Worm Full-Cast Production - Arc 2: Insinuation
Project Overview
Worm: A Full-Cast production is a fan audiobook adaptation of Wildbow’s web serial Worm. Worm is a web serial about an introverted teenage girl with an unconventional superpower.
This project is a continuation of the previous project, Worm Full-Cast Production - Arc 1: Gestation. This round of auditions focuses on characters that are introduced in Insinuation, the second arc of the story. The project will release on a chapter-by-chapter basis, but those cast as characters will record all of those characters' lines in advance.
Please submit raw files, free of any filters or processing. No need to include an introduction (AKA a slate) - only the requested voice lines are needed.
Auditions
The roles we need, in order of appearance, are:
- Brian Laborn / Grue
- Danny Hebert
- Greg Veder
- Emma Barnes
- Sophia Hess / Shadow Stalker
- Rachel Lindt / Bitch
- Victoria Dallon / Glory Girl
- Amy Dallon / Panacea
- Interlude 2.x Narrator
The deadline for Arc 2 characters is March 1st, 2021.
We primarily organize via Discord; selected actors are required to join. Here is the link to our Discord server.
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We are looking for an African-American actor for this role. Brian is a tall and athletic man. At the beginning of the story he is 17 years old, although he sounds older; confident and self-assured. At the end of the story he is 20 years old, more emotionally muted and less confident as a result of the traumas he's undergone.
In costume as Grue he acts more serious, but not much more so; his costume is intended to seem intimidating. His voice is effected by the use of his power, but that is an effect we will apply in post - attempts to emulate it or to apply an effect yourself are not necessary.
This role is a continuation of the casting from Arc 1, to garner a wider pool of auditions, and may close early if needed. Those who auditioned in Arc 1 are advised to seek voice feedback and apply again.
[In costume, as Grue; spoken matter-of-factly. Don't include narration.]
“Lee’s no slouch in a fight, but there’s a reason he’s not leader of the ABB. He got spooked without his boss there and ran. I guess you’re responsible for that?” Skull-mask waited for a response from me. When I didn’t offer one, he ventured towards the edge of the roof and looked down, then spoke without turning to look at me, “Lung is getting creamed. The fuck you do to him?” (1.5)
[Out of costume, as Brian. Worn down, but likely the angriest we've seen him be.]
"You say you're not manipulative, that your undercover operation was pure in motive, but you are. You throw yourself into these situations solo, or you join in on whatever fucked up plan the others come up with, and you do it because it makes you useful, because you know we'd struggle without you, you're making us dependent on you."
“What’s not fair is that I’m the one who’s tried to keep things sensible, to keep this group sane, and when push comes to shove, when I go with the majority because things won’t go smoothly if I don’t, I’m the one who gets captured and tortured. Your plan!” (13.10)
[Out of costume, as Brian, shortly after previous lines. Guilty, at his most vulnerable. Don't include narration.]
“I’ve never really said anything like this to anyone,” he said. “But I’m scared. I’m more powerful now, but I feel more insecure than ever.”
“I’m sorry,” he said. “I’m on edge. I’m spooked. I can’t calm down. I shouldn’t have said what I did.”
“They had Aisha. So much of what I’ve done, I’ve done because I wanted to support her. Make up for the fact that I wasn’t there when she needed it, before. Only we’re putting her in more danger, and she doesn’t respect me enough to let me keep her out of danger.” (13.10)
Danny is the main character's father, and he is in his 40s. He is a tall and thin balding man with a weak chin, and he wears glasses. He has anger management issues, but generally does a good job of controlling it - but the anger is still there.
Danny is a widower whose wife died in a car crash about three years before the story began. He is protective of his daughter, but is unaware of the extent to which she is still being bullied at school, and later unaware of her powers and her activities as a villain.
Danny works as a representative of the dockworker's union, and his passion for the city's now-defunct docks is an inspiration for his daughter to work towards the city's betterment.
[Angry and frustrated because his daughter is being treated poorly, including by an old friend. Don't include narration.]
“For the last time, Alan, shut up,” my dad growled, “My daughter is right. This has been a joke. I have a friend in the media. I think I’m going to give her a call, email her that list of emails and the list of incidents. Maybe pressure from the public would get things done.” (5.4)
[Upset that his daughter hasn't been fully honest with his. Firm, but trying not to be angry. Interrupted at the end.]
“I could maybe understand, I know what you’ve been dealing with, except you didn’t just leave me in the dark. You lied to me.
"I called the school to get an update on how you were doing, and they said you hadn’t been to class in some time, and I didn’t know what to do. I just- I felt completely lost. I called your Gram.”
“She convinced me that maybe I’ve been too focused on being your ally, and not focused enough on being your parent. If she’d told me that a week ago, I would have hung up on her. But after talking to your school, realizing how badly I failed you-” (6.9)
[Seeing his daughter for the first time since some major events happened. Don't include narration.]
“You’re so different,” he said. “You’re standing straighter, dressing like you aren’t trying to hide in your clothes, moving with more purpose. I think you’ve grown, too. So many people, they seem like they’ve been burdened by what’s going on, they’ve given up a little, lost important things. That just makes the contrast between you and them that much stronger.” (15.10)
Greg is ~15 at the story's beginning, a classmate of the main character. He's described as talking "like he's going to run out of breath and pass out". He's interested in the internet and video games, but lacking in social skills, particularly when interacting with women.
Later on he discovers that Taylor is the secret identity of the criminal warlord Skitter, and as a result her identity is outed.
[Excited about something no one else is excited about. Don't include narration.]
“I didn’t get much done,” Greg said, “I got distracted by this new game I got and it is really really good, it’s called Space Opera, have you played it?” (2.3)
[Out of his depth, but he doesn't realize it yet.]
“I was reading online, and it’s like, there were people wondering if you were an adult, and it got me thinking what Skitter must be like in real life, and then it clicked.” (20.2)
[Eyes downcast, crestfallen and repenting for his actions.]
“She was nice, quiet. I know people won’t believe me when I say it, but she was a genuinely good person. Is. Is a good person. At heart. I’m sorry, Taylor.“ (20.x)
Emma is ~15 at the story's beginning, a pretty girl with red hair who works as an amateur model. She was formerly Taylor Hebert's best friend, but after a traumatic event she befriended Sophia Hess and adopted an "only the strong are worthy" view of the world. Now she is Taylor's main bully.
[Mocking, purposefully hurtful.]
“Every time I see you, it’s this irritating little reminder of time I wasted being your friend. You know those embarrassing events in your past that make you cringe when you think back on them? For me, that’s basically every sleepover, every juvenile conversation, every immature game you dragged me into.” (4.1)
[Worried, curious.]
“…Are you hurt? What happened?”
“Seriously, you’ve got me worried. You’re making it sound like this important thing, and you woke me up at ten past three in the morning, so it had better be important. Dish. Explain.” (10.x)
[Desperate to find something that will rile the other up. "Hebert" is pronounced "heeb-ert".]
“I’ve seen you break down in tears one too many times to buy that you don’t care. You’re a wimp, Hebert, a coward. You just want to look strong, pretend you’re something other than what you are.”
“You keep trying to run, Hebert, like a coward. You should thank me.” (20.3)
We are looking for an African-American actress for this role. Sophia is an athletic and pretty woman, but aggressive and easy to anger.
At the story's beginning she is 15 years old, and at the end she is 18. In costume as Shadow Stalker she is even more aggressive and angry. She is serving as a Ward as a condition of her parole for having nearly killed a man.
Sophia's secret identity as Shadow Stalker is intended to be an important twist; auditions should take that into account.
[In costume, as Shadow Stalker. Talking about someone she bullies while not in costume, but who doesn't know this. Don't include narration.]
Shadow Stalker bound my wrists with what I guessed was a plastic wrist-tie. Too tight. Then she turned to my dad, and her voice was hushed. “Look at this crowd. These people. They’re scared. A place like this, with this much suppressed panic, fear and worry, this many people close together? I don’t care if your daughter is an idiot or just ill. She’s proven to be volatile in a powder-keg situation. It’s both dangerous and stupid to have her here. You can cut off the plasti-cuffs when she’s separated from anyone she might harm.” (5.3)
[Out of costume, as Sophia. "Hebert" is pronounced "heeb-ert".]
Sophia gave me a look of pure loathing, “You’re a coward, Hebert. A rat. You know you’re a nerd, you’re flat chested, scrawny. Nobody likes you, nobody wants you for a friend, you’re not good at anything. So you run, you hide, skip school, stay quiet, don’t do anything with your waste of a life. And if things get tough, if anyone decides to have a little fun at your expense, you go crying to the people in charge, because you can’t take it.” (7.5)
[In costume, as Shadow Stalker. Responding to a question from her teammate. Her actions are being controlled by someone else.]
“Because I’ve been up since five in the morning, it’s well past midnight now, and I’m going to have to start doing fucking paperwork the second we get these guys in a cell. I’m not allowed to walk away until they’re in custody, so if I let you foam them, I’m going to have to wait another half an hour to an hour for the solvent to get mixed and brought to them, five or ten minutes for it to work. Fuck that, they’re down. Listen to the hero who just took down a whole fucking team and get them in the truck.” (10.2)
Rachel is 16 at the story's beginning, and 19 at the end. She has a muscular build, with shaggy hair that she combs with her fingers at most. She usually has a glower on her face, and her standard mode is angry and brusque.
Her psychology has been changed by her power to more closely match that of a dog than of a human, having trouble understanding human behavior and getting along closely with her dogs; but even beforehand she was barely educated and remains nearly illiterate. She is easy to anger, but respects those who prove themselves to be dominant over her.
There is no difference between her in "civilian" garb as Rachel, and "in-costume" as Bitch - her identity is public knowledge, and she doesn't differentiate between the two.
[Telling off a total stranger for letting their daughter pet her dog.]
“He’s an abused dog, you know. Before I owned him, he was mistreated. Until he hurt someone so badly they needed amputation. I rescued him before he was put down. And you just let your kid walk up to him and start clawing at him. Do you understand what could have happened? That he could have killed or maimed your fucking mouthbreather of a child?” (4.x)
[Calmly explaining something to someone she normally has a standoffish relationship with.]
“Heartworms have a bacteria inside them. When they die, the bacteria gets released into the dog. Having a vet treat it is a long process that involves injecting arsenic into muscles and lots of antibiotics. Like this, his body won’t just kill them, but it can kill the disease. He’ll be fine by tomorrow.” (7.2)
[Furious at what she perceives as another betrayal by someone she's grown close to. Shouting. Don't include narration.]
“Find her!” she shouted. “Find Skitter! Hurt! Kill!” (16.12)
Victoria is 17 at the story's beginning; she is a tall young woman with platinum blond hair, very prideful and hot-tempered. Her power causes those who fear her or respect her to do so even more than they already do, and this is represented in her personality.
In-costume as Glory Girl there is little difference, as she comes from a family of superheroes who do not hide their secret identities.
[Shouted angrily. Don't include narration.]
“Andrea Young!" Victoria raised her voice. As she shouted, she exercised her power. The man quailed as though she'd slapped him. "A black college student was beaten so badly she needed medical attention! Her teeth were knocked out! You’re trying to tell me that you, a skinhead with swollen knuckles, someone who was in the crowd watching paramedics arrive with an expression bordering on glee, you didn’t do anything!?” (2.x)
[Over the phone. Only one half of the conversation is heard.]
“Hey sis? Yeah, I found him. That’s, uh, sort of the problem. Yeah. Look, I’m sorr- ok, can we talk about this later? Yeah. I’m at Spayder and Rock, there’s this little road that runs behind the buildings. Downtownish, yeah. Yeah? Thanks.” (2.x)
[Speaking to her adopted sister, who she thought of as her best friend. Her world has just been rocked by a major event.]
“Who are you, Amy? I don’t even recognize this person I’m looking at. You go berserk at the bank robbery over some secret I’ve totally not gotten on your case about. You apparently say something to Skitter that causes this huge commotion in the hospital after the Endbringer attack. You… I don’t even know what to say about your reaction to Gallant’s death, the way you distanced yourself from me at a time when I was hurting the most.”
“And most of all, you just leave dad to suffer, when you could have healed him? You lash out at me, here, when I’m trying to mend fences and be your sister?” (11.h)
Amy is somewhere between 15 and 17 at the story's beginning. She is Victoria Dallon's adopted sister, and secretly is romantically attracted to her. She is shy and uncertain of herself at the beginning of the story, but she gains confidence and greater comfort with herself towards the end.
Her power gives her complete biological control over anything she touches, and as such she is the world's foremost healer. The extent to which others rely on her, her inability to do more than she does, and how little she actually cares for helping others weigh on her heavily.
Her power is even stronger than she lets on: she claims to be unable to affect brains, but actually just avoids doing it so she doesn't get carried away making personality changes - a fear that later comes true.
[Threatening to make her sister face the consequences of her actions.]
“That’s not me. It’s not my fault we’re at this point. It’s you. You’re crossing the line, going too far. Which is exactly what people who criticize New Wave are scared of. We’re not government sponsored. We’re not protected or organized or regulated in the same way. Everyone knows who we are under our masks. That means we have to be accountable. The responsible thing for me to do, as a member of this team, is to let the paramedics take him, and let the law do as it sees fit.” (2.x)
[Speaking quietly, but clinically. She has just gone through some very stressful ordeals and has just made a moral compromise.]
“It’s a parasite that’s producing the improperly folded proteins. I can stop it, and I think I can make them create a counter-agent that counteracts the proteins and promotes healing in the brain. Can’t make them fix the lesions, but I can promote plasticity in the brain and new connections to old information.” (14.10)
[Just discovered with her horribly disfigured sister. Lines are separated by narration. Don't include narration.]
Amy kept talking, her voice strangely monotone after her earlier emotion, as if she were a recording. Maybe she was, after a fashion, all of the excuses and arguments she’d planned spilling from her mouth.
“I wanted her to be happy. I could adjust. Tweak, expand, change things to serve more than one purpose. I had the extra material from the cocoon. When I was done, I started undoing everything, all the mental and physical changes. I got so tired, and so scared, so lonely, so I thought we’d take another break, before I was completely finished. I changed more things. More stuff I had to fix. And days passed. I-“
"I lost track. I forgot how to change her back."
"I don't know what to do."
"Please tell me what to do," Amy pleaded. (15.x)
Worm contains 70+ interludes, each focused on a different character, and each read from a third person perspective. There is no preference for age, gender, or accent. Applicants not chosen for Interlude 2 will be considered for future interludes.
There were very few things, in Victoria Dallon’s estimation, that were cooler than flying. The invisible forcefield that extended a few millimeters over her skin and clothes just made it better. The field kept the worst of the chill from touching her, but still let her feel the wind on her skin and in her hair. Bugs didn’t splat against her face like they did against car windshields, even when she was pushing eighty miles an hour.
Spotting her target, she whooped and plunged for the ground, gaining speed where anyone else would be slowing down. She hit the asphalt hard enough to crack it and send fragments of it into the air, touching ground with her knee and foot, one arm extended. She stayed in that kneeling position for just heartbeats, letting her platinum curls and the cape that was draped over one of her shoulders flutter in the wake of air that had followed her descent. She met the eyes of her quarry with a steely glare.
She’d practiced that landing for weeks to get it right. (2.x)
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