Mahoning Valley Players, SmashUp Entertainment and Oakland Center for the Arts will hold OPEN AUDITIONS for “The Comedy of Errorz,” a slapstick adaptation of Shakespeare’s classic farce.

Adapted and directed by Michael Dempsey

WHEN:
SUNDAY, AUGUST 4 @ 8:00pm and MONDAY, AUGUST 5 @ 7:30pm 

WHERE:
Infinity Dance and Performing Arts, 7050 Market Street Suite #102 Boardman, Ohio 44512. Located in the plaza (with Main Moon Chinese) just north of Rte. 224 past Ace Jewelers. Second business from the left.

(If you would like to audition but cannot make these dates, please contact director Michael Dempsey at smashuptheatre@gmail.com.)

ABOUT THE SHOW:

This show will be a no-holds barred slapstick farce, with tons of physical comedy and zany vaudeville elements.  Slap-fests!  Pratfalls!  Pie fights!  It's going to be silly!  It's going to be stupid!  It's going to be...SHAKESPEARE!

The Comedy of Errors is Shakespeare's most fast-paced and farcical comedy, with much of the humor coming from mistaken identity, puns and word play. Michael Dempsey’s modern adaptation retains Shakespeare's comic gems, even as it ups the silliness quotient by throwing slapstick, topical references, song satires and clowning into the mix.

Antipholus searches for his long-lost identical twin brother, Antipholus, while his "personal assistant" Dromio searches for his long-lost identical twin brother, Dromio. Two sets of twins with the same name, running around the same city -- what could go wrong?

For those who’ve never performed Shakespeare but have wanted to try, this is the perfect entry show. This is one of Shakespeare’s easiest plays in terms of verse. It also has modern language and references thrown in. Director Michael Dempsey was professionally trained in Shakespeare at the National Theatre of Great Britain and took master classes at the Royal Shakespeare Company in London. He’s great at taking the fear out of acting Shakespeare and making it a rewarding experience for newbies and veterans alike.

AUDITION REQUIREMENTS: 
Previous experience performing Shakespeare is not required. You will be asked to read from the script. If you wish to prepare a short Shakespeare monologue, we would be delighted to hear it.

PERFORMANCES:
SEPTEMBER 20-22, FRI and SAT @ 7:30, SUN @ 2:30
TRINITY FELLOWSHIP CHURCH, 4749 South Ave, Youngstown, OH 44512

REHEARSALS will begin around August 11.  Rehearsals are typically Sun-Thurs evenings.  Please come to auditions with a list of your conflicts.

For questions or more information, contact director Michael Dempsey at demzer@gmail.com.

CHARACTER BREAKDOWN:

THE MOTLEY CREW
A comic collection of actors, clowns and crazies who perform all sorts of bits throughout the play and multiple small roles.

HEAD CLOWN/NARRATOR/LEADER OF THE MOTLEY CREW

ANTIPHOLUS OF SYRACUSE

DROMIO OF SYRACUSE, his slave

ANTIPHOLUS OF EPHESUS

DROMIO OF EPHESUS, his slave

ADRIANA, histrionic Wife to Antipholus of Ephesus

LUCIANA, her uptight Sister

DUKE SOLINUS, Ruler of Ephesus

EGEON, a Merchant of Syracuse & father of the Antipholuses

EMILIA, Long-lost Wife to Egeon, an Abbess at Ephesus

DOCTOR PINCH, a doctor, schoolteacher & would-be exorcist

COURTESAN, saucy friend to Antipholus of Ephesus and Proprietress of the Porpentine

LUCE, Adriana's servant

BALTHAZAR, a Merchant

ANGELO, a Goldsmith

A MERCHANT, friend to Antipholus of Syracuse

2^ND MERCHANT

OFFICER         

ABOUT THE DIRECTOR:

MICHAEL DEMPSEY is a novelist, playwright, actor and director. A former television and film comedy writer (CBS’s Cybill starring Cybill Shepherd, The George Wendt Show), his plays have been produced in NYC, LA and regionally. In NE Ohio, he’s directed at Players Guild of Canton, TrueNorth Cultural Arts, Rust Belt Theatre Company, Hathaway Brown Theatre Institute, Aurora Community Theatre, Carnation City Players, Salem Community Theatre, The Youngstown Playhouse and Oakland Center for the Arts.  Michael recently worked with director Fred Sternfeld at French Creek Theatre in Tuck Everlasting as The Man In The Yellow Suit and at Chagrin Valley Players as “Harry Bright” in Mamma Mia. Michael studied theatre at Ohio State University, Actors Theatre of Louisville and the Royal National Theatre of Great Britain. Michael’s company, SmashUp Entertainment, creates comedy-driven theatre events combining slapstick, music, dance, improv and environmental elements. He’s a past recipient of an Ohio Arts Council award for playwriting and his sci fi noir novel, Necropolis, is available nationally from Night Shade Books.