Elm Shakespeare Company | New Haven, CT
Notice: Audition Call Type: EPA
Saturday, February 28, 2026
John Lyman Center for Performing Arts, SCSU — 501 Crescent St, New Haven, CT 06515
8:30 AM – 4:00 PM (E)
LOA expected to attend: $670 weekly minimum (LOA ref. LORT).
Rebecca Goodheart, Producing Artistic Director
Nick Allen, Casting Associate
Benjamin Curns, Director
NOTE: Due to a scheduled system upgrade, signups for this audition will begin earlier than usual. You will not be able to cancel appointments via Casting Call while the upgrade is in process. Should you need to cancel, please make sure to return to Casting Call to complete your cancellation when the upgrades are complete.
Rehearsals start July 21st.
Preview: August 20; Opening: August 21; Close: September 6, 2026.
Equity actors for roles in MUCH ADO ABOUT NOTHING (see breakdown). An Equity Monitor will not be provided. A producer will run all aspects of this audition.
Seeking theater artists who would like to join a strong existing ensemble company, with a deep commitment to mentorship. This is the Equity’s 31st season of Free Shakespeare in the Park.
The Equity’s contracts prohibit discrimination. Equity is committed to diversity and encourages all its employers to engage in a policy of equal employment opportunity designed to promote a positive model of inclusion. As such, Equity encourages performers of all ethnicities, gender identities, and ages, as well as performers with disabilities, to attend every audition. As an ADA-compliant theatre, we welcome performers of all abilities and will make all reasonable accommodations in order to cast performers, regardless of disability, in any role possible. Please let us know if you have any questions, concerns, or if there are any accommodations we can provide.
Prepare two contrasting Shakespearean monologues, no more than 24 lines of verse (or 90 seconds of prose). If you have a portable instrument which you play at a professional performance level, bring it and be prepared to play 30 seconds of a song. Please bring two copies of picture and resume, stapled together. Always bring your Equity Membership card to auditions.
NOTE: In reference to the character descriptions below — most characters we encounter currently are written with he/him or she/her pronouns and appear in the following descriptions. However limiting the descriptions are, our casting seeks to be as inclusive as possible and we invite gender non-conforming, genderqueer, transgender, and non-binary actors to submit for the roles they most identify with. We will list race/ethnicity when specific to the character but are otherwise seeking all races and ethnicities.
Age: 50s–70s (flexible). Governor of Messina and Hero’s father. Warm, respected, and proud, with a quick temper when honor is threatened. A figure of authority who believes deeply in social order and reputation. Strong presence; capable of both genial hosting and severe judgment.
Age: Late teens–early 20s. Leonato’s daughter. Gentle, sincere, and emotionally open. Often underestimated, Hero possesses quiet strength and dignity. Requires an actor who can convey innocence without passivity and emotional depth during moments of betrayal.
Age: 20s–40s. Hero’s cousin. Brilliant, sharp-tongued, fiercely independent, and emotionally guarded. Beatrice is a master of wit with a deep capacity for loyalty and love. Possesses exceptional comic timing, along with the ability to pivot to vulnerability.
Age: 20s–40s. A soldier and confirmed bachelor. Witty, self-aware, and initially resistant to romance. Benedick matches Beatrice in verbal dexterity and gradually reveals emotional honesty beneath bravado. Possesses strong physical and verbal comedy skills.
Age: Early 20s–30s. A young soldier in love with Hero. Earnest, idealistic, and easily influenced by authority and appearances. Claudio’s emotional arc moves from romantic idealism to jealousy and remorse. Balances charm with moral complexity.
Age: 30s–50s. Prince of Aragon. Confident, charismatic, and socially adept. A benevolent orchestrator of romance, with an undercurrent of melancholy. Natural leadership presence; warmth and humor.
Age: 30s–50s. Don Pedro’s illegitimate brother. Brooding, resentful, and quietly dangerous. A man who takes pleasure in disruption and revenge. Subtle menace preferred over overt villainy.
Age: 30s–50s. Follower of Don John. Worldly, flawed, and ultimately remorseful. Comic edge with dramatic weight. Possesses strong storytelling abilities and an emotional honesty.
Age: 30s–50s. Don John’s accomplice. Sharp, observant, and cynical. A supporting role with intensity and clarity.
Age: Any adult. The constable. Earnest, self-important, and hilariously inarticulate. A comic tour-de-force role. Physically comedic with verbal dexterity.
Age: Any adult. Dogberry’s loyal deputy. Gentle, deferential, and well-meaning.
Age: 20s–40s. Hero’s waiting woman. Earthy, witty, and playful, with a sharp sense of humor. Brings warmth and mischief; balances comedy with awareness of consequences.
Age: 20s–40s. Attendant to Hero. Observant and sincere. Plays a key role in the gulling scenes.
Any gender, playing a young person. Brilliant, driven, and emotionally brave. A healer’s child whose intelligence and moral clarity exceed their social rank. Deeply in love with Bertram and unafraid to act on it. The engine of the play. Possesses emotional openness, verbal dexterity, and sustained stage presence.
Any gender, playing a young aristocrat. New to power and resistant to responsibility. Charismatic, impulsive, and emotionally immature, yet capable of growth. Balance entitlement with vulnerability. A romantic lead who evolves under pressure.
Any gender, playing an older authority figure. Bertram’s parent and Helena’s fiercest ally. Wise, commanding, and deeply perceptive. Holds moral authority and emotional weight. Possesses clarity, warmth, and strength.
Any gender, playing an older ruler. A figure of power whose life is restored by Helena’s skill. Dignified, grateful, and just. Commands the court while remaining emotionally accessible.
Any gender. A flamboyant braggart and self-proclaimed soldier. Witty, verbose, and cowardly beneath the swagger. A large comic role demanding sharp language skills, physical comedy, and precise timing.
Any gender, playing an older courtier. Blunt, observant, and wryly humorous. A truth-teller with little patience for pretense. With strong verbal agility.
Any gender, playing a young adult. Intelligent, principled, and self-possessed. Sees through Bertram quickly and stands firm. Possesses a quiet authority and clarity.
Any gender, playing a mature caregiver. Practical, protective, and shrewd. Supports Helena’s plan with care and resolve. Grounded and emotionally steady.
Any gender. A close companion to the Widow and Diana. Observant and thoughtful. A small but essential role in advancing the plot.
Any gender. A household fool with sharp instincts and bawdy wit. Intellectually playful and socially perceptive. Possesses a comedic command of verse and prose.
Any gender, playing peers of Bertram. Honorable companions who observe Bertram’s choices and help expose Parolles. Clear, grounded ensemble work.
Any gender, various ages. Members of the French and Florentine worlds. Often doubled. Strong ensemble players with facility in Shakespearean text.
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