OPEN AUDITIONS!
William Shakespeare’s
THE MERCHANT OF VENICE
directed by
C. L. Rogers
Monday, March 18th
Tuesday, March 19th
Callbacks Thursday, March 21st
7:00 pm
The Queen Anne’s County
Arts Council
206 S. Commerce Street
Centreville, Maryland
Performance Dates
Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays
May 31st – June 23rd
Performances of The Merchant of Venice will be held outside at various venues on the Eastern Shore, opening Friday, May 31st. Rehearsals will be held at the Queen Anne’s County Arts Council headquarters in Centreville, commencing on Tuesday, April 2nd at 7:00 pm. Each actor should expect to be called for rehearsal three times per week until early May.
Auditions will be held Monday and Tuesday, March 18th and 19th, at the Arts Council headquarters in Centreville. Callbacks, if necessary, will be held on Thursday, March 21st. Auditioners are asked to present a brief Shakespeare monologue, from a different show, and to be prepared for readings from sides. Auditioners are encouraged to present monologues drawn from shows other than those in which they may have performed.
As adapted, the script explicitly calls for doubling, even tripling, of many roles. Rogers anticipates casting 12-16 actors for all roles, including at least nine men and three women. No roles have been pre-cast; some may be cross-cast. Roles of varying size and for varying levels of experience are available. Some roles may involve robust physical activity.
Those interested in auditioning are requested to register by sending an email with contact information to auditions@shoreshakespeare.com, or by clicking HERE. Auditions sides will be sent to registered auditioners, and posted at www.shoreshakespeare.com as soon as they are available.
Rehearsals are tentatively scheduled for Monday, Tuesday, and Thursday evenings, and Saturday afternoons, beginning with a read-thru on Tuesday, April 2nd. Each actor will receive a call sheet for each scheduled rehearsal, and should expect to be called three times per week until early May.
The Merchant of Venice, while technically a comedy, has dark undertones. It explores a recognizably modern community, one built on mercantilism, law, money, appearance and excess. It holds a mirror up to society, presenting bigotry and racism, which modern audiences may find offensive. Rogers, while acknowledging the darker aspects of the play, maintains that the anti-Semitism presented in the text is but a device, a highlighted illustration of a near-universal problem with which we continue to grapple today.
The company also seeks technical support for the production, including lighting and sound technicians/operators, and road crew to help with setup and strike at our various venues. Compensation may be available. Interested individuals are encouraged to email the company at auditions@shoreshakespeare.com, or by clicking HERE.
More information about this production, Shore Shakespeare Company’s Tour productions and our Auditions Policy made be had by clicking HERE.