AUDITION DATE
LOCATION
Wednesday, February 4, 2026
Actors' Equity New York Audition Center
165 W 46th St, 16th Fl
New York, NY 10036
9:30 AM – 5:30 PM
Lunch 1:30 PM – 2:30 PM
PERSONNEL
CONTRACT
:
LORT Non-Rep. $839 weekly minimum (LORT D) - until 6/28/26; $889 weekly minimum (LORT D) - after 6/29/26. See breakdown for production-specific dates.
Expected to attend: Brian Crowe, Artistic Director; Nate Riccio, Casting and Company Manager.
OTHER
SEEKING:
Equity actors for roles in Shakespeare Theatre of New Jersey's 2026 Season (see breakdown). EPA procedures are in effect for this audition.
Website:
https://www.shakespearenj.org/
PREPARATION
An Equity Monitor will be provided. Please prepare one monologue, no longer than two minutes, that best highlights you for our 2026 season. Always bring your Equity Membership card to auditions.
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.
BREAKDOWN
PRIVATE LIVES
Playwright: Noël Coward
Director: Victoria Mack
First Rehearsal: 4/21/26
First Preview: 5/16/26
Opening: 5/22/26
Closing: 6/7/26 (possible extension to 6/14/26)
SYNOPSIS
Private Lives by Noël Coward is a sophisticated romantic comedy about divorced couple Elyot Chase and Amanda Prynne, who unexpectedly reunite while honeymooning with their new spouses at the same hotel. Despite having remarried, their undeniable chemistry quickly reignites old passions—and old battles—leading them to impulsively run away together. What follows is a witty, fast-paced exploration of love, pride, and the thin line between romance and chaos, as the couple discovers that some relationships are impossible to escape.
SEEKING
- ELYOT CHASE — Male identifying, any race or ethnicity, mid 30s to early 40s. A charming, articulate, and impulsive romantic with razor-sharp wit. Emotionally quicksilver—capable of deep affection and sudden volatility. Excellent comic timing and the ability to balance elegance with raw emotion.
- AMANDA PRYNNE — Female identifying, any race or ethnicity, mid 30s to early 40s. Brilliant, stylish, and fiercely intelligent. Moves seamlessly between glamour, humor, venom and vulnerability. Strong comedic instincts and emotional range.
- VICTOR PRYNNE — Male identifying, any race or ethnicity, mid 40s–50s. Amanda’s current husband. Earnest, principled, and socially proper. Comedy comes from restraint and growing exasperation.
- SIBYL CHASE — Female identifying, any race or ethnicity, 20s–30s. Sweet, gentle, and traditional. Naive infatuation with Elyot; becomes highly flustered by the events of the play.
- LOUISE — Female identifying, any race or ethnicity, 20s–60s. Hotel or household staff. Witty, observant, and supportive, with some comedic moments. Comfortable with French; able to speak French lines fluently.
KEN LUDWIG’S BASKERVILLE: A SHERLOCK HOLMES MYSTERY
Playwright: Ken Ludwig
Director: Brian B. Crowe, Artistic Director
First Rehearsal: 6/16/26
First Preview: 7/11/26
Opening: 7/17/26
Closing: 8/2/26 (possible extension to 8/9/26)
SYNOPSIS
Baskerville is a fastâpaced comedic adaptation of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s The Hound of the Baskervilles. Sherlock Holmes and Dr. Watson are called in to investigate a mysterious family curse threatening the newest heir of Baskerville Hall. As they work to uncover the truth behind reports of a fearsome hellhound prowling the foggy moors of Devonshire, the duo must sift through clues, disguises, and an everâgrowing cast of quirky characters. In Ludwig’s version, five actors play more than forty roles, blending suspense with theatrical comedy as Holmes and Watson race to solve the case before the curse dooms the heir.
SEEKING
- SHERLOCK HOLMES — Male identifying, any race or ethnicity, 30s–40s. Brilliant, quickâwitted detective, sharp and charismatic. A commanding presence.
- DR. JOHN WATSON — Male identifying, any race or ethnicity, 30s–50s. Loyal, grounded, and courageous companion to Holmes. Compassionate and practical, provides heart and humor.
- TRACK ONE — Any race or ethnicity, 20s–50s. Multiple roles, including Stapleton, Barrymore, Milker, Dr. Mortimer, and Lucy. Exceptional physical and vocal versatility for quick character changes.
- TRACK TWO — Any race or ethnicity, 20s–50s. Multiple roles, including Sir Hugo Baskerville, Wilson, Sir Henry Baskerville, and Inspector Lestrade. Exceptional physical and vocal versatility for quick character changes.
- TRACK THREE — Female identifying, any race or ethnicity, 20s–50s. Multiple roles, including Miss Stapleton, Mrs. Barrymore, Mrs. Hudson, and Cartwright. Exceptional physical and vocal versatility for quick character changes.
THE MERRY WIVES OF WINDSOR
Playwright: William Shakespeare
First Rehearsal: 8/7/26
First Preview: 8/13/26
Opening: 8/14/26
Closing: 8/23/26
SYNOPSIS
The Merry Wives of Windsor by William Shakespeare is a lively comedy set in the town of Windsor, where Sir John Falstaff attempts to court two married women for money, only to be cleverly outwitted at every turn. Alongside this, a jealous husband’s suspicions and a young woman’s competing suitors create a series of comic misunderstandings, leading to disguises, tricks, and a joyful resolution.
SEEKING
- ALICE FORD — Female identifying, any race or ethnicity, late 30s–40s. One of the “Merry Wives.” Clever, playful, and self-assured. Leads the schemes to expose Falstaff’s foolishness.
- FRANK FORD — Male identifying, any race or ethnicity, 40s–late 50s. Alice Ford’s husband. Intensely jealous and suspicious; comic role rooted in insecurity and emotional volatility.
- MARGARET PAGE — Female identifying, any race or ethnicity, mid 30s–early 40s. The second Merry Wife. Warm, witty, and socially adept.
- GEORGE PAGE — Male identifying, any race or ethnicity, 40s–mid 50s. Margaret Page’s husband. Practical, trusting, and level-headed.
- ANNE PAGE / JOHN RUGBY — Female identifying, any race or ethnicity, early 20s–mid 20s. Requires versatility and clear character differentiation.
- WILLIAM PAGE / PISTOL / ABRAHAM SLENDER — Male identifying, any race or ethnicity, early 20s. William Page (minimal speaking); Pistol (bombastic); Slender (awkward and earnest). Strong comic range required.
- SIR JOHN FALSTAFF — Male identifying, any race or ethnicity, mid 40s–60s. Boisterous, indulgent knight with an inflated ego and sharp wit. Requires strong comedic timing and verbal dexterity.
- BARDOLPH / DOCTOR CAIUS — Male identifying, any race or ethnicity, mid 30s–50s. Bold physicality and strong comic contrast required; good ear for dialect work.
- NYM / PETER SIMPLE — Male identifying, any race or ethnicity, late 20s–late 30s. Nym is reserved and sardonic; Peter Simple is literal-minded and loyal.
- HOST / MISTRESS QUICKLY — Female identifying, any race or ethnicity, early 30s–mid 30s. Excellent comic timing and verbal agility.
- FENTON / ROBERT SHALLOW — Male identifying, any race or ethnicity, early 20s–mid 30s. Fenton is charming and sincere; Shallow is nostalgic and self-important.
- SIR HUGH EVANS — Male identifying, any race or ethnicity, 30s–50s. A Welsh parson; a good ear for dialect work.
WHO’S AFRAID OF VIRGINIA WOOLF?
Playwright: Edward Albee
First Rehearsal: 8/11/26
First Preview: 9/5/26
Opening: 9/11/26
Closing: 9/27/26
SYNOPSIS
Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf? is a threeâact drama set in the living room of George, a frustrated history professor, and his sharpâtongued wife, Martha. After returning from a faculty party, they invite a younger couple, Nick and Honey, for drinks. What begins as casual entertainment quickly turns into a tense psychological battle, as George and Martha draw the younger couple into their cruel games and verbal confrontations. Through insults, humiliations, and shocking revelations, the illusions of George and Martha’s marriage are exposed.
SEEKING
- GEORGE — Male identifying, any race or ethnicity, 50s–60s. A disillusioned, middle-aged history professor. Sharp-witted and cynical; masks deep vulnerability beneath caustic humor.
- MARTHA — Female identifying, any race or ethnicity, 50s–60s. Formidable and combative, outspoken, intelligent, and emotionally volatile.
- NICK — Male identifying, late 20s–early 30s. A young, newly hired biology professor: ambitious, confident, and somewhat naïve.
- HONEY — Female identifying, mid 20s–late 30s. Gentle and timid; provides contrast to the aggressive energy of George and Martha but reveals depth under pressure.
HAMLET
Playwright: William Shakespeare
Director: Brian B. Crowe, Artistic Director
First Rehearsal: 9/15/26
First Preview: 10/10/26
Opening: 10/16/26
Closing: 11/15/26
SEEKING
- HAMLET — Any race or ethnicity, late 20s–early 30s. Prince of Denmark. Intelligent, contemplative, and deeply emotional. Exceptional text skills and Shakespeare experience required.
- CLAUDIUS — Male identifying, any race or ethnicity, 40s–60s. Hamlet’s uncle and the new king. Cunning, ambitious, and politically savvy.
- GERTRUDE — Female identifying, any race or ethnicity, 40s–50s. Queen of Denmark. Loving yet politically naive.
- OPHELIA — Female identifying, any race or ethnicity, late 20s. Daughter of Polonius and Hamlet’s love interest. Gentle, innocent, and ultimately succumbing to grief and despair.
- POLONIUS — Male identifying, any race or ethnicity, 50s–70s. Advisor to the king. Long-winded, pompous, and manipulative.
- LAERTES — Male identifying, any race or ethnicity, 20s–30s. Passionate, impulsive, and skilled in combat.
- HORATIO — Any race or ethnicity, 30s. Hamlet’s loyal and level-headed friend.
- ROSENCRANTZ & GUILDENSTERN — Any race or ethnicity, 20s–30s. Courtiers and former friends of Hamlet, often played with comedic or contrasting personalities.
- ENSEMBLE — Any race or ethnicity, 20s–60s. All other roles will be cast from an ensemble of actors. Shakespeare experience required.
