Alyson Dicey as Bardolph in ‘Henry V’, Photo (c) BB Photography 2017
Project Synopsis:
On the distant shores of the mystical land of Illyria, the shipwrecked Viola has been saved from the sea. Believing her twin-brother Sebastian to be lost, she makes her way in this brave new world disguised as a boy in the service of the melancholy Count Orsino.
Meanwhile at the court of the Countess Olivia, Christmas is over and nobody is going home! With the seasonal supply of winter booze running dangerously low, Olivia’s cousin, Sir Toby Belch, is determined to make this the family reunion of a lifetime!
From the director of 2017’s ground-breaking production of Henry V, Shakespeare’s manic yet moving comedy of a family’s love overcoming death is here bought roaring back to life by Edmonton’s new Shakespeare Collective.
Featuring beautiful live choral and musical accompaniment led by Director of Music John Brough, and set in the stunning sanctuary of Edmonton’s HTAC, this magical new production promises to be the theatrical highlight of the season.
Additional Information:
Directed by internationally-acclaimed Shakespeare director Benjamin Blyth (University of Cambridge, RADA), Twelfth Night is a Canadian Actors’ Equity Association production under the Artists’ Collective Policy.
Performances:
Twelfth Night will run Wednesdays – Sundays at 7:30PM from January 5 – 20, 2018 at Holy Trinity Anglican Church.
Rehearsals:
Rehearsals will be scheduled in sections over the holiday period:
1) December 8: 11AM-5PM: Read-through (acting company and music director)
2) December 11-23: Part-time rehearsals (acting company) arranged around existing availability
3) December 30: Run-through (acting and music companies)
4) January 3-4: Full-time rehearsals (acting company) technical and dress rehearsals
5) January 5 (Twelfth Night): Opening
Please come prepared to audition with your detailed availability over this period.
Auditions:
Auditions for the acting company will be held in the UPPER HALL at Holy Trinity Anglican Church (10037, 84 Ave NW, Edmonton, AB, T6E 2G6) from 10AM-5PM from September 5 – 7. The waiting area will be sign posted.
Please specify if you require a specific date/ time slot (AM/PM) in your submission email.
Please come prepared with two contrasting monologues (1 verse, 1 prose) of up to 2 minutes in length from Shakespeare or one of his contemporaries.
Auditions will be held for all roles, and breakdowns are as follows:
Orsino – MALE, Late 20s/30s, A melancholy Duke;
Antonio – MALE, 30s/40s, One-time pirate, close friend to Sebastian;
Sebastian – MALE, Early 20s, Shipwrecked twin brother to Viola;
Sir Andrew Aguecheek – MALE, 20s, A foolish knight;
Sir Toby Belch – MALE, 40s-50s, Drunken cousin to Olivia;
Viola – FEMALE, Early 20s, Shipwrecked twin sister to Sebastian;
Olivia – FEMALE, Late 20s/Early 30s, A Countess in mourning;
Maria – FEMALE, 30s/40s, Her housekeeper;
Fabian: FEMALE, 20s, A young scholar of law;
Feste – MALE/FEMALE, All ages, A wandering fool;
Malvolio – MALE/FEMALE 30s-50s, Olivia’s puritanical steward.
Submissions:
Please email your headshot, resume and a brief cover letter specifying who you would like to be seen for and outlining your previous experience with Shakespeare to: benjamin.blyth@ucalgary.ca
Equity members will be seen first at all open audition calls. Equity members cast in this production will be engaged under an Equity form of contract. CAEA members: please bring your membership card to the audition.
Ethno-cultural mandate or ethno-cultural casting statement: The Edmonton Shakespeare Collective are committed to diverse, inclusive casting. We encourage submissions from all qualified performers, without regard to age, disability, ethnicity, race, or gender identity.
