Casting

The hero of our story. he’s a nine-year-old about to turn ten with no clue about how to celebrate his upcoming birthday. His family has recently moved, so he’s in a new school where he feels friendless. To cope with his loneliness, Charley has conjured up three imaginary friends – his Monsters – from the pages of his favorite comic book series, Monsters & Maniacs. Cast an actor who can sing, move, and act very well. The single most important quality to look for in an actor, however, is likeability. You want a Charley with whom your audience will fall in love and cheer for from the start.

Charley’s dog, his most patient and supportive friend. Without words, Boing Boing communicates with a whimper or a bark, a turn of the head, a scowl, the lifting of a paw, or the raising of an eyebrow. Cast an actor with good physicality and a sense of playfulness. A clever and agile performer can improvise moments beyond those in the script.

Fresno’s biggest snoop and the neighborhood busybody. Cast an actress with a BIG speaking voice who’s unafraid to overact – someone who can dominate the stage whenever she enters. She has no solos but should be able to contribute to ensemble numbers.

Charley’s father, lives in Scotland but pops up whenever Charley refers to him. He’s big-hearted and upbeat, even though he never seems to get the date of Charley’s birthday right. He’s a chef – a really good one, according to Charley. Look for an actor with a good voice, a strong sense of rhythm, and a big smile.

Charley’s imaginary friends – his 3 Monsters. When Charley is feeling frazzled or friendless, his Monsters appear to talk him through any dilemma. To play these fantastical creations, cast actors who can give their own special spin to these characters, starting with quirky speaking voices that will differentiate them. Look for actors who are physically adept, since these ‘creatures’ might squat or slither or jump or roll as they weave their way around Charley. They sing together a lot, so be sure your actors are good with harmonies.

Charley’s puzzling next- door neighbor. He starts out seeming like a scatterbrained mad scientist, but eventually reveals himself to be a talented creator of special effects who shares many of Charley’s interests – not only in Monsters & Maniacs but in all sorts of scary and ooky stuff as well. Their friendship is one of the most surprising in Charley’s young life. Cast an excellent actor and singer with improvisational and comedic skills who is also able to handle props with ease.

A nurse with a challenging work schedule, patient and supportive of both her children, always trying to figure them out as best she can. She goes out of her way to say good things about her ex-husband (Dad) whenever he comes up. Cast a steadfast actress with a calm demeanor and a ready smile whom we’ll believe can weather the obstacles facing a single mother of two. She has a very small solo (“Lullaby”), but sings in group numbers.

Charley’s eye-rolling older sister who works at a fast-food restaurant. Because she is always tossing her hair and scoffing in exasperation, look for an actress who’s not afraid to be funny. Lorena carries one number (“So Lame”), which is deceptive in its difficulty. Cast an actress with a good sense of timing who can hold her own when singing harmonies with others.

Lorena’s friends who sing backup for her during “So Lame.” Cast performers who can match Lorena’s teenage attitude and are comfortable singing tight harmonies.

The most popular girl in school. She’s a bouncy social butterfly who has lots of friends and a very full calendar. She has important solo lines in several numbers, so cast someone with a solid singing voice who can exude effervescent enthusiasm.

Donna’s best friends. These three go everywhere together, so cast actors who can match Donna’s high energy.

The smartest boy in fourth grade. He’s also a bit of a mess. His brain – and his mouth – are constantly running at a hundred miles an hour as he obsesses and processes every little thing. The role requires an actor who can explode with energy while also accurately delivering some challenging

Together with Scottie – Fresno Elementary School’s resident bad guys. Cougar (whose real name is Leland, but don’t call them that!) enjoys swaggering through the school hallways, acting tough but never following through on their threats. Cast any actor with an imposing physicality – someone with a lot of bark but no bite. Like all of Charley’s classmates, Cougar must sing with conviction and power and be able to harmonize

Cougar’s sidekick – a bully without a mean bone in their body. Scottie, lacking Cougar’s inventiveness, is always ready to go along with whatever shenanigans Cougar suggests. Cougar and Scottie together form a comedy duo, so cast two actors with strong voices who can make us (and each other) laugh!

New to Fresno Elementary School and having trouble making friends. But because they both share an interest in Monsters & Maniacs, Jennifer has targeted Charley with her aggressive excitement, dashing into every scene she’s a part of and interrupting whatever else is going on. Her indomitable high spirits seem indestructible... until Charley fails to invite her to his birthday party. She carries one of the most important songs in the show – the only ballad! – so cast an actress with a strong voice and a good vocal range who can portray manic energy as well as wounded introspection

A back-slapping, loud- talking party planner who’s unafraid to speak his mind, no matter whom he offends in the process. Vince is dating Mom, which is how he comes to offer Charley “Vince Champagne’s three basics of a good birthday party.” Cast an actor who – with his voice, personality, and physicality – can fill up a stage and mow down anyone who gets in his way.

Vince Champagne’s assistants in “A Perfect Party.” They each have brief featured solo lines in the song and sing with small groups too. These are great roles for young performers who are newer to the stage.

Garry’s ex-girlfriend. She has no sung solos but can shine during her brief breakup scene with Garry. This is a good role for a fantastic actor who can do a lot with a cameo.

Consists of Company, Monster Chorus, Students (Popular Kids, Bullies, Nerd Herd), Lion King Performers, Lion King Soloist, Jennifer’s Mom, Jeffrey Stovall, Motorcycle Cop, and Garry's Community Theater Friends. These are great spots for anyone who’d like to be involved in your show! Note that Jennifer’s Mom, Jeffrey Stovall, and Motorcycle Cop are non-singing