Audition notice - Shakespeare’s Oz, A Parody Play

Production Dates - July 24 - 27 on the Auburn Stage at the Grand Theatre in London

To book your audition time, please email jeremy.hewitson@gmail.com indicating your preferred day and time as well as the role(s) you would like to audition for.

Auditions will be held at The Academy Circus / Vertical Air (1490 Richmond St at Windermere Rd, N6G 2M3) on the following dates:

Tuesday, April 1st from 6:30 - 9:30pm
Thursday, April 3rd from 6:30 - 9:30pm
Saturday, April 5th from 1:00 - 6:00pm

Callbacks will be on Sunday, April 6th from 11:00am - 2:00pm.

If you are unable to attend on these dates, video submissions will be accepted and considered, but strong consideration will be given to those able to attend callbacks as this will give us a sense of chemistry between actors.

Free parking is available in the northwest lot near the entrance to the building; additional parking can be found on the small north lot as you enter off Windermere Rd. Follow signs for “The Academy” to find the front entrance (west side of the building facing Richmond St.).

Rehearsals will be Tuesdays (6:30 - 9:3pm), Thursdays (6:30 - 9:30pm), and Sundays (11:00am - 2:00pm) starting on Sunday, May 11th and will be held at The Academy Circus.

Synopsis:

The classic tale of The Wizard of Oz if it were written by Shakespeare! Follow Dorothy on an adventure after she boards a ship and gets carried away on a Tempest! She crash lands in a world she thought only existed in her Midsummer Night’s Dream. There she meets an array of colorful characters including witches, three Gentlemen of Oz - a scarecrow come to life, a man made of pewter and a cowardly lion, a mysterious Wizard and many others. Will her adventure end As She Likes It or will it be Much Ado About Nothing?

We encourage actors of all gender identities, racial and ethnic backgrounds, religious affiliations and lived experiences to audition. This production is committed to being a safe environment for everyone including those from marginalized and politicized communities. Race is not a factor in casting this show and aside from the role of Dorothy, this production will utilize gender-blind casting - the roles will be played as the gender they are written regardless of the gender identity of the actor playing the role.

What to prepare:

A Shakespearean monologue of your choice with a few guidelines: no props, no accents and pick a monologue you feel best shows what you can do! Please avoid using especially well-known monologues unless you feel you can do something new and different with it.

We have included some suggested monologues in the character descriptions below - these are not mandatory selections, but will be helpful if you are interested in auditioning for specific roles but don’t know where to start to find a Shakespearean monologue.

Sides will be available for roles in the show and you may be asked to cold read for various characters.

Characters:

Dorothy

Young, somewhat naive and determined to get home.

Suggested monologues:

Viola in Twelfth Night Act 2 sc 2
Imogen in Cymbeline Act 3 sc 4
Miranda in The Tempest Act 1 sc 2

Toto

A dog. This is a non-speaking role that will be played by a person. Dance or tumbling experience would be beneficial. Those interested in auditioning for this role are asked to prepare a short physical routine embodying a dog.

Professor / Oz

Charismatic, full of it. Think used car salesman.

Suggested monologues:

Polonius in Hamlet Act 1 sc 3
Falstaff in Henry IV part 1 Act 2 sc 4
Prospero in The Tempest Act 5 sc 1

Glinda

Nurturing but doesn't like to get her hands dirty. Protective of her people.

Suggested monologues:

Titania in Midsummer Night’s Dream Act 2 sc 1
Volumnia in Coriolanus Act 5 sc 3

Witch

Vengeful and intimidating, can hold a grudge like no one else.

Suggested monologues:

Hecate in Macbeth Act 3 sc 5
Queen Margaret in Richard III Act 1 sc 3
Lady Anne in Richard III Act 1 sc 2

Scarecrow

Loyal friend and very protective of Dorothy. Should be very physical and flexible.

Suggested monologues:

Feste in Twelfth Night Act 1 sc 5
Touchstone in As You Like It Act 5 sc 4

Pewter Man

Romantic and somewhat emotional. Also protective of Dorothy.

Suggested monologues:

Troilus in Troilus and Cressida Act 5 sc 10
Berowne in Love’s Labour’s Lost Act 5 sc 2

Lion

Scared of his own shadow, but will set aside his own fear to protect Dorothy.

Suggested monologues:

Launce in Two Gentlemen of Verona Act 2 sc 3
Falstaff in The Merry Wives of Windsor Act 3 sc 5

Nikko

Servant to the Witch and leader of the flying monkeys. Loyal to the Witch and happily does her bidding.

Suggested monologues:

Caliban in the Tempest Act 1 sc 2
Lucious in Titus Andronicus Act 5 sc 3

Ozian Guard / Boatswain

Loyal and diligent guard to the Wizard. Will tow the line….most of the time.

Suggested monologues:

Malvolio in Twelfth Night Act 2 sc 5
Dogberry in Much Ado About Nothing Act 4 sc 2

Ensemble

Max 10 people who play various smaller roles including Aunt Em, Uncle Henry, the Chorus, ship’s crew, the Porter, munchkins, winkies, flying monkeys.

Ensemble roles will have some spoken parts including short speeches. Some suggested monologues for these roles include:

Puck in Midsummer Night’s Dream Act 5 sc 2
The Porter in Macbeth Act 2 sc 3
Orsino in Twelfth Night Act 1 sc 1.

Learn with us!

As an organization, we are passionate about creating safe and positive spaces to learn and create. We are a relatively new company with a track record of putting on award-winning theatre in London and St. Thomas' premier community theatre venues. Any success we achieve is a by-product of treating our people the right way, and we are passionate about supporting your growth in a way that is accessible and in harmony with you.

We offer certificate programs in:

• Acting

• Dance

• Theatre Production

TBD Shakespeare's Oz Fundraiser
MM DD, 2025 | Venue TBD

Start Time: XX:XXam/pm

London Comic Con
July 24 - 27, 2025 | RBC Place, London

Matinee: 2:00pm | Evening: 7:30pm

TBD StageQuest Fundraiser
MM DD, 2025 | Venue TBD

Start Time: XX:XXam/pm

SEASON SPONSORS

PROGRAM SPONSOR
The Academy Circus

PROMOTIONAL SPONSOR
London Shop

PRODUCTION SPONSORS

SHAKESPEARE'S OZ
Sponsor TBD

MISERY
Sponsor TBD

STAGEQUEST
Sponsor TBD

OUR 2025 SPONSORS & PARTNERS

COMMUNITY PARTNERS

Sponsor Name

Sponsor Name

Sponsor Name

Sponsor Name