The Contemporary Theatre of Ohio 2026-27 Season - Columbus, OH
Friday, March 6, 2026 — Riffe Center Studio Theatre, 77 S High St, Columbus, OH 43215-6108
10:00 AM - 6:00 PM (E)
Lunch 2:00 PM - 3:00 PM — Studio 3, 4th Floor. Street parking & statehouse parking garage available.
To schedule an audition appointment please email or call:
casting@thecontemporaryohio.org or
419-575-0927, Monday through Friday 9 AM - 5 PM.
Expected to attend:
$457 weekly minimum (SPT 3) - until 1/3/27. $470 weekly minimum (SPT 3) - after 1/14/27. See breakdown for production specific dates.
Website:
thecontemporaryohio.org
Equity actors for roles in The Contemporary Theatre of Ohio's 2026-27 Season (see breakdown). 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.
An accompanist will ONLY be provided on Saturday, March 7th, 2026. Always bring your Equity Membership card to auditions.
Be prepared to share a 1–2 minute contemporary monologue. You may also sing a brief cut in the style of music represented in JAGGED LITTLE PILL. Please bring sheet music in a binder.
First Rehearsal: August 18, 2026
First Preview: September 17, 2026
Opening: September 19, 2026
Closing: October 4, 2026
MARY JANE — she/her, white, 40s-50s, Vocal Range: F3–F5. Suburban mom desperately clinging to her “perfect” image while battling a drug addiction.
FRANKIE — she/her, Black, mid-teen, Vocal Range: F#3–F#5. A riot grrrl ready to fight for her beliefs, including (if not especially so) her own mother.
STEVE — he/him, white, 40s-50s, Vocal Range: A3–A5. Corporatized workaholic father, eager for a physical connection with his wife.
NICK — he/him, white, late teen, Vocal Range: Eb4–Bb5. An Ivy-League-to-be homegrown hero who struggles to know his true desires when others impose their expectations.
BELLA — she/her, any race/ethnicity, late teen, Vocal Range: F#3–A5. Liberal free spirit who aspires to go to art school; good friends with Nick.
JO — she/her, any race/ethnicity, mid-teen, Vocal Range: E3–G5. Lives for the chaos and the joke, always genuine and upfront; rebels against her very religious mother.
PHOENIX — he/him, any race/ethnicity, mid-teen, Vocal Range: E4–Bb5. The mysterious, sensitive new kid, who becomes close with Frankie and has a strong bond with his family.
ANDREW — he/him, white, late teen, Vocal Range: (D4) F#4–A5. Comes from a wealthy family considered ‘town royalty’. Likes to party while blind to the consequences.
JILL / As Cast — she/her, any race/ethnicity, 30s–60s, Vocal Range: Any. A suburban mom; doubles as a pharmacist.
COURTNEY / As Cast — she/her, any race/ethnicity, 30s–60s, Vocal Range: Any. A suburban mom; doubles as a receptionist.
DENISE / As Cast — she/her, any race/ethnicity, 30s–60s, Vocal Range: Any. A suburban mom; doubles as a teacher.
First Rehearsal: October 13, 2026
First Preview: November 5, 2026
Opening: November 7, 2026
Closing: November 22, 2026
SUZANNE — she/her, 40s–50s, white. Warm and gracious. Moved to Berkeley after college; raising her family and nurturing the school are her life’s work. Mother of Sebastian, Arlo, Izzy, Juniper, Tompkins, and Walden.
DON — he/him, 50s–early 70s, white. Head of school. A calming presence who fantasizes about returning to music teaching on difficult days. Has lived with his partner in the same rented in-law unit for 25 years; they do silent meditation retreats at Esalen.
CARINA — she/her, late 30s–40s, Black. A joiner whose parents were in the Foreign Service; grew up overseas. Her wife is from Berkeley; mother of Victor.
MEIKO — she/her, 30s–40s, biracial Asian/white (Hapa). Berkeley native; a landscape architect and single mother by choice to Olivia.
ELI — he/him, 30s–40s, white (Jewish or half-Jewish). Oblivious but well-meaning, former tech start-up worker who cashed out and now searches for meaning. Father of Tobias.
WINTER — 30s–50s, Person of Color. A parent. This is a walk-on role with no lines.
First Rehearsal: December 8, 2026
First Preview: December 10, 2026
Opening: December 11, 2026
Closing: December 20, 2026
Charles Dickens — THIS ROLE HAS BEEN CAST. The famous author who embodies all the characters within his iconic Christmas tale.
First Rehearsal: February 2, 2027
First Preview: February 25, 2027
Opening: February 27, 2027
Closing: March 14, 2027
Carter Smith — he/him, white, 30s. A former golden boy who is smart, sensitive, and a great teacher: charming, engaging, goofy.
Shelby Holcomb — she/her, any ethnicity, 16. Her brain works faster than her mouth, and people have always underestimated her.
Beth Powell — she/her, any ethnicity, 17. Nervous, ambitious, enthusiastic — like if Rory Gilmore and Paris Geller had a baby raised in the Deep South.
Nell Shaw — she/her, BIPOC, 16, from Atlanta. Grounded, sincere, curious, a good judge of character and a quick study.
Ivy Watkins — she/her, mixed-race or white, 17. Fiercely loyal and well-intentioned; from old Southern money. Resist playing her as a mean girl.
Raelynn Nix — she/her, any ethnicity, 16. A cheerleader type who has always lived by other people’s standards and was paying careful attention the whole time.
Mason Adams — he/him, any ethnicity, 17. He’s never really tried before and is surprised by how good it feels; earnest and affable.
Lee Turner — he/him, white, 16. A Carhartt-wearing good ol’ boy; deeply insecure and used to getting what he wants.
Bailey Gallagher — she/her, any ethnicity, mid to late 20s. School counselor; sweet and caring — this is her first real job out of college.
First Rehearsal: April 6, 2027
First Preview: April 29, 2027
Opening: May 1, 2027
Closing: May 16, 2027
Jean — he/him, 50s–60s, Haitian. A schoolteacher from Haiti who traveled to America with a dream. Yearns for love and becomes hardened for the sake of his son.
Jonah — he/him, 20s–30s, Haitian-American. An agnostic, queer PhD candidate pursuing a teaching career; yearns for intimacy and to embrace vulnerability.
Musician 1 — any pronouns, any age, any race/ethnicity. A singer/musician who aids in the language, dance, and music of the play.
Musician 2 — any pronouns, any age, any race/ethnicity. A second singer/musician who aids in the language, dance, and music of the play.
Videos
