrupt government?

ADDITIONAL CHARACTER INFO:

ANTON ANTONOVICH - (male) A man grown old in the service, by no means a fool in his own way. Though he takes
bribes, he carries himself with dignity. He is of a
rather serious turn and even given somewhat to ratiocination.
He speaks in a voice neither too loud nor too low and says neither too much nor too little. Every word of his counts. He has the typical hard stern features of the official who has worked his way up from the lowest rank in the arduous government
service. Coarse in his inclinations, he passes
rapidly from fear to joy, from servility to arrogance.

ANNA ANDREYEVNA (female) -- A middle-aged or older women who lives beyond her means. She is educated on the latest fashions and on fussing with household affairs and servants. She is highly inquisitive and has streaks of vanity.
Sometimes she gets the upper hand over her husband,
and he gives in simply because at the moment
he cannot find the right thing to say. Her
ascendency, however, is confined to mere trifles and
takes the form of lecturing and twitting.

IVAN KHLESTAKOV (male) -- A good natured fellow with decent morals who constantly finds himself with the wrong people. Orphaned as a child he has had to survive using his wit and doing his best to be honest at the same time. Uneducated, nervous, insecure, clumsy, but charming in a silly type of way, would describe Ivan. Physical comedy and comedic timing essential for this role.


DRIZELLA & ANASTASIA ANTONOVICH (female - Imagine the cinderella’s step-sisters combined with legally blonde. Drizella is a bit more forceful and is jealous of her younger, ever so slightly better looking, younger sister. They do their best to appear fashionable and in the know, but often make fools of themselves.

CINDERELINSKI (female)-- Obviously a pun off of cinderella, she is the heroine and beauty, but with an obvious wit. She is respectful, but is strong and purposeful. She is able to look past all of Ivan’s silliness and see his heart.

KASLOV (male) -- A showman in any and every circumstance. Makes his living by traveling from town to town selling useless gimmicks. He is proud, loud and a cheat who will swindle anyone out of anything so long as it benefits him.

VASILY & STALINA (males or females with name changes) --Crafty traveling gypsy’s who are rough around the edges and entertainers. They give off an obvious mistrusting and sneaky vibe.

SERGEY (male) --Nice enough fellow, but street smart and willing to take advantage of circumstances as they come, especially when its against corrupted government officials.

COUNCIL MEMBERS/SERVANTS/TOWNSPEOPLE/CITY EMPLOYEES: (males and females) LUKA, AMMOS, ARTEMY, DOBCHINSKY, BOBCHINSKY, SERGEY, CHRISTIAN, PAVLO, CLEANING LADY - These characters don’t need any explanation as each has a certain amount of flexibility.

CAPTAIN STEPAN (male)- Not overly smart, sort of an bumbling idiot with a title.

ALEKSEY CHAPAYEV - A man who has become wealthy by taking advantage of his position. Loud, strong willed with very expressive.

BOBCHINSKY AND DOBCHINSKY.--Short little fellows,
strikingly like each other. Both talk rapidly, with emphatic gestures of their hands, features and bodies. They are
both exceedingly inquisitive.

NOTE ON YOUNGER ROLES: Many of the characters are flexible. Those auditioning you will give you direction.