Dauntless City Theatre is casting actors for our summer production of William Shakespeare’s “Much Ado About Nothing”, directed by Eric Benson. All of these roles are entirely open-ended; actors of any gender are encouraged to indicate interest in any role. We are committed to staging classical texts with an eye towards intersectionality, reflecting the rich diversity of Toronto in our casting and accommodating many perspectives and practices in our process. Actors of all backgrounds are encouraged to submit for this production, regardless of gender, race, (dis)ability, or sexual orientation.
This production is our fifth year in Toronto’s Berczy Park, staging Shakespeare immersively in a promenade format. All performances are outdoors, and are cancelled in the case of inclement weather or unsafe conditions. Rehearsals will mostly be at an indoor studio, with occasional onsite rehearsals. This production is a profitshare under Equity’s Artist Collective Policy.
Please send a letter of interest, resume, and headshot to dauntlesscitytheatre@gmail.com with the subject line “Much Ado Audition Submission- NAME”. Only those selected for an audition will be contacted.
Audition submission deadline: May 1, 2018
Audition dates: May 8-9
Rehearsal dates: July 9- August 2
Performance dates: August 3- 26, Friday/Saturday nights and Saturday/Sunday matinees
CHARACTERS
Leonato: Head of the household; generous and good-natured, happy to put up the visiting soldiers. Has a keen mind and a playful craftiness. Overwhelmed emotionally when their child is slandered.
Hero: Leonato’s child; pure of heart and thinks the best of others, with an edge of keenness.
Margaret: Hero’s servant; full of joy and life, and happy to join in the fun of the other characters. A bit guileless, and is used by the villains unwittingly in their plot.
Beatrice: Hero’s cousin; very sharp mind, and brilliant with wordplay. Has absolutely no interest in romance, and picks verbal fights with Benedick for fun. Is rather easily tricked into falling in love with Benedick.
Don Pedro: Prince of Aragon; brave and sure of themself, happy to further the romantic aims of their friends. Duped into slandering Hero, and too stubborn in relenting.
Claudio: A part of the Prince’s entourage; made a good name in the war. Falls in love (probably for the first time) with Hero, and is overwhelmed by it – loves Hero totally, but also is very easily made jealous – likely simply can’t handle their newfound emotions.
Benedick: A part of the Prince’s entourage; quick-witted and unafraid to denounce love and romance. Prideful, but readily falls for their friends’ trickery to woo Beatrice.
Don John: The Prince’s illegitimate sibling; a villain. Concocts plots to drive a wedge in between Claudio and Hero, mostly for fun, and to upset the Prince.
Borachio: Don John’s friend; also a villain. Helps concoct, and enact, the main plot against Hero.
Dogberry: Master Constable; keen on their job, almost too much so. Good-hearted and fiercely keen on their job, but not the sharpest knife in the drawer. Likes words and talking, but gets a lot of them mixed up or malapropped, sometimes to detrimental effect.
Verges: Dogberry’s partner; likewise dedicated to their job and a good person. Works closely with their superior.
Balthazar: a messenger, a musician, and the audience’s best friend and guide. Can sing and/or play one or more instruments.