Auditions
Information for all auditions
Location (unless otherwise specified):
Playcrafters of Skippack
2011 Store Road, Skippack, PA 19474.
Beginning with our 2025 season, all artists who are cast in one of our productions must become a member of Playcrafters. You do not need to become a member prior to auditioning.
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Cabaret
Dracula
The Thanksgiving Play
Cabaret
Audition Dates: April 29 & 30, 7-10PM
Callbacks by invitation: May 5, 7-10PM
Performance Dates: August 22 through September 7
Step into the world of 1930s Berlin, a city teetering between liberation and oppression. Inside the decadent Kit Kat Klub, artists and dreamers revel in their last moments of freedom as the Nazi party rises to power. Cabaret is not just a musical -- it is a warning. In today's America, Cabaret resonates more than ever. The story highlights the dangers of political complacency, the allure of authoritarianism, and the erasure of marginalized voices. In an era where democracy is increasingly under strain, this production aims to hold a mirror to our present moment.
All roles are open to performers of all backgrounds, identities, and abilities. We strongly encourage BIPOC, LGBTQIA+, and other historically underrepresented actors to audition. Character breakdowns below.
Please prepare 16-32 bars of any song. Choose something that shows you at your best, while keeping in mind the role or roles that you are going for. You may sing from the show, but you aren't required to. Please bring sheet music with your section clearly marked. A pianist will be provided. Callbacks will consist of assigned songs, cold readings and a dance audition. Your initial audition will be quick (roughly 5 minutes), please arrive warmed up and ready to sing.
To audition, please fill out an Audition Form. We will be in contact to provide you a time slot. If you don't hear back within 48 hours, please contact Leena Devlin at leenadevlin23@gmail.com.
SALLY BOWLES (20s-30s, Female-presenting, Mezzo-Soprano with a strong belt)
A British cabaret singer at the Kit Kat Klub, Sally is magnetic, reckless, and fiercely independent, yet fragile beneath her bold exterior. She escapes the harsh realities of the world through hedonism and denial, refusing to see the looming political dangers around her. In many ways, she represents those today who prioritize personal freedom and self-interest over political engagement, assuming the world will work itself out.
CLIFF BRADSHAW (Male-presenting, 20s-30s, Tenor/Baritone)
An American writer searching for inspiration in Berlin, Cliff is intelligent, kind, and somewhat naive. He falls for Sally and finds himself drawn into the club's chaotic world, all while struggling with his own identity. As he slowly awakens to the terrifying political shift, Cliff mirrors many Americans today -- those who start out politically indifferent but are eventually forced to take a stand as the dangers become impossible to ignore.
THE EMCEE (Any gender, any age, Tenor/Alto, strong movement skills required)
The charming, menacing, and non-binary host of the Kit Kat Klub. The Emcee is both an entertainer and a prophet, leading the audience through the show with an unsettling mix of humor and cynicism. They embody the seduction of propaganda -- distracting the world from real danger with dazzling spectacle. In today's context, the Emcee is the voice of media and political figures who keep the public engaged with scandal and entertainment while democracy crumbles around them.
FRAULEIN SCHNEIDER (Female-presenting, 50s-70s, Alto)
A practical, weary landlady who has learned that survival requires compromise. She falls in love with Herr Schultz but ultimately chooses security over love, fearing the consequences of being associated with a Jewish man. Fraulein Schneider represents the many who choose to remain silent in the face of oppression, believing that staying neutral will protect them -- when history has shown it never does.
HERR SCHULTZ (Male-presenting, 50s-70s, Tenor/Baritone)
A kindhearted Jewish fruit vendor who genuinely believes that Germany would never turn against him. His tragic arc reflects the danger of assuming "it can't happen here." Today, his character is a haunting reminder of those who believe that extremism is just a passing phase, only to realize too late that the threat is real.
ERNST LUDWIG (Male-presenting, 30s-50s, Baritone)
A seemingly friendly businessman who slowly reveals his deep ties to the Nazi Party. He represents the insidious way fascism can creep into everyday life, disguised as patriotism and economic stability. His character draws unsettling parallels to political figures today who use nationalism and fear to consolidate power.
FRAULEIN KOST (Female-presenting, 30s-50s, Mezzo-Soprano, strong character
actor)
A tough, street-smart sex worker and tenant in Fraulein Schneider's boarding house. She aligns herself with the Nazis out of self-preservation, proving that when people feel abandoned by society, they will turn to those who promise them power -- no matter the cost.
KIT KAT KLUB PERFORMERS (All genders, all ethnicities, all vocal ranges,
strong dancers & movers required)
The vibrant, seductive dancers of the Kit Kat Klub. Beneath the glitz, they are survivors in a crumbling world, using performance as both a mask and an escape. These characters reflect modern-day entertainers, influencers, and media personalities who continue their performances even as political instability rises around them.
Dracula
Audition Dates: June 1, 10AM - 5PM
Callbacks by invitation: June 7, 12-4PM
Performance Dates: October 10 through October 25
Playcrafters of Skippack will be holding auditions for "Dracula: A Feminist Revenge Fantasy" by Kate Hamill on June 1st, 2025. Artists will be asked to present 2 monologues (one from a supplied list, and a contrasting one from another source). Memorization is NOT required, but artists SHOULD be familiar with their chosen pieces. Character breakdowns below.
To audition, please fill out an Audition Form. More information and a signup link for time slots will be provided upon completion of the form. Please note that a time slot is required in order to audition.
A note regarding character descriptions: Most roles one encounters [currently] are written with binary pronouns. Please note that however limiting this can feel, our casting process is inclusive and seeks to transcend flawed language. Artists are invited to submit for any role with which they identify. We will list race/ethnicity/age if required for a character - otherwise, we are seeking ALL races/ethnicities/ages. Please reach out with any questions, concerns, or requests for accommodations. Madame Director seeks to cast artists whose energies align with the characters in her productions, and is dedicated to representation and inclusion in her theatrical endeavors. Neurodiverse artists, disabled artists, and members of the alphabet mafia are encouraged to audition. Please reach out with your specific accommodations and any questions.
Mina Harker (20s-30s, Fem)
Very smart. Caring. Loyal. Wants to do the right thing. Was raised to be a Lady, and is thus suppressing an inner fire that emerges throughout the progression of the play. Great emotional depth, good sense of humor. Must face her darkest fears — comes out stronger at the end of it. Secretly an adventurer, and fighter. Is called to be more than she once was.
Lucy Westenra (20s-30s, Fem)
Bright, funny, vivacious, playful, and mischievous. Feels trapped and torn by expectations. About to be married, and deeply conscious of how that puts her under a 19th century man's control. Reflexively flirtatious. Believes she must pretend to be less than she is. Yearns for freedom. Falls desperately ill after being bitten by Dracula... and then becomes a completely different being — an animalistic vampire demon — a naturally manipulative predator. Lucy's vampire self is deeply unpredictable and frightening.
Dr. Van Helsing (40s+, Fem)
American vampire hunter. She takes no nonsense from anybody. She wears dusty beaten clothing and a big cowboy hat. She has a long nasty old scar all up and down the side of her face, as if someone has taken their hand and RIPPED down, long ago. It's from an encounter she'd rather not talk about. She's been through it. A bit of a know-it-all; okay, she's a lot of a know-it-all. She's prickly. She's strong. She's brilliant. She's no Lady. She's on the hunt. She is badass — and 19th century men do not, as a rule, appreciate it.
Renfield (20s-40s, Fem)
A madwoman. Worships Dracula. Believes that if she can earn his approval, she will be free. Not a bad soul, really, but capable of extreme brutality or duplicity in service of her religious zealotry. Almost a child, in her way.
Marilla / Maid (20s-30s, Fem)
A vampire. More animal than human. Was lured into vampire-hood by Dracula, who then proceeded to exploit her. Enjoys being a predator. Finds pleasure in consuming others. Resents her objectification. Manipulative; vicious; probably sociopathic. Capable of moving very fast — blink, and oh God, she's right behind you. Sister-wife to DRUSILLA. Doubles with MAID — an underpaid, resentful servant.
Drusilla / Merchant / Miller (20s-30s, Fem)
A vampire. More animal than human. Was lured into vampire-hood by Dracula, who then proceeded to exploit her. Enjoys being a predator. Finds pleasure in consuming others. Resents her objectification. Manipulative; vicious; probably sociopathic. Capable of moving very fast — blink, and oh God, she's right behind you. Sister-wife to MARILLA. Doubles with MILLER — a casually brutal asylum attendant, and MERCHANT — a merchant looking to make a sale.
Dracula (a few centuries old… but late 30s-late 50s in appearance, Masc)
A physically imposing man. He is... extremely confident. Strong. Funny. Charming. Sexy. You'd like him, reader — no, really, you would. He makes people lose their heads. Manipulative. Commanding. Capable of being very, very frightening. Unpredictable. Physically strong. Incredible with language. Unimaginably powerful. Brilliant. Casually takes pleasure in cruelty. An equal opportunity sexual sadist. A toxic predator; a wolf in the fold; a very old and clever parasite, capable of adapting and surviving. Fundamentally enjoys himself.
Jonathan Harker (20s-40s, Masc)
A nice man. A truly decent man. A lawyer; a man of letters; a slight man; a slightly fussy man. If being unkind, one could say he's delicate. He's very, very British. Cares about people. Is maybe a little rule-bound. Loves his wife, Mina, deeply. Is bitten by Dracula, and then loses his mind — becoming an easily-confused, raving shambles. After recovering from sickness, he slowly gives in to Dracula's darkness — becoming an abusive, toxic man. Once he's under Dracula's influence, we can't always tell if he's telling the truth. Can quickly switch from likable to extremely volatile.
Dr. George Seward (30s-40s, Masc)
The head physician of a lunatic asylum. A good man, but starts out the play as a product of his era — has some trouble listening to women. Believes only in the evidence of his own eyes. Tends to mansplain. Deeply in love with his fiancé Lucy Westenra, of whom he is overprotective. Has a very contentious relationship with Van Helsing. Doesn't like to not feel in control. Chivalrous. Thinks of himself as a modern man; a man of science. Over the course of the play, he learns to accept female leadership and question his assumptions. A brave man. Likeable.
The Thanksgiving Play
Audition Dates: August 1, 7-11PM; August 2, 10AM - 7PM
Callbacks by invitation: August 5, 7-10PM
Performance Dates: November 21 through December 6
More info TBA