The Sherman Players will hold open auditions for Theresa Rebeck's dramatic comedy "Bernhardt/Hamlet" at the Sherman Playhouse,
Nancy Sasso Janis, Community Contributor
Sherman Players Announces Auditions for Theresa Rebeck’s “Bernhardt/Hamlet” Monday, June 16 and Tuesday, June 17
Sherman, Conn. -- The Sherman Players will hold open auditions for Theresa Rebeck’s dramatic comedy “Bernhardt/Hamlet” at the Sherman Playhouse, 5 Route 39 North (just behind the Sherman Firehouse) in Sherman, CT on Monday, June 16 and Tuesday, June 17 from 6:30 to 8:30 PM.
Set in the theatrical world of 1897 Paris, “Bernhardt/Hamlet” follows Sarah Bernhardt, one of the most acclaimed actresses of the age, as she shocks the world with her intention to portray Hamlet on stage.
As the Folger Theater describes the play: “As she rehearses scenes from Hamlet with the rest of the cast, Bernhardt realizes that something is not quite clicking for her as the Danish prince. But can she handle the possibility of failure? ‘I want you to re-write Hamlet,’ she tells her lover, the playwright Edmond Rostand, to his astonishment and frustration. Meanwhile, others in Paris are gossiping about whether Bernhardt is overreaching and whether the role will sink her reputation.
“The ensuing drama, mixed with plenty of comedy and romance, presents the audience with questions about women and power, the legacies of playwrights and actors, the roles of thinking and feeling in the theater—and of course, Shakespeare and the space he occupies in our cultural imaginations.”
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The New York Times calls the play “so clever it uplifts, so timely it hurts.”
Theresa Rebeck is a prolific and widely produced playwright, television writer and novelist. In addition to “Bernhardt/Hamlet,” her Broadway plays include “Mauritius,” “Seminar,” “Dead Accounts,” and “I Need That.” Other notable NY and regional plays include “Spike Heels” (Second Stage), “Bad Dates” (Playwrights Horizons), “The Understudy” (Roundabout) and “Omnium Gatherum,” a finalist for the 2004 Pulitzer Prize that she co-wrote with Alexandra Gersten-Vasillaros. She was the creator of the NBC TV series Smash which is the basis for the current Broadway musical, and has written for Dream On, Brooklyn Bridge, LA Law, American Dreamer, Maximum Bob, First Wave and Third Watch, among many others..
Auditions for the Sherman production of “Bernhardt/Hamlet,” directed by E. Kyle Minor, will take place at the Sherman Playhouse, 5 Route 39 N in Sherman, on Monday, June 16 and Tuesday, June 17 from 6:30 PM to 8:30 PM on a first come, first served basis. Please provide a picture and resume stapled together; sorry, no video submissions.
Actors should prepare a brief Shakespearean monologue, preferably from Hamlet. They will also read from the script. Sides will be posted on shermanplayers.org. For any other questions about auditions, email the director at [email protected].“Bernhardt/Hamlet” will play September 19 through October 4. Rehearsals will begin July 14 on a Sunday through Thursday evening schedule (no one will be on call for every rehearsal). There will be a modified rehearsal schedule August 10-25. Actors should come to auditions with a list of any conflict dates during the rehearsal period. Please note that Sherman Players is a community-based theater and all roles are unpaid.THE ROLE OF SARAH BERNHARDT HAS BEEN CAST.
Other available roles include:
“Bernhardt/Hamlet” is presented by special arrangement with Concord Theatricals (concordtheatricals.com) For general information about Sherman Players, its season and volunteer opportunities, please visit shermanplayers.org or email [email protected].