Auditions
Please find below info about Actors’ Shakespeare Project’s Equity Principal Auditions and Non-Equity Auditions for our upcoming 2025-26 Season, as well as information about rehearsal dates, performances, and role breakdowns.
25-26 Season Equity Principal Auditions – ASP
LOCATION: The Dorothy and Charles Mosesian Center for the Arts
321 Arsenal Street | Watertown, MA 02472
Friday, May 16th, 2025, 9:30am – 6:00pm (with a one-hour lunch break)
AND
Tuesday, May 20th, 2025, 9:30am – 6:00pm (with a one-hour lunch break)
ASP Staff Present:
Christopher V. Edwards (Artistic Director)
Regine Vital (Associate Producer)
These auditions are for MEMBERS OF ACTORS’ EQUITY ASSOCIATION ONLY. Information for non-AEA auditions can be found below.
These are the only available audition days; there will be no alternate dates.
If you cannot attend any of these dates, you can email casting@actorsshakespeareproject.org inquire about sending a self-tape.
For the 2025-2026 Season, Actors’ Shakespeare Project will offer a NEAT Category 5 / Tier B contract. The weekly AEA Artist Salary will be $561.00.
Typical Rehearsal Schedule:
Weekday Evenings: Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday evenings
Weekend Days/Early Evenings: Saturday and Sunday
Actors’ Shakespeare Project does not provide housing.
Equity appointments are scheduled in seven (7) minute intervals and each Equity Member has a maximum of five (5) minutes to audition. Please bring your AEA membership card.
Please prepare material of your choice; if you wish, this may be selections from the season. For those who wish to perform a scene from the season, a reader will be available (please be prepared to supply sides for the reader, which include indication of your starting & stopping places).
Available roles are listed below; all roles are available for audition to any actor regardless of race, heritage, or gender identification. We seek actors who can and will enjoy playing multiple roles in a production, who are physically engaged in the work, and who are eager to collaborate with ensemble members.
No understudies will be cast.
Each production schedule will include at least 3 weekday morning student matinees, for which actors must be available.
If you have any questions, please email casting@actorsshakespeareproject.org.
Thank you, we look forward to seeing you!
25-26 Season Non-Equity Auditions – ASP
LOCATION: The Dorothy and Charles Mosesian Center for the Arts
321 Arsenal Street | Watertown, MA 02472
Saturday, May 24th, 2025, 10:30am – 6:00pm (with a one-hour lunch break)
AND
Tuesday, May 27th, 2025, 9:30am – 6:00pm (with a one-hour lunch break)
ASP Staff Present:
Christopher V. Edwards (Artistic Director)
Regine Vital (Associate Producer)
These are the only available audition days; there will be no alternate dates.
If you cannot attend any of these dates, you can email casting@actorsshakespeareproject.org inquire about sending a self-tape.
Typical Rehearsal Schedule:
Weekday Evenings: Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday evenings
Weekend Days/Early Evenings: Saturday and Sunday
Actors’ Shakespeare Project does not provide housing.
Non-equity appointments are scheduled in five (5) minute intervals and each auditionee has a maximum of three (3) minutes to audition.
Please prepare material of your choice; if you wish, this may be selections from the season. For those who wish to perform a scene from the season, a reader will be available (please be prepared to supply sides for the reader, which include indication of your starting & stopping places).
Available roles are listed below; all roles are available for audition to any actor regardless of race, heritage, or gender identification. We seek actors who can and will enjoy playing multiple roles in a production, who are physically engaged in the work, and who are eager to collaborate with ensemble members.
No understudies will be cast.
Each production schedule will include at least 3 weekday morning student matinees, for which actors must be available.
If you have any questions, please email casting@actorsshakespeareproject.org.
Thank you, we look forward to seeing you!
PLEASE NOTE: All Rehearsal and Performance Dates below are TENTATIVE.
Macbeth
by William Shakespeare
Directed by Christopher V. Edwards
First Rehearsal: Wednesday, September 3rd, 2025
Opening: Thursday, October 2nd, 2025
Closing: Sunday, October 26th, 2025
THE STORY
Set during the early days of the Cold War, this reimagining of Macbeth delves into ambition, mind control, and psychological manipulation. When enigmatic witches unveil a prophecy of power, Macbeth and his calculating wife spiral into a ruthless pursuit of dominance. As paranoia mounts and reality fractures, their descent into madness becomes a chilling exploration of how far the human mind can be pushed—and who is truly pulling the strings. This electrifying take on Shakespeare’s classic blurs the boundaries between free will and control, immersing audiences in a world where the edge of insanity is closer than it appears.
Content Advisory: This production will explore themes of extreme emotional, physical, and psychological trauma.
Available roles (Note: most actors will double with ensemble roles)
Actor 1: plays MACBETH, ENSEMBLE – Duncan’s general, Thane of Glamis, a plaything of fate
Actor 2: plays LADY MACBETH, ENSEMBLE – spouse of Macbeth, mourning mother, haunted woman
Actor 3: plays BANQUO, HECATE, DOCTOR, ENSEMBLE – Duncan’s other general, father of a future dynasty; head witch, leader of the Weird sisters; Lady M’s physician
Actor 4: plays MACDUFF, LENNOX, THIRD MURDERER, ENSEMBLE – a potential avenger; Scottish noble; a hired thug
Actor 5: plays WITCH 1, YOUNG MACDUFF, ENSEMBLE – a Weird sister; son or daughter of Macduff
Actor 6: plays WITCH 2, LADY MACDUFF, MALCOLM, ENSEMBLE – a weird sister; spouse of Macduff; eldest son of Duncan
Actor 7: plays WITCH 3, PORTER, SEYTON, ENSEMBLE – a Weird sister; a comedian; Macbeth’s man
Actor 8: plays ROSS, FIRST MURDERER, BLOODY CAPTAIN, ENSEMBLE – Scottish noble; a hired thug; a bloody captain
Actor 9: plays SECOND MURDERER, DONALBAIN, FLEANCE, ENSEMBLE – a hired thug; youngest son of Duncan; son or daughter of Banquo
Actor 10: plays DUNCAN, OLD SIWARD, ENSEMBLE – King of Scotland; Earl of Northumberland, a general of the English army
LITTLE WOMEN (February 5 – March 1, 2026)
Little Women
by Kate Hamill
Adapted from the Novel by Louisa May Alcott
Directed by Shana Gozansky
First Rehearsal: Wednesday, January 7th, 2026
Opening: Thursday, February 5th, 2026
Closing: Sunday, March 1st, 2026
THE STORY
Jo March isn’t your typical Victorian lady. She’s indecorous and headstrong, and one day she’s going to be a great American novelist. As she and her sisters grow up in the middle of the Civil War, they strive to be brave, intelligent, and imaginative young women. But as adulthood approaches, each sister must negotiate her private ambitions with society’s expectations. In a war-torn world defined by gender, class, and personal tragedy, Jo March gives us her greatest story: That of the March sisters, four dreamers destined to be imperfect little women.
Available roles (Note: some actors will double with ensemble roles)
Actor 1:
MARMEE MARCH: the matriarch of the March family. A social revolutionary, ahead of her time. Good sense of humor. A warrior; keeps the family together. Tough. Strong. Intelligent.
AUNT MARCH: 70+, the most unpleasant old woman imaginable. Has lots of money, privilege. Strong political and personal opinions which people endure. Judgemental. Has an intermittent, hacking, disgusting cough.
Actor 2:
MEG MARCH: the oldest March daughter. Wears glasses. Acts as Marmee;s second in the house. A romantic at heart–likes to dress up and have little luxuries in life.
Actor 3:
JO MARCH: the second-oldest March. Does not fit comfortably within the parameters of her given gender role. A deep fire within her. Extremely ambitious and frustrated by the distance between where she is and where she wants to be. Impatient. Wants to change the world. Very smart and know it. Mix of insecurity and aspiration. Boyish and rough-and-tumble. Sometimes antagonistic. Not the most tolerant of differing viewpoints. Can be quite awkward or abrupt; bad temper when riled. A great sense of humor. Passionate. Ahead of her time. A warrior. Has a special relationship with Beth.
Actor 4:
BETH MARCH: the third March. An extremely special person. Very sweet and paralytically shy; had to be removed from school because of her paralyzing social anxieties. Agoraphobic. Almost incapable of going out in the world; sheltered by her family. Loves deeply and has deep empathy for everyone. Loves the simple things in life–so much that it hurts. Sees much more than anyone realizes. Brave and sensitive; quick to forgive and heal wounds. An observer.
Actor 5:
AMY MARCH: the youngest March. Opinionated and spunky;popular and quite focused on style. Not the most tolerant of differing viewpoints. Socially intelligent. Sometimes puts on airs. Perhaps a bit spoiled. A perfect little lady–except for her temper, and her not so great command of “vocabiblary”. Grows up to be quite beautiful and elegant. Madly in love with Laurie, around whom she is never cool.
Actor 6:
HANNAH: Irish. The March’s longtime housekeeper, cook, and de facto babysitter. A treasure; a terror; a traditionalist. Takes no nonsense. Matter-of-fact; she’s the boss of that kitchen for sure.
MRS. MINGOTT: a very rich, stylish woman. Vanderbilt-esque, condescending, not terribly pleasant, fancies herself charitable.
MESSENGER: a female messenger.
Actor 7:
THEODORE “LAURIE” LAURENCE: a sweet and handsome young man. Sensitive. Funny, charming, and caring. In his fantasies he’s a white knight, riding in to rescue damsels in distress. A natural musician. Wealthy thanks to his inheritance; generous, does not have to think about money. Does not always fit comfortably within the parameters of his given gender role–he doesn’t want to grow up to be a soldier or a tedious man of business. Finds family in the Marches.
Actor 8:
JOHN BROOKS: Laurie’s sometimes stiff and awkward tutor. A rule follower. A poor man, well educated. Has a very noticeable limp–probably served in the war and was sent home, although may have been disqualified from service altogether. Feels deeply. Quite madly in love with Meg.
PARROT: Aunt March’s parrot: pure evil. A musty, disgusting bird. Probably an actual demon in parrot form.
Actor 9:
MR. LAURENCE: Laurie’s grandfather, responsible for Laurie’s upbringing. A wealthy man. A gentleman in the strictest sense. Not comfortable with emotional language; bad at expressing himself. Has a rigid sense of what is appropriate behavior, especially for a man. Tends towards gruffness or temper. Probably quite unintentionally frightening. Deeply regretful of incidents in his past, but unable to express it.
ROBERT MARCH: father to the March girls. Never speaks, but his presence loons large. Wounded in the war; never quite recovers. A significant limp. Struggles with his injuries, both emotional and physical.
ALSO, to double with Actor 8 or Actor 9:
MR. DASHWOOD: a publisher of cheap newspapers and novels. A businessman, working in a man’s world. Fancies himself a realist. Not a nice guy. Fancies himself a nice guy.
DOCTOR (nonspeaking)
GEM OF THE OCEAN (April 16 – May 17, 2026)
August Wilson’s Gem of the Ocean
Directed by Monica White Ndounou
First Rehearsal: Wednesday, March 18th, 2026
Opening: Thursday, April 16th, 2026
Closing: Sunday, May 17th, 2026
THE STORY
Set in 1904, August Wilson’s Gem of the Ocean blends naturalism and mysticism to explore the experience of a Black community at the turn of the 20th century. When Citizen Barlow comes to her Pittsburgh’s Hill District home seeking asylum, matriarch and advisor Aunt Ester sets him off on a spiritual journey to visit the City of Bones, home of their ancestors. Gem of the Ocean is the ninth work in Wilson’s ten-play American Century Cycle, which has recorded the American Black experience and helped to define generations.
Available roles (Note: seeking actors of African descent)
ELI, Aunt Esters gatekeeper and longtime friend of Solly
CITIZEN BARLOW, a young man from Alabama in spiritual turmoil (late 20s/early 30s)
AUNT ESTER TYLER, a very old, yet vital spiritual advisor for the community
BLACK MARY, Aunt Ester’s protege and housekeeper (late 20s)
RUTHERFORD SELIG, a traveling peddler who is a frequent visitor to the house
SOLLY TWO KINGS, suitor to Aunt Ester, former Underground Railroad conductor (67 years old)
CAESAR WILKS, Black Mary’s brother and local constable (about 52 years old)
ASP’s Anti-Racism Statement
Actors’ Shakespeare Project (ASP) is committed to actively examining and combating the multifaceted nature of racism in our company, our community, the theater industry and the United States. Racism is dehumanizing to everyone it touches and creates an environment that is not conducive to creative expression. Actors’ Shakespeare Project seeks to dismantle organizational systems, processes, structures, and cultures that discourage any person from engaging with us. We pledge to foster diversity, inclusivity, and equity across all of our Board, staff, artists, productions, educational programming, and business operations. The stories of all people will be reflected in all the work that we do.