Selective Dissonance: The Final Stretch
MaddieShallan for Odessa Richards Ep 10
CW: descriptions of suffocation, whispering
The actor cast will need to showcase that they are able to differentiate between different characters while telling the story. Think of it as you regaling a colorful but complicated story to your friends and you want them to understand who said what without constantly saying "They said" or "She said" etc. Will not accept auditions in which offensive stereotypes are used for character voices.
Odessa Richards (Narrator)
Ariana’s girlfriend
Willing to stay overnight to protect Julien, but fully ready to ditch at any sign of trouble.
Calm, relatively collected voice.
Black - late teens to early 20s
Esther Knowles
Tells stories at sleepover about haunted house across town, says it's dangerous.
Julien’s older sister
Also thinks staying overnight is dumb but wants to watch her little brother.
Rougher, more gravelly voice as if tired all the time.
White - late teens to early 20s
Julien Knowles
Hyper fixation on stories Esther tells.
Esther’s younger brother
Suggests staying overnight / investigation.
More excited, energetic voice
White – 15-17 years old
Arianna Powell
Odessa’s girlfriend
More worried, cautious voice
Hispanic - late teens to early 20s
(Lines in quotes are spoken as Esther)
Their deaths had to be long and painful, but Esther was good at adding in little details she knew would draw her audience in.
“Investigators have gone in and spent the night,” she said, flashing her hands so suddenly it made Arianna jump next to me. I remember I had to pull her close and tell her it was just a story… “and they’ve heard footsteps, and heavy, wheezing breaths, right in their ear… Cries for help were recorded on EVP, with strangled, choking breaths.” She had Julien wrapped around her finger by that point, and I remember he had leaned in.
(Odessa) “I’ll go.” Right as I said it, I could feel Arianna tense up again. I looked down right as she looked up, but I couldn’t just let them get hurt.
(Arianna) “No, Odess-”
Odessa) “I wanna just make sure they won’t get hurt, babe… I promise I won’t go inside. I’ll just stay in the car and-”
(the quoted line being spoken to Esther from across the room)
“I can’t stay in here, I’ll be in the car. I can’t… I just…” Knowing Esther wouldn’t leave Julien and having the keys in my pocket, I was good to just run. Tripping over my own feet, I just barely made it to the car, exhausted and out of breath. I unlocked it and climbed inside, struggling to think past the adrenaline…
