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2023 Audition Information

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July 2 

12:00PM - 4:00 PM 
5:00PM - 9:00PM 

A representative from each show will be present, but the lead director may not be attending both sessions. Contact max.a.mccreary@gmail.com for further details.

July 3

7:00PM - 10:00PM

Auditions held at Arts for Lawrence - 8920 Otis Avenue, Lawrence, IN, 46216
 

All Auditions are Appointment Only. Arrange your appointment by contacting max.a.mccreary@gmail.com

GENERAL INFO

 
THE SHOWS
 
Troilus and Cressida directed by Zachariah Stonerock - October 6-15@ The Cat

As You Like It directed by Ryan Shelton and Ron Richards - October 6-15 @ Mud Creek Theatre

A Bold Stroke for a Husband directed by Max Andrew McCreary - October 20-29 @ The Shelton Auditorium 

Medea directed by Natalie Fischer - October 20-29 @ The IndyFringe Basile Theatre

Titus Andronicus directed by Matt Anderson - October 20-29 @ The IndyFringe Indy Eleven Theatre 


Hedda Gabler directed by Chris Saunders - November 3 - 12 @ Arts for Lawrence

 


WHAT TO PREPARE
 
All actors should prepare a classical monologue between 1 and 2 minutes in length. Actors may be asked to cold read sides or opposite another performer. In this instance, a reader will be provided for you. 
 

COMPENSATION
 
All cast members will be offered a small honorarium, determined on a profit-share model. The profit pool is shared between As You Like It, Troilus and Cressida, Medea, and Titus Andronicus
Hedda Gabler and A Bold Stroke for a Husband will operate from their own pools. Honorariums are dependent upon attendance and will not likely exceed $100.


 
WHAT'S AVAILABLE?
A few roles have been pre-cast but most are still available across projects. View the individual show listings below for more information about the rehearsal timeline and available roles.

Troilus and Cressida

AVAILABLE ROLES

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OCTOBER 6 - 15 
The Cat Theatre - 254 Veterans Wy, Carmel, IN 46032

Shakespeare’s merciless satire of the heroes of the Trojan war is hilariously absurd, hopelessly sad, and really, really gross. Helen, the world’s most beautiful woman, has been taken from her Greek husband by a Trojan prince, causing a years-long war that has turned the outskirts of the city of Troy into a literal trash heap. In Troy, Cressida and Troilus are beginning a passionate romance, with the help of Cressida’s lewd uncle Pandarus. When Cressida is forced to live among the Greeks, she must decide if she will be faithful to Troilus. But in a world where love equals ownership and a man’s pride and masculinity are determined by whom he possesses, does she have any kind of choice at all?

 

Content Advisory: staged intimacy, bathroom humor and jokes about STIs, abusive language and slut shaming, suggestion of sexual assault, extreme violence in hand-to-hand combat, torture. A relationship coordinator will help manage intimacy and create a consensual and affirming environment in the rehearsal room.

*Please note that gender and other descriptors apply to the character and not necessarily the actor portraying said character. It’s not necessary that actors playing family members look alike. The actor should affect how we see the role; the role should not limit how we choose an actor. Actors of all races, ethnicities, genders, ages, and abilities are encouraged to audition and will be considered.

A NOTE ON IDENTITY

A NOTE ON THE CLASSICS

*Please also note that there are many different versions of these characters that can be found in Homer, Virgil, Chaucer, and other places, but we’re gonna go with whatever works best for a dark and satirical William Shakespeare play presented in the 21st century - so please, no pre-conceived notions from something you were forced to read in your freshman literature class.

  • CRESSIDA (woman, 20s)

    • A Trojan whose father has defected to the Greeks…in love with Troilus, but hesitant to show it …witty and funny…worldly but vulnerable…the smartest person in the play

  • TROILUS (man, 20s)

    • A Trojan, the youngest son of King Priam…in love with Cressida…insecure due to his lack of romantic and sexual experience…very jealous and probably conflates loving a woman with possessing her…a hothead and a good fighter

  • ULYSSES (man, 30s-60s)

    • A Greek commander…comes up with a scheme to manipulate Achilles into fighting again…intelligent and cunning…likes to hear himself talk

  • THERSITES (maybe non-binary or gender-fluid, but could be any gender and any age)

    • A Greek slave who serves as an extremely cynical chorus for the play…think the fool character from Lear and other plays, but meaner and more perverted…MIGHT DOUBLE WITH THE ROLE OF HELEN

  • HELEN (woman, 20s-40s)

    • Helen of Troy, the face that launched a thousand ships…the subject of much debate throughout the play…

  • HECTOR (man, 30’s-40s)

    • A Trojan, Priam’s eldest son…a warrior and one bad MFer…probably the most honorable man in the play, which isn’t saying much…doesn’t listen to his wife a la Julius Caesar

  • ACHILLES (man, 20s-40s)

    • The Greek’s best warrior…arrogant and defiant of the Greek commanders…refuses to fight when things don’t go his way…probably has a sexual relationship with Patroclus, another Greek warrior…not above a little cold-blooded murder

  • AGAMEMNON (man, 40s-70s)

    • General of the Greeks…attempts to control the increasingly restless Greek camp…not too bright…ridiculously tries to maintain decorum in the midst of war…relies on Ulysses for any good ideas…DOUBLES WITH THE ROLE OF PRIAM

  • PRIAM (man, 50s-80s)

    • King of Troy…ineffectual…DOUBLES WITH THE ROLE OF AGAMEMNON

  • PARIS (man, 20s-30s)

    • A Trojan, one of Priam’s sons…”stole” Helen from Menelaus and started this whole thing…selfish…a bit of a dandy…DOUBLES WITH THE ROLE OF MENELAUS

  • MENELAUS (man, 30s-40s)

    • A Greek commander, brother of Agamemnon…”lost” Helen to Paris and is really pissy about it…desperate and therefore dangerous…DOUBLES WITH THE ROLE OF PARIS

  • AENEAS (man, 30s-50s)

    • A Trojan commander…serves as a messenger between the Trojans and Greeks…Errol Flynn energy

  • AJAX (man, 20s)

    • A Greek warrior…prideful and boastful...eager to prove himself…the stupidest person you have ever met…seriously, a complete nimrod…DOUBLES WITH THE ROLE OF ALEXANDER

  • ALEXANDER (man, 20s)

    • Cressida’s servant and/or BFF…funny and clever…gossips with Cressida…DOUBLES WITH THE ROLE OF AJAX

  • DIOMEDES (man, 20s-40s)

    • A Greek commander or warrior…”seduces” Cressida in the Greek camp…crude and unrefined, but not unintelligent…has a pretty ugly view of women, even for this play

  • PATROCLUS (man, 18-20s)

    • A Greek warrior…probably Achilles’ lover…enables Achilles’ pride and defiance…not the sharpest knife in the drawer…

  • ANDROMACHE (woman, 20s-40s)

    • Hector’s wife…begs Hector not to go into battle after dreaming of his death…smart, patient, and wise, so of course no one listens to her

SYNOPSIS

As You Like It

AVAILABLE ROLES

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OCTOBER 6 - 15 
Mud Creek Theaer- 9740 E.86th Street, Indianapolis, IN, 46256 

  • Orlando- presents as male- 20’s to 30’s

    • Orlando is looking to secure his future as he falls in love with Rosalind. Escaping his brother, he heads into the woods only to find Rosalind dressed a boy but still succeeds in wooing her.

    • Passoniate/Heroic/Tender underneath

    • Commedia Character: Flavio

  • Oliver/Sir Martext/Duke Frederick- presents as male- 40’s to 60’s

    • Oliver is Orlando’s mean-spirited brother who denies Orlando’s inheritance. Duke Frederick has taken over the kingdom from his brother and is on the hunt for disloyalty.

    • Sinister/Shrewd/lacks Self-Respect

    • Commedia Character: Pantalone

  • Duke Senior- presents as male- 50’s to 70’s

    • Exiled by his brother, Duke Senior leads his retinue with grace and dignity.

    • Dignified/Learned/Confident

    • Commedia Character: Ill Dotore

  • Celia/Aliena- presents as female- 20’s to 30’s

    • Celia escapes her uncle with her cousin Rosalind into the forest and helps her woo her love. Celia enjoys the local community and finds great mirth.

    • Clever/Loyal/Aggressive/Funny

    • Commedia Character: Columbina

  • Lord/Lady Amiens- either gender- 30’s to 60’s

    • Amiens can speak truthfully with Duke Senior and grows weary of Jacques at times.

    • Loyal/Quick Witted/Desires to be Brave

    • Commedia Character: Scarramucia

  • Rosalind/Ganymede- presents female- 20’s

    • Rosalind is driven from her uncle’s court just as she finds her true love in Orlando. Setting out into the woods disguised as a boy, Rosalind finds Orlando and has him “pretend” to woo her.

    • Determined/Well Spoken/Earnest

    • Commedia Character: Isabella

  • Corin- presents male- 50’s to 70’s

    • Corin is an old shepherd, who tries to deal with the younger Silvius and his love issues.

    • Slow/Earnest/Exasperated/brunt of the Joke

    • Comedia Character: Pucinella

  • Sivilius- presents male- 20’s to 30’s

    • Silvilius stays in love with Phebe no matter how she abuses him.

    • Earnest/Passionate/Hapless/Shy

    • Commedia Character: Pierrot

  • Phebe- presents female- 20’s to 30’s

    • Phebe spurns Sivilius advances and falls in love with Rosalind dressed as Ganymede.

    • Aggressive/Flighty

    • Commedia Character: Lavinia

  • Aubrey- presents female- 30’s to 50’s

    • Aubrey falls for Touchstone’s wordy advances and goes along for the absurd ride.

    • Simple/Passionate/Easy Going

    • Commedia Character: Flaminia

SYNOPSIS

This unique version of As You Like It will combine the slapstick and characters of Commedia dell’Arte with the witty repartee and depth of Shakespeare. Surrounded by fools and villains, Rosalind and her cousin escape into the forest and find Orlando, Rosalind's love. Disguised as a boy shepherd, Rosalind has Orlando woo her under the guise of "curing" him of his love for Rosalind. Rosalind, the sheperd, and the fool marry and celebrating ensues. As You Like It is a story of identify, love, and mayhem. Ron Richards is directing the blocking and character development and Ryan Shelton is directing the physical comedy.

A Bold Stroke for a Husband

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OCTOBER 20 - 29
The Shelton Auditorium - 1000 W 42nd St, Indianapolis, IN 46208

Olivia’s father, Don Caesar, is determined to see her wed, but with her heart set on the elusive Don Julio, Olivia and her lady’s maid Minetta must use their wit to fend off an increasingly ridiculous stream of would-be suitors. Meanwhile, Olivia’s cousin Victoria sets a plot of her own. Disguised as the charming and roguish Florio, Victoria fights to save her household… by seducing Laura, the woman who stole the heart of her wayward husband. Filled with equally sharp word and swordplay, this silly, compassionate, and shockingly contemporary exploration of honesty and agency reminds you how fun it can be to fight for what you believe in. 

A note on Gender: Actors of any gender may be considered for any role. While it is not necessary that the performers be women, the actors playing Olivia, Victoria,  Laura, and Marcella should relate to a feminine identity. Actors playing Don Carlos and Don Julio should relate to a masculine identity. Gender may be a less-salient identity for the remaining characters. 

A note on Ethnicity: Actors of every race and ethnicity are strongly encouraged to audition for this production. All casting will be done race-consciously. If you have questions about what that might mean for the world of this show, please reach out to director Max McCreary at max.a.mccreary@gmail.com

A NOTE ON IDENTITY

AVAILABLE ROLES - All

  • OLIVIA - Character is a woman - 20s - 30s

    • Desperately working not to be married off to anyone other than Julio | Brilliant | Manipulative | A little Socially Anxious | Loves but does not understand Victoria.

  • VICTORIA - Character is a woman - 30s - 50s

    • Olivia’s cousin | Working to save her household by winning back the estate Carlos gave Laura | Incredibly brave | some stage combat experience preferred. 

  • MINETTA - character is a woman - 20’s - 40’s 

    • Olivia’s lady’s maid who supports her in her adventures | Sneaky | Intuitive | Hates to be kept out of a secret

  • DON CAESAR - character is a man - 50’s - 60’s 

    • Stern but passionate | Cares for his daughter, but is desperate to see her married | A bit of buffoonery and braggadocio

  • DON CARLOS - character is a man - 30’s - 50’s 

    • Victoria’s Husband | Resentful | Regretful of leaving Victoria | Working to retrieve an estate that he gifted Laura 

  • LAURA - Character is a woman - 20’s - 50’s 

    • Lascivious | In love with Florio | Clever and perhaps a little bit vindictive

  • DON JULIO - Character is a man - 20’s - 30’s 

    • Summoned to Madrid by a beautiful “Incognita “ (Olivia) | Smooth-talker… but at least a little earnest about it | Falls in love easily… especially with Olivia

  • GARCIA - Character is a man - 20’s - 40’s 

    • Principled | Snippy | Believes that there is a correct way for women to behave | Goes to great lengths to be proven right | Wooing (?) Olivia 

  • VINCENTIO - Character is a man - 20’s - 40’s 

    • A musician to a fault | Flowery and ridiculous | A cad with… unique tastes | Queer coded | Wooing Olivia

  • GASPAR - Character may present any gender - 30’s - 60’s 

    • Don Caesar’s Valet | Helps  | Shady | A performer | Helps Victoria save the day | Super Queer Coded 

  • MARCELLA - Character is a woman - Teens - 20’s 

    • A young girl, pretending to be engaged to Don Caesar | Sneaky | Believes in girl power 

  • INIS - Character may present any gender - Teens - 60’s  

    • A servant in Don Caesar’s household | Frequently tied up in other people’s business 

  • VASQUEZ - Character may present any gender - 30’s - 60’s 

    • Marcella’s family member | Tries to make a match between Marcella and Don Caesar

SYNOPSIS

Medea

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OCTOBER 20 - 29
IndyFringe Basile Theatre - 719 E. St. Clair St., Indianapolis, IN 46201

AVAILABLE ROLES - All

  • NURSE - Character is a Woman - 30s-40s

    • (an aged servant of Medea since childhood)

  • ● PAIDAGOGOS - Character is a Man - 20s-40s

    • (an aged servant attending the children)

    • Double as messenger

  • ● MEDEA - Character is a Woman - 20s-early 40s

    • a princess from Colchis, Jason’s first wife

  • CHORUS - Characters are Women - 20s-30s

    • 4 women who play as Medea’s thoughts and help lead Medea in the plot

    • Will also be voices of the children

  • KREON, king of Corinth - Character is a Male - 40s-50s

  • JASON of Iolcus - Character is a Male - 20s-early 40s

    •  recently married to Kreon’s daughter 

  • AIGEUS - Character is a Male 30s-early 40s

    • king of Athens

SYNOPSIS

A NOTE ON IDENTITY

Medea is set in the ancient Greek city-state of Corinth. Jason, the son of King Aeson of Iolcus, has left his wife, Medea princess of Colchis and their two sons to marry the princess of Corinth. Medea is enraged from being dishonored and abandoned so she sets out a plan to get revenge. In this version, The Chorus serves as the thoughts of Medea and the voice of women in society. King Creon arrives to order Medea and the children into exile, because he fears Medea will harm his daughter. After Medea begs to remain for one day, the king grants her wish. Jason appears to say that Medea deserves her exile for slandering the royal house. Jason claims he did more for her than she for him and says he's marrying the princess to give his children financial security. As the plot continues, Medea’s goal for revenge grows stronger as she sacrifices much of herself to claim justice. This timeless story has themes of revenge, justice and what it means to be a woman in a patriarchal society.

Many of the ages represented below in the character description may be open to changing. Even though characters have genders listed below, all genders are open to audition. The roles

of Medea, Chorus and Nurse should relate to femininity and feel comfortable portraying femininity. The roles of Kreon, Jason and Aigeus should relate to masculinity and feel comfortable portraying masculinity. Please note that ALL bodies, genders, races and ethnicities who have the desire to audition

will be considered for the roles they are auditioning for. Please feel free to reach out to the director, Natalie Fischer at nataliefischer98@gmail.com for any questions you may have.

Titus Andronicus

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AVAILABLE ROLES

  • TITUS ANDRONICUS – An aging Roman general who gets caught up in an escalating battle of familial revenge and murder. At the beginning of the play, he is fiercely devoted to the letter of the law… by the end of the play, he is feigning madness to exact his final act of vengeance and horror.

  • TAMORA – Queen of the Goths, captured by Titus and given to new emperor Saturninus, then taken by Saturninus to be his new bride. Extremely cunning and manipulative.

  • AARON – A Moor in a secret relationship with Tamora. Dark-skinned, Aaron has been the subject of racism his whole life, which has made him who he is today. Aaron crafts much of the revenge plot from Tamora to Titus, and coaxes a number of the other characters to do as he wishes.

  • CHIRON and DEMETRIUS – Tamora’s sons. They lust after Lavinia, and Aaron convinces the brothers to take her by force and afterwards mutilate her. Ignorant, immature, volatile, horrible.

  • ALARBUS – Another of Tamora’s sons, killed by order of Titus in the first scene of the play. This sets off the cycle of revenge between Tamora and Titus.

  • SATURNINUS – Elder son of the late emperor; becomes the new emperor by order of Titus. Petty, entitled, and rather unintelligent, Saturninus wants to be emperor merely because he feels it’s his right.

  • BASSIANUS – Younger son of the late emperor, betrothed to Lavinia. Murdered by Tamora’s sons after discovering and mocking her affair with Aaron.

  • LAVINIA – Daughter of Titus. Mid-play, her hands are cut off and tongue cut out in an act of brutality by the sons of Tamora; for the remainder of the show, she does not speak. The actress portraying Lavinia will ideally possess a beautiful singing voice, and must be extremely skilled in acting via facial expressions and physical movements.

  • LUCIUS – Eldest son of Titus, eventually exiled while trying to save his brothers from being killed. Becomes leader of the Goths and ultimately crowned new emperor of Rome, one of the only characters to survive to the end of the play.

  • YOUNG LUCIUS – A child: son of Lucius, grandson to Titus. Shares a very special bond with his aunt Lavinia. In this edit of the script, Young Lucius has no lines; at times, other characters interrupt when he is about to speak.

  • MARTIUS and QUINTUS – Two more of Titus’ sons, framed by Aaron and subsequently killed as a result.

  • MARCUS ANDRONICUS – Brother to Titus, and tribune to the people of Rome. Often is the voice of reason, but also vows to assist Titus and his family in vengeance against Tamora.

  • NURSE – An assistant to Tamora, who helps deliver a baby that turns out to be the product of the affair between Tamora and Aaron.

  • TWO SERVANTS – These characters have no lines in the play; they bring props and set pieces on and off stage, open and close curtains, and perform certain actions upon orders of others. However, the servants are not merely stagehands; they are characters that have opinions about everything that occurs, but they nevertheless choose to remain silent and question nothing.

OCTOBER 20 - 29
IndyFringe Indy Eleven Theatre - 719 E. St. Clair St., Indianapolis, IN 46201

SYNOPSIS

Bombastic and Bloodthirsty, Titus Andronicus is the OG revenge flick. When Roman general Titus Andronicus has a prisoner of war killed as a ritual sacrifice, the victim’s mother vows vengeance against Titus… which sets off a cycle of revenge that drives the action of the rest of the show. Throats are slit; hands, heads and tongues are cut off; people are baked into pies and eaten; this is Shakespeare’s bloodiest play, and as such it is not often produced. However, these horrors written hundreds of years ago are just as relevant today, in a nation and a world that feels more violent and broken than ever. This production aims to lean into the violence and blood, testing the limits of what we can pull off onstage, while simultaneously questioning why generation after generation continues to perpetuate such atrocities.

A NOTE ON IDENTITY

For questions about the salience of a character's identity, or if you would be eligible for a particular role, please contact director Matt Anderson at naked_mole_rats@hotmail.com

Hedda Gabler

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NOVEMBER 3 - 12
Arts for Lawrence - 8920 Otis Avenue Lawrence, IN 46216

AVAILABLE ROLES 

  • GEORGE TESMAN - Character is a man - 20s - 30s

    • Recently married to Hedda, he is most passionate about his work as a research fellow.

  • MISS JULIA TESMAN - Character is a woman - 50s - 70s

    • George's aunt. Only interested in the happiness of George and the expectation of children from him and Hedda. 

  • MRS. ELVSTED - Character is a woman - 20’s - 30’s 

    • A schoolmate of Hedda and a former acquaintance of George, in an unhappy marriage. Initially seems passive and nervous but actually possesses considerable courage and integrity. 

  • JUDGE BRACK - Character is a man - 30’s - 50’s 

    • A family friend who seeks an affair with Hedda. Savvy and unscrupulous.

  • EILERT LOVBORG - character is a man - 20’s - 30’s 

    • George's former colleague and now someone with whom George competes for publications and a teaching position. Eilert was once in love with Hedda. Brilliant and self-destructive. Vulnerable.

  • BERTA - character is a woman - 20’s - 40’s 

    • Longtime servant to the Tesman's. Sees everything and keeps score. 

The role of Hedda is being cast at a smaller audition prior to general auditions - please contact Chris Saunders with questions.

SYNOPSIS

'Hedda Gabler' shocked the world in the 1800s and it still does today. 

What happens to a person without agency? Hedda believes the world can be beautiful, passionate and stimulating. She is thrilled by the possibilities. But it's becoming clear that none of these possibilities are options for Hedda. She tries to gain control of anything in any way that she can. She is desperate to have an impact - for her existence to matter. She explores different sides of herself with each of the characters. No one is faultless in this world, and each person harms the next. A story about our individual need to connect, to matter, and to survive. The Jon Robin Baitz adaptation of this classic play is complex and electrifying. The production will use a mix of period and contemporary aesthetics to emphasize the timelessness of these themes and struggles.

A NOTE ON IDENTITY

For questions about the salience of a character's identity, or if you would be eligible for a particular role, please contact director Chris Saunders at chris@americanlivestheatre.org

What to do if you can't attend the general auditions

 
1. Don't Fret! 

2. Submit a recording of yourself performing your speech to firstfolioplayers@gmail.com 


In that video: 
a) Make sure we can see your whole self (head to toe) 
b) Make sure what you send to us is one complete take and is not edited together. 
c) Before you perform tell us: Your name, your personal pronouns, your height, whether you are interested in roles that are exclusively men, women, non-binary, or any combination of those preferences.

3. Fill out the copy of the audition form we will send to you and return it with your information and signature.

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