Creative Greensboro, in collaboration with Shared Radiance, will hold auditions for William Shakespeare’s “Julius Caesar” on January 21 and January 22 from 6 pm to 8 pm in the Stephen D. Hyers Theatre at the Greensboro Cultural Center, 200 N. Davie St. Go to www.creativegreensboro.com for more information and to register for an audition time.
Creative Greensboro and Shared Radiance seek teens ages 12-18 of all experience levels for volunteer ensemble and solo roles. Auditions will include cold reads pulled from the script. Actors may also choose to prepare an optional one-minute monologue. Scripts are available prior to auditions by emailing Todd Fisher at todd.fisher@greensboro-nc.gov. In-person rehearsals will be held on evenings and weekends as schedules permit, with performances on March 12-15.
About Creative Greensboro
The mission of Creative Greensboro is to “provide support for, ensure access to, and drive awareness of Greensboro’s creative community. Through a range of programs, services, and partnerships, we support the development of a vibrant city.”
About Julius Caesar
Honor, intrigue, and fate are at the heart of Julius Caesar. This production of one of William Shakespeare’s most famous history plays will incorporate elements of ghost stories and be set on Vancouver Island in Canada, one of the harshest natural environments on earth. Theatre artists ages 12 to 18 are invited to explore this play examining survival, fear, and human nature in times of upheaval and uncertainty. Speaking of fate, the closing night performance will take place on the infamous Ides of March. Both technical and acting opportunities are available. Produced in collaboration with Shared Radiance Performing Arts Company in the Stephen D Hyers Theatre.
TECH CALL
Are you a theatre artist aged 12-18 interested in getting involved in tech for Julius Caesar, or simply want to test the waters? We have opportunities for those who want to learn about directing, stage management, fight choreography, set design, costumes, makeup, and more! Email the director at chappell@sharedradiance.org and the stage manager at sarah@sharedradiance.org with your name, what area of tech you’re interested in, and any questions you may have.
JULIUS CAESAR CHARACTER BREAKDOWN
Please note there is a chance some of these roles may be cut, combined, or double-cast depending on the cutting of the script, as well as audition turnout and other possible factors. The chances of most, if not all, of the cast being included in fight choreography are high. If you wish to audition but do not wish to participate in stage combat for any reason, please state so at the time of auditions. We want to include you and will need to evaluate the best path forward. Please email the director of this production at chappell@sharedradiance.org with any questions about characters.
JULIUS CAESAR – Famous general and spouse of Calpurnia. So popular with the people others fear Caesar will be crowned monarch despite Rome’s government being a republic. Arrogant, perceptive, deaf in one ear. A wonderfully complex character. Open to any gender presentation.
CALPHURNIA – Caesar’s spouse, who suffers from infertility. Connects with supernatural forces. Prophetic, perceptive, mystical. Foil to Portia. This role has lots to explore under the surface. Open to any gender presentation.
MARCUS BRUTUS – An honorable, high ranking Roman who’s well-intentioned morals and logic lead down a dark path. Genuinely loves their country. Portia’s spouse. Intelligent, personable, conflicted. Arguably the protagonist of the play. Open to any gender presentation. The actor playing this role may explore matters dealing with mental health.
PORTIA – Brutus’ spouse. Fights to be included where others would not have her go. Grounded, logical, noble. Foil to Calpurnia. There’s lots of strength and dignity in this role. Open to any gender presentation. The actor playing this role may explore matters dealing with mental health.
LUCIUS – Brutus’ servant who helps them on a late work night. Helps set a lot of the intrigue of the play in motion. Open to any gender presentation.
CAIUS CASSIUS – A military official who instigates the conspiracy against Caesar. Loves Brutus despite manipulating them. Jealous, ambitious, complicated. Awesome opportunity for an actor to take on a nuanced villain role. Open to any gender presentation. The actor playing this role may explore matters dealing with mental health.
CASCA – The first conspirator to stab Caesar. Represents the Cynic school of philosophy and makes a lot of sarcastic comments. Open to any gender presentation.
CINNA – Cinna the Conspirator. Helps Cassius win Brutus over to their cause. Bold, calculating, devious. A good opportunity to play with tactics. Open to any gender presentation.
DECIUS BRUTUS – A conspirator. Convinces Caesar to show up to the assassination. Manipulative, cunning, capable of coming across as dignified. A good opportunity to play with tactics. Open to any gender presentation.
CAIUS LIGARIUS – A conspirator who pushes through an illness to aid in the assassination. A good opportunity to play with physicality and senses. Open to any gender presentation.
METELLUS CIMBER – A conspirator. Begs Caesar to pardon their banished sibling, Publius, as a way of setting up the assassination. Cunning, political, capable of coming across as humble. A good opportunity to play with motives. Open to any gender presentation.
TREBONIUS – A conspirator. Believes Mark Antony will join their side after the assassination. Gets a sneaky aside. Open to any gender presentation.
CICERO – A senior statesperson and orator. Is considered as a potential consiprator for their eloquence and powers of persuasion, but is ultimately rejected because they do not easily follow others. Awesome chance for a young actor to play an older character. Open to any gender presentation.
PUBLIUS CIMBER – A senator banished by Caesar and Metellus’ sibling. Sympathetic to the conspirators. A good introductory role to Shakespeare. Open to any gender.
POPILIUS LENA – A senator who covertly expresses sympathy to the conspirators. A good introductory role to Shakespeare. Open to any gender.
FLAVIUS – A tribune, or low-ranking government official representative of the lower class, against Caesar. A party pooper willing to commit petty crimes when it suits them. Opens the show. Open to any gender.
MARULLUS – A tribune, or low-ranking government official representative of the lower class, against Caesar. Harsh, investigative, has a temper. Open to any gender.
MARK ANTONY – A friend and ally of Caesar’s. A good politician but not necessarily good. A foil to Brutus. The strong point of the three Roman rulers after Caesar’s assassination. Passionate, young, fierce. Delivers one of the most famous speeches in Shakespeare. Open to any gender.
LEPIDUS – A weak politician who rules alongside Antony and Octavius after Caesar’s assassination. Easily manipulated. Gets sent on errands. A good dramatic role for a character actor. Open to any gender.
OCTAVIUS – Caesar’s young relative and adopted heir. An inexperienced shadow of the leader to come (becomes Augustus Caesar after the end of the play). Eager, uncertain of themself, hasty. Has some meaty scenes. Open to any gender.
LUCILIUS – One of Brutus’ officers. Loyal, clever, unafraid. Open to any gender.
TITINIUS – One of Cassius’ officers. Plays an important role in Cassius’s death. Open to any gender.
MESSALA – One of Brutus’ officers. Delivers important news. Open to any gender.
VARRO – One of Brutus’ officers. Comforting, hard-working, obedient. Open to any gender.
CLAUDIUS – One of Brutus’ officers. Quiet, a follower. Open to any gender.
YOUNG CATO – Portia’s parent and one of Brutus’ officers. Warlike, bold, proud of their identity. Open to any gender.
STRATO – One of Brutus’ officers. Brutus asks Strato to kill them. Open to any gender.
VOLUMNIUS – One of Brutus’ officers. Brutus asks Volumnius to kill them, but Volumnius declines. Open to any gender.
DARDANUS – One of Brutus’ officers. Brutus asks Dardanus to kill them, but Dardanus declines. Open to any gender.
CLITUS – One of Brutus’ officers. Brutus asks Clitus to kill them, but Clitus declines. Open to any gender.
A SOOTHSAYER – Tries to warn Caesar of the assassination multiple times. Says one of the most famous lines in Shakespeare. Open to any gender.
ARTEMIDORIUS – A statesman who attempt to warn Caesar of the assassination. The script never clarifies how Artemidorus learns of the conspiracy, leaving the circumstances to be decided by the actor. Open to any gender.
CINNA THE POET – An innocent civilian mistaken for Cinna the conspirator. Truthful and feels pulled towards something. Open to any gender.
PINDARUS – An indentured servant to Cassius. Cassius asks Pindarus to kill them. Open to any gender.
ENSEMBLE – Citizens, Senators, Petitioners, Plebeians, Soldiers, Servants, Messengers, Poets, Carpenters, Cobblers. Open to any gender.