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Breakdown
SEEKING the following roles:
ANNABELLA
Late teens to early 20s, Female. Extensive stage fighting and brief nudity with Giovanni. Romantic lead. Beautiful, sexy, charming, vivacious, emotionally open, playful, coy, and sincere. Like Juliet, but seems a bit older. Can seem womanly for her years, she has an ‘edge’ and can be witty and cruel - She has a taste for rebellion, but her core is one of grace and love. (The actress must legally be at least 18.)
HIPPOLITA
Late 20s to early 40s, Female. Sings and dances and is involved in some stage violence, dying quite horrifically through a poison on stage. Like her namesake (the queen of the Amazons) she is a powerhouse of beauty and has vocal versatility and prowess. Commands the stage. Sexy. Probably an Alto. She can be venomous, seductive, emotionally vulnerable, alternately sympathetic and frightening as a harpy. A force to be reckoned with – especially when wronged.
GIOVANNI
Early to mid-20s, Male. Extensive stage fighting and brief nudity with Annabella. Romantic lead. Hamlet crossed with Romeo. Handsome, brilliant, charming, moody, passionate; verbally dexterous and physically agile – Can talk anyone into anything – including himself. Too smart for his own good – he would rule the kingdom someday if he weren’t so desperately and obsessively in love with his own sister.
SORANZO
Mid-20s to early 40s, Male. Attractive, can be romantic and smooth, passionate, hot-blooded like Laertes, cunning like Paris, and physically imposing and brutal. Can seem clinically cold like Michael Corleone, but when he explodes it is like James Caan/Sonny Corleone – terrifying. He generally keeps that coiled and covered in a smooth veneer of oily charm. Extensive stage fighting - with daggers and sword, hand-to-hand combat with men – as well as graphically and physically abusive with Annabella.
FRIAR
60s, Male. Passionately in love with knowledge and goodness. Deeply devoted to Giovanni and saving all lost souls. Has a big heart with a strict moral compass. Can be both physically and vocally frightening – He can really deliver a terrifying fire & brimstone speech, and is equally capable of great compassion. Some stage violence / physical struggle involved.
BERGETTO
25-35, Male. Obnoxious in a charming sort of way. Foolish, rich, fop. An innocent. An 8-year-old in a 28-year-old’s body. Comic, energetic – Attractive until you talk to him. Playful, petulant, proud, sincere in everything, and - ultimately - sweetly tragic, he breaks your heart. He is involved in stage violence and must be adept at physical comedy. This role may Double as a Banditti.
RICHARDETTO
35-55, Male. A chameleon, in disguise for almost the entire play, he is an average man who has lived through betrayal by Hippolita and Soranzo, and lived through dangers on the road that have transformed him into a moral revenger. Sly, deep, quietly observant – appears genial in public – When alone, more decisive, dark and strong. He is a man on a moral mission. Is involved in a small amount of stage violence.
DONADO
45-60, Male. A merchant and a plain-spoken, ebullient, slightly bumbling man. Is a bit of a Ralph Kramden (no accents please). He’s trying to make a buck and marry off his idiot nephew Bergetto, but beneath the bluster he has a big heart – which gets broken on stage.
GRIMALDI
25-35, Male. Smooth, courtly, a soldier with grace and courtier-like training in bows and manners. Moderate amount of stage fighting (skills with rapier, sword and dagger required.) He is sly and ambitious, and has a strong jealous streak. Preferably an actor of Hispanic origin and/or an actor-of-color. This role will double as a Banditti.
PHILOTIS
15-19, Female. (The actress must legally be at least 18.) Petite & plainly pretty if not beautiful. Quirky, charming, open-eyed and absolutely innocent. Is generally demure but also can get ribald and playful. Gentle, loving, hopeful. Her eyes can register big joy and heart-breaking tears.
DANCERS/VIRGINS/SERVANTS
Early 20s, Female. Two women will be cast to dance and sing in one musical performance in the play as “Amazonian Virgins.” They will need to be the same height and shorter than the actress cast as Hippolita. The two actresses may also play Waiting Women and Servants and possibly Banditti in various other scenes. These dancers/actresses will join the production the week of March 30th.
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The following roles have been CAST. Actors will be considered for possible replacements if needed.
VASQUES
CAST. 40s-50s, Male. In great shape and with graying hair, he is devoted to his master, Soranzo, the son of his former master. He is absolutely dedicated in the way of a Samurai or Jedi – Liam Neeson in “Batman Begins” is a good reference point. He probably has scars from previous combat, but that only increases his sexiness. Quick and sly, he only attracts attention when it serves his master, and then he is masterful: dramatically physically and vocally active - with relish. Otherwise he is in the background like the Secret Service. Extensive stage fighting (skills with daggers, knives, swords, eye-gouging, etc.)
THIS ROLE HAS ALREADY BEEN CAST.
FLORIO
CAST. 50s-70s, Male. A pleasant, if unseeing, father to Giovanni and Annabella. He is joyful and blind.
THIS ROLE HAS ALREADY BEEN CAST.
POGGIO
CAST. 30s, Male. Dry, wry, skilled with verbal and physical comedy. A classic servant like Sganarelle or Scapin. This role will double as a Banditti.
THIS ROLE HAS ALREADY BEEN CAST.
CARDINAL
CAST. 40s-60s, Male. Oily and powerful, with a great presence. Tall and imposing, a smiling politician in red robes.
THIS ROLE HAS ALREADY BEEN CAST.
PUTANA
CAST. 50s, Female. Lusty, vivacious, on the make and in the know, but means no real harm. A sexier version of the Nurse in Romeo & Juliet, she is directly involved with stage violence – She will be bound and gagged on stage, her eyes put out, etc.
THIS ROLE HAS ALREADY BEEN CAST.
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ACTORS OF ANY ETHNICITY IS WELCOME FOR ALL ROLES – A VERY DIVERSE CAST IS DESIRED.
STRONG VOICES & GOOD SPEECH REQUIRED FOR ALL ROLES.
ALL ACTORS MUST HAVE EXPERIENCE WITH SHAKESPEARE AND VERSE-SPEAKING.
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