AUDITION NOTICE
THE TAMING OF THE SHREW
By William Shakespeare
Directed by Jen Plants
WHEN: Monday, December 17th and Tuesday, December 18th at 7:00 PM
WHERE: The Chatham Playhouse 23 North Passaic Ave., Chatham
Production dates are March 1 thru 10, 2013, with rehearsals to beginning mid-January.
Shakespeare's battle of the sexes concerns Petruchio's courtship of Katherina. The man from Verona does not have an easy task ahead of him. He tries many ways to tame her; however, she has her own “take” on the romance. Come and be a part of this romantic comedy classic that has challenged and entertained audiences for centuries. You could be one of our would-be lovers who battle it out, because as we know, love is a battlefield.
Director Jen Plants seeks a diverse cast of 13-14 actors of all ethnic and racial backgrounds who are bold and funny and who bring lots of their own ideas to the table. No experience with Shakespeare is necessarily required, though it can’t hurt, of course!
The Chatham Players have an open call casting policy. ALL roles are open, none are precast, and everyone is encouraged to audition. Any questions, please call Leslie Reagoso at 973.769.3886 or e-mail her at ccpcasting@gmail.com. For directions or additional information, please visit www.chathamplayers.org
Auditions will start with cold readings from sides provided in small groups. Sides are available prior to the auditions. To access sides, please visit http://www.chathamplayers.org/auditions.html. This production must never forget that it is indeed a PLAY (or in the case of The Taming of the Shrew, a play within a play!) All characters must be BOTH real and comically larger than life. Finding that paradoxical balance will make up the fun of rehearsals!
CHARACTER BREAKDOWN
MEN
- PETRUCCIO (30’s-40’s, suitor and eventual husband of Kate) Brave, fearless and manly. Uber-confident and shockingly likable. He is willing to take on any challenge and is so wildly creative and hardworking that he almost always wins—and has the time of his life doing so. He takes the stage whenever he appears, and is physically bold. A tour-de-force of a man.
- LUCENTIO (20’s, suitor and eventual husband of Bianca) A real Prince Charming, the classic romantic hero, which means that in a comedy, he’s also a bit naïve and painfully lovesick and idealistic.
- TRANIO (20’s. servant of Lucentio and pretends to be Lucentio) One smart cookie. In comedy, there’s often a guy of low status who is actually the smartest person in the room. This is Tranio (and he counters Biondello.) His big brain can make him sassy and sarcastic at times.
- BAPTISTA (50’s-70’s, Kate and Bianca’s father) The wise, bombastic but long-suffering (and ultimately good) patriarch of the play. He’s been overrun by Kate in the past, but in the play he finally stands up to her.
- GREMIO (60’s, suitor to Bianca) WAY too old for Bianca, but a man who fancies himself still young and virile. A bit of a buffoon.
- HORTENSIO (20’s, suitor to Bianca) A bit of a nerd, a bit humorless and always the straightlaced one in the group, Hortensio (like Gremio) is a total mismatch for Bianca.
- BIONDELLO (20’s-40’s, servant of Lucentio) A totally ineffectual servant, and totally unaware that he’s not actually very good at his job at all. His comedy comes from his ineptitude (in contrast to Tranio.)
- GRUMIO (20’s-40’s, servant of Petruccio) Petruccio’s sidekick, he’s crafty and optimistic (and a great physical comedian) Nothing Petruccio does could be done without Grumio.
- CURTIS/TAILOR (teens-40’s, Petruccio’s servant) A great role for a really great character actor. Curtis is Petruccio’s house boy. He is put upon and long suffering in the play. The actor will double as the Tailor, yet another character who gets kicked around in the play!
- VINCENTIO (50’s-70’s, Lucentio’s father) A man who believes in order and who is totally taken by surprise at the madness he discovers in Padua! A bit of a stuffed-shirt, he learns to loosen up as he discovers the new world his son has found.
- SLY/MERCHANT The merchant will actually be played by the actor playing Christopher Sly! Christopher Sly is a bumbling, clownish, not-too-bright common man, who starts the play drunk. He gets fooled into thinking he’s a wealthy lord and watches a play. . . The Taming of the Shrew! Eventually, Sly gets pulled into the action and plays a role in the Shrew story, but he’s not a great actor. Like Bottom in A Midsummer Night’s Drew, Sly gets pulled into something extraordinary and thinks he’s a much greater man than he really is.
WOMEN
- KATE (30’s) Bold and brassy. Brave and witty. A fighter, not a lover. A woman, not a girl. The quickest mind of anyone in the play. Kate is no fool, and has no patience for the foolish ways of anyone else. Most importantly, she knows her worth and isn’t afraid to fight for what she wants. She is physically fearless and used to being in charge. In the play, Kate learns how to have fun.
- BIANCA (20’s) A youthful girl of a dual nature. On the surface, she is all sweetness and light and innocence—the perfect ingénue. Underneath, she is a one tough cookie—manipulative and tough, just like her sister Kate. Bianca is just good at knowing what role the world wants her to play. This duality makes her way more interesting and fun to play than your typical young lover!
- HOSTESS/WIDOW The widow is shrewish and tight. She is proper and concerned with outward appearances. Opportunities for great comedy with the right touch. The actor who plays the Widow will also play the earthy Hostess in the Induction.
Most of the company will also play roles in the Induction (the Christopher Sly story that frames the Shrew play.)
