Open Auditions: Hamlet

by

At the Acrosstown Repertory Theatre
619 South Main Street, Gainesville, FL 32601

Open Auditions:
Sunday & Monday, May 15 & 16, at 7:00 pm at the theater

Hamlet
By William Shakespeare
Directed by Catherine Karow

Performance dates: July 15 – August 7, 2022, Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays at 8pm, and Sundays at 2pm.

***We request that all cast and crew be vaccinated

We are also seeking all sorts of backstage personnel!

Characters being cast:

  • HAMLET- Prince of Denmark. Male or Female (18-40 Years old). Emotional range needed. MUST be able to cry on cue or a very close facsimile. Must be comfortable conveying loss of mental control and suicidality. This character has to have distinct shifts in persona and character mid scene.
  • GERTRUDE- Mother of Hamlet. Female. Over 40 Years old. Marries Hamlet’s Uncle after his fathers death. Emotional range needed. MUST be able to cry on cue or a very close facsimile. Must be able to fly into a rage and cry within the same scene.
  • OPHELIA- Daughter of Polonius and Love interest of Hamlet. Sister of Laertes. Commits Suicide after her fathers death. Emotional range needed. MUST be able to cry on cue or a very close facsimile. Ophelia is a dynamic character with a strong range of emotions from loving and carefree/fun to suicidal and completely mad.
  • LAERTES- Son of Polonius. Brother to Ophelia. Returns to England and then come back to Denmark after his father dies. Wants to Kill Hamlet. MALE or FEMALE over 20 Years old. MUST be able to cry on cue or a very close facsimile. Laertes is a young man who looses everything in a matter of weeks. All at the hands of Hamlet in his eyes. His emotional breakdown and duel is a pivotal and strong moment. This character must be able to loose it mentally on stage and cry and fly into a rage.
  • CLADIUS- King of Denmark. Takes the throne after the death of Hamlets father and marries hamlets mother. Strong Male or Female character. Over 50 Years of age or older. Nefarious character.
  • HORATIO- Best friend and confidant of Hamlet. Strong Male or Female role. Sees the ghost and tried to help Hamlet throughout the story.
  • KING HAMLET/GHOST/GRAVEDIGGER- Returns as a Ghost to Haunt and taunt the survivors around the castle and speak to Hamlet. Male Over 50 Years old. This character also plays the gravedigger in the final act. Very strong character who needs to be able to switch from a a commanding presence as the former King and ghost to that of the working man and gravedigger at the end.
  • POLONIUS- Male. Father of Laertes and Ophelia. Nobleman and a coercive player in the background with nefarious intentions. Strong Male role. Dies at Hamlets hand. Over 40 Years old.
  • ROSENCRANTZ- Male or Female. 20-40 years old. One of Two slightly bumbling courtiers, former friends of Hamlet.
  • GUILDENSTERN- Male or Female. 20-40 Years old. One of Two slightly bumbling courtiers, former friends of Hamlet.
  • OSRIC- A foolish Courtier who summons Hamlet to a duel. Male of Female. Over 20 years old.
  • VOLTIMAND and CORNELIUS- Courtiers who are sent to Norway. Male or Female. Over 30 years old.
  • MARCELLUS and BERNARDO- The officers who 1st see the Ghost. Male or Female. 20 years and up.
  • FRANCISCO- A Soldier and Guard at Castle Elsinore.
  • REYNALDO- Servant to Polonius. Sent to spy on Laertes. Male or Female. Age 20 and up.
  • Various Courtiers and servants will also be needed for numerous scenes throughout the performance.

No Prepared Monologues necessary but much appreciated. Please be prepared to cold read Shakespearean text from Hamlet. If you would like specific sides for a character, please let the Director know. As a side note, we will be trying to cast as gender neutral as we can, while still staying true to the plot. If a character is listed as male in the above list but you identify as female and would still like to audition, please do!

Sides: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1ToyHEiWfQF_0L1YDcTvR1MOx6XBprMwq_qdEwx2y8ZY/edit?usp=sharing

Ages and genders are flexible, at the discretion of the director. All races, colors, sizes, genders, gender-identities and experience levels welcome! Although this IS an audition, we’re not judgmental, and we hope you feel welcome here and have a great time. If cast, you will be compensated by the roar of applause and the joy of being part of the Acrosstown family.

About the ART:

Founded in 1980, the ART develops new talent, plays, audiences and ideas while also celebrating and revivifying the great plays of the past. The ART provides a safe place where people of all ages, genders, races, and beliefs can create unsafe theater– thinking people’s theatre– theater that transforms.

We continually respect, and challenge:

  • ourselves as actors, designers, artists and visionaries to achieve more,
  • our audiences as living, thinking and feeling human beings to engage more,
  • other local theaters and arts organizations to collaborate more,

…and by doing so, help nurture and develop Gainesville, Florida into the center of arts and culture in North Central Florida.

As a 501c3 non-profit organization, the ART is especially dedicated to providing multi-cultural opportunities to the members of our community. The theater is open to all and presents experiences for which there are no other venues in the area. It is also entirely volunteer-staffed and operated.