Saline Area Players announce auditions for Rosencrantz and Guildenstern

Saline Area Players announce auditions for Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are Dead by Tom Stoppard. Auditions are on Saturday, January 27 from 10AM-12 noon at Fifth Corner, 211 Willis Rd, Saline. Callbacks will be Sunday, January 28 from 4:30-6:30. The show will be performed April 12, 13 & 14. Actors ages 16+ are encouraged to audition.

These will be open auditions where cast will be asked to do cold readings from the script and some improvisational exercises. The director will be looking for effective use of facial expressions and body language to effectively convey character and mood, the ability to project and articulate, varied vocal inflection, the ability to react and respond to others and, overall, energy and stage presence. Your real age is less important than your ability to convincingly portray the character. British accents are not necessary but are encouraged if you feel comfortable.

Rehearsals will take place Monday, Wednesday and Thursdays and featured roles will be asked to rehearse 2-3 nights a week. Secondary roles will be rehearsing 1-2 nights a week. Please bring a calendar or list of all dates and specific times you will be unavailable for rehearsals between now and April 14th.

Plot Synopsis: The play concerns the misadventures and musings of Rosencrantz and Guildenstern, two minor characters from William Shakespeare’s Hamlet who are childhood friends of the prince. Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead is set up to be the inverse of Hamlet – the title characters are the leads, not supporting players, and Hamlet himself has only a minor role. The duo appears on stage here when they are off-stage in Shakespeare’s play, with the exception of a few short scenes in which the dramatic events of both of the plays coincide.

Character Descriptions:
(Please note that the director is willing to cast male or female actors in the lead roles, so females should feel free to audition for any of these roles).

LEAD ROLES THAT WILL REQUIRE A LOT OF MEMORIZATION:

Rosencrantz – A gentleman and childhood friend of Hamlet. Along with his companion, Guildenstern, Rosencrantz seeks to uncover the cause of Hamlet’s strange behavior but finds himself confused by his role in the action of the play. Rosencrantz has a carefree and artless personality that masks deep dread about his fate.
Guildenstern – A gentleman and childhood friend of Hamlet. Accompanied by Rosencrantz, Guildenstern tries to discover what is plaguing Hamlet as well as his own purpose in the world. Although frequently disconcerted by the world around him, Guildenstern is a meditative man who believes that he can understand his life.
The Player – The leader of the traveling actors known as the Tragedians. The Player is an enigmatic figure. His cunning wit and confident air suggest that he knows more than he is letting on. The impoverished state of his acting troupe makes him eager to please others, but only on his own terms.

SECONDARY ROLES:

Tragedians – A group of traveling male actors. The Tragedians specialize in melodramatic and sensationalistic performances, and they are willing to engage in sexual entertainments if the price is right.
Hamlet – The prince of Denmark and a childhood friend of Rosencrantz and Guildenstern. Hamlet is thrown into a deep personal crisis when his father dies and his uncle takes the throne and marries Hamlet’s mother. Hamlet’s strange behavior confuses the other characters, especially Rosencrantz and Guildenstern.
Claudius – Hamlet’s uncle and the new king of Denmark. Claudius is a sinister character who tries to exploit the friendship between Rosencrantz, and Guildenstern and Hamlet to learn what Hamlet believes about the king’s marriage to Gertrude.
Gertrude – Hamlet’s mother and the queen of Denmark. Although she has disgraced herself by marrying Claudius so soon after her husband’s death, Gertrude does seem to care for Hamlet’s well-being and sincerely hopes that Rosencrantz and Guildenstern can help her son.
Polonius – A member of the Danish court and adviser to Claudius. Polonius is a shifty man, willing to interrogate Hamlet and even spy on him to learn what he wants to know.
Ophelia – The daughter of Polonius and Hamlet’s former beloved. Ophelia spends the play in a state of shock and anguish as a result of Hamlet’s bizarre conduct.
Laertes – The son of Polonius and brother of Ophelia. Laertes does not appear in the action of the play, but his corpse appears in the final scene.

Please direct any questions to the director at katherinedownieartist@gmail.com

Additional information on the website at www.salineareaplayers.org