RICHARD III - CHICAGO EPA
CHICAGO SHAKESPEARE THEATER
SIGNUP INFO
Signups begin Mar 20, 12:00 pm (CST)
Actors' Equity Association - Chicago Member Center
557 W Randolph St
Chicago, IL 60661
Mon, Mar 27, 2023
9:00 AM to 5:00 PM (CST)
Break: 12:30-1:30pm
CAT
$1056.24 weekly minimum (Tier 6) Limited term: Yes No MRE on Tier 6
Equity actors for roles in RICHARD III (see breakdown).
Chicago Shakespeare Theater is deeply committed to welcoming artists, audience members, and staff of broadly diverse and intersectional identities, including (but not limited to) race, ethnicity, ability, faith/belief tradition, sexual orientation, gender expression, gender identity, age, socio-economic background, and nationality. Acknowledging the entrenched structural inequities around race in the American theater, we are especially focused on addressing equity and inclusion for Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC) individuals within our IDEA efforts.
Prepare one classical piece (verse preferred). American accents. You are not required to a select piece from RICHARD III. Taped auditions accepted here:
https://forms.gle/9mP1duMaDABAWLik8
Director: Edward Hall
Casting Director: Bob Mason
Casting Associate: Alexis Taylor
Contract begins: 12/29/2023
Previews: 02/02/2024
Opens: 02/09/2024
Closes: 03/16/2024 at the latest
OTHER
https://www.chicagoshakes.com/
Taped auditions accepted here:
An Equity monitor will be provided.
EPA Procedures are in effect for audition.
Equity’s contracts prohibit discrimination. Equity is committed to diversity and encourages all its employers to engage in a policy of equal employment opportunity designed to promote a positive model of inclusion. As such, Equity encourages performers of all ethnicities, gender identities, and ages, as well as performers with disabilities, to attend every audition.
Always bring your Equity Membership card to auditions.
Equity encourages everyone participating in the auditions to wear a two-ply cloth face mask, surgical mask, singer’s mask or respirator (N95, KN95 or KF94). Single-ply face masks, gaiters and bandanas are not recommended. Singer’s masks can be found at www.broadwayreliefproject.com/singersmask.
Equity encourages members to prepare for their audition prior to arriving at the audition venue, to the extent that they can (e.g., get dressed, hair/make-up, etc.) to avoid crowding in bathrooms and dressing rooms.
Holding/Audition room information:
The audition room can accommodate no more than 45 individuals at a time.
The holding room can accommodate no more than 35 individuals at a time.
All roles will be understudied.
PLEASE NOTE: Everyone (apart from Richard) is 'as cast' (playing multiple roles) and plays a member of the chorus of 'orderlies'. There is an overall high standard of singing from the Ensemble. Other musical ability with instruments a plus.
Genders can be mixed. A steampunk feel to the cast. Actors with energy and an edge. Want actors to speak in their own voices. No “trained” sound. There is a youth, freshness, and vitality to the work.
RICHARD III: Role cast. Will be seeking u/s, has a disability. Witty, bitter and mistrustful of everyone around him. A natural clown and joker. Uses his wit and humor to charm and trap his enemies. Keenly aware of the hypocrisies of those at court - uses the desire for power in others as a means of blinding them to his plots and plans. Brutal. A warrior. Note: Actors with disabilities are encouraged to audition.
Clarence/Stanley: CLARENCE: neurotic and mistrustful but loves his brother Richard. Acutely aware of his own mortality - a playboy who enjoys the finer things in life. Has a history of changing sides in the War of The Roses. STANLEY: The second most powerful man in England after Buckingham. An able politician who has always waited before picking a faction to fight with as he never wants to find himself on the losing side. Circumspect - an experienced warrior. Skillfully avoids committing himself to Richard at Bosworth until he sees who is going to win. Pragmatic.
King Edward 1V/ Richmond: EDWARD: drunken, lecherous, violent. RICHMOND: more important of the two roles—all in white, seen as immaculate angel—but he is like frost—sharp, clear, political, a businessman. Acutely aware of the sound bytes he utters in public. Knows his audience.
QUEEN ELIZABETH: second youngest of generation. She is the only one who beats Richard at his own game.
Hastings/Duke of Norfolk: HASTINGS: thinks of himself as a man of honor. Not superstitious. Cautious. Believes in the idea of his country being greater than him; a loyalist, patriot. DUKE OF NORFOLK: Loyal to Richard. An earthy warrior who has seen much active service. Follows the Crown whatever the cost.
LADY ANNE: youngest of generation. There is an element of display to her grief. “Look at my woe, my heartbreak,” but underneath she is jockeying for position. She accepts Richard in a calculated way. There can be an irony and dryness to her at times. Also can be seen as a trophy wife, incandescent and glamorous.
DUKE OF BUCKINGHAM: young, virile, athletic. Doesn’t see his betrayal by Richard coming. Narcissistic. Hungry for power.
QUEEN MARGARET: only person who scares Richard. She sees straight through him. Displaced and bitter and tilts the world on its axis. Something “other” about Margaret.
Duchess/Lord Rivers: DUCHESS Of York: oldest of generation. Her job is to break our hearts, make us feel that pain. LORD RIVERS: New money, flash the cash.
RATCLIFF: A right man hand and murderer. Always appears right before someone gets killed. Violent (kills with a chainsaw). Genial but lethal.
CATESBY: Cut from the same cloth as Ratcliff. Richard’s Angel of Death. Nasty, scary. Perhaps androgynous.
MURDERER 1/Edward Prince of Wales: (operates Puppet and speaks lines) The murderers are a vaudevillian duo. Bowler hats and baseball bats. Two great quick-witted comedians. They must be able to coordinate the puppetry. The two Princes behave like entitled brats. They laugh openly at Richard's deformity.
MURDERER 2/Puppet of Richard Duke of York: (operates puppet and speaks lines) The murderers are a vaudevillian duo. Bowler hats and baseball bats. Two great quick-witted comedians. They must be able to coordinate the puppetry. The two Princes behave like entitled brats. They laugh openly at Richard's deformity.
Bishop Of Ely/Tyrell (non speaking): BISHOP: Rotund man of the church. Always makes sure he is well-fed. TYRELL: Everyone is terrified of Tyrell. Wears a see-though mask. Could be from Hades. 20s. Demonic.
Videos
