SUPERIOR DONUTS - Authenticity Theater Non Equity Auditions

SUPERIOR DONUTS Auditions - Non Union -
CLICK HERE FOR FULL INFO, AUDITION SIDE, AND SUBMISSION FORM

Submit your first-round video auditions for Authenticity Theater's upcoming production. DEADLINE FOR VIDEO SUBMISSIONS IS SUNDAY, JULY 26th at 11:59PM.

Superior Donuts is a warm, funny, and deeply human comedy-drama by Pulitzer Prize–winning playwright Tracy Letts that explores the fault lines of modern urban America. Set in a struggling donut shop in Chicago’s Uptown neighborhood, the play follows a weary former activist whose once-vibrant ideals have faded along with his business. When a bright, ambitious young Black writer arrives looking for work, the two men form an unlikely friendship that becomes the heart of the story.

First round auditions will be by video submission. Character monologue sides are available as PDFs. Please select and prepare one of these sides to submit, even if you are interested in more than one role. You will be asked to upload 1) Your current resume in PDF format; 2) Your most recent headshot in JPG or PNG format, and your audition video in MOV or MP4 format.

All submissions must be received by 11:59 PM on Sunday, July 26th. If selected for an in-person callback, those will be Monday August 3rd 7PM-10PM in Doraville, GA.

CLICK HERE FOR FULL INFO, AUDITION SIDES, AND SUBMISSION FORM

ARTHUR PRZYBYSZEWSKI (Male, 50s–70s) Arthur is the owner of Superior Donuts, a rundown Chicago donut shop inherited from his Polish immigrant family. A former 1960s idealist and Vietnam-era draft dodger, he now drifts through life in a haze of grief, regret, and stubborn routine. He’s intelligent, dryly funny, deeply observant, and emotionally guarded, often masking loneliness with sarcasm or detachment. Arthur can appear passive, but beneath that stillness is a complicated inner life and a fierce moral core. The actor must balance wit, melancholy, and humanity, revealing a man who seems worn down by life but is still capable of connection, humor, and unexpected tenderness.

FRANCO WICKS (Male, Black, early 20s) Franco is bright, restless, charismatic, and full of hustle. He arrives at Arthur’s shop looking for work and quickly becomes a disruptive, invigorating force in Arthur’s life. Franco is funny, fast-talking, imaginative, and deeply ambitious—an aspiring writer with a sharp mind and an instinct for reinvention. He’s also carrying real danger beneath the charm: pride, desperation, and a history of risky choices. The role requires energy, humor, emotional range, and a strong command of language. Franco should feel like someone who can light up a room and spin a dream in an instant, while still revealing the fear and vulnerability underneath.

OFFICER RANDY OSTEEN (Female, 30s–50s) Randy is a neighborhood police officer and longtime acquaintance of Arthur’s, with a warm, practical presence and a quietly persistent affection for him. She is grounded, capable, and emotionally open in a way Arthur is not. Randy has a dry sense of humor and a no-nonsense professionalism, but she also carries a softness and loneliness that make her deeply human. She is not flashy; her strength comes from steadiness, compassion, and emotional honesty. The actor should find the balance between humor and ache—Randy is someone who has learned to keep moving forward, even when love and life haven’t quite turned out the way she hoped.

OFFICER JAMES BAILEY (Male, Black, 20s–40s) James is Randy’s police partner: earnest, friendly, observant, and generally more by-the-book than Randy. He provides comic texture and a grounded outside perspective on the donut shop and its eccentric regulars. James is not a caricature cop; he should feel like a real neighborhood officer who knows the rhythms of the block and the people in it. He is decent, practical, and often bemused by what he walks into. This role works best with an actor who has strong comic timing and a natural, lived-in ease. James helps frame the world of the play and contributes to its sense of community.

MAX TARASOV (Male, 40s–60s) Max is the Russian owner of the neighboring business and one of Arthur’s few regular companions. Gruff, talkative, opinionated, and often very funny, Max represents the everyday storefront life of the neighborhood. He’s practical where Arthur is passive, and his bluntness can be both irritating and oddly affectionate. Max is a survivor—an immigrant businessman with strong opinions, street smarts, and a sense of how the world really works. The actor should bring specificity, rhythm, and personality without turning him into a stereotype. Max’s humor should feel rooted in truth and familiarity; he’s part of the ecosystem of the block and one of the voices constantly pulling Arthur toward life.

LUTHER FLYNN (Male, 30s–50s) Luther is a neighborhood bookie and loan shark with a deceptively easy manner. Charming, smooth, and outwardly controlled, he knows exactly how to use politeness as intimidation. Luther is not a loud brute; his menace lies in how calm and casual he can be while making it clear that he always expects to be paid. He understands power and enjoys wielding it. The actor should avoid cartoon villainy and instead lean into confidence, patience, and precision. Luther is dangerous because he doesn’t need to raise his voice. He brings real stakes into the world of the play and should feel like someone everyone knows not to underestimate.

KEVIN MAGEE (Male, 20s–40s) Kevin is Luther’s enforcer—a man whose physical presence does much of the talking for him. He is tough, watchful, and intimidating, with an unpredictability that makes him dangerous. Kevin doesn’t need to dominate the play verbally; his function is to embody the threat that backs up Luther’s charm. That said, he should still feel like a person, not just muscle. The role benefits from an actor who can project menace, volatility, and street-level realism while staying grounded in the world of the play. Kevin helps shift the tone from quirky neighborhood comedy to genuine danger, so his presence must raise the temperature whenever he appears.

LADY BOYLE (Female, 50s–70s) Lady is an eccentric neighborhood fixture who spends much of her time in the donut shop. She is talkative, odd, funny, and at times heartbreaking—a woman whose instability, loneliness, and alcohol use are worn publicly. In another play she might be comic relief, but in Superior Donuts she is also part of the social fabric of the neighborhood and a reminder of the people society overlooks. The actor should embrace her unpredictability, humor, and vulnerability without reducing her to a joke. Lady can be abrasive, inappropriate, and hilarious, but she must also feel deeply human: a person searching for comfort, attention, and dignity in a place that still lets her belong.

KIRIL IVAKIN (Male, 20s–40s) Kiril is Max’s nephew, an immigrant newly arrived in Chicago and still learning how to navigate the culture and language around him. He has an open, earnest quality and offers a contrast to the more hardened, cynical adults in the play. Kiril can be funny in his directness and sincerity, but he should never be played as naïve to the point of foolishness. He is trying to build a life, make sense of a new environment, and connect in a world that can be rough and confusing. The role benefits from warmth, specificity, and an ability to listen well onstage.

All roles will be paid a stipend.

• Rehearsals begin Tuesday September 8th. In general, rehearsals will be weekday evenings Mondays through Thursdays from 7pm-10pm.

• The specific rehearsal schedule will be finalized after casting to accommodate conflicts. Not all actors may be called for all rehearsals.

• All rehearsals will be held at Authenticity Theater's rehearsal space at 3125 Presidential Pkwy in Doraville off of Chamblee Tucker Road at I-85.

• Tech rehearsals are October 19, 20, and 21 at 7 Stages.

• Performances Thur-Sat October 22, 23, and 24 at 8pm. Sun October 25 at 2pm. Wed-Sat October 28, 29, 30, and 31 at 8pm. All performances at 7 Stages Backstage Theatre in Little Five Points.

If you have any additional questions or issues, please contact
auditions@authenticitytheater.org