<div><br clear="all"></div><div><div class="gmail_quote gmail_quote_container"><div dir="auto"><div style="font-family:arial,sans-serif;font-style:normal;font-weight:400;letter-spacing:normal;text-indent:0px;text-transform:none;white-space:normal;word-spacing:0px;text-decoration:none;padding:30px;border-radius:8px;color:rgb(51,51,51)"><h1 style="text-align:center;margin-bottom:10px;font-size:28px;font-family:arial,sans-serif;color:rgb(139,0,0)" dir="auto">Auditions for Ken Ludwig's</h1><h2 style="text-align:center;margin-top:0px;font-size:36px;font-family:arial,sans-serif;color:rgb(139,0,0)">Shakespeare in Hollywood</h2><div dir="auto" style="font-family:arial,sans-serif"><div dir="auto" style="font-family:arial,sans-serif"><a href="https://www.signupgenius.com/go/5080C4DA5A62FA4F94-57514786-open" style="font-family:arial,sans-serif" target="_blank">https://www.signupgenius.com/go/5080C4DA5A62FA4F94-57514786-open</a></div></div><div style="padding:20px;text-align:center;margin:20px 0px;border-radius:5px;font-family:arial,sans-serif;background-color:rgb(139,0,0);color:white"><p style="margin:5px 0px;font-size:18px;font-family:arial,sans-serif"><strong style="font-family:arial,sans-serif">Tuesday, November 4 & Wednesday, November 5</strong></p><p style="margin:5px 0px;font-size:18px;font-family:arial,sans-serif"><strong style="font-family:arial,sans-serif">7-9 PM</strong></p><p style="margin:5px 0px;font-size:16px;font-family:arial,sans-serif">Chagrin Valley Little Theatre's River Street Playhouse</p><p style="margin:5px 0px;font-size:16px;font-family:arial,sans-serif">56 River Street, Chagrin Falls</p></div><div style="padding:20px;text-align:center;margin:30px 0px;border-radius:5px;border:3px solid rgb(139,0,0);font-family:arial,sans-serif;background-color:rgb(255,215,0)"><p style="margin:0px 0px 15px;font-size:20px;font-weight:bold;font-family:arial,sans-serif;color:rgb(139,0,0)">SIGN UP FOR AUDITIONS</p><a href="https://www.signupgenius.com/go/5080C4DA5A62FA4F94-57514786-open" style="display:inline-block;padding:15px 40px;text-decoration:none;font-size:18px;font-weight:bold;border-radius:5px;font-family:arial,sans-serif;background-color:rgb(139,0,0);color:white" target="_blank">CLICK HERE TO REGISTER</a></div><h3 style="border-bottom-width:2px;border-bottom-style:solid;padding-bottom:5px;font-family:arial,sans-serif;border-bottom-color:rgb(139,0,0);color:rgb(139,0,0)">About the Play</h3><p style="font-family:arial,sans-serif">It's 1934, and Shakespeare's most famous fairies, Oberon and Puck, have magically materialized on the set of the Warner Brothers A Midsummer Night's Dream film. Smitten by the glitz and glamour of show business, they are ushered onto the silver screen to play themselves. With a little help from a feisty flower, a blonde bombshell, and a movie mogul, the results are raucous to say the least. This hilarious comic romp sparkles with the mischievous magic of moviedom!</p><p style="font-style:italic;font-family:arial,sans-serif">Commissioned by the Royal Shakespeare Company and winner of The Helen Hayes Award for Best New Play of the Year (the MacArthur Award) in 2003.</p><p style="font-family:arial,sans-serif"><strong style="font-family:arial,sans-serif">Directed by Martin Friedman</strong></p><p style="font-family:arial,sans-serif" dir="auto"><strong style="font-family:arial,sans-serif">PERFORMANCES:</strong> Weekends, January 23 – February 8, 2026 on the Chagrin Valley Little Theatre main stage </p><h3 style="border-bottom-width:2px;border-bottom-style:solid;padding-bottom:5px;font-family:arial,sans-serif;border-bottom-color:rgb(139,0,0);color:rgb(139,0,0)">What to Bring</h3><ul style="line-height:1.8;font-family:arial,sans-serif"><li style="font-family:arial,sans-serif">Your list of conflicts</li><li style="font-family:arial,sans-serif">Acting resume and headshot (helpful but not required)</li><li style="font-family:arial,sans-serif"><strong style="font-family:arial,sans-serif">No audition monologue needed!</strong> It's helpful if you indicate on your audition sheet your ability to perform or read Shakespearean dialogue, but not everyone needs to be fluent in Shakespeare's language.</li></ul><h3 style="border-bottom-width:2px;border-bottom-style:solid;padding-bottom:5px;font-family:arial,sans-serif;border-bottom-color:rgb(139,0,0);color:rgb(139,0,0)">Callbacks</h3><p style="font-family:arial,sans-serif"><strong style="font-family:arial,sans-serif">November 6</strong> - Only those the director absolutely needs to hear again will be called back. Getting a part is not dependent on having a callback — there are plenty of roles available.</p><h3 style="border-bottom-width:2px;border-bottom-style:solid;padding-bottom:5px;font-family:arial,sans-serif;border-bottom-color:rgb(139,0,0);color:rgb(139,0,0)">Cast of Characters</h3><p style="font-family:arial,sans-serif">The director is planning to use a minimum of 12 actors — about 4 or 5 women and 8 men. While Ludwig allows for doubling, he would like to explore adding an additional woman or two. <strong style="font-family:arial,sans-serif">All roles are open.</strong></p><div style="margin:20px 0px;font-family:arial,sans-serif"><h4 style="margin-bottom:5px;font-family:arial,sans-serif;color:rgb(139,0,0)">Lydia Lansing</h4><p style="margin-top:5px;font-family:arial,sans-serif">Mid 20s-30s. Knows that she is a dish and uses her looks when necessary. Uses tough girl-talk to help get what she wants; is also dim at times. She does love Warner though. Brave, wants to be better than she is, and is ambitious.</p></div><div style="margin:20px 0px;font-family:arial,sans-serif"><h4 style="margin-bottom:5px;font-family:arial,sans-serif;color:rgb(139,0,0)">Oberon</h4><p style="margin-top:5px;font-family:arial,sans-serif">King of the fairies. Looks good in a toga. This Oberon is REAL. He has all the qualities of a King. Ageless; but between 20s-40s. He is the KING OF THE FAIRIES and knows it.</p></div><div style="margin:20px 0px;font-family:arial,sans-serif"><h4 style="margin-bottom:5px;font-family:arial,sans-serif;color:rgb(139,0,0)">Puck</h4><p style="margin-top:5px;font-family:arial,sans-serif">Played by a woman. This Puck is REAL; or at least totally confident he is real. Between 20-30 but ultimately ageless. Also known as Robin Goodfellow. Carries out magical tasks and is loyal to his king Oberon but is still mischievous and a trickstress. Fluid and quick witted.</p></div><div style="margin:20px 0px;font-family:arial,sans-serif"><h4 style="margin-bottom:5px;font-family:arial,sans-serif;color:rgb(139,0,0)">Olivia Darnell</h4><p style="margin-top:5px;font-family:arial,sans-serif">A very capable ingenue. Between 20-30. A newcomer to the film world; trying to make it and is starry eyed. Good looking and seeking stardom and love at the same time. Sweet, smart, somewhat confident, sincere, and most importantly, talented. Plays Hermia in this production.</p></div><div style="margin:20px 0px;font-family:arial,sans-serif"><h4 style="margin-bottom:5px;font-family:arial,sans-serif;color:rgb(139,0,0)">Will Hayes/Albert Warner</h4><p style="margin-top:5px;font-family:arial,sans-serif">Mid 40s. The Hays Production Code affected the creation, production and distribution of all Hollywood product regarding nudity, profanity and political content. A bureaucrat who was trying to do what he thought was right. Officious, shifty, uptight, by the numbers nerd who wants to be part of the in-crowd.</p></div><div style="margin:20px 0px;font-family:arial,sans-serif"><h4 style="margin-bottom:5px;font-family:arial,sans-serif;color:rgb(139,0,0)">Joe E. Brown/Harry Warner</h4><p style="margin-top:5px;font-family:arial,sans-serif">Mid to late 20s to late 30s. Plays Francis Flute and dresses up as Thisbe (in drag) in a scene in this play. Popular friendly screen persona and was one of the most popular movie performers of the period. Fluid face and body, confident, amazed that he is so popular.</p></div><div style="margin:20px 0px;font-family:arial,sans-serif"><h4 style="margin-bottom:5px;font-family:arial,sans-serif;color:rgb(139,0,0)">Jimmy Cagney/Sam Warner</h4><p style="margin-top:5px;font-family:arial,sans-serif">An actor, dancer and director but was best known as a tough guy. Mid to late 20s to late 30s. An energetic fellow, a devoted friend, very smart; both book smart and street smart. Actually had a distinctive voice; "You dirty rat." Plays Bottom in this production.</p></div><div style="margin:20px 0px;font-family:arial,sans-serif"><h4 style="margin-bottom:5px;font-family:arial,sans-serif;color:rgb(139,0,0)">Dick Powell/Groucho</h4><p style="margin-top:5px;font-family:arial,sans-serif">20s to early 30s. Good looking fellow who began his career as a singer in 30s musicals. He is playing Lysander in this production. First was a comedy guy then became a hardboiled character. Sincere, modest, grounded and bashful; still knows that he is good looking and popular. In love with Olivia.</p></div><p style="font-style:italic;margin-top:20px;font-family:arial,sans-serif">Many of the characters in the play did indeed play roles in the real 1935 Warner Brothers film. Asterisk denotes real historical figures involved in Hollywood in the 1930s.</p><h3 style="border-bottom-width:2px;border-bottom-style:solid;padding-bottom:5px;font-family:arial,sans-serif;border-bottom-color:rgb(139,0,0);color:rgb(139,0,0)">Rehearsal Schedule</h3><p style="font-family:arial,sans-serif">You will be called only when needed. The director will do his very best to not waste your time. Most conflicts are not deal-breakers, although those near the end of January become more problematic.</p><ul style="line-height:1.8;font-family:arial,sans-serif"><li style="font-family:arial,sans-serif"><strong style="font-family:arial,sans-serif">Monday, November 24:</strong> Read-through (if possible)</li><li style="font-family:arial,sans-serif"><strong style="font-family:arial,sans-serif">Monday, December 1:</strong> Full cast session — period and character work</li><li style="font-family:arial,sans-serif"><strong style="font-family:arial,sans-serif">December (first three weeks):</strong> Monday through Thursday, 7:00–10:00 PM</li><li style="font-family:arial,sans-serif"><strong style="font-family:arial,sans-serif">Sunday, December 21 (afternoon):</strong> possible rehearsal</li><li style="font-family:arial,sans-serif"><strong style="font-family:arial,sans-serif">Reconnect January 2</strong></li><li style="font-family:arial,sans-serif"><strong style="font-family:arial,sans-serif">During January:</strong> six rehearsals, Sunday through Friday (Remember: not everyone will be called every rehearsal period.)</li></ul><div style="padding:20px;text-align:center;margin:30px 0px;border-radius:5px;border:3px solid rgb(139,0,0);font-family:arial,sans-serif;background-color:rgb(255,215,0)"><p style="margin:0px 0px 15px;font-size:20px;font-weight:bold;font-family:arial,sans-serif;color:rgb(139,0,0)">READY TO AUDITION?</p><a href="https://www.signupgenius.com/go/5080C4DA5A62FA4F94-57514786-open" style="display:inline-block;padding:15px 40px;text-decoration:none;font-size:18px;font-weight:bold;border-radius:5px;font-family:arial,sans-serif;background-color:rgb(139,0,0);color:white" target="_blank">SIGN UP NOW</a></div><div style="padding:20px;margin-top:30px;border-left-width:4px;border-left-style:solid;font-family:arial,sans-serif;background-color:rgb(249,249,249);border-left-color:rgb(139,0,0)"><p style="margin:5px 0px;font-family:arial,sans-serif"><strong style="font-family:arial,sans-serif">All actors at CVLT are volunteers.</strong></p><p style="margin:5px 0px;font-family:arial,sans-serif">Open to anyone with an interest in performing in community theater!</p><p style="margin:15px 0px 5px;font-family:arial,sans-serif"><strong style="font-family:arial,sans-serif">For more information:</strong></p><p style="margin:5px 0px;font-family:arial,sans-serif" dir="auto">CVLT.org/auditions</p><p style="margin:5px 0px;font-family:arial,sans-serif" dir="auto"></p></div></div></div><div dir="auto"><div dir="ltr" class="gmail_signature" data-smartmail="gmail_signature"><div dir="ltr"><div><font size="1" style="color:rgb(0,0,0)"></font></div></div></div></div>
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