AUDITION DATES
Wednesday, May 20th
10:30 AM - 5:30 PM (E)
Lunch: 1:30 - 2:00 PM
SEEKING
Equity actors for roles in Quintessence Theatre Group's 2026-27 Season (See breakdown).
PREPARATION
If you would like to be considered for PIPPIN, please prepare a 16-bar cut in the style of the show in addition to one contrasting monologue. An accompanist will be provided. For all other shows, please prepare two contrasting monologues in the style(s) of the pieces in heightened or stylized language. If you’d like to be considered for Two Gentlemen of Verona, at least one of the pieces should be in verse. Your total audition material should be 2 1/2 minutes or less. Please also bring a hard copy of your headshot and resume.
LOCATION
Quintessence Theatre - Rehearsal room & Administrative Offices:
7135 Germantown Avenue, 2nd Floor
Philadelphia, PA 19119
Rehearsal room, door to right of theatre.
PERSONNEL
Expected to attend: Alex Burns: Artistic Director & Director (PIPPIN, MEDEA, TWO GENTLEMEN OF VERONA) & Lisi Levy, Artistic Associate.
See breakdown for production specific personnel.
OTHER
See breakdown for production specific dates.
VIDEO SUBMISSIONS:
Please submit your headshot, resume and link to your audition video at: [email protected] .
In the subject line list, "YOUR NAME, Video Submission" and include in your email where you are based. Please submit ONLY the requested materials for the in-person EPA. Your video should be 2 1/2 minutes in length or less. Links of your audition material via unlisted Youtube link or Google Drive folder.
Video submission deadline June 1st, 2026.
BREAKDOWN
Quintessence Theatre Group 2026-27 Season
THE WITCH
By: Jen Silverman
Adapted from John Ford and Thomas Dekker’s The Witch of Edmonton
Directed by: Maura Krause
First Rehearsal: September 1, 2026
Tech: September 25 - 27
Final Dress: September 29
First Preview: September 30
Opening Night: October 3
Closing: October 25
Extension Closing: November 1, 2026
SEEKING:
Elizabeth Sawyer, F, 40s/ 50s/ 60s. An outcast.
Scratch, M, 20s /early 30s. The devil.
Sir Arthur Banks, M, 50s/60s. A wealthy and powerful man.
Cuddy Banks, M, 20s/ early 30s. Sir Arthur’s son, painfully shy, a morris-dancer. He is secretly in love with Frank (and also in hate).
Frank Thorney, M, 20s/ early 30s. A confident and successful young man, charming and ruthless. His ambition knows no bounds.
Winnifred, F, 20s/ early 30s. Sir Arthur’s servant, resigned and pragmatic, secretly married to Frank.
PIPPIN
Music and Lyrics by: Stephen Schwartz
Book by: Roger O. Hirson
Directed by: Alex Burns
Choreographed by: Shannon Murphy
Music Directed by: Steven Gross
First Rehearsal: October 27, 2026
Tech: November 12 - 15
Final Dress: November 17
First Preview: November 18
Opening Night: November 21
Closing: January 3, 2027
Ext. Closing: January 10, 2027
SEEKING:
Pippin, M, 20-25, A young man in search of himself.
Leading Player, The ultimate ringleader. Masterfully charming and manipulative, the Leading Player guides Pippin through his story. Excellent dancer.
Charles, M, 45-65, Pippin’s father. King of the Holy Roman Empire (Charlemagne). Territory and war-obsessed.
Lewis, M, 20-25, Fastrada’s son and Pippin’s stepbrother. A brawny idiot.
Fastrada, F, 30-45, Pippin’s conniving stepmother. A seductress who uses her sexual appeal to benefit herself and her son.
Berthe, M, 55-70, Pippin’s grandmother. A brassy broad full of wisdom and sass. Encourages Pippin to live life to the fullest.
Catherine, F, 25-35, A widow and mother who falls in love with Pippin, helping him find himself.
Theo, M, a young boy, Catherine’s Son.
Band of Players, any gender, they play all other roles in the show.
MEDEA
By: Euripides
Directed by: Alex Burns
Production Dates
First Rehearsal: January 5, 2027
Tech: January 29 - 31
Final Dress: February 2
First Preview: February 3
Opening Night: February 6
Closing: February 28
Ext. Closing: March 7, 2027
SEEKING:
Medea, F, A devilishly clever sorceress and a princess, Jason’s wife.
Nurse, F, Caretaker of the house & children. Nurse serves as Medea's confidant.
The Man, M, Will play all male roles:
Creon - The king of Corinth, the father of Glauke, and the intended future father-in-law of Jason.
Aegeus - The king of Athens (and future father of Theseus), who seeks help from Medea for his childlessness and who importantly offers her sanctuary in Athens.
Tutor – The children’s tutor, worried about Medea’s state of mind.
Jason - Medea’s husband.
Messenger - Describes the deaths of Glauce & Creon in vivid detail.
Medea’s Children, any gender, 2 total.
Chorus of Corinthians, F, 1-3 members of the Greek chorus.
GUYS GONE WILD REP: ROPE & TWO GENTLEMEN OF VERONA
Shows will be performed in Repertory
First Rehearsal: March 2, 2027
Tech: March 24 - 28
Final Dress: March 30
Two Gents, First Preview: March 31
Rope, First Preview: April 1
Two Gents, Opening Night: April 9
Rope, Opening Night: April 10
Closing: May 1 & 2
Ext. Closing: May 9, 2027
ROPE
By: Patrick Hamilton
Directed by: Jake Loewenthal
SEEKING:
Wyndham Brandon, M, 20s, athletic, suave, and very rich. Naturally calm, almost paternal in nature, but not altogether likable. About the same age as Granillo, his school mate.
Charles Granillo, M, 20s, a Spaniard who speaks perfect English. Extremely courteous and very likable, however has a weaker constitution for subterfuge. About the same age as Brandon, his school mate.
Kenneth Raglan, M, early 20s, younger than Granillo and Brandon. He’s shy, simple-minded, good- hearted, and a bit clueless.
Leila Arden, F, early 20s, about the same age as Raglan. Sweet, charming, but overcompensates and tries to project sophistication to the party guests.
Sir Johnstone Kentley, M, 60s, a kind and pleasant older gentleman. Sir Johnstone is the father to the murder victim, Robert. He is harmless and gentle but has lived a life of extreme privilege.
Mrs. Debenham, F, 50s, Sir Johnstone’s sister, a widow. She is plain, absent-minded, and hardly ever opens her mouth except occasionally to clock back into the conversation after glazing over in a sort of lost, miserable fog.
Rupert Cadell, late 20s/early 30s, a bit older than Granillo & Brandon, Rupert has a permanent injury to his right leg and limps/walks with the help of an ornate cane. He is foppish and enormously affected in speech and carriage. His sentences are often involved, and lofty. Sometimes though, he surprises everyone with his open and genial smile.
Sabot, M, the French servant of the house. He is the perfect employee – intelligent, alert, and obedient. Whoever he’s with, he has an air of being breathlessly anxious, ready to apologize for anything, whether he’s responsible for it or not.
TWO GENTLEMEN OF VERONA
By: William Shakespeare
Directed by: Alex Burns
SEEKING:
Valentine, A gentleman of Verona, he is Proteus' best friend, and Silvia's love. Banished to the forest after Proteus betrays his plan to elope with Silvia to the Duke, Valentine becomes king of the outlaws.
Speed, Valentine's page. He is friendly with Launce.
Proteus, A gentleman of Verona & Valentine's supposed best friend. He behaves in a most ungentlemanly fashion. He is Julia's sweetheart, but when he joins Valentine at the Duke's palace, he falls in love with Silvia and attempts to steal her away from Valentine.
Launce, Proteus' humorous servant, and master to a poorly-trained mutt named Crab. His devotion to his dog knows no bounds.
Antonio, Proteus’ father.
Pantino, an attendant to Antonio.
Julia, A lady of Verona, Proteus' beloved. Desiring to travel to Milan to visit Proteus, Julia disguises herself as a high-class male pageant goes by the name Sebastian. She does Proteus' bidding, delivering the ring she had earlier given him to his new beloved, Silvia.
Lucetta, Julia's waiting-gentlewoman, who has a practical approach to love. Lucetta helps Julia disguise herself as a man.
Sylvia, a lady of Milan, daughter to the Duke and beloved of Valentine, also sought after by Proteus and Thurio. Silvia commiserates with Sebastian over the wrong that Proteus has done to Julia. She escapes her father's palace with the help of Sir Eglamour, who abandons her at the sight of the outlaws.
Duke of Milan, Sylvia’s father, the Duke wants her to marry the boorish but wealthy suitor Sir Thurio. Upon hearing of Valentine's plot to elope with Silvia, the Duke banishes Valentine.
Thurio, A foolish rival to Valentine for Silvia's hand. Thurio is very rich but does not make for pleasant company.
Eglamour, The gentleman upon whom Silvia calls to help her escape from the Duke's court, in order to find her love, Valentine, and to avoid marrying Thurio.
Host, proprietor of an inn in Milan.
Outlaws, living in a forest near Mantua.
SUDDENLY LAST SUMMER & THE PARADE
Performed together as 2 one-act plays.
Both By: Tennessee Williams
Directed by: Mikael Burke
First Rehearsal: May 4, 2027
Tech: May 28 - 30
Final Dress: June 1
First Preview: June 2
Opening Night: June 5
Closing: June 27
Ext. Closing: July 4, 2027
SUDDENLY LAST SUMMER
SEEKING:
Catherine Holly, F, Young and troubled, she witnesses the death of her beloved cousin Sebastian. She is institutionalized to keep the truth quiet.
Mrs. Venable, F, Older wheelchair-bound woman insistent on preserving the memory and legacy of her son Sebastian.
Dr. Cukrowicz, M, Young, handsome doctor who specializes in a new psychological treatment for disturbed patients.
Sebastian, M, Young and passionate poet who passes away suddenly while on a summer trip with Catherine Holly.
Miss Foxhill, F, An attendant to Mrs. Venable. She is quiet and dutiful.
George Holly, M, Catherine Holly's brother. He’s only focused on the money Sebastian left to the Holly family in his will.
Mrs. Holly, Catherine Holly's mother. She is desperate to keep the peace with Mrs. Venable so she and her children will receive the money and possessions Sebastian left to them in his will.
Sister Felicity, F, A nun from Saint Mary's who is in charge of Catherine Holly while she is outside the institution.
THE PARADE, OR APPROACHING THE END OF SUMMER
SEEKING:
Dick, M, 20s, a beautiful dancer, unaffected by Don’s advances.
Don, M, 20s, a lovesick playwright. He has an unrequited passion for Dick. The heart of the piece and Tennessee William’s self-insert.
Miriam, F, mid-twenties, Don’s first friend in Provincetown. She loves Don and wishes he could pour more of himself into his work, instead of yearning after a man who doesn't love him back. She comes from money.
Wanda, W, 20s, Dick’s assumed love interest, a young woman vacationing in Provincetown.
Postman, M, an older gentleman who appears at the end of the play.
To schedule an appointment, please sign up at this link. This audition date is for non-union actors due to popular demand:
https://www.signupgenius.com/go/10C0549ADA62EABF5C34-63960252-quintessence
EPAs are being held Monday, May 18th & Tuesday, May 19th. If you a member of AEA and would like to audition, please see the sign-up for that audition HERE.
Walk-up auditions will be added to the schedule time allowing on all audition dates (May 18th through 20th).
If you have any questions, please contact Lisi, Artistic Associate, at [email protected].
