[Capdist-auditions] Auditions Feb 14-15 for ACT's "A Midsummer Night's Dream

[Charles Treadwell]

Auditions for Albany Civic Theater's final show of the 2010-2011 season, A 
Midsummer Night’s Dream by William Shakespeare, directed by Carol King, will be 
held 7pm Monday, February 14 and Tuesday, February 15, 2011 at:

Albany Civic Theater, 235 Second Avenue, Albany, NY, 462-1297, 
info at albanycivictheater.org

A Midsummer Night’s Dream runs May 6-22, 2011.

Sign-ins begin at 7pm both evenings and auditions begin at 7:30pm; there is no 
need to make an appointment. There is no need to prepare a monologue; auditions 
will consist of cold readings from the script. We are looking for approximately 
8 women (approximate ages 18 through 99) and approximately 13 men (approximate 
ages 18 through 99).  There will likely be some cross-gender casting, so if you 
are unwilling to play someone of the opposite sex, please indicate that on your 
audition sheet. We will also be looking for any special talents you might have 
and using them in the production accordingly -  juggling, singing, dancing, 
acrobatics, etc.

Synopsis:

A Midsummer Night's Dream portrays the adventures of four young Athenian lovers 
and a group of amateur actors and their interactions with Theseus, the Duke of 
Athens; Hippolyta, the Queen of the Amazons; and the playful and meddlesome 
fairies who inhabit a moonlit forest.

Available roles:

PUCK (18-99) Oberon’s jester, a mischievous fairy who delights in playing tricks 
on humans.  Puck’s enchanting presence, both as narrator and protagonist, is 
everywhere throughout the play.  Puck is surely the most intelligent of all the 
characters.

OBERON (20-39) King of the fairies, he is strong-willed, pompous and must have 
his way (“His Majesty the Baby,” as Freud might have put it)—Oberon is a king 
after all.

TITANIA  (20-39) The beautiful and elegant Queen of the fairies.  She is as 
strong-willed as her husband but far more grounded than he. 


LYSANDER (18-25) He is a wealthy young man of Athens in love with Hermia, whose 
father Egeus wishes her to marry Demetrius.  Lysander rebelliously carries 
Hermia away from the court and into the forest to marry her.

DEMETRIUS (18-25) Another young man of Athens also in love with Hermia, 
initially, though ultimately in love with Helena.  He pursues Hermia with 
passion and rejects Helena with disdain.

HERMIA  (18-25) A young woman of Athens.  She is Egeus’s daughter and, against 
his will, in love with Lysander.  She is a friend to Helena.  However, 
self-conscious about her short stature, she becomes convinced that Helena has 
wooed the men with her height.

HELENA (18-25) A young woman of Athens.  She is in love with Demetrius, who has 
scorned her.  After Puck does his mischief with a love-potion, both young men 
fall in love with her and she is sure they are mocking her.

EGEUS (40-70) Hermia’s father.  Domineering and humorless, he demands that his 
daughter marry whomever he wishes or suffer under Athenian law.

THESEUS (20-39)  Duke of Athens.  He is a heroic presence and symbolizes 
Athenian power and order.  (May double as Oberon)

HIPPOLYTA (20-39) The Queen of the Amazons engaged to Theseus.  Like Theseus, 
she represents the Law.  (May double as Titania, but a very different character)

NICK BOTTOM (18-99) He is a weaver and amateur actor who believes himself to be 
a great actor.  He delivers his lines with bombastic arrogance.  When Puck turns 
his head into that of an ass, we see the true nature of the man.

PETER QUINCE (18-99) A carpenter who is also the nominal head of the group of 
amateur actors who are attempting to put on a play for Theseus’s wedding.  He is 
a tidy little man who believes in his authority though his authority is 
constantly dismissed by Bottom.

FRANCIS FLUTE (18-99) A rough and ready bellows-mender, he looks and sounds 
nothing like the young girl he is supposed to play.  He, therefore, gives Thisbe 
a squeaky little voice.

ROBIN STARVELING (18-30) He is a tailor who is supposed to play Thisbe’s mother.  
Not nearly old enough for the part, he adopts a creaky walk. 


TOM SNOUT (18-99) A tinker (mender of household utensils), he is a terrible and 
clumsy actor.  He ends up playing the wall.

SNUG (18-99) A joiner (puts pieces of wood together to make household articles), 
he is chosen to play the lion.  He fears however that his roaring might frighten 
the ladies.

PHILOSTRATE  (18-99) Master of the revels, responsible for organizing the 
entertainment for the Duke’s wedding.

PEASEBLOSSOM, COBWEB, MOTE, and MUSTARDSEED (18-99) Fairies who attend to Bottom 
after Titania falls in love with him.



      
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