Please take a moment to careful peruse the character breakdowns for each show, as we are looking at non-traditional casting in most all roles, but several in particular.

2018-19 Season Summer Auditions

Ohio Shakes, located in Akron, will cast a summer company to perform in both outdoor productions of

ROMEO & JULIET

ALL’S WELL THAT ENDS WELL.

Up to three AEA contracts available for each production. All non union actors paid a stipend determined by size of role, length of commitment, and number of years spent with the company.

Open Auditions will be held at Greystone Hall (103 S High Street, Akron) on Monday March 26th, 6:00-10:00pm and Saturday April 7, 3:00-6:00pm.

No walk-ins, please.

Actors may request an audition time by submitting a headshot and resume to tess@ohioshakespeare.com, and please include in the subject line: Ohio Shakes Summer Season Auditions.

Actors may request a particular time frame, and will be scheduled in the closest available slot.  Video auditions, though not encouraged, may be submitted to tess@ohioshakespeare.com.

Prepare 2 contracting Shakespeare monologues, no longer than 3 minutes in total length OR a scene to read from ROMEO & JULIET or ALL’S WELL.  (Reader provided, scene need not be memorized.) 

Invited callbacks will be held April 9 and 10.

Ohio Shakespeare Festival operates with an informal resident acting company. Ohio Shakespeare company members who have worked with the Festival within the past two seasons do not need to come to open auditions.  All said company members must submit their interest to tess@ohioshakespare.com, including roles they wish to read for and their preferred time/date of callback. All company members must email their interest to be invited to callbacks, no exceptions.

When indicating genders of characters in descriptions below, please know that Ohio Shakespeare is open to all the ways a person can identify on the gender spectrum.

ROMEO AND JULIET

By William Shakespeare

Directed by Nancy Cates

Rehearsals begin: June 5, rehearsing Tuesday-Friday and Sunday evenings, Saturday afternoons, Mondays off.

Performances: June 28 - July 15

Description: Performed outdoors at Stan Hywet Hall & Gardens, Shakespeare’s classic story of those star crossed lovers in Verona. This production will be more interpretive with the traditional age of characters than is usual.

The roles of Romeo, Juliet, Mercutio, the Nurse, and Friar Laurence have been cast from our resident acting company.

Please also note that Romeo and Juliet casting may influence the casting of our December indoor production of Shakespeare in Love. Where possible, we may track parallel roles. Participation in both productions is not required, however.

AVALIABLE ROLES:

• Available roles for females (traditionally male characters will be played as pants roles), all ages and ethnicities:
• Benvolio—a peacemaker who nevertheless gets wrapped up in the fighting. A very good friend of Romeo’s. Stage combat skills required.
• Tybalt—more than Prince of Cats. Juliet’s cousin. Strong stage combat skills required.
• The Prince—forbids dueling amongst the Capulets and Montagues, banishes Romeo.
• Lady Capulet—Juliet’s mother, hopeful that Juliet will marry County Paris.
• Lady Montague—Romeo’s mother, concerned with the brawling that goes on between the two households.
• Balthazar—part of the famous opening brawl and the unhappy messenger who mistakingly tells Romeo that Juliet is dead. Some stage combat skills required.
• Abraham—part of the famous opening brawl, some stage combat skills required.
• Chorus—a narrating figure. Depending on casting needs, Chorus may be combined with other roles.
• Available roles for males, all ages and ethnicities:
• County Paris—the count who is eventually engaged to marry Juliet. Stage combat skills required.
• Sampson—part of the famous opening brawl, some stage combat skills required.
• Gregory—part of the famous opening brawl, some stage combat skills required.
• Seeking all genders, ages, and ethnicities for the following roles.
• Lord Capulet—Juliet’s father. Very protective of her, but very upset when, for no apparent reason, she refuses to marry Paris.
• The Apothecary—the figure who provides Romeo with his mortal poison.
• Lord Montague—Romeo’s father, part of the opening brawl. Some stage combat skills required.
• Peter— a servant in the capulet house
• Paris’s page
• Citizens of Verona, Musicians, Ensemble—specifically seeking actors with stage combat experience, dance abilities, and musical abilities.

ALL’S WELL THAT ENDS WELL

By William Shakespeare

Directed by Terry Burgler

Rehearsals begin: June 30, Tuesday-Friday evenings, Saturday and Sunday afternoons, Mondays off

Performances: July 26-August 5, Thursdays-Sundays

Description: Performed outdoors at Stan Hywet Hall & Garden, a less frequently produced Shakespeare comedy. Helen saves the King from a deadly illness, and as a reward, she is allowed to marry whatever nobleman of the court she pleases. She chooses Bertram—prince not-so-charming—but he would rather fool around with Diana. A Shakespearean fairytale turned on its head—this happily ever after is not the one you were expecting.

The roles of Bertram and The Countess have been cast from our resident acting company.

AVALIABLE ROLES:

• Available roles for females, all ages, and ethnicities:
• Helen—cures the king of a deadly disease, and is rewarded by being allowed to choose whatever husband she desires.
• The Widow—Diana’s mother, extremely practical and not very warm. She accepts money from Helen in exchange for letting her daughter participate in a kind-of-messed-up trick.
• Diana—the widow’s daughter and the woman Bertram prefers. She helps trick Bertram into sleeping with Helen.
• Mariana—a strong cameo role in Act 3 scene 5. She warns Helen of men like Bertram.
• Seeking all ages, genders, and ethnicities for the following roles.
• Paroles—Bertram’s best friend and gentleman servant, arrogant, raunchy, and a soldier. A capitano figure.
• The King of France—powerful, generous, moves the plot forward by allowing Helen to choose her husband from among the court.
• Lavatch—the countess’s clown, requires an actor with excellent comedic skills.
• Lafew—nobleman of the court. Generous, loyal, feisty. Needs to appear significantly older than Bertram and Paroles.
• The First and Second Lord Dumaine—two brothers, noblemen of the court. Soldiers who help play a deserved prank on Paroles.
• Ensemble characters—specifically seeking actors with stage combat experience, dance abilities, and musical abilities.