Shakespeare in Love
Based on the screenplay by Marc Norman & Tom Stoppard
Adapted for the stage by Lee Hall
Music by Paddy Cunneen
Onstage: July 9-19, 2025
Director: Anne Marie Szucs
Stage Manager: Jenn Robinson
Audition Location: Walterdale Theatre, 10322 83 Avenue, Edmonton
Audition Dates: Sunday, March 23, 1-5 pm; Monday, March 24, 6-9 pm
Callbacks: Sunday, March 30, 1 pm
Play Synopsis:
Plagued by debt, tormented by writer’s block and in desperate need of a new hit, promising new playwright Will Shakespeare finds his muse in the form of passionate young noblewoman, Viola De Lesseps. Their forbidden love soon draws everyone, including Queen Elizabeth herself, into this comic drama and inspires Will to write the greatest love story of all time, Romeo and Juliet. Will it all work out in the end for our star-crossed lovers?
Rehearsal and Production Schedule:
In April and May, we will rehearse most Monday evenings, Wednesday evenings, and Saturday afternoons. By June, we will add more rehearsal days (some Friday evenings and Sunday afternoons). You will need to be fully available for tech week (June 29 to July 8) and the run of the show (July 9 to 19). This is a complex, fast-moving play with a large cast – we recommend that you not take on any other productions during June and July.
Casting Requirements:
Many actors in this play will be playing more than one character. The casting call is for 11 females and 13 males; however, we want to encourage performers of any ethnicity, age, body type, gender expression, sexual orientation, mobility level, and level of acting experience to audition. We are looking for actors with a sense of play who can lean into the many comic opportunities in this script.
Please note: In the following lists, characters in parentheses are played by Elizabethan actors in various plays within this play.
Female Actors
- Viola/Kent – young noblewoman intent on treading the boards/male actor disguise
- Nurse – older, feisty caretaker of Viola
- Nol (Benvolio, Sampson)/Lambert – novice actor/henchman
- Robin (Lady Capulet)/Frees – novice actor/henchman
- Adam (Gregory, Benvolio, Servingman)/Boatman – novice actor/writer with a day job
- Queen Elizabeth I/Molly – monarch/tavern wench
- Wabash/Kate/Mistress Quickly – novice actor/tavern wench/wardrobe mistress
- Peter (Tybalt)/Valentine – actor
- Sam (Juliet)/Proteus – actor
- Guard 1/Attendant 1/Dancer 3/Audience 3 – ensemble
- Officiant/Attendant 2/Dancer 4/Audience 4 – ensemble
Male Actors
- Will Shakespeare/Wilhelmina – poet and playwright/female laundry maid disguise
- Kit Marlowe – poet, playwright, and colleague and friend to Will
- Henslowe – owner and manager of the Rose Theatre
- Fennyman – producer and “actor”
- Ralph (Juliet’s Nurse, Petruchio)/Guard 2 – novice actor/ensemble
- Webster – young street urchin desiring to be an actor
- Actor (Abraham)/Catling/Waiter/Barman – actor/guard/pours beer
- Burbage – lead actor of the Chamberlain’s Men
- Tilney/Sir Robert De Lesseps – Lord Chamberlain/Viola’s father
- Ned (Mercutio) – lead actor of the Admiral’s Men
- Wessex – nobleman betrothed to Viola
- Heavy 1/Courtier 1/Dancer 1/Audience 1 – ensemble
- Heavy 2/Courtier 2/Dancer 2/Audience 2 – ensemble
Audition Expectations:
You will be auditioning with a small group of other actors in a two-part audition: cold readings from the play and music. You will be provided with access to the script to prepare for the readings once you’ve booked your audition.
For the music portion of the audition, we ask you to prepare a short “a capella” song that demonstrates your vocal quality and range (a folk song or something as simple as Happy Birthday). Note: this play is not a musical – more of a play with Elizabethan-inspired music that is interwoven into the plot. Singing requirements will be minimal and mostly choral in nature.
To book an audition, please email Anne Marie Szucs at [email protected] . In your audition request, please indicate which character(s) you are interested in as well as which audition date you prefer. In return, you will receive confirmation of your time slot, information on how to best prepare for your audition, access to a perusal script, and link to a Google form for you to provide us with more information on your experience and availability for this production. Headshots and résumés are recommended, but not required.
Walterdale Theatre is committed to inclusive casting. Artists who are members of under-represented communities are greatly encouraged to audition. We are a volunteer organization and cannot engage Equity performers.
