Thomas Jefferson, Leo Tolstoy and Charles Dickens walk into a room.

While this may sound like the opening line to a bad joke, it is in fact the plot of a new play coming to Edwardsburg.

Auditions will soon be underway for “The Gospel According to Thomas Jefferson, Charles Dickens and Count Leo Tolstoy: Discord.” Auditions will take place at 7 p.m. Wednesday, July 19 and at 1 p.m. Saturday, July 22.

The auditions and play will take place at the Barn Swallow Theatre, 22334 US-12.

Director Thomas Rae, 83, is looking for three men aged in their thirties, forties or fifties to play the titular roles of Jefferson, Dickens and Tolstoy.

“I’m not going to have any teenagers or high school kids,” Rae said. “I would love to have a lot of experience with the actors, but if they are inexperienced, I will help them through the rough spots.”

The play, labeled a comedy,  follows the three title characters as they attempt to co-author their own gospel in a small room after their respective deaths. The characters are the only ones that appear on stage.

Rae got the idea to bring the play to the Barn Swallow Theatre after reading the script while on vacation. The play seemed perfect to him due to the small cast size, which would make recreating it easier to manage than plays with large casts.

While Rae would be happy to fill the roles with actors from Edwardsburg, he is optimistic that actors from surrounding areas will show up for the auditions.

“There are a lot of men in South Bend who want to be actors,” Rae said. “But there are not really enough plays down there for them. So, hopefully they will be drawn here.”

Both Rae and Barn Swallow Theatre board president Pam Boepple are aware that the play is unconventional and potentially controversial, as the play deals with the topic of religion.

“There are some things in the play may disturb very conservative Christians,” Rae said. “But I think it will make most people really think about their religion more than they did when they came in.”

Boepple believes people may be drawn to see the play out of sheer curiosity because the play is such a departure from the type of shows the theatre usually puts on.

“It will be interesting to see how people react to [the play],” Boepple said.

The play will serve as Rae’s directorial debut, which gives him even more reason to hope the play is successful.

“I’ve been in lots of play and with Barn Swallow Theatre since it opened in 1985,” Rae said. “I’ve learned a lot from every director I’ve worked with, and I’m finally going to use that knowledge after all these years. I’m hoping to bring some eyes to the theatre.”

Once the play is cast, rehearsals will begin. The play will debut at 7 p.m. Sept. 7, with repeat performances taking place at 7:30 p.m. Sept. 8-9, and at 2 p.m. Sept. 10.