MACBETH Equity Principal Auditions - Epic Theatre Ensemble Auditions

MACBETH — Equity Principal Auditions

Epic Theatre Ensemble NYC LOA-NYC $600/week minimum, + pension and health

Artistic Dir: Melissa Friedman

Dir: Ron Russell

Writer: William Shakespeare

Casting: Calleri Casting / James Calleri, Erica Jensen

Contract dates (subject to change): 3/12/12 – 6/3/12.

Equity Principal Auditions:

Friday, December 9, 2011 Roy Arias Studios

10 AM — 6 PM 300 West 43rd Street, 5th Floor

Lunch from 1 - 2. New York City

Please prepare a Shakespeare monologue, 2 minutes or less.

Please bring a picture & resume, stapled back-to-back.

This 11-actor production of MACBETH will value accessibility, dark humor and speed. Though not an adaptation, it will be set in a contemporary, urban street milieu, with today's weapons, mobile communication devices, and sense of cynicism and irony.

Seeking:

Notes from casting personnel: “Actors should be comfortable speaking Shakespeare's text with clarity, authenticity, and directness. Many characters in the play communicate directly with the audience, and Epic's production will require actors who feel comfortable truly connecting with the audience.

“Because Epic is both a professional Off-Broadway theatre and an educational organization, all actors in the production will need to be comfortable with connecting with groups of young people and truly new audiences in pre- and post-show workshop environments.”

Macbeth:

AVAILABLE ROLE. Man, mid 30s - late 40s. Well-built, but probably not burly. Needs to be lithe and physically active, a fast mover. Charismatic, but not in the"classical" sense; charismatic in his incisive wit and winning smile. People follow him because he is the visionary in the room. He is IN NO WAY evil. In fact, he is the kind of guy who rescues babies from drowning. But he is erratic, and dangerous to anyone who gets in his way when he has a big idea. Actor should, ideally, be classically trained, and able to attack very difficult text with speed and some joy – he can't be a slow or laborious thinker or speaker.

Banquo:

AVAILABLE ROLE. Man, mid 30s - early 50s. Very well built, could even be considered burly, a bruiser. Physically intimidating and knows it – but actually has a heart of gold; not at all a brutish or bullying guy. Big enough that he doesn't HAVE to fight. Great sense of humor – a man you want on your side at the bar, where you can generally find him. A kind and caring father. Loyal to a fault, in fact. Perhaps even slightly gullible in his loyalty.

Three Witches:

AVAILABLE ROLES. Male or female, mid 30s - early 50s. In this production, the Witches are workers (think DMV). They don’t have a particular animus or personal motive against Macbeth. They are workers, and their next job is to figure out how to mess with Macbeth. As such, they will also – as the witches – take on several of the smaller roles (Lennox, Seyton, etc.).

The following roles have been CAST. Auditioning performers will be considered as possible (emergency) replacements, should any become necessary.

Lady Macbeth:

CAST. Woman, late 30s - mid 40s. Has the skills and charisma to be the “First Lady”, but she and her husband have been on a bad run of late, and their prospects have been continually bleaker. Her passion to move forward with the plot has less to do with over-riding ambition and more to do with it being the way to change their luck and break them out of the downward spiral.

Macduff:

CAST. Man, late 30s - mid 40s. A potentially strong leader, but dedicated to the “proper order of things”. When Macbeth ascends, he sees too clearly the deceit and treachery involved. His attempts to find the way to restore the proper order overwhelm his common sense, leading him to leave his family unprotected.

Lady Macduff:

CAST. Woman, 30s. In this production, Lady Macduff is a particularly strong figure – an equal partner with her husband in all matters of running their house and affairs. She is with him when Duncan’s death is discovered, and she is in on the decision to leave and not be present for the banquet. All of this leaves her the more unable to understand Macduff’s flight.

Ross:

CAST. Man, 30s. The inside player. He does not aspire to power, but rather stays close to power to keep himself protected and prosperous. He’s not, though, without conscience, and is finally tested when he continues to back Macbeth one step too far.

Malcolm:

CAST. Man, 20s. Though being the young prince – and coming off as being “the kid” – Malcolm is well schooled in the ways of political gamesmanship. He did not, however, expect to be on the front lines quite so early. He may come across as being out of his league, but he is always testing and always endeavoring to know whom he can trust and how far.

Duncan:

CAST. Man, 60s. Totally detached, reasonably benevolent, but totally ineffectual and fairly erratic leader. In fact, in this production, Duncan will appear only on video.

Theatre’s statement: “Non-white actors are STRONGLY ENCOURAGED to audition, with all ethnicities welcome.”