Prince Hamlet of Denmark is not a happy camper. He has just been hurried back home from University to learn that his father the King (Hamlet Sr.) is dead, and that his mother has already jumped into “incestuous sheets” (I.i) by marrying his father’s brother, Claudius, thus making him the new King of Denmark. In short order, the ghost of Hamlet’s father appears to tell him that Claudius is responsible for his death and to urge him to take revenge. Shakespeare’s longest and most frequently performed play, "Hamlet" is one of the most influential works in the English literary canon.
Auditions will occur from 7-9:30 p.m. January 12 and 14 in the Communications Building next to Kelsey Theater. Appointments are encouraged, but not required. Auditionees will read from sides, which will be available at the auditions and may be obtained by contacting the stage manager, Lili Daniel. They should prepare a list of all possible conflicts between April 1 and June 12.
No particular ages are sought for the characters. However, Hamlet and his mother Gertrude, who have been precast, will be portrayed by actors in their late 20s and mid-50s, respectively.
| Hamlet (already cast) | A conflicted young man who feels it his duty to get revenge for his father's death. |
| Claudius | The new King of Denmark, and the late King Hamlet’s brother. Killed his brother in order to marry his former sister-in-law and claim the Danish crown. Obsessed with his own power, Claudius is more than willing to do what it takes to maintain it, even if that means killing his nephew. |
| Gertrude (already cast) | Hamlet's mother, the queen of Denmark. Mourned Hamlet's father's death for about two months before marrying his brother Claudius.Painted as a woman with a bit of a weak moral character, Gertrude seems to fundamentally rely on the men in her life and may care more about her status and appearance than she does about anything else. |
| Polonius | The father of Ophelia and Laertes, and the Lord Chamberlain of Claudius’s court. Also manipulative, spreading rumors about his son in order to force him into delivering up information, using Ophelia as a pawn in a plot to improve his standing with Claudius. Ultimately meets his untimely end when Hamlet mistakes him for Claudius while he hides behind a curtain listening to Hamlet and Gertrude’s private conversation. |
| Ophelia | The former love interest of Hamlet, Ophelia, like Gertrude, has a life that seems to be entirely dictated by the men around her. Utterly obedient to her father, she agrees to play a role in his scheme to spy on Hamlet and is terrorized by the latter as a result. After Hamlet accidentally kills Polonius, she snaps and goes mad, and dies not long after. |
| Horatio | Hamlet’s best friend from university, and most loyal companion throughout the play. He informs him of the visitation of his father’s ghost, and, at the end of the play, tells the dying Hamlet that he would rather follow him to the end and commit suicide than stay in the world without him. |
| Laertes | Polonius' son and Ophelia's brother. Spends much of the play at university in Paris, but returns as soon as he hears of his father's murder, with the aim of revenge upon Hamlet. |
| Hamlet's father's ghost | Appears on the battlements of Elsinore castle, first to the night-watchmen, Bernardo and Marcellus, then to Hamlet’s friend Horatio, and finally to Hamlet himself. He reveals to Hamlet that he was murdered by Claudius, Hamlet’s uncle, and urges Hamlet to seek revenge. |
| Gravedigger | Providing some of the only comic relief in the play, the gravedigger speaks with Hamlet for a scene late in the play. Has a skull formerly belonging to someone named Yorick. |
| Rosencrantz and Guildenstern | Two friends of Hamlet's from university. |
| Player King | Leader of the troupe that comes to perform for the court. |
| Ensemble | Various messengers, courtiers, soldiers, captains, lords, and ladies. |
The readthrough will be in April, with normal rehearsals commencing immediately afterward. There will be rehearsals three nights each week and on Sunday afternoons, with more in the two weeks preceding opening night. Performances will be at 8 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays and at 2 p.m. Sundays June 3-12.
For more information, contact the stage manager, Lili Daniel, at lilisaidwhat@gmail.com. To schedule an audition appointment, click here. Both Kelsey Theater and the communications building are located at 1200 Old Trenton Road, West Windsor.
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