Seeking Talent for "The Tempest" Stage Play
The company is holding auditions for The Tempest By William Shakespeare and looking for talent, please see the details below. About the project: The Tempest is: – a fantasy about magic and spirits, – a survival story about being shipwrecked on an uncharted island, – A drama about a dysfunctional family, and political intrigue, – A comedy that ridicules all of the above. This beloved Shakespearean classic has a little bit of everything: love, tragedy, revenge, drunken butlers, airy spirits, shipwreck, and wizardry. Prospero, a practitioner of the magical arts, and his young daughter Miranda are betrayed and stranded on an uncharted island, populated by a single islander, Caliban, and many spirits who delight in creating mischief. Through his wizardry, Prospero engineers a tempest, and a shipwreck which gives him the opportunity to exact revenge against those who wronged him. The play forces the characters and the audience to confront questions about redemption, forgiveness, reparations, and the power of love as a force for regeneration. Additional info: - Please download and fill out audition form and bring it with you to the audition. - You do NOT need to prepare a monologue. Wear comfortable clothes to audition. - Be ready to move (within your comfortable ability to do so), collaborate with others, and make bold choices. A headshot will be requested to be posted with the cast list. If you are interested, please apply.
16 roles
Ability/movement: On stage a lot. Must be able to climb stairs to the platform above the cave. Line burden: Heavy. Character: A magician, and the rightful ruler of Milan, whose title and property have been seized by a traitorous sibling. Prospero has found refuge on an unchartered island and has lived there (along with daughter Miranda) for 15 years, surviving by magically enslaving the spirits of the island. Prospero is a human in need of redemption.
Ability/movement: Must be able to climb stairs to the platform above her cave. Some romantic scenes with Ferdinand. Any intimacy will be carefully choreographed. Line Burden: Medium. Character: Prospero’s child. After living on the island since the age of 3, she is innocent, credulous, kind, empathetic, and wants to believe the best in people.
Ability/movement: comfortable with movement and dance. Must be able to run, leap, climb stairs, jump onto and off platforms. At least one of the Ariel actors should be comfortable singing a solo. Line burden: Medium. Character: Ariel is a spirit of the island, and therefore beyond age and gender.
(looking for ten dancers) Ability/movement: Dance! Line burden: none. Character: The spirits are the indigenous inhabitants of the island. Prospero, the magician, is tapping into their magic, and, by doing so, slowly destroying them, and the island. There are four large group dances, and also opportunities for individual spirits to watch the proceedings, from various perches onstage, and to enact the gradual destruction of the island.
(island spirits with beautiful singing voices). Ability/movement: These 3 might be chosen from the dancers, or they might double with the Boatswain and/or sailor, or they might be separate actors who come on only to sing solos at the wedding ceremony. As Iris, Ceres & Juno, they only need to sing. Any level of movement is fine.
Line burden: Medium. Ability/movement: Comfortable with physical comedy, and able to carry firewood. Down on the floor at times.
Ability/movement: Any. Line burden: Medium. Character: The ruler of Naples. Spends much of the play being sad, believing their child has died in the storm.
Ability/movement: Any. Line burden: Medium. Character: Prospero’s traitorous younger sibling who is now ruler of Milan. Antonio is powerful, and seductive, in the way that power is seductive. After nearly dying in the storm that strands them on the uncharted island, Antonio, rather than figuring out how to survive, or escape, convinces Sebastian to murder their own sibling, Alonso, the Ruler of Naples.
Ability/movement: Any. Line burden: Medium. Character: Alonso’s sibling. Easily led into planning Alonso’s murder. Not terribly bright.
Line burden: Medium. Ability/movement: This character should read as old. A wheelchair or cane would be great, but only if the actor actually uses such a mobility aid. Character: A wise, elderly counselor. Fifteen years ago, Gonzalo saved Prospero and Miranda’s lives when they were exiled. Now, Gonzalo tries to talk sense to the rest of the court, tries to keep their spirits up.
Ability/movement: Active. Line Burden: very light. Character: Part of Alonso’s court. They say very little, but must be present, alert, and physically active whenever the court is onstage. Looking for two inventive actors willing to explore the script and create texture for the story.
Ability/movement: Some light romance with Miranda. Intimacy will be carefully choreographed. Must be able to carry firewood. Character: Son of Alonso, ruler of Naples. During the storm, he is separated from the rest of the court, meets Miranda, and falls in love with her.
Ability/movement: Very active. Must be comfortable with crawling, climbing, scuffling, and general physical shenanigans. Character: Alonso’s butler. Arrives on the island drunk, continues to drink, and quickly becomes involved in a plot to murder Prospero.
Ability/movement: Very active. Must be comfortable with crawling, climbing, scuffling, and general physical shenanigans. Character: Alonso’s jester. When Stefano arrives with wine, Trinculo joins in the drinking, drinks to excess, then agrees to a plot to murder Prospero.
Line burden: light. Character: The highest ranking sailor in the play. Only in the first and last scene. Could possibly double with Juno, Ceres or Iris, or could be an actor who just wants a small role.
Line burden: light. Character: eponymous. Only in the first and last scene. Could possibly double with Juno, Ceres or Iris, or could be an actor who just wants a small role.
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