GVSF 2025 SEASON AUDITIONS
February 8th-9th, 2025
The Greater Victoria Shakespeare Festival is committed to intentional casting. We encourage actors of all backgrounds/ethnicities to audition, and endorse the use of audition pieces without regard to traditional gender. Most characters we encounter currently are on the binary and are written with the he/him or she/her pronouns. But our casting seeks to be as inclusive as possible and we invite gender non-conforming, genderqueer, transgender, non-binary actors to submit for the roles they most identify with.
We welcome performers of all abilities and strive to be accessible to all performers. Should you find yourself interested in auditioning but unable to take part in the process as laid out, please do not hesitate to reach out to us. We will work with you to ensure your application is welcomed and we will thank you for identifying barriers we did not anticipate.
This year, the GVSF has undergone some operational changes. We are fundraising to cover costs for this coming year, and dedicated to transparency as we move through this difficult time. As a result, we are not confident that actors honorariums will reflect that of last year, and ask for your understanding during this time. Artists provide us with the opportunity to put on a phenomenal show, and we acknowledge that the payment given is not equitable to the hard work put in. The honorarium will fall between $400-$750 CAD. We strive to pay as much as we can, and will be prioritizing pushing those honorariums up as we continue to fundraise. We thank the community for everything.
The Greater Victoria Shakespeare Festival, for its 34th season, seeks a diverse and versatile company of actors for their production of Romeo and Juliet directed by Karin Saari.
Note that mentorship has been filled.
Outdoor rehearsals commence end of April. GVSF performances will run June 23 - July 19, Mon-Sat at 7pm, at two outdoor locations to be confirmed. Please see audition sheet for exact dates.
Auditions will be held IN PERSON on Saturday February 8-9 from 10am to 6pm. Any callbacks will take place during that time. Appointments are required. To sign up for an audition, please email stagemanagement@vicshakespeare.com with an electronic version of your headshot and resume to request a time slot. Appointments are given on a first come/first served basis. Please note: Bookings and replies will begin in late January (in order received).
We are an outdoor theatre and do not use microphones so great diction and vocal strength are essential.
Please prepare:
· one Shakespeare monologue*
*Please prepare a Shakespearean monologue that you love and are confident with that aligns with the tone of Romeo and Juliet. We want to see you at your most comfortable.
Video auditions are accepted in cases where attendance is not possible. Please send your materials as above, as well as a link to an online video source (please do not send large video files).
Find our audition sheet here.
Company Mentors: Actors who anchor key roles, as well as teaching and mentoring the Company in areas of their ability. These positions are paid.
Core Actors: Actors who may play multiple roles in the play. These actors receive workshops and engagement in a learning environment, as well as a small honourarium.
Junior Company: Actors ages 13-18, who play minor roles as well as learn areas of stagecraft and technical theatre. These actors receive workshops and engagement in a learning environment.