The Goblet Wire
Open Casting Call
You will need a Coin and a Six Sided Die (physical or digital) for this Audition.
THE PITCH
“The Goblet Wire” has been called “Infinity Train meets Rabbits” by early audience members.
With the right phone number, a Callsign and a Passphrase characters can gain access to an audio dream realm, a narrative switchboard labyrinth, the loneliest roleplaying game. An experience that lures its players into a bizarre and psychological world, both familiar and foreign, and one that has been linked to multiple disappearances.
WHAT IS THE GOBLET WIRE?
“The Goblet Wire” is a non-union surreal micro fiction audio drama podcast created by Chad Ellis.
Episodes are collected in “Batches”, each written by different writers. Batch One was written by Chad Ellis, Eli Barraza, Tau Zaman and Justin Hellstrom.. It will launch during the Summer of 2021.
Each episode has two to three characters and is expected to be between five and seven minutes long.
WHAT DOES IT PAY, WHAT IS THE COMMITMENT, WHERE IS IT RECORDED?
Lead roles pay $5-7 per episode, with a 1 to 3 episode commitment.
Secondary roles pay up to $5 for all appearances, with a single recording commitment.
All scripts will be provided once cast. Recordings will be done remotely and asynchronously. Final recordings are expected two weeks after accepting a part, with options for extensions.
HOW LONG WILL AUDITIONS BE OPEN?
While we are currently casting 10 roles for Batch One of The Goblet Wire, this is an ongoing project. Even if you aren’t a fit for Batch One, you might be perfect for an episode in Batch Three, Seven or Thirty Nine. If you are reading this audition form, we are still taking auditions.
WHO CAN AUDITION?
All actors are encouraged to audition. The Goblet Wire features a diverse group of writers and the roles reflect that. Many roles can be rewritten to accommodate any pronouns, disability, language, etc. Your performance might inspire us to bump up a writer that suits your voice and identity to an earlier Batch.
NOTE: Three roles for Batch One feature characters over the age of 40. One is available to all gender identities, two of them are self identified WLM (bi/lesbian/pan/etc) If any of these suit you please consider auditioning, we’d love to hear from you.
In addition, the format of the show offers flexibility in recording quality. We have access to professional audio repair tools and episodes can be reworked to accommodate recordings that might not be adequate for other productions. Use the best equipment you have in the best environment you can, but don’t let a less than ideal set up hold you back from auditioning.
WHAT TO EXPECT AFTER THE AUDITION?
If we think you are a good fit for a role, we will contact you with details on the part and additional recording material to dial in your setup and performance. Once a role is accepted, we will collect your payment information, provide the scripts you need to record and a due date. We can provide isolated, cleaned up segments of episodes for your reel and will send you a preview of the final episode, as well as its release date, once it is ready.
THE AUDITION, INITIAL INSTRUCTIONS
You can submit up to two takes. After recording, render your audition as a single MP3, titled “TGW-audition-yourname.mp3” (where “your name” is whatever you would like us to call you) Do not put any FX or treatment on the file, we have access to professional repair software and need your raw, unaltered audio. You can add an acting reel if you have one.
You are auditioning to play somebody in our world. Performances should be as naturalistic as possible. The character you are playing is speaking the lines through a phone. Please use the accent you are most comfortable with. You are free to change the wording to best reflect your natural dialect. You do not need to provide a transcript of any changes.
The following is both an acting prompt and a ritual. They will lead you to one of twelve interpretations of the audition material. Use the results to inform your performance.
NOTE: Chance is a gift, cheating is a choice. We all pay the price in the end.
THE PROMPT
Where are you calling from?
FLIP A COIN.
Heads: You are calling from a payphone outside of an empty Diner. You aren’t sure if someone is watching you. You are alone.
Tails: You are calling from home, sitting in your favorite chair. The closet door is open. The neighbors cannot see you through drawn curtains. You are alone.
Who are you calling?
ROLL A 6 SIDED DIE.
1: A beloved family member.
2: A difficult family member.
3: A stranger. You don’t know them.
4: A stranger. They don’t know you.
5: The person you trust most.
6: The line is dead. What are you doing.
No response. You are leaving a message.
THE AUDITION: PLEASE RECORD THE FOLLOWING SIDES CONTAINED IN THE QUOTATION MARKS
“Hey. Missed you again.
I’ve been playing that game. The one I told you about. It’s getting kind of creepy. I wish I could share it with you.
Do you ever think of disappearing? Just sticking out your thumb, hitchhiking north and never coming back?
I’d never leave you of course. But the thought keeps crossing my mind. Like a pull. I wonder if that’s what birds feel when they migrate.
I need you to do something for me. Take a chair, go somewhere no one will ever see you. Put the chair upside down, facing the sun. Or the moon, if it’s night. Then leave.
Just humor me on this one.
I have to go. You’re the best. You’re really saving my life here.”
PICK one of the following Passphrases and record it. Just one, whichever speaks to you most. It is not wise to record multiple Passphrases .
PASSPHRASE 1
“The mangrove forest is drowning.
The Opossum cannot spread rabies.
I am more serpent than fish.
Choking on the moon from sky hunger.”
PASSPHRASE 2
“I did not fall asleep here.
You moved me from my bed.
This dream was not meant for me.
I am a wakeful ghost.”
PASSPHRASE 3
“Encryption. Volume 3, page 822.
Young. Face reddened.
Yes but.
I don’t know the reason.
I wonder if she was tired of you.”
You have completed your audition.
Once again, render your recording to a single MP3 file titled “TGW-audition-yourname.mp3” and submit it to the Google Form below.
Email [email protected] if you have any questions.