Actors Needed for "Twelfth Night" Play Audition

A young woman of aristocratic birth, and the play’s protagonist. Washed up on the shore of an island when her ship is wrecked in a storm, Viola decides to make her own way in the world. She disguises herself as a young man, calling herself “Cesario,” and becomes a page to Duke Orsino. She ends up falling in love with Orsino – even as Olivia, the woman Orsino is courting, falls in love with Cesario. Thus, Viola finds that her clever disguise has entrapped her.

A powerful nobleman on the island. Orsino is lovesick for the beautiful Lady Olivia but finds himself becoming more and more fond of his handsome new page boy, Cesario, who is actually Viola. A supreme egotist, Orsino mopes around complaining how heartsick he is over Olivia, when it is clear that he is chiefly in love with the idea of “being in love” and enjoys making a spectacle of himself.

A wealthy, beautiful and noble lady. Olivia is courted by both Orsino and Sir Andrew, but to each of them she insists that she is in mourning for her recently deceased brother and will not marry for seven years. Olivia and Orsino are similar characters in that each seems to enjoy wallowing in his or her own misery. Viola’s arrival in the guise of Cesario enables Olivia to break free of her self-indulgent melancholy.

Viola’s twin brother. With Sebastian arrives on the island, traveling with Antonio, his close friend and protector, he discovers that many people seem to think that they know him. Furthermore, Olivia, whom Sebastian has never met, wants to marry him. .

The head servant in the household of Olivia. Malvolio is very efficient but also very self-righteous, and has a poor opinion of drinking, singing and fun. His priggishness and haughty attitude earn him the enmity of Sir Toby, Sir Andrew and Maria, who play a cruel trick on him making him believe that Olivia is in love with him. In his fantasies about marrying his mistress, Malvolio reveals a powerful ambition to rise above his class.

The court jester of Olivia’s household. He/She moves between Olivia’s and Orsino’s homes, earning a living by making pointed jokes, singing old songs, being generally witty, and offering good advice cloaked under a layer of foolishness. In spite of being a professional fool, Feste often seems to be the wisest character in the play.

Olivia’s uncle. Olivia lets Sir Toby live with her, but does not approve of his rowdy behavior, practical jokes, heavy drinking, late-night carousing, or friends (especially Sir Andrew). But Sir Toby has an ally (and eventual mate) in Olivia’s sharp-witted Maria. Together, they bring about the triumph of fun and disorder, which Sir Toby embodies, and the humiliation of the self-righteous Malvolio.

Olivia’s clever, daring young serving woman, Maria is remarkable similar to her protagonist Malvolio who also harbors aspirations of rising in the world through marriage. However, Maria succeeds where Malvolio fails, perhaps because she is more in tune with actual human nature.

A friend of Sir Toby’s. He attempts to court Olivia, but he doesn’t stand a chance. He thinks that he is witty, brave, young, and good at languages and dancing, but he is actually a complete idiot.

A man who rescues Sebastian after his shipwreck. Antonio becomes very fond of Sebastian, caring for him, accompanying him about the island, and furnishing him with money – all because of a love so strong that it seems to be romantic in nature. When the principal characters marry at the end of the play, Antonio is left alone, his love for Sebastian unrequited.

Valentine and Curio – Two servants of Duke Orsino.

Valentine and Curio – Two servants of Duke Orsino.

A servant in Olivia’s household. He/She assists Maria and Sir Toby in their plot to humiliate Malvolio.

The sea captain who rescues Viola after the shipwreck. He/She helps Viola become a page to Duke Orsino and keeps her identity a secret.