Open Auditions – Shakespeare’s “Twelfth Night”
May 5th, 6th: 7pm-9pm & Callbacks May 8th: 7pm-9pm
Eastbound Theatre Season,
Open Auditions,
Shakespeare in the Park
Milford Arts Council
Eastbound Theatre Season,
Open Auditions,
Shakespeare in the Park
Your schedule of conflicts with rehearsals (conflicts with shows cannot be accepted with casting).
If you have a headshot and resume, that would be helpful, but not required.
Twelfth Night is a Shakespearean comedy full of a colorful cast of characters. We are setting the show with a Pirates of the Caribbean twist. The show will feature yellow stockings (of course!), mistaken identities, music, madmen, and fools, and swashbuckling!
Here is a bit about the story – Viola, a young gentlewoman of Messaline, has been separated from her twin Sebastian via a shipwreck on the island of Illyria, dresses as a boy called “Cesario” and works for the local Duke Orsino, whom she falls in love with. Orsino is in love with the Countess Olivia, and sends Viola to court her for him, but Olivia falls for Viola instead. Sebastian arrives, causing a flood of mistaken identity, and marries Olivia. Viola then reveals she is a girl and marries Orsino.
Meanwhile there is a subplot with Olivia’s drunken uncle Sir Toby Belch, a gullible suitor Sir Andrew Aquecheek, and Olviai’s feisty gentlewoman Maria who play a cruel trick on Olivia’s staunch and stuck up steward Malvolio.
Begin mid-May and continue through July 11th. Weeknights, about 3 – 4 times a week.
In the beginning actors will not be called every night as we do scene work.
Closer to opening when we begin th run-throughs actors will be called 3 – 4 nights a week.
We are looking for performers of all backgrounds and levels of experience. While ages and genders are in the descriptions below, we are more than willing to cast based on ability.
Twelfth Night is a show that plays with gender. Although a certain role may be scripted in the original text as a certain gender, this does not mean that we are limiting casting to those genders.
We are looking to cast Malvolio and Feste as female presenting characters, Antonio/a can be played by any gender and present as any gender, and we are open to casting anyone of any gender for Viola. There are also three smaller ensemble roles that anyone can play. We are open to any ethnicity for any of the following roles, and actors of any ability.
Duke Orsino (male, 20 – early 50’s) – Duke of Illyria. Madly possessed with the idea of being in love – almost to a sickness. Blind in his love for Olivia and obsessed with gaining her affections that he misses the fact that his true love might be right in front of him. Becomes enraged when rejected.
Countess Olivia (female, 20 – 40’s) – Outwardly beautiful but cruel, unwavering, and stern due to grieving the loss of her brother and father. Pursued by Duke Orsino, although she rebuffs his attempts to woo her. She is taken aback when Viola (dressed as the boy Cesario) enters her world, and falls madly head over heels in love with Viola dressed as a man.
Viola (open to any gender auditioning for this role/20 = 40’s), a gentlewoman of Messaline. Shipwrecked in Illyria, and decides to dress herself as a boy in order to serve the Duke Orsino. She becomes entangled in a love triangle. She pines for Orsino, but must woo Olivia on Orsino’s behalf. At the same time, she believes her twin brother has perished in the shipwreck and is grieving his loss.
Maria (female, 30 – 50’s) – Olivia’s gentlewoman. Sexy, fiesty, and a true trickster. She flirts with Olivia’s uncle, and plots the teasing of Malvolio. (Please note: this character makes sexual references throughout the text, including a line where she has a man place his hand on her breast.)
Feste (female/any age) – Specifically looking for an actor who can sing and play an instrument. Feste is the go-between Olivia and Orsino’s houses. Feste sees through others’ lies and disguises. Loves to be merry, and loves money.
Malvolia (female/30’s – 50’s) – Olivia’s steward. stiff, self-important, and overly serious steward with a strong sense of propriety, who is easily tricked into believing he has a chance with his mistress, Olivia, leading to a hilarious and humiliating downfall.
Sebastian (male/20 – 40’s) – Viola’s twin brother Sensitive. Shipwrecked on the island of Illyria and believes his sister has drowned. Courageous, passionate, loyal, kind, and good-hearted, as well as reckless and impulsive. Falls in love with Olivia.
Antonio/a (any gender/20 – 40’s) – a pirate who rescues Sebastian from a shipwreck and is fiercely loyal to him, perhaps even in love.
Sir Toby Belch (male, 40 – 60’s) – Olivia’s uncle. A fun-loving, free-spirited drunk who doesn’t care much about social norms. Has a bit of a mean streak and doesn’t mind playing tricks on other characters.
Sir Andrew Aquecheek (male, 20’s – 40’s) – a knight, suitor to Olivia. A cheerful fop and a good-natured, silly, preening dandy. Extremely gullible. A partying friend of Sir Toby here to court Olivia. Useless but loveable.
Curio/1st Officer/1st Sailor (any gender/age) – Curio is a servant and musician in Duke Orsino’s court. Officer arresting Antonio. Sailor, shipwrecked on Illyria.
Valentine/2nd Officer/2nd Sailor (any gender/age) – Valentine is a servant and musician in Duke Orsino’s court. Has been sent back and forth to Olivia in attempt to woo Olivia. Arresting officer of Antonio. Sailor, one of the men shipwrecked on Illyria.
Sea Captain/Priest (any gender/age) – Sea Captain, shipwrecked along with Viola and other sailors. Offers to help Viola disguise herself as a boy and introduce her to Osrino’s court. Priest, hired by Olivia to solidify the marriage between her and Sebastian.
Auditions will consist of cold readings of sides from the show. If you have a prepared Shakespeare monologue, we will happily see it, but if not, you can feel free to just read from the sides, or prepare one of the monologues from the sides provided. No appointment necessary.
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