Auditions: Best Little Whorehouse in TX

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The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas

Book by Larry L. King and Peter Masterson
Music and Lyrics by Carol Hall
Based on a story by Larry L. King

Director: Mark Briner
Choreographer: Becca Vourvoulas

Production Manager: Sally Lockley
Stage Manager: TBD

It’s just a little bitty piss ant country place, but there’s nothing dirty going on at the Chicken Ranch. The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas is based on a true story about a “pleasure palace” that peacefully coexisted with the denizens of Gilbert, Texas, a well-known but little talked about institution for the better part since the 1850s, until a trouble-making televangelist made it his personal vendetta to shut the establishment down. With a great hand-clapping, toe-tapping country music score by Carol Hall and a laugh out loud script by Larry Masterson, the tale of the Miss Mona and her girls is an audience favorite that is both bawdy yet wholesome, a red-blooded American musical with showstopping song and dance numbers. This colorful story has messages about family, loyalty, tradition, and the evils of the media along the way, issues we still struggle with today. Anyone familiar with the popular Dolly Parton/Burt Reynolds movie, leave those biases at the door. The musical has many more characters, more music, a richer story, and so much more heart and gentility than the movie allows. This is a great show for colorful character actors with lots of big dancing for both the ladies of the Chicken Ranch and as well as a showstopping clog dancing number for the Aggie boys who win the College Bowl football game. This happy-go-lucky view of small-town vice and statewide political side-stepping recounts the good times and the demise of the Chicken Ranch. Governors, senators, mayors, and even victorious college football teams frequent Miss Mona’s cozy bordello, until that right wing nemesis Watchdog Melvin P. Thorpe focuses his television cameras and his righteous indignation on the institution on a national platform.

Dates/Locations

Auditions for ASGT’s production of The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas will be held at Anne Arundel Community College Anne Arundel Community College (CADE 124) [Map] on:

Saturday, February 1, 2025 from 12:00-3:00 pm – sign up for audition slot below
Monday, February 3, 2025 from 6:00-7:30 pm – sign up for audition spot below

Please arrive 15 to 30 minutes prior to your audition, if possible. Video auditions will be accepted if you are unable to audition in-person. See Audition form for details.

Callbacks (by request) Saturday, February 8, 2025 – Anne Arundel Community College (CADE 124)

Sign-up today!

Audition Sign-up Form

Please come prepared with 32 bars of an upbeat or belt pop country or country-style song from a Broadway Show. An accompanist will be provided. All roles are open. Please submit video by Sunday, January 26, 2025. Housing and stipends will not be provided.

Character Descriptions

All roles are unpaid and non-equity. ASGT is committed to diversity, equity, and inclusion. Actors of all sizes, body types, races, ethnicities, gender identities, abilities, and experience levels are encouraged to audition. No roles are precast, all roles are available. Age ranges are not literal, but what actors can convincingly play on stage.

Mona Stangley (lead female, 35-60, belt country alto E♭3-E5) Affectionately know as “Miss Mona” to the girls who work for her, Mona is maternal, warm, kind but firm, a smart businesswoman with a strict code of ethics and a great sense of humor about herself and her chosen profession. A former “working girl” at the establishment, Mona inherited the business from former owner Miss Wullah Jean upon her passing. Her theme that “there’s nothing dirty going on” is taken to heart, and there is a strict code of rules she enforces to stay one step away from the attention of the law while maintaining a healthy stance on the trade she deals in. A warm comic actor with a strong voice. Songs to know “Bus From Amarillo”, “Girl You’re a Woman”, “Little Bitty Piss Ant Country Place”.
Sheriff Ed Earl Dodd (lead male, 40-65, country baritone, G2-F4) The sheriff of Gilbert, Texas, where the Chicken Ranch resides, Ed Earl is a good ol’ boy at heart who rules the town in a no-nonsense way, but has a soft spot for Mona and the Chicken Ranch as he and Mona used to be an item when he frequented the business himself in his younger days. When the media turns the spotlight on his little town, the swearing sheriff of Lanville County is in over his head with the new technology and media sensationalism that twists his words and actions and turns them on Mona and the Chicken Ranch in an effort to shut them down. A strong comic actor with good timing who can carry a tune. Song to know: “Good Old Girl”.
Melvin P. Thorpe (supporting male, 35-60, character baritenor, B♭2-F4) The host of the televised “Watchdog Report News” who exposes hypocrisy and evil on all levels becomes a menace when he shines his spotlight on the goings-on at Mona’s Chicken Ranch and uses his platform to shut the century-old business down. Sleazy, smarmy, yet charismatic in that weird televangelist way, he sees himself as a stalwart, objective, morally superior mix of Billy Graham crossed with Walter Cronkite. A strong comic actor with the personality to carry a showstopping musical number. Song to know: “Texas Has A Whorehouse In It”.
Jewel (African-American supporting female, 35-60, belt R&B alto/mezzo, E3-G5) So much more than the maid at the Chicken Ranch, Jewel is Mona’s strong right hand, an employee in name only who is also her best friend and confidante. Mona and Jewel go back a long way and are very protective of each other. Jewel upholds Mona’s rules but can be “one of the girls” on her day off. A good comic actor and very strong singer; not a stereotypical “maid”. Song to Know: “24 Hours of Lovin'”.
Doatsey Mae (supporting female, 25-50, belt country alto, G3-C5) The wise-cracking, smart-talking waitress at the local diner where the sheriff and his cronies hang out, she’s the female perspective of what the events of the Chicken Ranch are doing to the town. Funny, sassy, with great comic delivery, Doatsey Mae is an Everywoman balance to the way the county perceives Mona, who identifies with her more than one would expect. Great comic actor who also plays various other smaller parts throughout. Usually doubles as Miss Wullah Jean and other small roles. Song to Know: “Doatsey Mae”.
Governor of Texas (featured male, 40-70, character baritone, A2-D4) The career politician who has to balance local politics with national attention, with whichever solution is best for him to remain on top. Leads a second act showstopper, with some preliminary soft-shoe steps. A typical waffling, noncommittal politician, a strong character actor who can sing and move well, may also play roles. Usually doubles as Edsel Mackey, editor of the local newspaper in the Doatsey Mae cafe scenes. Song to Know: “The Sidestep”.
Senator Wingwoah (featured male, 40-70, character actor) Another waffling, self-promoting politico, he probably could be the next Governor in the making. It is his poor decision to carry on the Thanksgiving bowl tradition taking the winning team to the Chicken Ranch that sets everything in jeopardy. Good character actor, may also play smaller roles. Usually doubles as Mayor Rufus Poindexter in the Doatsey Mae cafe scenes.
Angel (featured female, 18-30, alto/mezzo G3-E), featured Chicken Ranch girl, she’s a former big city hooker who worked under the name Amber (among others) who shows up at the Chicken Ranch in search of more stable (and less abusive) employment. Mona sees a sweetness and vulnerability under her hardened exterior and renames her “Angel”.
Shy (featured female 18-25, alto/mezzo G3-E) featured Chicken Ranch girl, who arrives on the same bus as Angel and from her appearance “figured she’d know where to go”. Formerly Annamerle Seltzer, she’s a young, awkward, motherless runaway raised with all brothers by her abusive father. She’s desperate, inexperienced, but determined to make it anywhere she can away from her family. Mona takes her under her wing, renames her “Shy”, and watches her fly on her own.
Chip Brewster (featured male, 20-40) sports caster covering the Thanksgiving Bowl Texas/Texas A&M football game, he interviews the Texas Aggie Angelette Drill Team at Half Time. Usualy doubles as used car dealer C.J. Scruggs in the Doatsey Mae cafe scenes. Good comic actor

The Ladies of the Chicken Ranch (ensemble featured females, various ages 18-39, all races and body types, good singers and strong dancers G3-E/F#5; they double as the Texas Aggie Angelettes Drill Team, Melvin Thorpe’s Watchdog Singers, news reporters, and various citizens around town. Each one has her own personality and style). Song to Know: “Hard Candy Christmas”.

Ruby Rae, the Tough One, Ruby Rae has had a hard life and is a little guarded. Being one of Mona’s ladies has softened her edges a little.
Beatrice, the Free Spirit, a confident, slightly hippie throwback, Beatrice dresses and marches to her own drummer, successfully.
Eloise, the Elegant One, probably a former Texas pageant beauty queen, Eloise is the total fantasy and most sought after of Mona’s girls.
Dawn, the Sweet One, Dawn is the All-American Ivory Girl Next Door, also doubles as Angelette Imogene Charlene Green
Linda Lou, the Sassy One, Linda Lou has all the wise-cracks, one-liners, and comebacks, an actor with great comic timing.
Ginger, the Hard One. Ginger is the oldest and most world weary of the group, She’s not had an easy life and she’s seen it all, and has no patience for foolishness. She probably would be the next in line to inherit the Chicken Ranch if current events hadn’t interfered. Or the first to retire from the Life.

Male Ensemble (18-35, all races and body types, good singers and good movers, baritones and tenors, B2-C4/F#4), they play all the following roles: The Texas A&M Aggie Football team (dance the showstopping “Aggie Song”): Various Customers of the Chicken Ranch throughout the ages; Watchdog’s Doggettes (features barbershop-style quarter who sing “Watchdog Theme”); Watchdog Singers; various TV tech people and News Reporters

Other featured roles:

The Band Leader (sings “20 Fans” and its reprises)
Aggies # 21 & #17 (featured solos in “The Aggie Song”)
Aggie #1 (featured Ukrainian place kicker)
Aggie #12 (featured dance solo in “The Aggie Song”)

All roles are open. Housing and stipends will not be provided.

All future communication regarding the status of auditions, callbacks, and a dance video submission will be emailed by the production manager, Sally Lockley (slockley@summergarden.com).