Audition and Casting Information
Audition Schedule For Once Upon a Mattress and Heroes of the Fourth Turning
Audition signups have now closed. If you wish to audition, please see Stage Management.
Upload headshot and resume for Once Upon a Mattress here
Upload headshot and resume for Heroes of the Fourth Turning here
Auditions and Callbacks Tuesday, Dec. 3rd and Wednesday, Dec. 4th: 9:00AM- 10:30PM
Audition signups will close at 6pm Dec 1
Once Upon a Mattress
Auditions and Callbacks Tuesday, Dec. 3rd and Wednesday, Dec. 4th: 9:00AM- 10:30PM
Audition signups will close at 6pm Dec 1
Once Upon a Mattress begins rehearsal on Monday Jan. 27 and will rehearse Monday through Friday, and Saturdays. Tech is Feb. 26-28, Dress is Mar. 2-5. Brush up is Mar. 12. The production runs Mar. 6-8 and 13-16 .
Weekday hours will be 6:30-10:30pm and Saturdays 12-6pm. Sunday will be the day off except for Dress and performance.
Please note any conflicts with these dates on your audition signup sheet
Heroes of the Fourth Turning
Auditions and Callbacks Tuesday, Dec. 3rd and Wednesday, Dec. 4th: 9:00AM- 10:30PM
Audition signups will close at 6pm Dec 1
Heroes of the Fourth Turning begins rehearsal on Sunday Mar. 23 and will rehearse Monday through Friday, and Sundays. Tech/Dress is Apr. 27-30. The production runs May 1- 4.
Weekday hours will be 6:30-10:30pm and Sundays 12-6pm. Saturday will be the day off except for performance.
Please note any conflicts with these dates on your audition signup sheet
Upload headshot and resume for Once Upon a Mattress here
Upload headshot and resume for Heroes of the Fourth Turning here
Audition signups have now closed. If you wish to audition, please see Stage Management.
Auditions
Audition signups have now closed. If you wish to audition, please see Stage Management.
Upload headshot and resume for Once Upon a Mattress here
ONCE UPON A MATTRESS
MUSIC BY Mary Rodgers
LYRICS BY Marshall Barer
BOOK BY Jay Thompson, Marshall Barer, & Dean Fuller
DIRECTED BY Logan Reed
MUSIC DIRECTION BY Lauri Young
CHOREOGRAPHY BY Lisa Karlin
AUDITION PREPARATION
Music
Please bring in 16 bars of a Golden Age (1940-1960ish) musical comedy song OR a contemporary musical theatre song that is written in the Golden Age style. Choose a song that demonstrates your vocal range and versatility and your sense of humor. Please make strong choices and have a blast! Music auditions are very quick, so come prepared to showcase your work succinctly.
Dance
Please be prepared to dance in comfortable clothing that allows you to move freely. Character shoes for male and female identifying actors are preferred, female identifying should wear heels. We will learn a short combination from the show, focusing on specificity of footwork and allowing the individuality and sense of humor to shine through the choreography.
CALLBACK PREPARATION
Callbacks could be as soon as the evening of your primary audition. Please refer to THIS FOLDER for music and book sides in the coming weeks.
SYNOPSIS
Many moons ago in a far-off place, Queen Aggravain decreed no couples could marry until her son, Prince Dauntless, found a bride. Princesses came from far and wide to win the hand of the prince, but none could pass the impossible tests given to them by the Queen. That is, until the “shy” swamp princess, Winnifred the Woebegone, showed up. Would she be able to pass the Sensitivity Test, marry her prince and help Lady Larken and Sir Harry to the altar? A spin on the classic tale The Princess and the Pea.
DIRECTOR’S NOTE
The rehearsal process will focus on play, pure silliness, and physical comedy, but don’t be fooled – comedy can be more science than art – it requires specificity, intention, rhythm, timing, and a huge awareness of your fellow performers, the music, and the audience. We need performers who can hold both the freedom / rigor that comedy requires.
Despite their buffoonery, these characters are real people. They fall in love and have had heartbreaks; they’ve had failures and have dreams; they’re scared and hopeful and stupid and courageous – just like us.
We’re looking for performers who want to experiment with playing the broad comedy the musical requires while grounding the story in real relationships, desires, and fears.
MUSIC DIRECTOR’S NOTE
As you know, Mary Rodgers is the daughter of Richard Rodgers and as such writes music grown out of the tradition of her esteemed father. With the exception of Winnifred, most of the characters sing with a lovely legit style.
CHOREOGRAPHER’S NOTE
Once Upon A Mattress is a fairytale come to life through the lens of broad musical comedy. Our physicality should be rooted in playfulness and a willingness to illustrate the story without pulling focus from the primary action. Allowing yourself to be specific within the confines of the choreography while allowing humor and individuality to shine through is key.
CHARACTER BREAKDOWN
PRINCESS WINNIFRED
Mezzo-Soprano
A3 – F5
Nickname is Fred. Comes from the swamps. Unconventional and unorthodox Princess. She’s quirky and a weirdo but totally owns it. Genuine, resilient, tough, says what she means, and is surprisingly strong. Gets along with most people except for Queen Aggravain. Dances, but doesn’t need to be a “strong dancer.”
MINSTREL
Tenor
D3-Ab5
Our narrator and quasi-director who helps the story along. Befriends the King and the Jester. Together they’re our version of the three stooges. Kind-hearted and helpful. Dances, but doesn’t need to be a “strong dancer.”
WIZARD
Baritone
A2 – A3
Close to The Queen. Magical and mysterious. A showman at heart. Loves a good magic trick. Dances, but doesn’t need to be a “strong dancer.”
LADY LARKEN
Soprano
B3 – Ab5
She’s in love with Sir Harry. A lady-in-waiting to Princess Winnifred. Clever, determined, and quick-witted. She’s pregnant with Harry’s child (definitely a secret). Dances, but doesn’t need to be a “strong dancer.”
QUEEN AGGRAVAIN
Alto
A3 – B4
The most powerful person in the land. Controlling and manipulative. Creates impossible tests for potential princesses to pass before they marry her son. They never pass. She can talk really fast. She’s always in pain (or is she?). Despite her hard exterior, she’s deeply in love with her son and is scared of losing him. Dances, but doesn’t need to be a “strong dancer.”
PRINCE DAUNTLESS
Baritone
A2 – E4
The heir to the throne. Entirely led by his heart. Innocent and naive and earnest. Coddled and protected by his mother, The Queen, so there’s a bunch of things he still doesn’t know about (i.e. where babies come from). He genuinely likes Winnifred. Dances, but doesn’t need to be a “strong dancer.”
KING SEXTIMUS THE SILENT
Mostly non-singing
E3 – F#4
Communicates entirely without voice/speech. The most three stooges of the three stooges. Our Charlie Chaplin. Relies on physical comedy, mime, and sheer will to get his message across. His relationship with his wife is strained. He gets crushes easily with everyone in the castle. He wants to be helpful. Dances, but doesn’t need to be a “strong dancer.”
JESTER
Tenor
C#3 – Ab4
An entertainer. Admires the Wizard. Hangs out with the Minstrel and the King. He tries too hard. Dances, but doesn’t need to be a “strong dancer.”
SIR HARRY
Tenor
C3 – F4
An important knight who hopes to climb the ranks. Adores and loves Lady Larken and wants to marry her but can’t until Dauntless marries. Finds Winnifred, who trusts and likes him. Stubborn, determined, and ambitious, but a softy underneath it all. Dances, but doesn’t need to be a “strong dancer.”
ENSEMBLE [8-10 performers]
Strong dancers. Lots of physical comedy. Shape-shifters as some will play multiple roles and wear many hats (maybe literally). Some will serve as understudies for principal roles.
Upload headshot and resume for Once Upon a Mattress here
Audition signups have now closed. If you wish to audition, please see Stage Management.
Auditions
Audition signups have now closed. If you wish to audition, please see Stage Management.
Upload headshot and resume for Heroes of the Fourth Turning here
Heroes OF THE FOURTH TURNING
By Will Arbery
WCT PRODUCTION – SPRING 2025
Stage Managed by Holden Whalen Assistant Stage Managed by Meg Delmonico
Directed by Joey Donnelly Assistant Direction by Ash Paterno
SYNOPSIS:
It’s nearing midnight in Wyoming, where four young conservatives have gathered at a backyard
after-party. They’ve returned home to toast their mentor Gina, newly inducted as president of a
tiny Catholic college. But as their reunion spirals into spiritual chaos and clashing generational
politics, it becomes less a celebration than a vicious fight to be understood. On a chilly night in
the middle of America, Will Arbery’s haunting play offers grace and disarming clarity, speaking
to the heart of a country at war with itself.
CONTENT WARNING
Heroes of the Fourth Turning handles intense content and characters in a spiritual crisis. The play
includes racist, transphobic, and homophobic statements; discussion of abortion, the
Holocaust, and violence; and mention of rape and self-harm.
AUDITIONS: Every role is open to people of all races, ethnicities, gender expressions, and body
types. Casting will be determined by acting ability. Be bold, make choices, and have fun. Due to
the difficulty of this piece, we are looking for committed actors who can be off book on day one.
Please prepare a 1 1⁄2 – 2 minute contemporary monologue in the style of the show. Your
monologue can absolutely be a monologue by the playwright or from the play.
*For actors auditioning for the role of Justin, please prepare a very short selection on the guitar
to demonstrate your abilities. If there are lyrics, feel free to sing along. Beginner guitar players
are encouraged to audition.
CHARACTERS:
EMILY
Female, 25. Warm, kind-hearted, funny; suffers from severe chronic illness; Gina’s daughter;
worked in pro-life Catholic charities. Emily embodies the ideals of her conservative Catholic
upbringing. Emily’s internal conflicts reveal her struggles with loyalty to her upbringing and
her understanding of the complexities of modern life.
TERESA
Female, 28. From Connecticut; a conservative journalist and columnist; fierce, brilliant,
confident, acerbic. Right-wing. Nationalist. Her passionate beliefs sometimes clash with the
more traditional views of her friends. Theresa’s character embodies the struggle to balance
personal convictions with the complexities of friendship and loyalty.
GINA
Female, 64. New president of a small conservative Catholic college; both warm and cold, casual
and formal; extremely intelligent and charismatic. Could have been president of the country;
had eight children and taught the whole time. She is deeply analytical and often challenges the
views of those around her, particularly when it comes to social justice and identity politics.
KEVIN
Male, 28-30, White-identifying. From Oklahoma; works at a Catholic textbook company;
tortured, self-loathing, funny, alcoholic. Kevin is deeply insecure and grapples with his
conservative values and the expectations placed upon him.
JUSTIN
Male, 38. An ex-Marine sniper; quiet, intense, strong, religious; a hunter; plays the guitar.
Justin is deeply reflective about his faith and the role of tradition in a changing world. Justin
tends to play the role of peacemaker, seeking to understand and empathize with the differing
perspectives of his friends.
Upload headshot and resume for Heroes of the Fourth Turning here
Audition signups have now closed. If you wish to audition, please see Stage Management.