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Breakdown
Folger Theatre practices non-traditional casting. We encourage people of every race, color, culture, age, gender, physical disability, and sexual orientation to audition, EOE.
Theatre's Statement/note: The First Production will either be AS YOU LIKE IT or A MIDSUMMER NIGHT'S DREAM. Therefore, both shows and information are listed below until the final decision has been made on which show will be in that slot.
PRODUCTION #1A – AS YOU LIKE IT
by William Shakespeare
Director: TBD
Casting: Daryl Eisenberg, CSA
Rehearsals Begin: December 29, 2015
Performances: January 26 – March 6, 2016
NOTE: All actors need to be excellent with Shakespearean language. This play will be performed with the actors’ natural accents. Roles may be doubled.
Seeking:
ROSALIND:
Female. 20s-30s. Disguises herself as Ganymede to become closer to her beloved Orlando during her exile in the forest. Clever, independent, strong-willed, and good-natured.
ORLANDO:
Male. 20s-30s. In love with Rosalind, he flees to the forest to escape his hateful older brother and the wrathful duke. Noble, intelligent, and youthful.
DUKE SENIOR:
Male. 50s-60s. Rosalind’s father, and the rightful ruler of the dukedom. Kind, reasonable, and good-spirited.
JAQUES:
Male. 30s-40s. Faithful lord who accompanies Duke Senior into exile. Melancholy and solitary.
CELIA:
Female. 20s-30s. Devoted friend to Rosalind, she disguises herself as a shepherdess Aliena and follows Rosalind into exile. Loving, easily infatuated, and loyal.
DUKE FREDERICK:
Male. 50s-60s. Duke Senior’s brother and usurper of the throne. Cruel, volatile, and vengeful.
LE BEAU:
Male. 20s-40s. A courtier of Duke Frederick’s. A gossip, yet honorable.
TOUCHSTONE:
Male. 30s-50s. A clown in Duke Frederick’s court who accompanies Rosalind and Celia into exile. Vulgar and mocking, yet grounded.
OLIVER:
Male. 30s-40s. Orlando’s older brother. Hateful and loveless, yet his brother’s generosity transforms him into a more compassionate person.
SILVIUS:
Male. 20s-30s. A shepherd in love with Phebe, who scorns him. Lovelorn and youthful.
PHEBE:
Female. 20s-30s. Young shepherdess who falls in love with Ganymede, who tricks her into marrying Silvius. Sarcastic and proud.
LORD AMIENS:
Male. 30s-50s. Accompanies Duke Senior into exile. Faithful and jovial.
CHARLES:
Male. 30s-40s. A wrestler in Duke Frederick’s court. Caring and clever.
ADAM:
Male. 50s-60s. Former servant of Sir Rowland, he accompanies Orlando into exile. Loyal and devoted.
CORIN:
Male. 50s-60s. A shepherd. Simple and realistic.
AUDREY:
Female. 20s-30s. A goatherd who marries Touchstone. Honest, virtuous, and unlearned.
WILLIAM:
Male. 20s. A young country boy in love with Audrey. Simple and sweet.
Total: Cast of 12
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PRODUCTION #1B – A MIDSUMMER NIGHT’S DREAM
by William Shakespeare
Director: TBD
Rehearsals Begin: December 29, 2015
Performances: January 26 – March 6, 2016
NOTE: All actors need to be excellent with Shakespearean language. This play will be performed with the actors’ natural accents. Roles may be doubled.
Seeking:
PUCK:
Male or Female. 20s-30s. Oberon’s jester. Mischievous and enchanting.
OBERON:
Male. 30s-40s. King of the Fairies. Arrogant, angry, and vengeful.
TITANIA:
Female. 30s-40s. Queen of the Fairies. Proud, obstinate, and faithful.
LYSANDER:
Male. 20s-30s. In love with Hermia, flees Athens with her. Free-spirited and shallow.
DEMETRIUS:
Male. 20s-30s. Beloved of Helena, yet attempts to woo Hermia with her father’s favor. Disdainful and arrogant.
HERMIA:
Female. 20s-30s. In love with Lysander, flees Athens with him to escape her disapproving father and the pursuit of Demetrius. Strong-willed and excitable.
HELENA:
Female. 20s-30s. In love with Demetrius, who scorns her. Obsessive, anxious, and wistful.
EGEUS:
Male. 50s-60s. Father to Hermia. Old-fashioned, strict, insensitive.
THESEUS:
Male. 50s-60s. Duke of Athens. Steadfast, sympathetic, yet upholds the law.
HIPPOLYTA:
Female. 20s-40s. Queen of the Amazons, betrothed to Theseus. Proud and compassionate.
PETER QUINCE:
Male. 30s-50s. Organizes the group of men to present the play he has written for Theseus and Hippolyta’s wedding day.
NICK BOTTOM:
Male. 40s-50s. Pyramus in Quince’s play. Light-hearted, jovial, a ham.
FRANCIS FLUTE:
Male. 30s-50s. Thisbe in Quince’s play. Soft-spoken and thoughtful.
ROBIN STARVELING:
Male. 30s-50s. Moonshine in Quince’s play.
TOM SNOUT:
Male. 30s-50s. The Wall in Quince’s play. Cautious and serious.
SNUG:
Male. 30s-50s. The Lion in Quince’s play. Slow-witted yet sweet.
PHILOSTRATE:
Male. 30s-50s. Master of Revels at Theseus’s court.
COBWEB / MOTH / PEASEBLOSSOM / MUSTARDSEED:
Female. 20s. Titania’s fairies.
Total: Cast of 12
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PRODUCTION #2 – DISTRICT MERCHANTS
by Aaron Posner
Director: Aaron Posner
Rehearsals Begin: April 5, 2016
Performances: May 3 – June 5, 2016
Seeking:
B.:
Male or Female. 20s-40's. A vibrant, smart, passionate, irreverent African-American singer/storyteller/musician. Engaged, wry, ironic, and insightful.
J.:
Male or Female. 20s-40's. A vibrant, smart, passionate, irreverent Jewish singer/ storyteller/musician. Engaged, wry, ironic, and insightful.
ANTOINE:
Male. 50s-60s. An prosperous, intelligent, melancholy, deep-feeling African-American merchant. A leader in his community, a fierce and loyal friend, and a man of conscience and conviction.
SHYLOCK:
Male. 50s-60s. A prosperous, ruminating, vitriolic Jewish merchant and money lender. A pillar of his own community, and an observant Jew. A man of conscience and conviction. Also angry, wounded and difficult.
JESSICA:
Female, Jewish, should feel early to mid 20s. Shylock's daughter. Bright, desperate, dynamic, sheltered, big-hearted, lovely and alluring.
BENJAMIN BASSANIO:
Male. 20s-30s. A charming, handsome, very light-skinned African American man. Ambitious, complex, strong and determined.
LORENZO (REN):
Male. 20s-30s. An unscrupulous, charming, enthusiastic and not overly insightful genuine rascal. Possibly Latino. Not white or black.
PORTIA:
Female. 20s-30s. A wickedly smart, very witty, entirely shrewd, somewhat jaded, very wealthy white daughter-of-a-lawyer.
NESSA:
Female. 20s-40s. Portia's servant/friend. Quick-witted, sharp-tongued, deeply insightful and radically honest. African American.
LANCELOT:
Male. 20s-40s. Shylock's servant. Confused, erudite, conflicted, funny, hopeful and heartfelt in word and deed. African American.
Total: Cast of 10
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