Hendersonville Theater offers various casting opportunities for both professional non-Equity and amateur actors. Current casting notices will be posted below as they are made available. HT does not accept any submissions or casting correspondence via phone or direct mail and cannot review submissions outside of posted auditions. If you would like to be notified about future auditions, please join our mailing list.
For more information about auditions, please contact our Production Manager, Dakota Mann: dakotamann@hvltheatre.org
SEASON 59 1/2
About the Show
Shakespeare’s beloved comedy follows sharp-tongued Beatrice and Benedick as they’re tricked into admitting their love, while young Hero and Claudio face heartbreak and misunderstanding—all tangled in a whirlwind of wit, deception, and delight.
Director: Quinn Terry
Cast Breakdown
Please note: No roles are required to be a certain gender. Unless otherwise noted by the auditioner themselves, auditioners will be seriously considered for every role, and parts will be adjusted with the pronouns and gender identity(ies) that the performer is comfortable with.
BEATRICE – Beatrice is quick-witted, sharp, and unrelentingly mean to Benedick. They love their cousin, Hero, very much. Leonato is their guardian. Beatrice is constantly looking for the next joke and refuses to fall to such disgusting lows as being sad over anyone. Beatrice will certainly never marry, why do people keep asking them that? The role of Beatrice requires on stage intimacy – both romantic and fight-based with Benedick and fight based with Claudio.
BENEDICK – Benedick is almost as quick-witted and sharp as Beatrice. This is an individual who has always been able to talk circles around everyone else in the room and is very upset that Beatrice doesn’t allow them to be the smartest. They are good friends with Claudio and the Prince, but they are very disappointed in Claudio’s almost immediate love with Hero. Benedick will certainly never marry, why do people keep asking them that? The role of Benedick requires on stage intimacy – romantic and fight-based with Beatrice, fight-based with Claudio, and fight-based with the Prince.
HERO – This role is doubled with the Town Clerk. Hero is kind, understanding, and sincere. They keep up with their cousin in matters of wit, and their best friend is Margaret. They love their family devotedly, and fall in love and are engaged to Claudio early in the story. They’d like
Beatrice and Benedick to shut up and kiss already. There is a darkness to Hero that they will discover throughout the play. The role of Hero requires on stage intimacy – romantic and fight-based with Claudio and fight based with Leonato.
TOWN CLERK – This role is doubled with Hero. An exhausted individual who is very sick of Dogberry and Verges and wants very badly to just do their job and go home. If their employer 401k match wasn’t as good as it is, they’d have quit years ago.
CLAUDIO – Claudio is an individual of extreme ups and downs. They are easily swayed to despair, suspicion, rage, or joy. Their best friends are Benedick and the Prince. Claudio is in love with Hero almost immediately upon seeing them. Claudio is not a very good person. The role of
Claudio requires on stage intimacy – romantic and fight-based with Hero and fight-based with Benedick.
THE PRINCE – The Prince is a rockstar who believes they are very cool. They are friends with Claudio and Benedick, and get along well with Leonato…maybe too well? Their brother, John, is an embarrassment who has the audacity to exist as a younger sibling. They are a bit of a meddler
and enjoy being witty with friends. The Prince is quick to jump to conclusions about people. The role of the Prince requires on stage intimacy – fight-based with Benedick.
LEONATO – This role is doubled with George Seacoal. Leonato loves their child, Hero, very much. They are quite fond of Beatrice. They might be a little too fond of the Prince. Leonato wants everyone to have a happy ending, and also wants everyone to stop yelling at each other
(Beatrice and Benedick). Leonato is rarely angry, and when they are it isn’t always in the right direction. Leonato learns a hard lesson about loving their child during the course of the story. The role of Leonato requires on stage intimacy – fight-based with Hero.
GEORGE SEACOAL – This role is doubled with Leonato. George is new to the neighborhood watch, which is lead by Dogberry and Verges. They are very excited about this until they hear Dogberry and Verges talk for more than one minute. George becomes a kindred spirit with the Town Clerk in exhaustion.
MARGARET – This role is doubled with Conrade. Margaret is here for a good time, not a long time. Their best friend is Hero and they enjoy bothering Beatrice. They are very interested in making bad choices with Borachio for a short period of time and then moving on to the next exciting morsel. Margaret lives for hijinks and capers, and will do anything to help Hero. Margaret avoids consequences.
CONRADE – This role is doubled with Margaret. Conrade loves John very much and John sometimes knows Conrade’s name. They believe the power of love can fix a sour disposition and wish Borachio would disappear into the earth. Conrade will follow through on promises no matter what and has a bit of a temper.
JOHN – This role is doubled with Verges. John is the Prince’s younger sibling and is a meddler just the same. No one hates the Prince like John does and no one, not even John, knows why. Borachio and Conrade are John’s cronies – for money and for love, respectively. John is very good at reading people and is a weasel who will avoid direct confrontation and unpleasantness at
all costs.
VERGES – This role is doubled with John. One of the self-appointed leaders of the neighborhood watch. Verges is Dogberry’s best friend and also hates Dogberry and wishes they would be quiet sometimes. Verges has just as many good ideas as Dogberry and why doesn’t anyone see that? They are conveniently at the right place at the right time, and have lived a life of luck.
BORACHIO – This role is doubled with the Friar. Borachio is a person of…certain talents. You’ve got money, Borachio has got you. The only thing Borachio likes almost as much as money is having a good time. Currently, they are really into what Margaret has going on and fervently believes Margaret likes them more than they do. Borachio has a realization by the end of the play that maybe life isn’t always about money, if it ends up hurting people.
FRIAR – This role is doubled with Borachio. The Friar is always happy to see love succeed, and isn’t above meddling to attain this goal. They are like that really cool guidance counsellor that always genuinely asks how you’re doing, but with some Jesus in there. But you know, like, in a cool way. They are soft spoken, but will always say something is unjust when it is. The Friar
becomes a very good ally to Hero throughout the play.
DOGBERRY – This role is doubled with Balthasar. One of the self-appointed leaders of the neighborhood watch. Dogberry is….Dogberry. Y’all know what they’re about. Are you an ass? This role just might be for you.
BALTHASAR – This role is doubled with Dogberry. Balthasar wishes they were still on tour. A musician that the Prince picked up on the way back home, Balthasar has that energy where people tend to have private talks while they’re in the room. They hear a lot and say very little, except when asked to sing. Balthasar may be a fae of some sort? We aren’t sure. This role
requires a performer who can sing and play an instrument.
Audition Dates
Saturday, January 24th 10AM-4PM
Callbacks: Sunday, January 25th 12PM-4PM
To register to audition, or for more information, please use following link:
https://bit.ly/HTMuchAdoAuditions
About the Show
In 1934, the ambitious Lucille Wiley races to keep the Cleveland Grand Opera Company’s big night on track when temperamental diva Elena Firenzi and her jealous husband threaten to derail the performance, leaving her resourceful assistant Jo to try to save the day.
Director: River Spade
Cast Breakdown
Mrs. Wylie – General Manager, Cleveland Grand Opera Company; Female (50–70)
Commanding, flamboyant, sharp-tongued, and larger than life. A powerhouse personality who drives much of the chaos while desperately trying to keep the opera company afloat.
Special Skills: Strong comedic timing; authority and physical comedy.
Jo – Assistant to Mrs. Wylie; Female (25–35)
Initially shy and practical, but with surprising confidence and talent beneath the surface. Intelligent, warm, and sincere.
Special Skills: Must sing in an operatic style; must convincingly adopt an Italian accent at times.
Elena Firenzi – World-Famous Opera Soprano; Female (30–50)
Glamorous, temperamental, passionate, and dramatic. The diva centerpiece of the evening’s opera performance.
Special Skills: Strong soprano voice; Italian accent; bold physical and vocal comedy.
Pasquale – Elena’s Husband; Male (30–50)
Fiery, jealous, romantic, and emotionally volatile. Intensely devoted to Elena and easily provoked.
Special Skills: Italian accent; high-energy physical comedy.
Leo – Tenor with the Cleveland Grand Opera Company; Male (25-35)
Handsome, confident, charming, and flirtatious. A seasoned performer who enjoys attention and chaos.
Special Skills: Dutch accent; strong physical comedy; may require brief appearances in minimal clothing.
Jerry Wylie – Mrs. Wylie’s Son / Jo’s Boyfriend; Male (30-40)
Well-meaning, earnest, romantic, and slightly clueless. Frequently caught in the farce’s misunderstandings.
Special Skills: Physical comedy; comfort with brief partial undress.
Julia – Chair of the Opera Guild; Female (50–70)
Wealthy, refined, dramatic, and deeply serious about the opera. Adds social pressure and comic contrast.
Special Skills: Strong comic presence; poised authority.
Bellhop – Hotel Employee; Any (18–40)
Energetic, eager, and delightfully clueless. Enthusiastic about opera and easily swept up in the mayhem.
Special Skills: Physical comedy; fast pacing.
Audition Dates
Info coming soon!