The Pennsylvania Shakespeare Festival 2013 Season
– Equity Performer Auditions – Center Valley, PA LOA and SPT (both approval/salary level pending. 2012 minimum weekly salaries: SPT: $610; LOA: $670.
Producing Artistic Director: Patrick Mulcahy
Associate Artistic Director: Dennis Razze
Equity Performer Auditions:
Monday, January 7, 2013 Labuda Center for the Performing Arts
9 AM – 12:30 PM: Auditions with accompanist DeSales University Campus
1:30PM – 5 PM: Auditions without accompanist 2755 Station Avenue
Lunch from 12:30 – 1:30 Center Valley, PA
(Directions at
www.pashakespeare.org)
No appointment necessary. The producer will run all aspects of this call. Equity Performer Audition procedures are not in effect, and no Equity Monitor will be provided.
Please prepare one of the following two audition options:
A) Prepare a brief monologue from one of the plays, or a monologue that will illuminate your ability to play one of the roles. Actors auditioning for MEASURE FOR MEASURE or HENRY VIII should prepare a brief Shakespearean monologue,
or
B) Prepare 32 bars of a song and/or a 90-second monologue that will illuminate your ability to play a role in OKLAHOMA and/or MEASURE FOR MEASURE, HENRY VIII, THE 39 STEPS, or THE IMPORTANCE OF BEING EARNEST. If singing, bring sheet music; an accompanist will be provided only until 12:30.
Please bring a picture and resume, stapled together.
2013 Summer Season. All dates are in 2013. All listed roles available unless otherwise noted.
LOA productions:
OKLAHOMA - music by Richard Rodgers, book and lyrics by Oscar Hammerstein II. Director: Dennis Razze. Choreographer: Stephen Casey. Musical Director: Nathan Diehl.
1st rehearsal: May 21. Runs June 12 – June 30.
Curly - Age 20-30, a confident cowboy, handsome, charming leading man. Baritone (Range low C to high
F) A plus if he is also able to dance in dream ballet.
Laurey - Age 18-25, loves Curly. She is an innocent but spunky and headstrong farm girl. Soprano (low C
to high A). A plus if she is able to dance in the dream ballet.
Ado Annie - Age 18-25, Laurey’s best friend, fun loving good-time girl, flirtatious and gullible young girl. Must have strong comedic ability and be a strong dancer. Soprano (low C to high F)
Will Parker - Age 20-30. Hapless, not overly bright, young cowboy who loves Ado Annie. Must be a strong dancer. Baritone-tenor (low D to high F)
Judd Frye - Age 25-40. Strong actor, sullen, dangerous, and mysterious. A disturbed, troubled man with a powerful, brooding presence; a hired hand on Laurey’s farm. Bass-Baritone (low D to C#)
Ali Hakim - Age 25-35. Character actor/singer with comedic ability, a Syrian traveling peddler and con artist. Must be able to do middle-eastern accent.
Aunt Eller - Age 40-60. Matriarch of the local community, Laurey’s aunt and confidante. Feisty with a wry sense of humor, but is basically gentle and wise. Mezzo (low G to high F)
MEASURE FOR MEASURE by William Shakespeare. Director: Fontaine Syer.
1st rehearsal: June 7. Runs July 20 - August 4. In rep with THE IMPORTANCE OF BEING EARNEST.
Most actors will also play a role in The Importance of Being Earnest.
Angelo - 30's-early 40's. Attractive, slightly impressed with himself. Not a villain, but once he stumbles off his pedestal, he careens rapidly down the slippery slope.
Escalus - 60's+ Articulate, patient, extremely efficient at the level of jobs he has to deal with - but not really a leader.
Pompey - Quick, facile, able to save his own skin - repeatedly. An appealing rascal, quick to see where his bread is buttered.
Lucio: an outrageous character with a sliding scale of everything - values, ethics, friendship, responsibility, truth. He plays every situation and every moment for his own personal interest, but he's also fascinating in his constant self-promotion. Smart, witty, delightful at a dinner party, but don't rely on him for anything.
Isabella - 20's-early 30's. Lovely to look at, very smart, extremely committed in her beliefs. Loves her brother, but will not risk her immortal soul. Deep passions kept under control most of the time.
Marianna - wise and thoughtful, and her love for Angelo is strong and true. Deeply understands human weakness and error, passionately committed to redeeming Angelo, and her actions remind Isabella of the power of a generous spirit. Ideally in her 30's.
The Provost - a humane and intelligent man, whose loyalty and discretion are especially deep. He executes his duties well, but has surprising perceptions and understanding about character and intention in others. Ideally over 50, certainly over 40.
The following roles are CAST. Auditioning performers will be considered as possible replacements, should any become necessary.
Vincentio, the Duke - 50's-early 60's. Private man, though full of surprises. Intelligent and experienced in the ways of humanity.
Mistress Overdone - late 40's-early 50's. Raunchy, smart business woman. Her business is whorehouses, and she's very good at it - and has been for quite some time.
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THE IMPORTANCE OF BEING EARNEST by Oscar Wilde. Director: Jim Helsinger.
1st rehearsal: June 7. Runs July 12 - August 4. In rep with MEASURE FOR MEASURE.
NOTE: All actors will need excellent British accents and ability to move with the style and grace expected in the Victorian era. All actors will also play a role in MEASURE FOR MEASURE.
John (Jack) Worthing - Male. 20’s- 30’s. A young, eligible bachelor about town. Comic. Leading man. Handsome.
Algernon Moncrieff - Male. 20’s- 30’s. A young, eligible bachelor about town. Good comic with a sarcastic bite. A languid poser of the leisure class, bored by conventions and looking for excitement.
Gwendolen Fairfax - Female. 20’s. Beautiful and witty ingenue. Statuesque. Lady Bracknell's daughter, exhibits the sophistication and confidence of a London socialite, believes style to be more important than sincerity.
Cecily Cardew - Female. 20’s. (18 in script) Beautiful and witty with a country charm. Jack Worthing's ward. A romantic, imaginative, and naïve girl, she declares that she wants to meet a "wicked man."
Rev. Canon Chasuble, D.D. – Male. 50’s. Character Man. The local, benevolent reverend, but beneath the religious exterior, his heart beats for Miss Prism.
Lane – Male 50-60. Servant of Algernon and Jack. Lane says soothing and comforting things to his employer but stays within the neutral guidelines of a servant. He aids and abets the lies of Algernon.
Merriman – Male 40-60. Servant to Jack at his country house. He does not comment on his "betters," but solemnly watches their folly. His neutral facial expressions during crisis and chaos are the key to his comedy.
The following roles are CAST. Auditioning performers will be considered as possible replacements, should any become necessary.
Lady Bracknell - Female (but played by a male actor in drag). 50’s-60s. Gwendolen’s mother and Algernon’s aunt. She refuses to allow the marriage of Gwendolen and Jack. Overbearing and regal.
Miss Prism - Female. 40s-50s. The governess of Cecily. She is secretly in love with Rev. Chasuble.
SPT productions:
THE 39 STEPS adapted by Patrick Barlow, from the novel by John Buchan. Director: Matt Pfeiffer.
1st rehearsal: May 28. Runs June 21 – July 14.
The following roles are CAST. Auditioning performers will be considered as possible replacements, should any become necessary.
Richard Hannay (35-45 man). A lost and lonely man, who desperately wants to find his pace in the world. He's confident, yet bumbling. He has all the makings of a dashing leading man, but it takes him a while to grow into the part. Must be good with language and physical comedy.
Clowns 1 & 2 (30-45 Man). Playful actors capable of inhabiting multiple roles. They must become everything from silly farmers to evil geniuses. Must be good with accents, playing various genders, and have excellent physical comedy skills.
Annabella Schmidt/Margret/Pamela - (25-35 Women) A beautiful and mysterious women with great comic skill. All three roles require very different personalities, but tremendous confidence. The characters run the gamut of damsel in distress to the femme fatale. Must be strong with accents and physical comedy.
HENRY VIII by William Shakespeare. (no director – Elizabethan rehearsal model)
1st rehearsal: July 19. Runs July 24 – August 4.
Henry VIII – 30s-40s – An autocratic monarch who breaks with Rome and ousts cardinals and queens to make way for his marriage to Anne Bullen (Boleyn)
Cardinal Wolsey – 50s-60s - the all-powerful Lord Chancellor, he justifies the King’s divorce from Katherine. A foolish political move leads to his downfall.
Thomas Cranmer – 30s-60s – he becomes Archbishop of Canterbury and approves Henry’s divorce.
Duke of Norfolk – 30s-60s – a powerful nobleman who presides over Buckingham’s trial.
Duke of Buckingham – 30s-50s – a manipulative nobleman whose father was executed by Richard III.
Lord Chamberlain – 40s-60s - A senior official who presides at the King’s court
Queen Katherine – 40s – courageous, determined, dignified.
Anne Bullen – 20s-30s – a lady in waiting who catches the King’s eye and becomes the new Queen.
Theatre’s statement: “Equity members of all ethnic backgrounds are encouraged to attend.”
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