FCTC hereby places the call to all interested parties to participate in auditions for a “Radio Theater Presentation of The Maltese Falcon”. Since this is a radio drama, emphasis will be placed on vocal flexibility and fundamental reading skills as opposed to physical characteristics. This means age and appearance are very much secondary. I want sonorous tones and seamless delivery.
The parts available for casting are as follows:

FEMALES

Effie Purrington:

Spade's secretary. Girl Friday “can-do” type. Bright (also as in smart) peppy, more a “pal” than a paramour, although if she thought there was any percentage in it, she'd likely be in love with Sam.

Brigid O'Shaunnessy:

Woman of the world type. Presents herself as vulnerable and very nearly helpless. The consummate and constant “Damsel in Distress”. SO not so! She is seductively manipulative. Ruthless and as cool as the underside of your pillow, but she is an expert at hiding it.

MALES (single role)

Sam Spade:

Quintessential tough guy. Smart, street-wise, tough, but with many layers.

Casper Gutman:

A man of immense appetites. Big in every way. Bold, blustering and bombastic. Also deadly. He is a man who knows what he wants and will stop at nothing to get it, with no compunction about taking the most direct route.

Joel Cairo:

Smooth, Continental, suave, one could even say charming. Beneath that , however, lies all the good will and trustworthy elan of a Pit Viper. He is a “gentleman adventurer” in the worst sense of the phrase. He is a slick-down schemer, who even sounds oily. One should likely not trust him, unless he is paid regularly.

MALES (double role)

Art Dundy/ Miles Archer:

Dundy is the “bad cop” He doesn't like Spade, because he works outside the system. The real problem is that Spade gets results that make Dundy look less than efficient. Not good for the advancement of ones career; very stiff and official.
Miles is Spade's ill-fated partner. A ladies’ man: a wolf in wolf's clothing.

Tom Polhaus/Wilmer Cook:

Polhaus is the “good cop.” He likes Spade because Spade hates the bad guys. And because Spade gets to correct the situation using ways that Polhaus can't even though he'd like to, because, you see, there's these stupid limitations that go with carrying a badge. Conciliatory, almost jovial, cajoling tones.
Wilmer is a psychopathic henchman. He has PMS (Petite Man Syndrome) A little guy with a big gun and a chip on his shoulder the size of a Sequoia. Tight lipped, wound like a watch-spring. Wouldn't be at all surprised to find he is a user/addict of the killer weed Marijuana.

Derek Jacoby/DA Hamilton:

Jacoby is a sea captain. His contribution is that he mumbles audibly and dies well.
DA Hamilton: Brusk efficient “Man of the People”. Actually, almost everything he says sounds like a campaign speech, i.e: a “Man Running for Governor”.

GENDER NEUTRAL

Announcer:

Clear voiced, high energy “person of trust” type.

Host /Narrator:

Warm, likable, “I'm your facilitator and friendly guide” type. Everyman identifiable, with a light touch of authority.

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