Actors and Actresses Needed for 2025 Season Shows

A “pleasantly-spirited” lady, with a very sharp tongue. She is generous and loving, but, like Benedick, continually mocks other people with elaborate jokes and puns. She wages a war of wits against Benedick and often wins the battles. At the outset of the play, she appears content never to marry. "Much Ado About Nothing"

Benedick is very witty, always making jokes and puns. He carries on a “merry war” of wits with Beatrice, but at the beginning of the play he swears he will never fall in love or marry. "Much Ado About Nothing"

Claudio falls in love with Hero upon his return to Messina. His unfortunately suspicious nature makes him quick to believe evil rumors and hasty to despair and take revenge. "Much Ado About Nothing"

The beautiful young daughter of Leonato and the cousin of Beatrice. Hero is lovely, gentle, and kind. She falls in love with Claudio when he falls for her, but when Don John slanders her and Claudio rashly takes revenge, she suffers terribly. "Much Ado About Nothing"

An important nobleman from Aragon, sometimes referred to as “Prince.” Generous, courteous, intelligent, and loving to his friends, but he is also quick to believe the evil of others and hasty to take revenge. "Much Ado About Nothing"

A respected, well-to-do, noble who owns the hotel. Leonato is the father of Hero and the uncle of Beatrice, but could be played as mother/aunt. "Much Ado About Nothing"

The illegitimate brother of Don Pedro; sometimes called “the Bastard.” Don John is melancholy and sullen by nature, and he creates a dark scheme to ruin the happiness of Hero and Claudio. He is the villain of the play. "Much Ado About Nothing"

The bellhop of Messina. Dogberry is very sincere and takes his job seriously, but he has a habit of using exactly the wrong word to convey his meaning. Dogberry is one of the few “middling sort,” or middle-class characters, in the play, though his desire to speak formally and elaborately like the ‘noblemen’ becomes an occasion for parody. "Much Ado About Nothing"

Hero’s serving woman, who unwittingly helps Borachio and Don John deceive Claudio into thinking that Hero is unfaithful. Unlike Ursula, Hero’s other lady-in-waiting, Margaret is lower class. Though she is honest, she does have some dealings with the villainous world of Don John: her lover is the mistrustful and easily bribed Borachio. Also unlike Ursula, Margaret loves to break decorum, especially with bawdy jokes and teases. "Much Ado About Nothing"

Borachio is the lover of Margaret, Hero’s serving woman. He conspires with Don John to trick Claudio and Don Pedro into thinking that Hero is unfaithful to Claudio. His name means “drunkard” in Italian, which might serve as a subtle direction to the actor playing him. "Much Ado About Nothing"

"Much Ado About Nothing"

"Much Ado About Nothing"

"Much Ado About Nothing"

"Much Ado About Nothing"

"Much Ado About Nothing"

The protagonist and narrator of the story. Emma is described as being “handsome, clever, and rich”, but proves to be that she is somewhat short-sighted and selfish, albeit joyful. However, through her honest trial and error in matchmaking, we find that she grows in empathy and self-understanding. "Emma"

Emma’s brother-in-law and the Woodhouses’ trusted friend and advisor. Knightley is a respected landowner. He lives at Donwell Abbey and leases property to the Martins, a family of wealthy farmers whom he likes and counsels. Knightley is the only character who is openly critical of Emma, pointing out her flaws and foibles with frankness, out of genuine concern and care for her. "Emma"

Emma’s father and the patriarch of Hartfield, the Woodhouse estate. Though Mr. Woodhouse is nervous, frail, and prone to hypochondria, he is also known for his friendliness and his attachment to his daughter. He is very resistant to change, to the point that he is unhappy to see his daughters or Emma’s governess marry. "Emma"

(Appears to be 17): An unremarkable seventeen-year-old woman of uncertain parentage, who lives at the local boarding school. Harriet becomes Emma’s protégé and the object of her matchmaking schemes. She is unassuming, kind, and silly. "Emma"

Mr. Weston’s son and Mrs. Weston’s stepson, Frank is considered a potential suitor for Emma. Attractive, charming, and clever, he is also irresponsible, deceitful, rash, and ultimately unsuited to her. "Emma"

Miss Bates’s niece, whose arrival in Highbury irritates Emma. Jane rivals Emma in accomplishment and beauty; she is kind and reserved. "Emma"

Formerly Miss Taylor, Emma’s beloved governess and companion. Known for her kind temperament and her devotion to Emma, Mrs. Weston lives at Randalls with her husband, Frank Churchill’s father. "Emma"

The widower and proprietor of Randalls, who has just married Miss Taylor when the novel begins. Mr. Weston has a son, Frank, from his first marriage to Miss Churchill (Frank was raised by Miss Churchill’s sister and brother-in-law). Mr. Weston is warm, sociable, and perpetually optimistic. "Emma"

The village vicar, a handsome and agreeable man considered a welcome addition to any social gathering. When he reveals his indifference to Harriet and his desire to marry Emma, only to take a bride at Bath shortly thereafter, he comes to seem proud, conceited, and superficial. "Emma"

(Mid 20s):. Mr. Martin is an industrious and good-hearted farmer, though he lacks the refinements of a gentleman. He lives at Abbey-Mill Farm, a property owned by Knightley, with his mother and sisters. "Emma"

Friend of Mr. Woodhouse and aunt of Jane Fairfax, Miss Bates is a middle-aged oddball spinster without beauty or cleverness but with universal goodwill and a gentle temperament. "Emma"

Mother to Miss Bates and friend of Mr. Woodhouse. An elderly woman, Mrs. Bates is quiet, amiable, and somewhat deaf. "Emma"

Emma’s older sister, who lives in London with her husband, Mr. John Knightley, and their five children. Isabella is pretty, amiable, and completely devoted to her family, but slow and diffident compared to Emma and her independence. "Emma"

Emma’s brother-in-law, and Mr. George Knightley’s brother. As a lawyer, John Knightley is clear-minded but somewhat sharp in temper, and Emma and her father are sometimes displeased with his severity. "Emma"

Youthful; cunning and likable, yet incredibly devious. A friend of Caesar. Antony claims allegiance to Brutus and the conspirators after Caesar’s death in order to save his own life. Later, however, when speaking a funeral oration over Caesar’s body, he spectacularly persuades the audience to withdraw its support of Brutus and instead condemn him as a traitor. Uses masterful rhetoric to stir the crowd to revolt against the conspirators. "Julius Caesar"

Shrewd, opportunistic, and, ultimately, successful, but lacking integrity. Cassius is a longtime acquaintance of Caesar. Cassius dislikes the fact that Caesar has become godlike in the eyes of the Romans. She slyly leads Brutus to believe that Caesar has become too powerful and must die, finally converting Brutus to her cause by sending him forged letters claiming that the Roman people support the death of Caesar. Directors are seeking female auditioners for this role. "Julius Caesar"

Brutus’s wife; the daughter of a noble Roman who took sides against Caesar. Portia, accustomed to being Brutus’s confidante, is upset to find him so reluctant to speak his mind when she finds him troubled. Brutus later hears that Portia has killed herself out of grief that Antony and Octavius have become so powerful. "Julius Caesar"

Caesar’s wife. Calpurnia invests great authority in omens and portents. She warns Caesar against going to the Senate on the Ides of March, since she has had terrible nightmares and heard reports of many bad omens. "Julius Caesar"

Caesar’s adopted son and appointed successor. Octavius, who had been traveling abroad, returns after Caesar’s death; he then joins with Antony and sets off to fight Cassius and Brutus. Antony tries to control Octavius’s movements, but Octavius follows his adopted father’s example and emerges as the authoritative figure, paving the way for his eventual seizure of the reins of Roman government. "Julius Caesar"

During the Lupercal festivities, the soothsayer warns Caesar to “Beware the ides of March.” He tries a second time to forewarn Caesar before he is assassinated, but to no avail. "Julius Caesar"

A public figure opposed to Caesar’s rise to power. Casca relates to Cassius and Brutus how Antony offered the crown to Caesar three times and how each time Caesar declined it. "Julius Caesar"

Decius convinces Caesar that Calpurnia misinterpreted her dire nightmares and that, in fact, no danger awaits him at the Senate. Decius leads Caesar right into the hands of the conspirators. "Julius Caesar"

Cinna recruits Brutus to join the conspiracy and is the first to react to the death of Caesar. Later, another character who shares her name is mistaken for her and killed, which shows the temperament of the public. "Julius Caesar"

Metellus Cimber is one of the conspirators that plan on assassinating Caesar. He convinces the conspirators to add Ligarius and Cicero to the plot, and he was charged with distracting Caesar before the assassination. "Julius Caesar"

Ligarius is often referred to as the reluctant assassin, as he first wavers in his commitment to the assassination plan. But his commitment to the cause is restored by Brutus. "Julius Caesar"

Trebonius is one of the conspirators to deal with Mark Antony during the actual assassination. He is also used as one of the reasons for Julius Caesar to go to the capitol. "Julius Caesar"

Cicero is an acclaimed Roman statesman and orator who makes a speech in Greek during the festivities in Act 1, baffling Casca and other hearers. Though Cassius wants to include them in the conspiracy, Brutus rejects this idea on the grounds that Cicero isn’t a follower. Cicero is executed under Antony. "Julius Caesar"

Along with Mark Antony and Octavius Caesar, Lepidus is a weak member of the Second Triumvirate, tolerated by the other two as an easily manipulated errand-boy. "Julius Caesar"

One of the first characters to speak in the play, Flavius is a tribune. He questions some commoners, including a carpenter and a cobbler, regarding the public celebration of Caesar’s victory. He is later executed for defacing statues of Caesar. "Julius Caesar"

One of the first characters to speak in the play, Murellus is a tribune. He questions some commoners, including a carpenter and a cobbler, regarding the public celebration of Caesar’s victory. He is later executed for defacing statues of Caesar. "Julius Caesar"

At the end of Act 3, Cinna the Poet is pursued by the plebeians on the way to Caesar’s funeral. Even though she insists that she’s not Cinna the conspirator, she is carried off by the vengeful mob. "Julius Caesar"