Shakespeare Theatre of New Jersey 2026 Season Equity Principal Actors - Shakespeare Theatre of New Jersey Auditions

Shakespeare Theatre of New Jersey | Madison, NJ

AUDITION DATE

LOCATION

Thursday, March 26, 2026
F.M. Kirby Shakespeare Theatre
36 Madison Ave, Madison, NJ 07940-1434
9:30 AM - 5:30 PM (E)

BREAK

1:30 PM - 2:30 PM. Sign-in table in the lobby / The Kirby Studio.

APPOINTMENTS

PERSONNEL

To schedule an appointment, email
Casting@ShakespeareNJ.org with subject: 2026 LOCAL AUDITIONS. See breakdown for production-specific personnel.

LOCAL AUDITIONS. EXPECTED TO ATTEND

Equity members w/o an appointment will be seen as time permits. Brian Crowe, Artistic Director.

CONTRACT

See breakdown for production-specific dates. LORT Non-Rep.

$839 weekly minimum (LORT D) - until 6/28/26
$889 weekly minimum (LORT D) - after 6/29/26

https://www.shakespearenj.org/

SEEKING

An Equity Monitor will not be provided. The producer will run all aspects of this audition. 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.

Please prepare one monologue OR a monologue and short musical selection not to exceed 3 minutes combined that best highlights you for our 2026 season. Please bring a stapled headshot/resume and Equity information to the audition. Always bring your Equity Membership card to auditions. No roles will be understudied.

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, socially proper. Comedy from restraint and growing exasperation.
• Sibyl Chase — Female-identifying, any race or ethnicity, 20s–30s. Elyot’s current wife. Sweet, gentle, and traditional; becomes highly flustered by events.
• Louise — Female-identifying, any race or ethnicity, 20s–60s. Hotel or household staff. Witty, observant, and supportive. 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 fast‑paced 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 ever‑growing 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, quick‑witted detective; sharp, charismatic, commanding presence.
• Dr. John Watson — Male-identifying, any race or ethnicity, 30s–50s. Loyal, grounded, courageous companion; compassionate and practical, providing 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, self-assured. Leads schemes to expose Falstaff.
• Frank Ford — Male-identifying, any race or ethnicity, 40s–late 50s. Alice’s husband. Intensely jealous and suspicious; comic role rooted in insecurity and volatility.
• Margaret Page — Female-identifying, any race or ethnicity, mid 30s–early 40s. Warm, witty, socially adept; partners with Alice.
• George Page — Male-identifying, any race or ethnicity, 40s–mid 50s. Practical, trusting, level-headed; foil to Ford’s jealousy.
• 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. Comic range required.
• Sir John Falstaff — Male-identifying, any race or ethnicity, mid 40s–60s. Boisterous, indulgent knight; strong comedic timing required.
• Bardolph / Doctor Caius — Male-identifying, any race or ethnicity, mid 30s–50s. Bold physicality and comic contrast; good ear for dialect work.
• Nym / Peter Simple — Male-identifying, any race or ethnicity, late 20s–late 30s. Nym is 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 romantic; Shallow is nostalgic and self-important.
• Sir Hugh Evans — Male-identifying, any race or ethnicity, 30s–50s. 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 three-act drama set in the living room of George, a frustrated history professor, and his sharp‑tongued 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, cynical, masking deep vulnerability.
• Martha — Female-identifying, any race or ethnicity, 50s–60s. Formidable, combative, emotionally volatile; outspoken and intelligent.
• Nick — Male-identifying, late 20s–early 30s. Young, ambitious biology professor; somewhat naïve.
• Honey — Female-identifying, mid 20s–late 30s. Gentle, timid, somewhat naïve; gradually 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, 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 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. Gentle, innocent, caught in emotional turmoil.
• Polonius — Male-identifying, any race or ethnicity, 50s–70s. Long-winded, pompous advisor.
• Laertes — Male-identifying, any race or ethnicity, 20s–30s. Passionate, impulsive, skilled in combat.
• Horatio — Any race or ethnicity, 30s. Loyal, level-headed friend and confidant.
• Rosencrantz & Guildenstern — Any race or ethnicity, 20s–30s. Courtiers and former friends, often played with comedic contrast.
• Ensemble — Any race or ethnicity, 20s–60s. All other roles will be cast from an ensemble of actors. Shakespeare experience required.

THE GIFTS OF THE MAGI

Music: Randy Courts
Book: Mark St. Germain
Directed by: Paul Mullins

First Rehearsal: 11/10/26
Opening: 12/5/26
Closing: 12/27/26

SEEKING

• Willy — A newsboy in NYC (teens); the narrator of the piece — first tenor.
• Jim — Young (20s), earnest and hopeful. Della’s husband — first baritone.
• Della — Young (18–20s), optimistic, resourceful. Jim’s wife — second soprano.
• Soapy — A charismatic, realistic bum. Quick-witted — baritone.
• City Him & Her — Citizens of the city, serving as shoppers, waiters, and sharing opinions — baritone and alto.