THE PICTURE OF DORIAN GRAY
Adapted by Robert Kauzlaric
Based on the novel by Oscar Wilde
Directed by Teresita Thorne (she/they)
Stage manager: Max Schneider (he/him)
Assistant stage manager: Madonna Garang (she/her)
Assistant stage manager: Rebecca Johnson (they/she/he)
SYNOPSIS
“A supernatural power grants Dorian Gray eternal youth and beauty. As the years pass and his outward form remains unmarred, his soul wallows in pride and sin, dragging the lives of everyone he touches into the depths of depravity. This new adaptation of Oscar Wilde’s masterpiece explores the themes of obsession, influence and reckoning by viewing Dorian’s story through the eyes of those most profoundly affected by him.” – Robert Kauzlaric
CHARACTERS
Dorian Gray (m)
A young, effortlessly charming, and impressionable man of great beauty who finds himself intertwined and influenced by his friends and lovers. Under the instigation of his peers, Dorian pursues a life full of moral quandary while he battles with his ideas of beauty and worth.
Lord Henry (Harry) Wotton (m)
A witty, dark-humoured, highly opinionated, and sometimes crass aristocrat whose philosophy is deeply influenced by hedonism. Lord Henry influences his friend Dorian Gray to pursue a life of sin and indulgence
Basil Hallward (m)
A brilliant but tortured artist, social hermit, hopeless romantic, and Dorian Gray’s first friend in London. Basil devotes the majority of his life and works towards his love for Dorian Gray until he introduces Dorian to his high-society friends. He advocates for Dorian’s purity even as Dorian grows to dismiss and overlook their friendship until Basil meets his demise.
Sibyl Vane (f)
A talented, mesmerizing, wistful actress, and Dorian Gray’s first love. Sybil is hidden away in a dark and rundown area of London where she’s spent her life performing in theatre to pay off debts. After being swept up in a passionate romance with Dorian Gray, she meets her untimely death.
James Vane (m)
The vengeful older brother of Sibyl Vane. Burdened by family financial matters, James chooses a life of sailing and leaves Sibyl to go to Australia. James later returns to London at the news of his sister’s death and seeks Dorian for revenge.
Alan Campbell (m)
A genuine, honourable, intellectual chemist and upper-class friend of Dorian, Lord Henry and Basil. Like his friends, Alan becomes heavily involved in Dorian’s personal life, leading to a secret romance developing with Dorian. Dorian involves Alan in a dark secret, which leads Alan to betray his values and later meet an untimely death.
Sir Geoffrey (m)
A noble, and generous aristocrat and friend of Lord Henry. Sir Geoffrey takes Lord Henry and Dorian out on an unexpectedly pivotal hunting trip.
Parker (m/f)
A stoic and discreet servant of Dorian Gray in his younger life.
Francis (m/f)
A stoic and discreet servant of Dorian Gray in his older life.
Victor (m)
An honourable and loyal butler and servant to Dorian Gray. Victor is the only person possibly privy to the horror of the portrait in Dorian’s attic throughout the story.
Mary (f)
A strong-willed, bitter, and street-wise past lover of Dorian Gray. After their romance, Dorian casts her aside and becomes a catalyst in Mary’s struggle with opium. Seeking revenge, Mary leads James Vane into a frenzy to hunt down and kill Dorian.
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For licensing purposes, the show does not allow for changes made to characters’ gender. However, people of all genders are encouraged to audition for any character as all forms of characteristic expression (androgynous, feminine, masculine etc.) are welcome and embraced in this production!
PRODUCTION TEAM
Teresita Thorne (she/they)
– Director –
Teresita is an avid lover of storytelling and mixed-media arts, pursuing passion and play in her day-to-day. Indulging in performing arts from a young age, she is an alum of The Barr Academy of Performing Arts in Stokenchurch, England. Teresita is a fresh face in the Ottawa theatre scene, recently making their Sock ‘N’ Buskin debut as Greta Ohlsson (Murder on the Orient Express). Select acting credits:Jackie Willis (Guilty Conscience), Marmee (Little Women), and Bobbie James (Concord Floral). When not onstage, she is backstage volunteering in Ottawa Little Theatre’swardrobe department. Outside of theatre, they can be found crafting, plotting, and scheming the next fun creative project. Teresita is honoured to make a directorial debut withSock ‘N’ Buskinand looks forward to creating and finding community!
Max Schneider (he/him)
– Stage Manager –
Max is a third-year Film Studies and Communication & Media Studies student at Carleton, and this is his second year with Sock ‘n’ Buskin. In the 2023-24 season, Max worked as an Assistant Stage Manager onThe Tragedie of Macbeth, and was the Props Master onThe Outsiders. Not only the Stage Manager forThe Picture of Dorian Gray, Max is thrilled to also sit on SnB’s 81st season board as Internal Coordinator! When he isn’t organizing contracts and making schedules, Max can always be found in a coffee shop (working on said contracts and schedules); he also acts as a representative for Film students on the CASG and FASS boards at Carleton.
Madonna Garang (she/her)
– Assistant Stage Manager –
Madonna is eager to begin her second season with Sock ‘n’ Buskin. Her debut with the theatre company started with her lighting and sound design for Dracula in 2022. Following her technical adventure with SnB, she curated and did the hair and makeup for Elephants Graveyard, in the same year. Madonna is very grateful for having had these opportunities because it brought her visual artistic goals to life in a new set of ways. Alongside technical and creative aspects she gained memorable and hilarious bonding experiences that she will cherish. Since high school, Madonna was part of her school’s tech crew (basically their stage production department). She had done the lighting for 3 musicals; and stage set-up for musical’s and assembly’s. She designed lighting for Thoroughly Modern Millie, Frozen, and Shrek (the musical); (she also had a cameo in Legally Blonde the musical as part of the ensemble). Theatre has been intrinsic to Madonna’s life for a long time. Yet, when she isn’t in the lighting booth or behind the stage, she spends her time do poetry, saving pins on Pinterest, photography, writing, and reading. Madonna’s time at SnB has been lovely and she’s excited to see what this season awits her!
Rebecca Johnson (they/she/he)
– Assistant Stage Manager –
Rebecca is an MA Political Economy student with an undergrad in Psychology and Anthropology. Rebecca’s first experience with Sock ’n’ Buskin was volunteering in set construction for Macbeth last season and instantly falling in love with the art form and with the community. This year, they are looking forward to collaborating with a talented team of creatives and helping bring the production of The Picture of Dorian Gray to life as an Assistant Stage Manager. Outside of SnB, you’ll probably find Rebecca performing improv with friends, playing Dungeons and Dragons, farming, or sailing the seven seas (or at least Mooney’s Bay) as a pirate. Most likely, she’ll be curled up in bed rewatching the early Barbie movies for the 81st time and working on a slideshow detailing why the Barbie Cinematic Universe is actually the most profound cinematic series to ever make it to DvD.
