Hamlet Auditions

ACT (a community theatre) will stage its eight-actor version of Hamlet on August 28 & 29 and September 5-7, 2015, out of doors in Robert Cotton Park, Stratford, Prince Edward Island.  Hamlet, the character, has been cast.

Noah Nazim will play Hamlet

Auditions for the remaining seven (7) roles will be held on Saturday and Sunday, March 28 and 29, in the Stratford Town Centre, 234 Shakespeare Drive, Stratford, PEI.  For an audition time, please contact the Stage Manager, Sharon MacDonald at sheamacd@gmail.com

Auditioners must deliver a memorized Shakespearean monologue of their choosing.  Each will also be asked to read a passage or passages from our version of the play, corresponding to the role(s) they are seeking.  The passages appear below the roles.

The seven roles are:

1.  Male, 25-40, pass for 30.  Versatile, quick-change artist for hot-headed Laertes, stumbling Rosencrantz, bombastic Player King, and comic second gravedigger.  Willing to learn to fence.

Laertes + Rosencrantz + First player + Second clown:
(a) Laertes with Ophelia, pp. 9-10, “My necessaries are embarked … shot and danger of desire.”
(b) First player describes Hecuba, pp. 33-34, “But who, O who had seen the mobled queen … passion in the gods.”

2. Female, 25-40, pass for 30.  Versatile, quick-change artist with comic bent for main gravedigger (androgynous) and foppish Osric (male), as well as Guildenstern (female) and Player Queen.

First clown + Osric + Guildenstern + Second player:
(a) Two clowns dispute, pp. 74-76, “Is she to be buried … Could he dig without arms?”
(b) Osric is badgered, pp. 89-91, “Sweet lord, if your lordship … of very liberal conceit.”

3. Male, 35-60, pass for 45-50. Claudius and the Ghost: a commanding presence.

Claudius + Ghost
(a) opening address, p 1, “Though yet of Hamlet … What wouldst thou have, Laertes?”
(b) Ghost describes murder, pp. 16-17, “Now, Hamlet, hear … Remember me.”

4. Female, 35-60, pass for 45-50. Gertrude: both queenly and lusty.

 Gertude
(a) disputes with Hamlet, p. 52-53, “Now mother … As kill a king?”
(b) describes Ophelia’s death, p. 73, “A willow grows aslant … To muddy death.”

5. Female, 16-30.  Ophelia: with a strong singing voice.

5. Ophelia
(a) describes Hamlet, p. 21, “He took me by the wrist … bended their light on me.”
(b) first mad scene, pp. 64-65, “Where is the beauteous majesty … good night, good night” (singing ad lib)

6. Male, 45 +.  Polonius and Priest.

(a) advice to Laertes, pp. 10-11, “Give thy thoughts no tongue … my blessing season thee in this.
(b) reports to king and queen, pp. 24-25, “My liege, and madam … And all we mourn for.”

7. Male, 25-40, pass for 30.  Horatio: Steady actor with stamina: on stage for whole play, in and out of character for Horatio and as a guide leading the audience between scenes.

(a) taking part of Lucianus in play-within, p. 49, “Thoughts black … usurp immediately.”
(b) ending the play, pp. 98-99, “Now cracks a noble heart … must you truly deliver.”

A pdf version of our script is available on the ACT Facebook Group https://www.facebook.com/groups/37260101679/  Look for the post made on February 11.

A pdf version of the script is also available on the page called “Hamlet, the script” listed at the top of this page.