Suitcase Auditions
Sunday, July 26 4-6pm
Monday, July 27, 7-9pm
Join us for an immersive theatrical experience inspired by the true stories of the Kindertransport.
Auditions will take place at Queen Anne Lutheran Church
2400 8th Ave W, Seattle, WA 98119
Actors Needed:
6 adults - 4 women 2 men - Ages: any
8 kids - 4 women 4 men - Ages: 3 Pre-Teens, 4 Teens, 1 Older Teen (+1 optional)
Rehearsals
In Seattle August/September. Exact dates/times based on actor availability
"Tech" Week (9/21 - 9/25)
9/24 and 9/25 Dress Rehearsals
9/23 "Sequential" Run of show
9/22 if a music only night required
Performances
The Weekend of September 26, 2026
How Auditions Works
Prepare a one-minute monologue
Memorize your monologue if auditioning for roles with substantial dialogue
You will also be asked to read excerpts from the script
Video auditions are allowed, send a link to joel.sampaio.sde@gmail.com by July 27 with an online folder or youtube link with your auditions video
Please fill out the audition form before you arrive to auditions
Synopsis
Suitcase is an immersive, site‑specific play about the Kindertransport, following Jewish and non‑Jewish refugee children arriving in Britain in 1938–39. Through a series of interconnected scenes set in a train station, the audience meets children separated from their families, British volunteers trying to help, and locals reacting with compassion, confusion, or prejudice. The play blends storytelling, music, letters, and direct audience interaction to show both the logistical chaos and the emotional devastation of the rescue effort. As the children read letters from home, the play moves toward a poignant recognition of what was lost, what was saved, and the uncertain futures they faced.
Character List
Mrs Hilton — Adult female, any age. Heavy line load with a medium monologue.
A well‑spoken, no‑nonsense organiser in the Refugee Children’s Movement who is happiest when in charge; she means well but is often unintentionally thoughtless and flustered.
Bill Prentiss — Adult male, any age. Heavy line load with a long monologue.
A local railway porter and good union man, warm‑hearted and compassionate toward the children.
Edith — Adult female, any age. Medium line load with a single monologue.
A well‑dressed, aspirational middle‑class woman who visits town weekly; polite but prejudiced, representing uneasy public attitudes.
Eva — Adult female, any age. Light to medium line load.
A tender, loving mother whose careful packing, songs, and letters reveal devotion and heartbreak.
Edward Garbet — Adult male, any age. Medium line load, duologue with Emma.
A well‑dressed, well‑to‑do potential foster parent with his own small business; rigid and easily flustered when plans change.
Emma Garbet — Adult female, any age. Medium line load, duologue with Edward.
Warm, anxious, and longing to nurture a child; unable to have children, though the issue is never discussed.
Hanni — Early teen female (around 12). Medium line load, duologue with Kurt.
A responsible, introspective Viennese girl who protects her younger brother while quietly managing her own fear.
Kurt — Pre‑teen male (around 8). Medium line load, duologue with Hanni.
Energetic, blunt, and innocent; trying to be brave amid confusion and longing for his parents.
Stephan — Teen male (around 13). Medium line load, duologue with Anne.
A gentle, intellectual boy from Prague whose halting English and desperate pleas reveal deep worry for his mother.
Anne Wilson — Pre‑teen female (around 8). Medium line load, duologue with Stephan; appears in only one scene.
A chatty, working‑class local foster sister who welcomes Stephan with humor and kindness.
Ilse — Teen female. Light line load.
A confident, stylish girl who masks fear with poise and comforts others, especially Renie. Often paired with Augustine in casting.
Harry — Older teen male (around 16). Light line load.
Serious and traumatized, having witnessed violence; tries to stay strong for others.
Renie — Pre‑teen female (around 9). Light line load.
Shy and emotional, clinging to hope her father will arrive; struggles with overwhelming fear.
Eric — Teen male (around 14). Light line load.
Polite and thoughtful, trying to stay orderly and composed despite homesickness.
Margot — Teen female. Heavy line load with a long monologue. A reflective, emotionally rich role capturing the resilience and sorrow of displaced youth.
Mrs Goggins — Adult female, any age. Light line load.
A cheerful, well‑meaning local woman who organizes the welcoming children with theatrical enthusiasm.