“Speak the speech, I pray you.”
2024 General Auditions Notice
Are you a Fool?
a Company of Fools is holding general auditions for its 2025 summer Torchlight Shakespeare in the Park tour! We are also casting for an upcoming Theatre for Young Audiences tour in spring 2025. Professional actors whose artistic practice is based in Ottawa are encouraged to submit and will be prioritized.
Candidates will be auditioning for the production’s director, Patrick Gauthier, and the company’s Artistic Director, Kate Smith. Co-Artistic Directors of the St. Lawrence Shakespeare Festival, Julia Nish-Lapidus and James Wallis, will be in attendance to meet Ottawa’s stunning local talents. Auditions will be held at LabO (Studio 1201), 60 Waller St., on November 22 and 23, with callbacks scheduled for November 24.
What We’re Looking For
Candidates should have a strong handle on Shakespearean text and be able to work outdoors during a variety of weather conditions. Skills in singing, puppetry, movement, and the ability to play hand-held instruments are considered an asset – please note these in your cover letter or the body of your email. Actors must be able to work locally within Ottawa from June to August.
If you are an actor who has worked with the Fools in the past we encourage you to audition again this year to meet the show’s director and the two new Co-Artistic Directors of the St. Lawrence Shakespeare Festival in Prescott, Ontario, who also run Shakespeare BASH’d in Toronto.
Actors will need to prepare either 2 classical monologues (at least one must be Shakespeare) or 1 Shakespeare monologue and 1 song (1:30 -2:00 minutes, preferably from the musical theatre canon). Actors are asked to submit only if they have completed a performance training program or will complete one by June 2025. Please note that we will not be accepting self-tapes. If Ottawa actors are interested in working with us but cannot attend the audition dates please let us know and we will do our best to accommodate you.
a Company of Fools encourages submissions from artists of all backgrounds regardless of culture, race, colour, gender, national origin, age, religion, creed, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity, or gender expression.
To submit please email your headshot and CV in one PDF with the file name in the format of “LAST Name, FIRST Name – CV & Headshot” to auditions@fools.ca by November 15. Please indicate on your submission if you are an Equity member. Audition appointments will be sent out by November 19.
Please note that only candidates selected for an audition will be contacted.
We look forward to welcoming our next batch of Fools!
Callback Sides
Below you will find the audition sides for those selected for callbacks.
You will not need to be familiar with the sides for your initial audition.