Auditions for "Julius Caesar"

   My pal Mike Murdock sends along this notice about auditions coming up soon for the ARTS production of Shakespeare's Julius Caesar:

   Auditions for the ARTS production of William Shakespeare's Julius Caesar will take place Friday, Dec. 14 at 7 p.m. and Saturday, Dec. 15 at 11 a.m. at ARTS (the Renaissance Theatre), on the bottom floor in the dance studio. 

   The show will be directed by Mike Murdock and will be put together by the same creative team that brought you last October's MACBETH. If you enjoyed MACBETH, this is your chance to play with us! The audition should last about two hours on each day. Please come at the start time and we'll cycle throug

h everyone as quickly as we can.

   Those auditioning need only bring themselves (but headshots and resumes will be welcome). Everyone will be cold-reading Mark Antony's "Friends, Romans, Countrymen..." speech and then doing several scenes from the show. Feel free to read that speech and/or the play to prepare yourself for the audition.

   ROLES ARE OPEN TO BOTH MEN AND WOMEN. Yes, you heard me correctly. I am not only interested in casting Calpurnia and Portia, but I am interested in casting other women in major roles that had previously been presumed only for men. EACH ROLE IS OPEN TO ANY SEX, so bring your A-GAME, ladies and gentlemen. This is your shot to make some magic and show us what you've got!

LIST OF OPEN ROLES INCLUDE:

Julius Caesar
Brutus
Cassius
Portia
Calpurnia
Octavius Caesar
Decius
Cato
Cinna
Cicero
Flavius
Marullus
Pindarus
Messala
Cimber
Publius
Lepidus
Popilius Lena
Volumnius
Strato
Titinius
Varro
Lucius
Artemidorus
Ligarius
Cinna the Poet
Gaius Trebonius
Lucilius
Clitus
Claudius
Dardanius

PERFORMANCE DATES:
MARCH 15, 16, 22, 23 - 8 p.m. each night - NO MATINEES.
MARCH 21 - SCHOOL SHOW - 9 a.m.

   We will have our first read-through on Tuesday, Dec. 18 at ARTS. We will read through the play, get measurements, talk business, etc., and then we won't meet again until Thursday, Jan. 3, 2013, where we will start rehearsing as normal.

   Rehearsals will run Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Friday typically from 7-10 p.m. There will be at least one school show Thursday at 9 a.m., March 21. IF YOU CAN'T MAKE THIS PERFORMANCE (or any performance, obviously) IT'S A DEAL BREAKER. Please be prepared to discuss all potential rehearsal conflicts at auditions.

   Thanks, and I can't wait to see you at auditions! Won't you join us?

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   From the creative team that brought you Macbeth comes a new look at another Shakespeare masterpiece. In an era so consumed with celebrity, presentational spin, and the struggle for power, Julius Caesar is as relevant today as it was when it was first presented 400 years ago.

   Traditional presentation and casting conventions will be destroyed. Man, woman, young, or not so young, if you have ever considered being a part of a Shakespeare show, this is your chance. The process and the creative vision of this show is guaranteed to be fun, and you may just learn something along the way.

   If you are just curious to see how this show will be tackled, get ready, you might be surprised.

   Beware the Ides of March.