Auditions for our 2022 Summer Production of Fortinbras

Fortinbras
by Lee Blessing
directed by Michael R. Cohen
opens Saturday, July 2nd,
Performances Sat/Sun at 4 p.m.
July 2nd - July 17th
Plus Monday, July 4th

All performances at John Hinkel Park Amphitheatre
41 Somerset Place Berkeley, CA 94710

Auditions: Sunday April 24th and Monday April 25th
Callbacks and Add'l Auditions (if required) May 1st

Sunday April 24th Auditions
7-10 p.m.
1707 Ward Street
Berkeley, CA 94703

April 25th and May 1st Auditions
7-10 p.m.
Playground Playspace
3286 Adeline St.
Berkeley, CA 94703

Write
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for an appointment. 

Actors Ensemble of Berkeley announces auditions for its Summer 2022 production at John Hinkel Park.  We are a community theatre and Berkeley's longest-running theatrical organization, and we aim to make our production in the park a joyous celebration of theatre and community.

Auditions are Saturday/Sunday April 24th/25th from 7 to 10 p.m, with callbacks and additional auditions on Sunday May 1st from 7 to 10 p.m.  Sunday May 24th will be at 1707 Ward Street while the remaining auditions will be at 3286 Adeline St., both in Berkeley, CA 94703, and both a short walk from the Ashby BART station.  Please bring paper copies of your headshot and resume.  You are welcome to perform a 1-3 minute Shakespearean and/or comic monologue, and be prepared to read from sides - or just read from sides if you prefer. We will schedule folks in groups of 2-3 in 10 minute blocks. If you wish to audition together we encourage you to sign up together.

Please write This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. for an appointment, and attach your headshot and resume if you have one. We encourage both theatre veterans and newcomers to audition - if this is your first time - write us and we will help you through the process.  We recognize these dates may not work for everyone - if this is true for you we may be able to make alternate arrangements, perhaps a Zoom or video audition - write us!

Non AEA/no pay. A small consideration for travel/food costs provided.  Refreshments (hot dogs (veggie and regular), corn-on-the-cob, and bottled water) provided free to the cast during the performances.

We regularly cast cross-gender and cross-type, and we actively seek folks of all ages, races, genders, and persuasions to audition.  Ages and Genders specified below are characteristics of the role, not necessarily of the actor playing the role. 

Fortinbras is the story of what happened after Hamlet - the sequel, if you prefer.  In the story, Fortinbras has been granted via Hamlet's dying words the key to the kingdom of Denmark.  Upon arriving and being told the story of lust, betrayal, murder, suicide, and just plain old dithering, Fortinbras decides this story won't do for his plan to consolidate his power, and orders Horatio and his underlings to make up a new, better, more noble and palatable story as to how he obtained his position.  The ghosts of Hamlet come back to haunt Fortinbras, in order to force him to let the truth be told.  A humorous tale, but one with a real message for our times - the importance of the TRUTH!

Michael R. Cohen is the president of Actors Ensemble, and veteran director in the Bay Area at both Actors Ensemble and Ross Valley Players.  He last directed The Skin of Our Teeth for Actors Ensemble back in 2019, and just recently finished directing the Ross Alternative Works play The Packrat Gene.

Rehearsals for Fortinbras will be at Temple Beth Hillel in Richmond, John Hinkel Park in Berkeley, and various locations around Berkeley beginning May 17th, with a table read sometime before that.  A draft rehearsal schedule will be provided upon request.  Temple Beth Hillel is at 801 Park Central St, Richmond, CA 94803, and a shuttle will be provided to the Del Norte BART station in El Cerrito.  Performances will be Sat/Sun July 2nd - July 17th plus Monday, July 4th, all at 4 p.m.  All performances will be at the newly renovated John Hinkel Park Amphitheatre, 41 Somerset Place Berkeley, CA 94710.

Roles Available for Fortinbras

Hamlet (Prince of Denmark) Age range 20 - 40
Osric (member of the Danish Court) age range 20-80
Horatio (friend of Hamlet). age range 20 - 40
English Ambassador age range 30 - 100
Fortinbras (Prince of Norway) age range 30 - 55
Captain of the Norwegian Army age range 25 - 70
Marcellus (a sentinel) age range 18 - 60
Barnardo (a sentinel) age range 18 - 60
First Maiden age range 18 - 40
Second maiden age range 18- 40
Polonius age range (Ophelia’s father) 50+
Ophelia (Polonius’ daughter) age range 20 - 40
Claudius (King of Denmark) age range 50+
Gertrude (Queen of Denmark) age range 45 - 70
Laertes (Polonius’ son) age range 20 - 45

Actors Ensemble is the longest-running theatre organization in Berkeley, founded in 1957. We aim to produce quality theatre emphasizing the ensemble, with a community flavor.

Actors Ensemble
P.O. Box 663
Berkeley, CA 94701
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www.aeofberkeley.org
A 501(3)(c) organization