Auditions

Rate 2: $623.15 (Little Bear Ridge Road, The Play That Goes Wrong, Plaza Suite, John Proctor is the Villain, I Need That)

Rate 3: $525.86 (Disney and Pixar’s Finding Nemo)

Seeking:

In casting the 2026/2027 Season, Virginia Repertory Theatre endeavors to be as inclusive as possible. We invite all performers, including gender non-conforming, genderqueer, transgender, and non-binary actors, to submit for the roles they most identify with. We will also list race/ethnicity when specific to the character but are otherwise seeking all races and ethnicities.

PREPARATION

Please prepare 1 short contemporary monologue and 1 short song (to be considered for A Christmas Carol, Disney and Pixar’s Finding Nemo and Hairspray) in the style of Hairspray. Bring sheet music in the key that you plan on singing along with your headshot and resume. An accompanist will be provided. Auditions may not exceed 3 minutes total.

Personnel:

All of the above are expected to be in the audition room.

Dates:

Performances for The Play That Goes Wrong, A Christmas Carol, Hairspray and Disney and Pixar’s Finding Nemo will be held at the November Theatre Complex (114 West Broad Street, Richmond, VA 23220) on the Marjorie Arenstein Stage.

Performances for Little Bear Ridge Road and John Proctor is the Villain will be held in the Theatre Gym inside of the November Theatre Complex (114 West Broad Street, Richmond, VA 23220).

Performances for Plaza Suite and I Need That will be held at the historic Hanover Tavern (13181 Hanover Courthouse Rd, Hanover, VA 23069).

Rehearsals Start: July 13, 2026

Performance Run: August 12 – September 6, 2026

The Play That Goes Wrong

Rehearsals Start: August 17, 2026

Performance Run: September 16 – October 18, 2026

A Christmas Carol

Rehearsals Start: October 12, 2026

Performance Run: November 18 – December 27, 2026

Plaza Suite

Rehearsals Start: November 9, 2026

Performance Run: December 9, 2026 – Jan 17, 2027

John Proctor is the Villain

Rehearsals Start: February 1, 2027

Performance Run: March 3 – April 4, 2027

I Need That

Rehearsals Start: February 22, 2027

Performance Run: March 24 – April 25, 2027

Disney and Pixar’s Finding Nemo

Rehearsals Start: March 8, 2027

Performance Run: April 7 – May 2, 2027

Hairspray

Rehearsals Start: May 10, 2027

Performance Run: June 16 – August 1, 2027

●   Monday, June 22, 2026 from 1:00PM to 5:00PM and 6:00PM to 10:00PM. There will be a meal break from 5:00PM to 6:00PM, and no appointments can be scheduled during that time.

●   Tuesday, June 23, 2026 from 12:30PM to 4:30PM and 5:30PM to 9:30PM. There will be a meal break from 4:30PM to 5:30PM, and no appointments can be scheduled during that time.

Please prepare 1 short contemporary monologue and 1 short song (to be considered for A Christmas Carol, Hairspray, and Disney and Pixar’s Finding Nemo) in the style of Hairspray. Bring sheet music in the key that you plan on singing along with your headshot and resume. An accompanist will be provided. Auditions may not exceed 3 minutes total.

Playwright: Samuel D. Hunter
Genre: Contemporary Drama
Setting: Rural Idaho, present day (remote family home)
Tone: Naturalistic, darkly funny, emotionally restrained realism

Synopsis

In rural Idaho, a fractured family gathers in an aging home filled with memory, silence, and unresolved history. As financial pressure, aging, addiction, and emotional distance surface, the characters are forced to reckon with what it means to stay connected—or to finally let go. The play moves in quiet, precise emotional waves, where what is not said often matters most.

SARA

Female-presenting, 40s–60s. Any ethnicity.
Ethan’s aunt. Sara is the closest thing the family has to a stabilizing force, though that role has come at a cost. She is practical, sharp, and emotionally worn from years of managing crises that never fully resolve. Beneath her grounded exterior is deep fatigue and a complicated sense of responsibility toward Ethan and her father. She loves her family, but she is not sentimental about them.

Sara carries the emotional labor of the household and resents how invisible that labor has been. She is direct, sometimes blunt, but rarely cruel without reason. Her humor is dry, often defensive, and rooted in survival.

Notes: A major dramatic role requiring emotional precision and restraint. The actor must be able to convey history without exposition, and conflict without escalation. Strong subtext work, stillness, and lived-in naturalism are essential.

ETHAN

Male-presenting, late 20s–40s. Any ethnicity.
A man returning to a place he cannot fully leave behind. Ethan is emotionally intelligent but avoidant, often using detachment, humor, or intellectualization to keep distance from pain. His return home forces him into proximity with unresolved family history and personal stagnation.

He is not a “lost soul” archetype so much as someone actively negotiating whether presence is possible for him at all.

Notes: Requires highly internalized acting. Subtle shifts, silence, and restraint are key. The performance should feel lived-in rather than performed.

JAMES

Male-presenting, Late 20s–Early 30s. Any ethnicity.

Ethan’s romantic interest. Warm, optimistic, thoughtful, and emotionally open. James serves as a contrast to Ethan’s pessimism and self-protective tendencies, offering the possibility of intimacy and a healthier future. Several reviews describe him as grounding and compassionate.

PAULETTE

Female-presenting, 50s–70s. Any ethnicity.
A long-standing presence in the family’s orbit (often interpreted as a close friend, caretaker figure, or emotional witness to the household). Paulette is observant, steady, and quietly compassionate. She sees more than she says and often functions as an emotional barometer for the family’s dysfunction.

She is not an outsider, but she is not fully entangled either—she exists in a liminal space of care and distance.

Notes: Requires quiet authority and strong subtext work. The actor should be able to communicate thoughtfulness and emotional intelligence through stillness.

Tone & Style

Samuel D. Hunter writes with a highly controlled naturalism: emotionally specific, regionally grounded, and structurally restrained. Humor arises from discomfort, timing, and human contradiction rather than explicit jokes.

The play depends on actors resisting big choices. Meaning accumulates through silence, interruption, and understatement.

The Play That Goes Wrong

Playwrights: Henry Lewis, Jonathan Sayer, and Henry Shields
Company: Mischief Theatre
Genre: Farce / Physical Comedy
Setting: The Cornley Polytechnic Drama Society’s production of a 1920s murder mystery, The Murder at Haversham Manor
Running Time: Approx. 2 hours including intermission

Synopsis

The accident-prone Cornley Polytechnic Drama Society attempts to stage a traditional British murder mystery, but everything that can go wrong does: collapsing sets, missed cues, broken props, forgotten lines, backstage feuds, and increasingly desperate actors trying to keep the show alive. As the performance spirals into chaos, the actors’ determination only makes the disaster funnier.

Note: Actors play members of the Cornley Drama Society who are themselves playing characters in the murder mystery. Strong comic specificity and the ability to sustain dual-layer characterization are essential.

CHRIS BEAN / INSPECTOR CARTER

Male-presenting, 20s–40s. Any ethnicity.
Head of the drama society and director of the production. Chris desperately wants the show to feel prestigious and professional despite mounting catastrophe. As Inspector Carter, he attempts to maintain the dignity of a classic detective story while internally unraveling. Earnest, high-strung, controlling, and increasingly frantic.

Notes: Excellent farce technique required. Strong physical comedy, improvisational flexibility, and precision timing essential. Actor must sustain escalating panic while remaining emotionally committed to “the play within the play.”

ROBERT GROVE / THOMAS COLLEYMOORE

Male-presenting, 20s–50s. Any ethnicity.
A performer who takes himself extremely seriously despite limited talent. Robert believes he is delivering a sophisticated leading-man performance and is deeply invested in theatrical gravitas. As Thomas Colleymoore, he plays the deceased fiancé at the center of the mystery.

Notes: Requires deadpan confidence and commitment. Strong understanding of comic overacting and melodrama.

DENNIS TYDE / PERKINS

Male-presenting, 20s–40s. Any ethnicity.
Nervous, eager, and catastrophically bad at remembering lines. Dennis desperately wants to help but continually makes things worse. His panic escalates as the production collapses around him. Lovable under pressure.

Notes: Strong verbal comedy and panic-energy control required. Actor should excel at intentional mistakes delivered with absolute sincerity.

MAX BENNETT / CECIL HAVERSHAM / ARTHUR THE GARDENER

Male-presenting, 20s–40s. Any ethnicity.
Good-looking, cheerful, and blissfully unaware of how bad the production is going. Max enjoys performing more than anyone else onstage and remains delighted by audience response, even when things fail spectacularly. Infectiously enthusiastic.

Notes: Natural charm essential. Strong audience awareness and comedic innocence required.

TREVOR WATSON

Male-presenting, any age adult. Any ethnicity.
The exhausted lighting and sound operator reluctantly pulled into the chaos. Dry, deadpan, and technically overwhelmed. Often functions as an unwilling participant rather than a performer.

Notes: Excellent reactive comedy and understated timing essential. Minimalism and restraint are key.

ANNIE TWILLOIL / SANDRA WILKINSON

Female-presenting, 20s–40s. Any ethnicity.
The company’s overworked stage manager forced to step into performance duties. Annie is practical, competent, and increasingly furious as the production falls apart. As Sandra, she attempts glamorous leading-lady sophistication while visibly underprepared.

Notes: Strong physical comedy and improvisational responsiveness required. Must balance backstage realism with theatrical parody.

SANDRA WILKINSON / FLORENCE COLLEYMOORE

Female-presenting, 20s–40s. Any ethnicity.
An ambitious performer who believes herself destined for greater things. Self-involved, melodramatic, and highly conscious of stage presence. As Florence, she leans fully into overwrought murder-mystery acting.

Notes: Actor must excel at heightened theatrical parody while remaining grounded enough for the comedy to land. Strong farce instincts required.

JONATHAN HARRIS / CHARLES HAVERSHAM

Male-presenting, 20s–40s. Any ethnicity.
The actor playing the corpse. Earnest, anxious, and increasingly frustrated by the impossible demands of remaining “dead” while chaos erupts around him. Much of the role’s comedy is physical and reactive.

Notes: Exceptional physical control and stamina required. Strong clowning and nonverbal comedy skills beneficial.

Tone & Style

The comedy is rooted in total commitment. The actors must never “wink” at the audience; the humor comes from desperate attempts to preserve professionalism amid catastrophe. Precision, rhythm, and technical discipline are essential. The style combines British farce, clown work, slapstick, and ensemble-based physical comedy.

A Christmas Carol

Based on the book by: A Christmas Carol
Adaptor: Rick Hammerly
Genre: Classic Holiday Drama / Ensemble Adaptation
Style: Story Theatre / Multi-role Ensemble with Physical and Vocal Transformation
Setting: Victorian London and associated memory/spiritscape

Synopsis

Based on the book by A Christmas Carol, this ensemble adaptation follows Ebenezer Scrooge, a bitter and isolated miser, who is visited by three spirits on Christmas Eve. Through journeys into his past, present, and future, Scrooge is forced to confront the consequences of his choices and rediscover his capacity for compassion, generosity, and human connection.

EBENEZER SCROOGE

Male-identifying, 50s+. Any ethnicity.
A rigid, isolated businessman defined by greed, control, and emotional withdrawal. Scrooge rejects human connection in favor of financial security until supernatural intervention forces him to confront the cost of his choices. His transformation is the emotional core of the play, moving from cynicism to joyful generosity.

Notes: Major leading role requiring classical technique, emotional range, and stamina. Actor must sustain a clear arc while navigating rapid tonal shifts with clarity and precision.

JACOB MARLEY & OTHERS

Male-identifying, 40s+. Any ethnicity.
Scrooge’s deceased business partner, bound in chains as punishment for a life of greed. Marley serves as the moral catalyst of the story, warning Scrooge of his potential fate. Also doubles in ensemble roles.

Notes: Strong vocal authority and physical specificity required. Must balance supernatural weight with ensemble flexibility.

GHOST OF CHRISTMAS PAST & OTHERS

Any gender, 20s–30s. Any ethnicity.
An ethereal, gentle guide through Scrooge’s memories. The Ghost evokes nostalgia, innocence, and regret, encouraging reflection without judgment. Also appears in additional ensemble roles requiring transformation.

Notes: Strong movement-based storytelling required. Actor must create emotional clarity through physicality and tone.

GHOST OF CHRISTMAS PRESENT & OTHERS

Any gender, 30s–50s. Any ethnicity.
A radiant, larger-than-life spirit embodying abundance, joy, and present-moment awareness. Warm, charismatic, and generous, but also capable of moral seriousness when revealing hardship and inequality.

Notes: Requires strong presence, vocal richness, and emotional range from celebration to gravity.

GHOST OF CHRISTMAS FUTURE & OTHERS

Any gender, 30s–40s. Any ethnicity.
A silent, ominous figure representing death and consequence. Communicates entirely through movement and presence. Minimalism and precision define the role.

Notes: Non-verbal performance skill essential. Strong physical control and stage awareness required.

BOB CRATCHIT & OTHERS

Male-identifying, 30s–40s. Any ethnicity.
Hardworking, kind, and deeply devoted to his family. Despite poverty and mistreatment, he maintains warmth, humor, and resilience. Represents moral integrity under economic strain.

Notes: Naturalistic emotional truth required. Strong grounding in sincerity and restraint.

MRS. CRATCHIT & OTHERS

Female-identifying, 30s–40s. Any ethnicity.
Pragmatic, loving, and protective. She balances care for her family with frustration over their financial hardship and Scrooge’s treatment of Bob.

Notes: Strong dramatic instincts and emotional clarity required. Must balance warmth and frustration.

MR. FEZZIWIG & OTHERS

Male-identifying, 40s+. Any ethnicity.
Jovial employer from Scrooge’s past who embodies generosity, joy, and communal celebration. A contrast to Scrooge’s later coldness.

Notes: Strong comedic warmth and expressive physicality required.

MRS. DILBER & OTHERS

Female-identifying, 40s+. Any ethnicity.
Scrooge’s housekeeper. Practical, outspoken, and often comedic. Provides grounded domestic energy and humor.

Notes: Strong character work and comic timing required.

FRED & OTHERS

Male-identifying, 20s–30s. Any ethnicity.
Scrooge’s nephew. Warm, optimistic, and consistently kind despite rejection. Embodies familial love and persistence.

Notes: Requires sincerity, warmth, and strong emotional consistency.

MRS. FRED & OTHERS

Female-identifying, 20s–30s. Any ethnicity.
Fred’s wife. Confident, generous, and socially warm. Supports the family’s celebratory spirit.

Notes: Strong ensemble instincts and comedic timing required.

MRS. FRED’S SISTER & OTHERS

Female-identifying, 20s–30s. Any ethnicity.
Outspoken, energetic, and socially playful. Adds humor and texture to Fred’s household scenes.

Notes: Strong comedic rhythm and character specificity required.

TOPPER & OTHERS

Male-identifying, 20s–30s. Any ethnicity.
Bumbling, charming, and socially awkward. Provides light comedic relief in social scenes.

Notes: Physical comedy and timing essential.

BELLE & OTHERS

Female-identifying, 20s. Any ethnicity.
Scrooge’s former fiancée. Kind, perceptive, and grounded. Represents emotional paths not taken.

Notes: Strong emotional restraint and clarity required. Must avoid sentimentality.

SOLICITOR #1 & OTHERS

Male-identifying, 30s+. Any ethnicity.
Cheerful, approachable legal figure with comedic warmth.

Notes: Strong supporting character versatility required.

SOLICITOR #2 & OTHERS

Male-identifying, 30s+. Any ethnicity.
Energetic, expressive, and occasionally volatile legal presence.

Notes: Strong ensemble adaptability and comic flexibility required.

Tone & Style

Based on the book by A Christmas Carol, this adaptation emphasizes ensemble storytelling, transformation, and theatrical imagination. The production relies heavily on doubling, physical storytelling, and rapid character shifts. Emotional truth is prioritized over sentimentality.

Plaza Suite

Playwright: Neil Simon
Genre: Comedy
Setting: Suite 719 at The Plaza Hotel
Structure: Three interconnected one-acts performed by the same principal actors in multiple roles

Synopsis

Over the course of three wildly different stories set in the same suite at the legendary The Plaza Hotel, two actors portray a range of couples confronting marriage, infidelity, nostalgia, and family chaos. The play showcases the emotional and comic versatility of its performers through rapid tonal and character shifts.

LEAD ACTOR (Male-presenting)

40s–60s. Any ethnicity.

Plays:

•              Sam Nash — a practical businessman confronting emotional stagnation in his marriage.

•              Jesse Kiplinger — a charismatic Hollywood producer reconnecting with an old flame.

•              Roy Hubley — a frantic father desperately trying to get his daughter to her wedding.

The actor must possess exceptional range in both grounded relationship comedy and high farce. Requires strong verbal dexterity, impeccable comic timing, emotional accessibility, and the stamina to anchor all three acts. Ability to pivot seamlessly between understated realism, suave theatricality, and explosive comedic panic is essential.

Character Qualities Across Roles:

•              Commanding stage presence

•              Sophisticated comic rhythm

•              Emotional intelligence beneath bravado

•              Strong escalation technique

•              Comfort with rapid tonal transitions

Notes: Leading comedic actor with major stamina and versatility. Experience with classic American comedy and farce highly beneficial. Strong chemistry and listening skills essential.

LEAD ACTOR (Female-presenting)

40s–60s. Any ethnicity.

Plays:

•              Karen Nash — a thoughtful wife yearning to reconnect with the romance of her past.

•              Muriel Tate — a suburban woman swept up in fantasy during a reunion with a former boyfriend.

•              Norma Hubley — an anxious mother struggling to contain wedding-day catastrophe.

The actor must balance warmth, wit, emotional vulnerability, and escalating comic chaos. Requires sophisticated command of language-based comedy alongside deeply grounded emotional realism. Ability to transition fluidly between poignant intimacy and heightened farce is critical.

Character Qualities Across Roles:

•              Emotional openness and nuance

•              Strong reactive comedy

•              Natural elegance and comic intelligence

•              Precision with rhythm and pacing

•              Emotional authenticity beneath humor

Notes: Strong leading comedic actor capable of both subtle realism and broad farce. Excellent listening skills and emotional flexibility required.

SUPPORTING ROLE — JEAN McCORMACK

Female-presenting, 20s–30s. Any ethnicity.
The panicked bride in Visitor from Forest Hills. Intelligent, overwhelmed, stubborn, and emotionally flooded by the pressure surrounding her wedding day. Much of the role occurs offstage or partially unseen, requiring excellent vocal characterization and comic timing.

Notes: Strong vocal actor with emotional specificity and comic instinct.

SUPPORTING ROLE — BELLHOP / WAITER

Any gender, adult. Any ethnicity.
Hotel staff appearing throughout the evening. Grounded observers amidst escalating emotional chaos. Provides tonal support and comic punctuation.

Notes: Strong character actor with clean comic instincts and versatility.

Tone & Style

Classic Neil Simon comedy driven by rhythm, precision, emotional honesty, and escalating interpersonal conflict. The humor should emerge organically from relationships and desperation rather than caricature. Strong technique with pacing and verbal comedy is essential.

John Proctor Is the Villain

Playwright: Kimberly Belflower
Genre: Contemporary Drama / Dark Comedy
Setting: A rural high school in Georgia, present day
Running Time: Approx. 1 hour 45 minutes, no intermission

Synopsis

At a small-town Georgia high school, a group of teenage girls studying The Crucible begin reexamining the stories they’ve inherited about gender, power, and morality. As classroom debates collide with personal revelations and a growing reckoning around consent and hypocrisy, the students challenge both their community and the cultural mythology surrounding John Proctor himself.

SHELBY HOLCOMB

Female-presenting, 16–18 to play high school. Any ethnicity.
Smart, observant, emotionally guarded. Shelby returns to school carrying private trauma and a sharpened understanding of the world around her. Once eager to fit in, she now sees through performative morality and social convenience. Quietly courageous, deeply empathetic, and increasingly unwilling to stay silent. The emotional center of the play.

Notes: Actor must navigate subtle internal shifts and explosive emotional honesty. Strong grounding in realism essential. Ability to hold silence and tension with confidence.

BETH POWELL

Female-presenting, 16–18 to play high school. Any ethnicity.
Intelligent, ambitious, high-achieving student body president type. Beth believes in rules, structure, and achievement, but underneath her confidence is anxiety about disappointing others and losing control. Her worldview becomes increasingly destabilized as the play unfolds. Sharp comic instincts and emotional precision required.

Notes: Requires strong verbal dexterity and the ability to pivot rapidly between humor, defensiveness, and vulnerability.

NELL SHAW

Female-presenting, 16–18 to play high school. Any ethnicity.
Thoughtful, artistic, somewhat outsider energy. Nell possesses emotional intelligence beyond her years and often functions as a quiet observer of the group dynamic. She is compassionate but not passive, with a growing willingness to challenge authority and accepted narratives.

Notes: Actor should bring warmth, specificity, and grounded emotional truth. Excellent listening skills essential.

IVY WATKINS

Female-presenting, 16–18 to play high school. Any ethnicity.
Funny, irreverent, outspoken, and socially fearless. Ivy uses humor and sarcasm as both armor and weapon. Beneath her confidence is frustration with the expectations placed on young women in their town. Strong comic timing and emotional accessibility are crucial.

Notes: Needs natural contemporary rhythm and strong ensemble instincts. Role benefits from improvisational ease.

RAELYNN NIX

Female-presenting, 16–18 to play high school. Any ethnicity.
Cheerleader energy with genuine heart. Initially appears conventional and eager to please, but gradually reveals complexity, emotional insight, and resilience. Her evolution throughout the play is significant.

Notes: Actor should avoid stereotype and ground the role in authenticity and emotional openness.

LEE TURNER

Male-presenting, 16–18 to play high school. Any ethnicity.
Sensitive, intelligent, somewhat awkward. Lee genuinely wants to understand the girls around him but is still shaped by the culture he’s grown up in. Earnestness and emotional transparency are key.

Notes: Requires nuanced realism and understated comedic instincts.

CARTER SMITH

Male-presenting, 16–18 to play high school. Any ethnicity.
Charming, athletic, socially confident. Carter benefits from systems he barely recognizes. While not intentionally cruel, he embodies entitlement and learned behavior that the play interrogates. Must remain human and believable rather than villainous caricature.

Notes: Actor should bring charisma, naturalism, and emotional complexity.

BAILEY GALLAGHER

Female-presenting, 20s–40s. Any ethnicity.
Guidance counselor or teacher figure. Compassionate but constrained by institutional pressures and small-town politics. Wants to protect students while navigating her own fear and complicity.

Notes: Strong grounded actor with authority, empathy, and subtle emotional layering.

MR. SMITH

Male-presenting, 30s–50s. Any ethnicity.
Popular English teacher directing classroom discussions of The Crucible. Intelligent, charismatic, and deeply invested in how he is perceived. Represents the dangerous gap between public progressivism and private behavior.

Notes: Requires significant charm and emotional intelligence. Actor must sustain ambiguity and avoid playing overt menace.

Tone & Style

The play combines contemporary teenage humor with sharp social critique and emotionally grounded realism. Dialogue should feel immediate, fast, overlapping, and lived-in. The humor emerges organically from personality and group dynamics, while the dramatic stakes remain deeply personal and urgent.

I Need That

Playwright: Theresa Rebeck
Genre: Contemporary Comedy/Drama
Setting: Present-day New Jersey
Running Time: Approx. 100 minutes, no intermission

Synopsis

A funny, deeply human play about attachment, grief, and the stories we assign to objects. Sam, a lifelong collector and compulsive hoarder, faces eviction unless he clears out his overflowing house. With pressure mounting from his daughter Amelia and his longtime friend Foster, Sam is forced to confront memory, loss, and the emotional weight of letting go.

SAM

Male-presenting, late 50s–70s. Any ethnicity.
A brilliant eccentric and compulsive hoarder. Sharp-witted, emotionally elusive, funny, stubborn, and unexpectedly vulnerable. Sam has built a life around objects because objects don’t abandon him. Beneath the clutter is a man terrified of grief, loneliness, and irrelevance. Requires exceptional comic timing paired with authentic emotional depth. Actor must comfortably handle rapid tonal shifts from absurd humor to heartbreaking honesty.

AMELIA

Female-presenting, late 20s–40s. Any ethnicity.
Sam’s daughter. Smart, practical, loving, and exhausted by years of trying to rescue her father from himself. She oscillates between caretaker, adversary, and child longing for connection. Amelia’s humor is dry and defensive; her emotional life runs deep beneath the surface. Needs an actor capable of grounded realism and emotional intelligence.

FOSTER

Male-presenting, 50s–70s. Any ethnicity.
Sam’s longtime friend and emotional counterpart. Earthy, patient, compassionate, and quietly lonely himself. Foster understands Sam better than almost anyone, but he also recognizes the danger of Sam’s isolation. Carries the play’s emotional wisdom without sentimentality. Dry humor and understated humanity are key.

Tone & Style

The play lives in the tension between comedy and emotional truth. Performances should feel naturalistic, specific, and deeply human rather than heightened or broadly comic. Rebeck’s language is fast, smart, and rhythmic, with humor emerging from behavior and emotional contradiction rather than punchlines.

Disney and Pixar’s Finding Nemo

Original Film: Pixar Animation Studios / Walt Disney Pictures
TYA Adaptation Style: Touring / Young Audience Theatre (approx. 60 minutes, flexible staging, ensemble-driven)
Genre: Family Adventure / Musical-Style Story Theatre
Source Material: Finding Nemo

Synopsis

This streamlined theatrical adaptation of Finding Nemo follows Marlin, an overprotective clownfish, as he journeys across the ocean to find his son Nemo, who has been captured and placed in a dentist’s fish tank. Along the way, Marlin teams up with Dory, a forgetful but optimistic companion, encountering a series of oceanic characters who challenge his fear, grief, and need for control. Designed for young audiences, the production emphasizes ensemble storytelling, physical theater, and character doubling.

Note: This TYA version is heavily ensemble-based. Actors often play multiple roles, shift between narration and character, and use stylized physicality to create environments.

MARLIN

Male-presenting, adult. Any ethnicity.
A cautious, anxious clownfish and devoted father. Marlin begins the story defined by fear and overprotection after losing his family. The journey forces him to confront grief, trust, and the necessity of letting Nemo grow independent. Emotional arc moves from rigidity to openness.

Notes: Strong leading actor with emotional clarity, physical storytelling ability, and strong partner work. Must balance comic panic with heartfelt sincerity. Requires stamina and precise narrative pacing.

NEMO

Male-presenting, child/teen casting. Any ethnicity.
Curious, spirited young clownfish with a smaller fin that makes him feel different. Nemo is eager to prove himself and gain independence from his father. His storyline is about courage, agency, and resilience under confinement in the tank.

Notes: Youthful energy, strong vocal clarity, and emotional accessibility required. Must handle both vulnerability and bravery without caricature.

DORY

Female-presenting, adult. Any ethnicity.
Optimistic, fast-talking, forgetful fish who becomes Marlin’s unlikely companion. Dory is emotionally open, impulsive, and deeply kind. Her “short-term memory loss” is played with clarity and precision, not randomness. She provides the emotional counterbalance to Marlin’s fear.

Notes: High-energy comic actor with strong improvisational feel and emotional intelligence. Must balance humor with grounded sincerity. Strong musicality of speech essential.

BLOAT / BUBBLES / PEACH / GILL (TANK GANG)

Any gender, adult ensemble casting. Any ethnicity.
Residents of the dentist’s fish tank, each with distinct personality traits:

•              Gill — intense, determined leader figure with a plan for escape

•              Bloat — anxious, easily overwhelmed, comic nervous energy

•              Bubbles — childlike fascination with bubbles and wonder

•              Peach — observant, pragmatic, slightly judgmental voice of reason

Together they form an ensemble representing adaptation, hope, and resilience in captivity.

Notes: Strong ensemble performers with quick character shifts, vocal differentiation, and physical clarity. Must work well in group rhythm and tight comedic timing.

BRUCE

Male-presenting ensemble role. Any ethnicity.
A great white shark trying (and struggling) to overcome his instinct to eat fish. Charismatic, imposing, and hilariously intense in his attempts at self-control. Appears in stylized, heightened sequences.

Notes: Strong physical comedy and vocal presence required. Ability to shift between menace and humor instantly is key.

CRUSH

Male-presenting ensemble role. Any ethnicity.
Laid-back sea turtle who embodies “go with the flow” philosophy. Speaks in relaxed, rhythmic surfer cadence. Guides Marlin and Dory through the East Australian Current sequence.

Notes: Actor must have strong vocal rhythm, comedic timing, and ease with stylized speech. Physical looseness and ensemble play essential.

PEARL / SHELDON / SQUIRT (ENSEMBLE YOUNG SEA CREATURES)

Any gender, youth/young adult casting. Any ethnicity.
Playful sea creatures who often function as comic relief and world-builders. They help create underwater environments through physical theater and group movement.

Notes: Strong movement skills, ensemble awareness, and vocal flexibility required. Must support storytelling through physical transformation.

THE DENTIST (P. SHERMAN)

Male-presenting, adult. Any ethnicity.
A well-meaning but oblivious human whose fish tank becomes central to Nemo’s captivity. Grounded, naturalistic presence contrasted against stylized fish world.

Notes: Straight-man role requiring clarity, realism, and subtle comedic timing.

DARLA

Female-presenting child/teen casting. Any ethnicity.
The dentist’s energetic niece whose chaotic enthusiasm poses danger to the fish tank. Appears briefly but memorably as a force of comic disruption.

Notes: High-energy physical comedy role. Must commit fully to bold, heightened behavior.

Tone & Style

This adaptation of Finding Nemo emphasizes ensemble storytelling, theatrical transformation, and physical imagination. The ocean is created through bodies, rhythm, and voice rather than realism. Comedy and emotion are tightly interwoven, with clear storytelling for young audiences while maintaining emotional truth for adults.

Hairspray

Music & Lyrics: Marc Shaiman and Scott Wittman
Book: Mark O’Donnell and Thomas Meehan
Based on: Hairspray and its 2002 stage adaptation
Genre: Musical Comedy / Social Satire
Setting: Baltimore, Maryland, early 1960s

Synopsis

In early 1960s Baltimore, teenager Tracy Turnblad dreams of dancing on “The Corny Collins Show.” When she earns a spot on the program, she becomes a local celebrity and uses her platform to challenge racial segregation on television and in her community. The musical blends high-energy comedy, romance, and activism, culminating in a joyful fight for integration and self-expression.

TRACY TURNBLAD

Female-presenting, teen (16–18). Any ethnicity.
Bright, optimistic, fearless, and unapologetically herself. Tracy is the heart of the story: a young woman who refuses to accept exclusion or limitation. She believes in fairness instinctively and acts on it without hesitation. Must carry large vocal and emotional warmth, plus strong comedic timing and stamina.

Notes: Strong belt, excellent comedic presence, and grounded sincerity required. Actor must lead the narrative with charisma and emotional clarity.

EDNA TURNBLAD

Female-presenting or drag/cross-cast, adult (40s–60s). Any ethnicity.
Tracy’s mother. Initially shy, self-conscious, and emotionally withdrawn after years of body shame and isolation. Through Tracy’s influence, Edna rediscovers confidence and joy. Traditionally played by a male actor in drag in many productions, emphasizing transformation and comedy.

Notes: Major comedic role requiring vocal transformation, physical character work, and strong emotional arc. Must balance humor with heartfelt vulnerability.

WILBUR TURNBLAD

Male-presenting, adult (40s–60s). Any ethnicity.
Tracy’s father. Lovable, goofy, endlessly optimistic, and deeply devoted to Edna. Owns a novelty joke shop and lives in a world of playful absurdity. Provides warmth and comic grounding.

Notes: Strong comedic timing and sincerity required. Actor must support emotional stakes without cynicism.

LINK LARKIN

Male-presenting, late teens–20s. Any ethnicity.
Teen heartthrob of “The Corny Collins Show.” Initially self-absorbed and career-focused, but grows into someone willing to challenge injustice. Charismatic, musically gifted, and emotionally evolving.

Notes: Strong tenor vocal ability required. Must balance charm with genuine character growth.

PENELOPE “PENNY” PINGLETON

Female-presenting, teen (16–18). Any ethnicity.
Tracy’s best friend. Sweet, sheltered, awkward, and initially timid under her controlling mother’s influence. Gradually finds her voice and independence, including a rebellious romantic awakening.

Notes: Strong comedic innocence and vocal clarity required. Actor must show clear emotional development.

AMBER VON TUSSLE

Female-presenting, teen/young adult (late teens–20s). Any ethnicity.
Primary antagonist. Popular, entitled, and status-obsessed. Competes with Tracy for fame and attention. Beneath her confidence is insecurity and fear of losing control of her social position.

Notes: Strong comedic villainy with vocal strength required. Must avoid one-dimensional portrayal.

VELMA VON TUSSLE

Female-presenting, adult (40s–60s). Any ethnicity.
Amber’s mother and producer of “The Corny Collins Show.” Authoritarian, image-obsessed, and openly racist in her worldview. Represents institutional gatekeeping and resistance to change.

Notes: Strong character actor with commanding presence and comic bite.

CORNY COLLINS

Male-presenting, adult (30s–50s). Any ethnicity.
Host of the television dance show. Polished, cheerful, and professionally charming. Initially complicit in segregation but ultimately capable of growth.

Notes: Must have strong hosting presence, musicality, and ease with live performance energy.

SEAWEED J. STUBBS

Male-presenting, teen/young adult. Any ethnicity (Black).
Talented dancer and romantic lead for Penny. Confident, stylish, and principled. Helps lead the younger generation toward integration and change.

Notes: Strong dance ability essential. Must have vocal charisma and grounded emotional intelligence.

LITTLE INEZ

Female-presenting, teen/child casting. Any ethnicity (Black).
Seaweed’s younger sister. Quiet at first, later becomes symbolic of the fight for visibility and opportunity.

Notes: Clear vocal presence and emotional specificity required despite limited stage time.

MOTORMOUTH MAYBELLE

Female-presenting, adult (40s–60s). Any ethnicity (Black).
Seaweed and Little Inez’s mother. Powerful, proud, and grounded in lived experience. Owner of the record shop and voice of moral clarity in the story. Delivers one of the show’s emotional and musical peaks.

Notes: Strong powerhouse vocalist required. Must combine authority, warmth, and emotional gravitas.

PRUDY PINGLETON

Female-presenting, adult (40s–60s). Any ethnicity.
Penny’s controlling mother. Rigid, fearful, and obsessed with propriety. Represents social conservatism and overprotection taken to extremes.

Notes: Strong comedic character work with underlying tension. Must balance humor with realism.

ENSEMBLE / CORNY COLLINS KIDS / TOWNSPEOPLE

Any gender, teen–adult. Any ethnicity.
Ensemble functions as dancers, singers, TV show performers, protest participants, and Baltimore community members. Heavy dance and vocal requirements. Provide stylistic world-building and tonal energy shifts.

Notes: Strong triple-threat performers required. High stamina, precision choreography ability, and stylistic adaptability essential.

Tone & Style

Hairspray (stage version) is bright, comedic, and exuberant, but grounded in real social stakes. The style blends retro television aesthetics, big musical comedy energy, and sincere emotional storytelling. Comedy should remain character-driven, never cynical.