About the Project
Forbidden Diary is an audio drama based on the WWII diary written by an American woman (Natalie Crouter) interned in a Japanese prison camp in the Philippines. I am currently casting for Season Three (1943).
PLEASE NOTE: Natalie Crouter’s diary and this audio-drama portray the good and bad in people regardless of their nationality. Although the diary centers on an American family and other internees’ survival, Natalie also wrote about how Filipinos, Chinese, Japanese and others survived WWII in the Philippines. Surprising heroes come from war; one was the prisoners’ last commandant who struggled to keep his humanity and follow orders. During his war-crime trial, American prisoners testified to his character. They stayed in touch after WWII, and some became life-long friends.
What Will be Purchased?
If you are cast for a role, please note that the following will be purchased:
o Basic, non-commercial rights.
o WAV format files.
o Three unedited takes for each line (or groups of lines, whichever works best for you). I need them to make adjustments when mixing your character with other characters. Please do NOT edit your tracks as some of the best performances have been mixed from tracks that an actor might have tossed.
A Few Technical Requests and Reminders
Your tracks will probably be mixed with multiple actors’, so the following is requested:
o Please record your tracks raw, without mic enhancements.
o Record with as much gain as you can without interfering with the natural sound of your voice.
o Mixing multiple tracks from different sources magnifies recording differences, so please maintain best practices, such as keeping a consistent distance from the mic and recording in a noise-free environment.
NOTE: If you are not familiar with the pronunciation of a word, please go to the PRONUNCIATION TABLE at www.storiestovoice.com/pronunciation. There are also multiple links to the table within the scripts.
Please, Be My Guest
o There are well over 50 characters in this production, and it’s impossible to write to everyone’s natural syntax. If it allows you to give a better performance, feel free to record additional takes with minor tweaks and/or additions, such as Ahhs, Umms, sighs, Ahems, etc., to the script. BUT please provide at least one take that follows the script.
o Although scripts are reviewed multiple times, typos happen. If looks like a word is missing or transposed, you are probably right. To save time, please record what makes obvious sense but just to be on the safe side, do one take that follows the script.
Voice Credits
Please let me know if you want to be included in the credits and what name you want used. A new cast page is in the DRAFT stage, but you can check it out at www.storiestovoice.com/fd-cast. If you want to add your headshot and short bio, please email them to storiestovoice@att.net. Otherwise, a headshot icon and your name will be used.
Currently Auditioning for the Following Roles (Email Auditions to storiestovoice@att.net)
Lt. Kira (36 words)
1940s Japanese officer in his 30s. He’s educated and had lived in the U.S. for eleven years and speaks American English fluently. This was a real person, and the script uses his words from Natalie Crouter’s diary. Lt. Kira is the mystery man everyone in camp is talking about. He is in a scene where he is playing bridge with the internees. All of his lines are below. Everyone is uncomfortable, including Lt. Kira who responds to Natalie with terse, gruff, awkward replies and comments. Below is a rough mix of the other actors. To gain insight into this person, please read Natalie’s diary entry following the scene (DIARY READING SIX). If interested, please audition a few lines.
[EPISODE SIXTEEN, SCENE FIVE]
Natalie June 29, 1943. It looks like Lt. Kira is going to be around Camp Holmes for a while. We’re not yet sure what his role is, but many are convinced that he’s a spy. He’s another interesting specimen to watch around here.
Herb came by with him asking Jerry and me to play a round of bridge. Of course, we had little choice but to say yes to a strained, guarded game of bridge that turned into an unexpected, amazing and amusing evening which my perverse brain thoroughly enjoyed.
[SCENE FIVE]
Herb Hey, Jerry…Natalie. Are you up for a game of bridge with me and Lt. Kira here?
Jerry No. I’ve got an accounting class… [JERRY SEES LT. KIRA] OH, ah, but I don’t mind skipping it if we can get other players.
Natalie I’ll play. Are you going to get another table?
Herb Yea. I’ll go find some more couples.
Jerry I’ll get the cards and some tea.
[SOUNDS OF HERB AND JERRY LEAVING. NATALIE IS STUCK WITH LT. KIRA]
Natalie So…Lt. Kira. You play bridge?
Lt. Kira Yes.
[UNCOMFORTABLE SILENCE]
Natalie The tea Jerry’s gone to get came from a tea-taster friend in Formosa.
Lt. Kira It must be good then.
Natalie When did you last play a game of bridge, Lt. Kira?
Lt. Kira Three years ago.
Natalie And, where was that?
Lt. Kira Japan.
Natalie Oh, do many people like bridge there?
Lt. Kira Nobody at all.
Natalie Well …we’re so glad you’ll be joining us then.
[SOUND OF PEOPLE GATHERING]
Millie Are we going to play rubber or duplicate bridge?
Ted I don’t know Millie. You’ll have to ask Herb.
Betty Who’s got the cards?
Jerry I do.
Herb Okay. Betty and Jerry, you’re at this table. Millie, Ted you’re with them.
Ted You’re going to pay a little more attention this time, Millie?
Millie Now don’t you start in on me, Ted.
Herb Natalie, looks like Lt. Kira’s your partner.
Natalie Well, I have to warn you, Lt. Kira, I’m apt to be an erratic player at times.
Lt. Kira Then I may say, Mrs. Couter, I have absolutely no sense of humor. [NOTE: CLICK ON CROUTER TO HEAR THE PRONUNCIATION.]
Natalie Yes you may, but it’s really not necessary.
Herb [TRYING TO GET OUT OF THIS UNCOMFORTABLE SITUATION] Ah, I’m gonna just head over to the other table then. Natalie, you behave yourself.
Natalie So…Lt. Kira, do you use the Culbertson system of bidding?
Lt. Kira I don’t know anything about it. I play very badly.
Natalie I have the feeling that you are being way too modest. Shall we get seated?
[DIARY READING SIX]
Natalie I soon found Lt. Kira’s self-deprecation to be unfounded. We weren’t bad when we found our stride. We had to watch everything we said, and he was no doubt doing the same. Jerry made frantic eye and mouth motions to Ted who make a remark about not being able to tell Filipinos and Japanese apart. Lt. Kira politely ignored it.
Five minutes before curfew I said to Lt. Kira, “Wouldn’t it be too bad if we found a slam just in time for lights out!” He smiled and after the game said he’d like to play again. I laughed and promised to be well-behaved next time. When I asked, “You like bridge very much, don’t you?” he nodded deprecatingly, humbly polite, true to tradition.
In the end, we wondered if he was trying to pick up information from conversations or just hungry for bridge and companionship. Both may be true. My sense is he’s lonely—well educated and out of his element in this mess.
PLEASE LISTEN TO OTHER ACTORS IN THIS IN THE AUDIO CLIP BELOW:
Marj Moule (84 words)
1940s Euro-American woman in her mid to late 20s. Her husband was an adventurous soul who convinced Marj (a game girl) to find their fortunes in the Philippines. They are both glass-half-full people who are tough and resilient. Today, they’d be rock climbers and/or back-to-the-landers. After the Japanese invaded the Philippines, the couple and their three small children hid in the mountains. After over a year of hiding, they were caught by the Japanese and sent to Camp Holmes, a civilian internment camp. In Scene One, the Moules are telling other internees their story.
[EPISODE SIXTEEN, SCENE ONE]
Marj Moule I still feel guilty.
Natalie What happened?
Bill Moule Well, when we were on the run from the Japanese, a village took us in.
Marj Moule More than that, they gave us their…well you tell it, Bill.
Bill Moule Okay. So after saying our howdy-dos and thank-yous, we settled in and dropped off to sleep in one of their homes. The next morning…dead silence.
Marj Moule The entire village had left. I mean, everyone.
Bill I don’t think even the dogs stuck around. Then it dawned on us that they couldn’t risk helping Americans and didn’t want to refuse us, so they just left their village.
Marj Well, of course we left immediately.
Bill Yea and prayed the Japanese would never find out we’d been there.
Marj Moule They could have easily turned us away.
PLEASE LISTEN TO OTHER ACTORS IN THIS IN THE AUDIO CLIP BELOW:
Pictures from Forbidden Diary
How Americans Talked in the 1940s
The 1940s classic, The Best Years of Our Lifes, provides good examples of how people like the Crouters might have sounded.
How Americans Didn't Talk in the 1940s: A Few Words About "Up Talk" and "Vocal Fry"
Don’t break the illusion for listeners by talking like someone from the 21st century. Please avoid “Up Talk” (ending sentences and phrases like you are asking a question) and “Vocal Fry” (randomly lowering your voice). Check out these videos.