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March 30, 2025 @ 7:00 pm - 10:00 pm
Directed by Ben Huegel
Assistant Directed by Jeannene Abney
Auditions on Sunday, March 30 and Monday, March 31st at 7 PM
Callbacks (if needed) on Tuesday, April 1st at 7 PM
The Campus Theater downtown Denton.
Performances are May 31, 31 & June 1, 5, 6, 7, 8 at the Campus Theatre.
Tickets go on sale for this show Apr. 4, 2025
Auditions will be open (no appointment needed) and will consist of cold readings from the script. Sides will be available to view on the Theatre Denton website by Monday, February 24th. Please send any questions to the director at benhmkelley@gmail.com.
SYNOPSIS:
Marriage. Divorce. Alcoholism. Stillbirths. Verbal Abuse. Bacon. The Marriage of Bette and Boo follows the zany, turbulent, heartbreaking marriage of Bette Brennan and Boo Hudlocke. Bette and Boo marry and set about having the large, happy family that Bette always dreamed of. The arrival of their first son, Matt, is soon overshadowed by a succession of stillborns. Bette is heartbroken. Boo starts to drink; Bette starts to nag.
Amongst the chaos fighting, both must deal with their wacky families: Bette’s heedless mother and wise but crippled father; Boo’s sadistic father, fond of calling his long-suffering wife “the dumbest woman in the world”; and Bette’s sister, ridden with anxiety and constantly apologising for everything; the family priest, unhelpful and fond of impersonating bacon. With a healthy blend of surrealism and what The Chicago Reader labelled “brutally absurd” humour, Christopher Durang brings us his most autobiographical work to date.
The Marriage of Bette and Boo finds humour and compassion in unhappiness, as Matt attempts to come to terms with the pain and love that families are made of.
CONTENT WARNINGS:
This play contains alcoholism, domestic abuse, and stillbirths.
CHARACTERS:
5 men, 5 women (10)
- Bette (woman, 20s-30s)
Bette is an optimistic woman who dreams of a perfect family and all the children she will name after Christopher Robin’s characters. But the conflicts of married life and multiple miscarriages take a toll on her mental and emotional health. Her relentless optimism and high expectations clash with the harsh realities of her life, leading to moments of both humour and tragedy. She is funny, a little bit of a whack-o, but wants nothing more than to love.
- Boo Hudlocke (man, 20s-30s)
Boo is Bette’s husband, whose alcoholism and emotional detachment contribute to the breakdown of their marriage. He is often passive and disengaged, using sarcasm and alcohol to deflect from his inability to connect with Bette or to address the real problems in life. He tries the best he can to make it work, but more troubles arise, and the marriage quickly deteriorates. In the latter half of his life, he shares his guilt and sorrows with his son, Matt.
- Matt Hudlocke (man, 20s)
The narrator of the play and the son of Bette and Boo, Matt provides a retrospective and often ironic commentary on the events of his parents’ marriage and his own traumatic upbringing. He guides us through his memories as he attempts to come to terms with the past. He is observant, intelligent, and deeply affected by the dysfunction around him, serving as both a participant in and a witness to the family’s struggles.
- Margaret (woman, 40s-70s)
Margaret is Bette’s mother. She loves her children but suffers from severe maternal cluelessness. With an ever-present smile, she is the only functional parent of her household and has raised her daughters to be obedient housewives, rarely providing a sympathetic ear. A soft exterior but harsh demeanour that most likely hides her own anxieties and disappointments.
- Paul Brennan (man, 40s-70s)
Paul is Bette’s loving father; he may let Margaret (his wife) do all the talking, but he manages to show real moments of tenderness and concern for his daughters. Almost grounded as a character; he is certainly the wisest, offering the most sane and sobering advice to help Bette with her problems. Unfortunately, he suffered a bad stroke, so he only speaks in gibberish.
- Soot Hudlocke (woman, 40s-70s)
A caricature of the 1950s/60s traditional wife. Soot is Boo’s mother, a quirky and eccentric woman who seems oblivious to the chaos around her. She meets her husband’s constant “endearing” insults with an embarrassed giggle. But occasionally, one catches a glimpse into the suffering that’s hidden inside.
- Karl Hudlocke (man, 40s-70s)
A cigar-chomping, whisky-drinking man’s man, Karl is Boo’s brutish father. When he’s not flinging insults at his “dim-witted” wife (Soot), he is blunt and critical toward Boo and Bette. A horrible example of a husband and father, one can’t help but wonder at the kind of agony that has led to the creation of such a terrible person.
- Emily Brennan (woman, 20s-30s)
Emily is Bette’s sister. She is sweet-natured but often overlooked by her family. As opposed to her family, her faith lies not in the church but in God. She is presented as a preposterous figure, but by the end of the play is the most human of them all. Constantly nervous, she’s a girl who goes into hysterical fits, blaming herself for every unhappiness the family faces. She struggles to communicate with everyone except Matt.
- Father Donnally/Doctor (Man, 40s-70s)
An expert bacon impersonator, Father Donnally is the family’s priest. A well-meaning but ineffectual figure who tries to offer guidance and support in the form of conventional Christian teachings. His attempts to help are often met with indifference or severe misinterpretation, highlighting the gap between strict religious ideals and the messy reality of human relationships. The actor playing Father Donnaly will also be portraying the doctor who delivers the live and dead children.
- Joan (woman, 20s-30s)
Sort of grouchy, Joan is Bette’s other sister. Unhappy with her married life, she is a pragmatic and somewhat cynical character. She is unhappily married and always keeps a nasal spray in hand (likely for a nasal infection or simple congestion). It should be noted that she is the most grounded character in the play.
