2026 AUDITION DATES:
Saturday, March 14: 10am – 1pm
Sunday, March 15: 6pm – 9pm

Auditions will be held at the Vanderbilt Museum and Planetarium located in Centerport, NY.

Actors should prepare a 1-2 minute monologue and provide a headshot and resume.

Video submissions are also encouraged. Please send your audition video to info@carriagehouseplayers.org before March 15th. If submitting a video, please include headshot, resume, and what shows you are interested/available for.

CHARACTER BREAKDOWNS

HAMLET: Directed by Evan Donnellan
May 23 – June 14, 2026

Hamlet

• Age: 20-40
• Description: The conflicted Prince of Denmark, torn up over indecision and a righteous cause for vengeance. 
• THIS ROLE HAS BEEN CAST AND IS CLOSED

Claudius

• Age: 40-60
• Description: Hamlet’s uncle and villain of the play, though more complex and interior than meets the eye. His soul corrupts as he struggles to hold onto his power. 

Gertrude

• Age: 40-60
• Description: Hamlet’s mother, a powerful figure unaware of her current husband’s schemes. 
• THIS ROLE HAS BEEN CAST AND IS CLOSED

Polonius

• Age: 40-60
• Description: Advisor to Claudius and father to Laertes and Ophelia. Despite his boorish outward appearance, he is a shrewd political figure. 

Ophelia

• Age: 20-35
• Description: Daughter of Polonius and sister to Laertes. She is Hamlet’s former love, a tragic figure misused by those closest to her. 

Laertes

• Age: 20-40
• Description: Son of Polonius and brother to Ophelia. A righteous character whose own quest for vengeance mirrors that of Hamlet.

Horatio

• Age: 20-40
• Description: Close friend and confidant of Hamlet, often functioning as the voice of reason. 

Rosencrantz

• Age: 20-40
• Description: Former schoolmate of Hamlet, affable but foolish and led down the wrong path by Claudius.

Guildenstern

• Age: 20-40
• Description: Former schoolmate of Hamlet, affable but foolish and led down the wrong path by Claudius.

Ghost/Player King/Gravedigger: 

• Age: 40-60
• Description: Ghost of Hamlet’s father, lead Player, and wily gravedigger. 
• THIS ROLE HAS BEEN CAST AND IS CLOSED

Fortinbras

• Age: 20-40
• Description: Prince of Norway and external threat to Denmark.
• This role may be combined with others.

Marcellus, Barnardo, and Francisco

• Age: Any
• Description: Guards at Elsinore who witness sightings of the Ghost.
• These roles may be combined with others.

Voltemand and Cornelius

• Age: Any
• Description: Ambassadors sent to Norway.
• These roles may be combined with others.

Osric

• Age: Any
• Description: Witty courtier assigned by Claudius to invite Hamlet to the final duel.
• This role may be combined with others.

Players

• Age: Any
• Description: A troupe of traveling actors employed by Hamlet, includes “Player Queen” and“”Lucianus”.
• These roles may be combined with others.

This production also includes roles for a Captain, Servants, Ambassadors, a Second Gravedigger, Sailors, and Court Attendants, which will be combined with roles listed above. 

THE TEMPEST: Directed by Dan Schindlar
June 24 – July 19, 2026

Prospero 

• Age: 40s or older, 
• Description: Former Duke of Milan, deposed and exiled to the island by his brother. A cunning and vengeful magician, he uses his powers of sorcery to manipulate the characters of this play like chess pieces, but is able to reconnect with his humanity by the end of the play.

Miranda

• Age: Late teens to 20’s. 
• Description: Daughter of Prospero, brought to the island as an infant. She has grown up to be a loving and devoted daughter, but is also possessed of great strength and will from having to survive on the island from birth. Believes in the better nature of her father despite his actions.

Ariel 

• Age: Any
• Description: A powerful, shape-shifting spirit of the island, bound in servitude to Prospero and the source of most of his powers. Detached, airy, wise yet childish. Strong movement and physical comedy skills as well as singing ability. Musical instruments a plus!

Caliban 

• Age: Any
• Description: Native of the island and Son of the witch Sycorax, Caliban believes the island is his by birthright. Raised by Prospero until forced into servitude because of his attempt to violate Miranda. Regarded as monstrous and savage by all, but also demonstrates gentleness and humanity. Strong movement and physical comedy skills.

Ferdinand 

• Age: 20s
• Description:  Prince of Naples, son of Alonso. A gentle, kind, and noble soul who falls intensely in love with Miranda. Spends most of the play believing his father is dead and therefore may return to Naples as king. Well educated but naïve.

Alonso 

• Age: 40s or older
• Description: King of Naples, Father of Ferdinand. Spends most of the play believing his son is dead. Helped Antonio to depose Prospero, and comes to regret his actions. Reflective, cautious, and of regal bearing, he has the highest status of the shipwrecked nobles.

Antonio

• Age: 30s or older
• Description: Current Duke of Milan after deposing his brother Prospero with the help of Alonso. Ambitious, cunning, and ruthless, Antonio knows how to recognize opportunities and capitalize on them. Will use anyone for his own gain.

Sebastian

• Age: 30s or older
• Description: Younger brother to Alonso, whose own envy and ambition are inflamed by Antonio as the two plot to kill Alonso so Sebastian may be King.

Gonzalo 

• Age: 50s or older
• Description: Aged councillor to the Duke of Milan, first to Prospero and now to Antonio. Ponderous and diplomatic, he secretly provided enough resources for Prospero’s exile to ensure Prospero and Miranda’s survival.

Stephano

• Age: Any but older preferred.
• Description: Alonso’s butler and friend of Trinculo, prone to drunken buffoonery. Loves the freedom that comes from being on the island. Physical comedy skills.

Trinculo

• Age: Any
• Description: Alonso’s court jester and friend of Stephano, gets drawn into drunken buffoonery with Stephano. Loves the freedom that comes from being on the island. Physical comedy skills.

Boatswain/Adrian/Spirits

• Age: Any
• Description: The gruff and stalwart steersman of the ship, they understand that the forces of nature bow to no human. Will double as various spirits of the island, so strong movement skills are a plus!

Shipmaster/Francisco/Spirits

• Age: Any
• Description: Captain of the ship, charged with the safety of all its passengers and crew. Diligent and responsible. Will double as various spirits of the island, so strong movement skills are a plus!

TWELTH NIGHT: Directed by Linda Shepard
July 24 – August 16, 2026

Orsino

• Age: 25-40s
• Description: A Duke in Illyria, in love with the Countess Olivia. Master of Cesario/Viola. Lovesick, occasionally melodramatic, and unintentionally silly. 

Curio

• Age: Any
• Description: Servant to Orsino
• Notes: This role may be combined with Valentine, and other roles.

Valentine

• Age: Any
• Description: Servant to Orsino
• Notes: This role may be combined with Curio, and other roles.

Viola/Cesario

• Age: 20-35
• Description: A clever and resourceful young gentlewoman shipwrecked in Illyria. She disguises herself as a man (Cesario) to gain a place in Orsino’s court, and subsequently finds herself falling in love with him. 

Captain

• Age: 25+
• Description: An honest and helpful captain who rescues Viola from the shipwreck, and helps her to disguise herself as Cesario. 
• Notes: This role may be combined with other roles. 

Sir Toby Belch

• Age: 35+
• Description: Cousin of the Countess Olivia. An overgrown frat boy living on the wealth and prosperity of others. His goals are to drink, and to have fun at anyone’s expense but his own. He unites with Maria, Fabian, and Sir Andrew to trick Malvolio, and make Olivia believe that Malvolio has gone mad. 

Maria

• Age: 25+
• The Countess Olivia’s Gentlewoman in waiting. A noble born, but poor woman who must work, and use her smarts to make her way in the world. She orchestrates the trick against Malvolio, and in doing so wins Sir Toby’s hand in marriage. 

Sir Andrew Aguecheek

• Age: 25+
• Description: A fool with money. Sir Toby’s friend, who is encouraged by Sir Toby to pursue Countess Olivia. Sir Andrew is a character whom other characters and audience alike should be laughing at, not with. 

Fool/Feste

• Age: 18+
• Description: A sort of court jester who entertains in both Olivia’s and Orsino’s courts, as well as anywhere in between. A master of wordplay and song, who earns his keep using his wit and voice. Feste plays a pivotal role in the trick against Malvolio. 
• Notes: Actors interested in this role must sing. Moderate proficiency on guitar or similar instrument is preferred. Actors interested in this role should include these abilities on a resume. 

Olivia

• Age: 30-50
• Description: A countess in mourning for her brother. Olivia sworn she will admit no suitors when we meet her, yet finds herself infatuated with Viola, disguised as Cesario, upon first meeting. 

Malvolio

• Age: 25-70
• Description: Olivia’s steward. An uptight, no fun, scold, who finds greatest joy in punishing others by whatever means he has available to him. Usually by tattling. Malvolio is tricked into believing that Olivia is in love with him, and later made to seem a madman, by Maria, Feste, Sir Toby, Fabian, and Sir Andrew. 

Antonio

• Age: 20-50
• Description: A friend of Sebastian, and an outlaw in Illyria. He follows Sebastian into Illyria at his own risk, and lends Sebastian all of his ready money. Later in the play Antonio meets Viola, disguised as Cesario, and asks for the money back, leading to great confusion. 

Sebastian

• Age: 20-35
• Description: Viola’s brother, shipwrecked and separated from his sister. Sebastian finds his way to Illyria, and is mistaken for Cesario by many, including the countess Olivia who, thinking that he is Cesario, asks him to marry her. 

Fabian 

• Age: 20-40
• Description: A friend of Sir Toby, who is always glad to indulge Toby’s worst qualities. Fabian is a part of the trick against Malvolio. 
• Notes: This character may be combined with others.

OEDIPUS THE KING: Directed by Mary Caulfield
August 21 – September 13, 2026

Tiresias: Blind prophet. Any gender. Stage Age 40+. Physically sightless but spiritually perceptive. Teiresias carries immense gravity and quiet authority. Speaks with controlled intensity and prophetic power. The role requires stillness, vocal strength, and the ability to express both reluctance and unwavering conviction.

The Chorus (Leader and Ensemble): Citizens/Elders of Thebes. Any gender. Various ages. Serve as the moral and emotional conscience of Thebes. The Chorus reflects public fear, reverence, doubt, and eventually horror. Demands strong ensemble work, vocal unity, and rhythmic accuracy. The Chorus Leader must command attention and clearly articulate the city’s perspective with emotional depth.

Priest of Zeus: Any gender. A representative of the suffering citizens. Opens the play by appealing to Oedipus for salvation. Needs sincerity, dignity, and the ability to convey urgency without melodrama.

Messenger (Corinthian): Any gender. Delivers news that changes the course of the play. Starts with optimism and reassurance but unwittingly bears devastating revelation. Requires adaptability and strong storytelling skills.

Shepherd (Theban Herdsman): Any gender. Stage Age 40+. The reluctant witness to the past. Carries guilt, fear, and long-buried knowledge. Builds tension through resistance and shows a strong emotional arc within limited stage time.

Antigone and Ismene, daughters of Oedipus and Jocasta. Stage age 12 and under.

Guards and attendants. Supporting roles with crucial impact. Need strong storytelling ability and presence.

The roles of Oedipus, Jocasta, and Creon have been cast.

*Performers of all races, genders, creeds, and identities are encouraged to audition for any of the above listed roles that interest them.*

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Company Policies

No performance conflicts or tech week conflicts will be accepted. More than 3 unplanned rehearsal conflicts will result in potential dismissal from the production. 

Please note the Carriage House Players do not provide transportation or housing.  Performers will be provided a stipend for performances. 

*We do not believe in discrimination based on race, creed, color, gender, national origin, veteran status, sexual orientation, age, or disability. ALL performers are encouraged to audition and will be given full consideration. *