THE MASTER BUILDER / THE LADY FROM THE SEA — Principal Actors Auditions

THE MASTER BUILDER / THE LADY FROM THE SEA - NYC EPA

New American Ensemble | Brooklyn, NY

Notice: Audition

AUDITION DATE

Tuesday, September 22, 2026
9:30 AM - 5:30 PM (E)
Lunch 1:00 PM - 2:00 PM

CONTRACT

Off Broadway
$868 weekly minimum (Cat. A)

SEEKING

Equity actors for roles in THE MASTER BUILDER / THE LADY FROM THE SEA (See

BREAKDOWN

Please note that THE MASTER BUILDER and THE LADY FROM THE SEA will be performed in rep, and actors will double in each show as noted in the

BREAKDOWN

All Equity stage managerial positions have been filled.

PREPARATION

Please prepare a short (less than 2-minutes) Ibsen monologue of your choice. Please bring a hardcopy headshot and resume, stapled together.

LOCATION

Actors' Equity New York Audition Center
165 W 46th St
16th Fl
New York, NY 10036

PERSONNEL

Michael DeFilippis: Artistic Director & Director
Scott Gordon: Development Director
Hannah Jade Vickery: Producer

Expected to attend:
Claire Burke (Casting Director)
Michael DeFilippis (Director)

OTHER DATES

1st Rehearsal: January 4th, 2026
Opening: March 16th, 2026
Closing: May 2nd, 2026

OTHER

Venue: Theatre 555
EPA Procedures are in effect for this audition.
An Equity Monitor will be provided.

Equity's

CONTRACT

Always bring your Equity Membership card to auditions.

BREAKDOWN

THE MASTER BUILDER / THE LADY FROM THE SEA

SEEKING:

TRACK 1: Ellida Wangel (LADY FROM THE SEA): F, 28 - 38, any ethnicity. In her youth she secretly married a mysterious sailor who vanished, and has now married an older doctor in a remote northern Fjord town in an effort to fully move forward. Has lost a child. Haunted by a secret obsession, wracked with guilt, and beginning to entertain potentially magical relationships to reality - has worn a very composed and remote mask to hide this inner life that is starting to slip. We meet her as a rich and painful inner secret world makes its way into reality. Doubles as Aline (MASTER BUILDER): Wife to Halvard Solness. Has been living for many years in a state of suspended grief: the fire that started her husband's career ultimately killed her children and destroyed her family home. She blames herself for the death of her children. Has grown to deeply resent her husband and the life they lead - is aware of his affairs. Obsessed by the idea of doing her duty, and is beginning to hold suspicion that Halvard might not be in his right mind. A powerful but yielding presence - if Elizabeth Proctor weren't as forgiving.

TRACK 2: Dr. Wangel (LADY FROM THE SEA): M, 45 - 55, any ethnicity. Chief doctor of a remote Fjord region. Irresistibly drawn to Ellida. Has tried to make her into a conventional wife and mother to replace his first wife who died by suicide. Sincerely loves Ellida, but feels like a different animal. Upright, but not too strong. Not used to being challenged. Will double as the role of Halvard Solness (MASTER BUILDER): M, 48-60, any ethnicity. Brilliant and domineering architect who has risen from nothing over a long career to become the top man in his field. Has now all but wiped out any sense of competition, and lives in fear of youth coming to usurp him. Given that his personal happiness was the sacrifice for his success, he refuses to give up hold on his career. Secretly believes in a magical context of life, and is afraid of being perceived as insane. Spellbound by Hilda. Charismatic and captivating when he wants to be as a tactic, fearful and vulnerable with a bite when he lets his true colors show. Needs a powerful and vulnerable presence, with access to sincerity and manipulation.

TRACK 3: Bolete Wangel (LADY FROM THE SEA): F, 23 - 28, any ethnicity. Daughter to Dr. Wangel by his first marriage. Has taken over much of the house holding from her deceased mother. Tries hard to be diplomatic, responsible and kind, all while harboring a deep desire to leave the Fjord and travel the world and study. Disappointed in the false fantasy of her once beloved tutor. Thinks she may never leave, and some part of her has accepted this. Will double as the role of Kaja (MASTER BUILDER): F, 23-28, any ethnicity. Works in the home office of the master builder and is engaged to Ragnar, his apprentice and employee. In an affair with the master builder; she has become ready to give her life to their love, not knowing its shallow reason for existing on his side. Living a very dangerous double life with Ragnar that she doesn't know how to handle. Passionate, nervous, hungry for sexual intimacy, and can play a good act with ferocious and dangerous machinations of her own.

TRACK 4: Hilda Wangel (LADY FROM THE SEA): F, 18 + to play 17-24 any ethnicity. The 17 year old daughter of Dr. Wangel. Devilish, calculated, loves to be thrilled, pitiless, at times petulant and at her core desiring a mother. Observant and playful at the same time, loves to run experiments. Takes any opportunity she can to push the boundaries in considered ways. Despises something about ordinary and placid living. Will also play the same role (6 years later) in THE MASTER BUILDER: The same Hilda from LFS, roughly 6 years later, now 23/24. Hilde has tracked down Halvard Solness exactly 10 years after a meeting with him to make sure he fulfils a promise that he made to her under traumatizing circumstances. Has left home with no belongings or money. Completely bewitching, sure of her intentions, inscrutable. Impossible to tell when she's playing games, being serious, or putting on an act; at times speaks with the transfixed assurance of Joan of Arc, at others the petulant authority of Margaret of Anjou. Drawn completely to that which thrills her. Versatile who can age up and down.

TRACK 5: Ballested (LADY FROM THE SEA): M, 60-70, any ethnicity. Eclectic former actor and transplant in the town who is now a painter, hair dresser, dance instructor, tour guide and conductor. Strange transplant on the island who has become a local without ever really becoming a local. Mysterious in a clueless way, and dispenses wisdom just the same. Will double as Knut Brovik (MASTER BUILDER): M, 60-70, any ethnicity. Former master builder in the area, now the destitute employee of the Master Builder. Frail, sick, and living with a deep rage towards the master builder for his relentless putting down of Ragnar. A man of former power who was defeated and now still being defeated by a much more viscous, charismatic and powerful man than himself.

TRACK 6: Arnholm (LADY FROM THE SEA): M, 32-38, any ethnicity. 37 year old former tutor of Bolete who has come to town with the secret intention of asking her hand in marriage. Extremely intelligent and perceptive if somewhat traditional - has never married and is feeling desperate for love in a region where all potential partners are former students of his. His only love interest was Ellida whom he knew separately when they were younger. Is described as showing signs of aging, and looking slightly past his prime. MAY DOUBLE AS RAGNAR in THE MASTER BUILDER, OR UNDERSTUDY RAGNAR and DR. HERDAL.

TRACK 7: Lyngstrand (LADY FROM THE SEA): M, 28-38, any ethnicity. Strangely blunt and unaware, alive in his own world and clumsy in contact with the world around him, potentially a benign narcissist. A sickly man who doesn't know he's near death (though everyone else does), who dreams with rapt assurance of being a sculptor. Captivated by his own sense of mythic artistry in a very sincere way. Desperately wants connection with women but doesn't quite know that is something he wants, or how to pursue it. Former sailor who was on the ship with the stranger when it went down. MAY DOUBLE AS RAGNAR IN MASTER BUILDER, OR UNDERSTUDY RAGNAR and DR. HERDAL.

TRACK 8: The Stranger (LADY FROM THE SEA): M, 28 - 40, any ethnicity. The fixation of Ellida's imagination and fantasy; a mysterious figure from her past who speaks in certainties, darkly mystical and deeply earthy at the same time. A travelling sailor from Finmark who has spent his life at sea, and after murdering the captain of his ship, had to flee Norway and Ellida but not before an impromptu and secret wedding. Attracts and terrifies. Could be found in a Robert Eggers film. Must hold the presence and power that the mystery of the play relies on. MAY DOUBLE AS RAGNAR IN MASTER BUILDER, OR UNDERSTUDY RAGNAR and DR. HERDAL.

Ragnar Brovik (MASTER BUILDER): M, 28-38, any ethnicity. The son of Knut and employee to the master builder. Has been put down his entire career by the MB into believing he's untalented and incapable of being an architect in his own right, although he possesses great talent. Desperate for an opportunity to build while his sick father is still alive. Dutiful, resentful but polite and yielding, eventually deeply embittered. WILL DOUBLE AS EITHER STRANGER, ARNHOLM, or LYNGSTRAND in LADY FROM THE SEA.

Dr. Herdal (MASTER BUILDER): M, 35-42, any ethnicity. Written as an older man: in ours, a young doctor in the town, would have been a Freudian analyst if that existed at this point. In a secret alliance with Aline to determine if the master builder is sick in the mind. Plays a great act at cluelessness. Curious, helpful, powerful in the way therapists / analysts can be because of their position. Dedicated to Aline in a potentially not perfectly pure way. WILL UNDERSTUDY STRANGER, LYNGSTRAND, and ARNHOLM in LADY FROM THE SEA.

Off Stage Understudy 1: F, 23-28, any ethnicity: to understudy HILDA (both plays), Bolette, Kaja (see character

BREAKDOWN

Off Stage Understudy 2: M, 55-65, any ethnicity: to understudy MASTER BUILDER, Ballested, Knut (see character

BREAKDOWN

Off Stage Understudy 3: Will cover a combination of roles listed above, TBD.

Off Stage Understudy 4: Will cover a combination of roles listed above, TBD.