Added by John Goodman, last edited by John Goodman on 04 Apr 2008  (view change)

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Audition dates:

  • Sunday 20 April 2008, 2.30pm
  • Wednesday 23 April 2008, 7.30pm

Attend either of above and be prepared for callback:

  • Sunday 27 April 2008, 2.30.pm

All at Progress theatre.
Make sure you are free for the performance dates : 14-26 July 2008 (except Sunday 20)
but you will need to commit from 5 July-27 July to attend get-in, tech and dress rehearsals and get out.

See also Audition notes and pieces. 

Plot Synopsis

1865, just after American Civil War, "The Wild West". Baptista Minola is a rich saloon keeper with 2 daughters: the beautiful Bianca and the older and ill-tempered tomboy Kate. Gremio, the undertaker,  and Hortensio, the sheriff, are suitors to Bianca but Baptista won't let her marry until he has found a husband for the troublesome Kate. Problem is: Kate is a gun-totin', spitoon kicking, man-cussing bitch from hell.There are strangers in town: Lucentio, falls in love with Bianca and changes clothes with his servant Tranio to disguise himself as her tutor. Petruchio turns up with his (bandito?) sidekick, Grumio and is persuaded by Hortensio to woo and marry Kate...

Petruchio and Kate squabble but Baptista agrees to their marriage. Petruchio turns up for the wedding in weird attire and afterwards takes Kate back to his house where he offers food and new clothes only to take them away.
Vincentio, Lucentio's father turns up and Tranio and Lucentio's deception is unmasked, but Lucentio has already married Bianca. Hortensio marries a rich widow, somebody gets tamed and we end with a song: The Yellow Rose of Texas Padua.

The Cast

20-22 people including a pianist (fiddle, banjo would be nice). Shakespeare only assigned 3 parts to females so we aim to redress that by gender switching a few parts. Since some parts could be ether gender, we will assign to the best auditionee.
Male: 8 min, 15 max
Female: 3 min, 11 max

Ages below are approximate playing ages. In order of number of lines to learn:

Petruchio M  25-40 first appears in an officer's uniform of the Union army, so we know he's been a soldier. Highly extrovert 'madcap ruffian'.   586

Tranio M 25-40 The "clever servant" role. Servant to Lucentio and impersonates him. Cocky. Lot of lines and often controls the action. Southern accent.   293

Katherina  (Kate, Katherine) F  20-30 first appears in a tassled rawhide jacket and britches: Calamity Jane style. Rough and loud but softer side emerges. 216

Hortensio M 25-40 suitor to Bianca. Town sheriff, who disguises himself as music tutor Licio to woo Bianca. Friend to Petruchio.  206

Lucentio M 18-29 Son of Southern gentleman Vincentio of Pisa, come to Padua to study. Falls in love with Bianca and disguises himself as Cambio the tutor. Enthusiastic and naive, but not stupid. Cultured Southern accent. (Maybe first appears as Confederate officer?)   190

Baptista F late 30's-60's. Authoratitive, powerful. Mother to Kate & Bianca. Normally played by a man but see Baptista's husband...   175

Grumio M (F?) 30+. Servant to Petruchio. Could be played as bandito (Mexican accent) or grizzled old prospector type or even Groucho Marx style.   171

Gremio M 50-70 suitor to Bianca. Undertaker and suitably grim.    170

Biondello M/F any. Junior servant to Lucentio. Comic part - played as a real hick southerner, very animated and excitable. Possibly ex-slave.   102

Bianca F  18-25  Kate's younger sister. Her coyness is an act. She's manipulative and sexually eager.   71

Pedant M/F 40s-60s. Impersonates Vincentio. A drunk.   50

Vincentio  M 40s-60s. Father to Lucentio. Fine old Southern gentleman who gets mighty mad when he finds he's been impersonated.   47

Curtis F (M) any.  Housekeeper to Petruchio. Could be played as gossipy old woman. Might be drunk.   25

Tailor/Haberdasher M/F any. Often played as gay man but prefer not here. Text indicates 2 actors but we will double, perhaps also with...    18

...Widow F 25-40. Married to Hortensio in final scene. Argues with Kate. Knows all about men.  11

Nathaniel, Nicholas, Joseph, Philip, Peter F/M any. Servants to Petruchio (don't let masculine names put you off: some must be female and all could be). Doubling as saloon gals, brawlers, drunks, gamblers and horses.  1 or 2 lines each.

Baptista's Husband M 40-70 ...is father to Kate and Bianca. Keeps the Jaded Horse Saloon in Padua. Deferred to by suitors and often tries to speak but wife always butts in. May get one speech in final scene, otherwise silent.