Cincinnati Smith & the Tomb of Doom
Premise: An archaeological dig in search of the fabled Net of Indra which unlocks the secrets of the Cosmos and confers upon possessor dominion over time & space. The audience and players comprise the dig party. Throughout the show we learn that the characters have more to win or lose than merely an historic relic. In fact there is one among them who will stop at nothing to possess it.
Setting: 1899 India, the Sterling's Excavation Cottage known as "The Digs" located adjacent the dig site
Set Props: Large cross-legged Ganesha, stone tablets, urns, net of Indra, Large Map of area
Additional Entertainment: Indian song and dance
The Artifact / Research on the Net of Indra: Every jewel is intimately connected with all other jewels in the universe, and a change in one jewel means a change, however slight, in every other jewel; they are so arranged that if you look at one you see all the others reflected in it. The Buddhist allegory of "Indra's Net" tells of an endless net of threads throughout the universe, the horizontal threads running through space, the vertical ones through time. At every crossing of threads is an individual, and every individual is a crystal bead. The great light of "Absolute Being" illuminates and penetrates every crystal bead; moreoever, every crystal bead reflects not only the light from every other crystal in the net - but also every reflection of every reflection throughout the universe.
CASTING CALL
posted in Backstage West
Cincinnati Smith — Aussie mercenary with a heart, been burned in love; 30-45
Daphne Sterling — Lovely, rich spoiled but trying to improve; 18-28
Wendel Bancroft, III — 2nd in command at Bank, aristocratic sniveling wimp; 30-50 Bad investments, must marry Daphne for her money, plus, she's a trophy
Lady Violet Simms-Trenton-Tewksbury — Worldly & oft-married rich aunt (mother's sister); 40-50 Charming, witty, ahs used her wiles to get all she desires
Merideth Wheeler — A younger version of Violet but more vindictive, flirty, doesn't give a fig for decorum, likes to be shocking; 20-35
Naani — Sherpa, wants to be rich; comical, doesn't know way around though should; 20-50
Archana — Check-in, props, crowd control; understudy
Hamid — Seating, sounds, lights; understudy
Audience Participation Opportunities
Zoldad — Sherpa #2, knows that Wendell has financial problems; stops to pray when hears gong
Jitendra — Sherpa #3, knows that Wendell's servant might soon be out of a job, stops to pray when hears gong
Rahas — Digger #1, religious zealot that doesn't want net found, stops to pray when hears gong
Bhagwant — Digger #2, afraid of Rahas' extremism, stops to pray when hears gong
Joe Strickland — Munitions Expert who hates Cincinnati for kicking him off a precious dig job
Mr(s) Bailey — Rendering Artist, sees through an impostor's disguise and exposes the murderer
Mr(s) Edmonds — Amateur Archaeologist, knows about Strickland's past
Dr. Gibberidge — Sanskrit expert who can translate the stone tablets and determine the net's location
Dr. Wallace — Dig Physician, aware that Daphne is on prescribed medication
Mr. Phudd — Yes Man from Ministry of Culture, afraid of the tomb's curse
Mr. Stanhope — London insurance man who knows of a hit & run involving one of the party
Dooney — Wendel's Servant, may soon be out of a job... but why?.....
Molly — Wendel's private cook, SCREAMER who finds dead body