Advertisement
Staten Island Shakespearean Theatre Company Audition:A Dream Play
by August Strindberg
Adapted and Directed by Frank Williams
Assistant Director: Cara S. Liander
Movement/Intimacy Director: Brittany Martel
This surreal, expressionistic, and symbolic drama explores the joy, suffering and contradictions of human existence. The play unfolds like a dream, blending reality and fantasy, with fluid, disjointed scenes that shift unpredictably.
Although the true point of reference is the unseen dreamer, the central figure is Agnes, the daughter of the god Indra, who descends to Earth to experience human life and understand its hardships. Through her encounters with various archetypal characters—primarily the dreamer’s alter egos of The Officer, The Lawyer, and The Poet—she witnesses the pain, struggles, and fleeting joys of humanity. The play examines themes of love, duty, oppression, and existential despair, all while questioning the meaning of life and the nature of divine justice.
Strindberg’s experimental structure, with its dreamlike transitions and symbolic imagery, challenges traditional notions of time, space, and narrative. It is a deeply poetic and philosophical work, often seen as a precursor to modernist and absurdist theater. Ultimately, Agnes returns to the heavens, bringing with her a profound empathy for the human condition, leaving audiences with a sense of both resignation and hope.
Auditions will take place on Friday, January 10 from 5:00 to 10:00pm, and Saturday, January 11 from 1:00 to 7:00pm, in The Learning Center, Building G, at Snug Harbor Cultural Center and Botanical Garden, 1000 Richmond Terrace, Staten Island, NY 10301.
To make an audition appointment email Stage Manager Emma Ferguson at [email protected] with preferable time slot and we will accommodate as best as possible.
Scripts of this adaptation will be available upon request.
Performances will take place in the Staten Island Playhouse at Empire Outlets on Staten Island, right next to the ferry terminal on the following dates:
Friday, March 14 – 8:00pm
Saturday, March 15 – 8:00pm
Sunday, March 16 – 2:00pm
Friday, March 21 – 8:00pm
Saturday, March 22 – 8:00pm
Sunday, March 23 – 2:00pm
ALL ROLES ARE OPEN. There will be a small stipend provided to actors
Please prepare a monologue from the play or similar works. Memorized is preferred, but rather have you on book than not there if interested.
Actors wanting to be considered for the ENSEMBLE should be prepared for a movement call at auditions after presenting a monologue and reading some scenes. Not a requirement, but for this ensemble we are looking for jugglers, hoopers, flow artists, LED glovers, gymnasts, aerialists, any kind of carnival or special skills. Show us what you got!
This production is interested in having a diverse cast and actors of color and Latinx descent are encouraged to audition.
CHARACTERS
Indra’s Daughter (Agnes), 20s-30s: The central figure, representing the dreamer’s Jungian anima. She descends from the heavens to experience human life, intending to understand their suffering. While simultaneously playing the role of different women in the dreamer’s life, Agnes also stands a dimension above, embodying compassion and curiosity. Her experiences lead her to empathize deeply with humanity’s struggles.
The Officer, 40s-50s: A romantic and idealistic figure who yearns for love and connection but is perpetually thwarted by circumstances. He represents the longing and frustrations of the human condition, especially the yearning for unattainable ideals.
The Lawyer, 20s-30s: A resigned, sorrowful character who reflects on life’s burdens and disappointments. He is married to Agnes as the wife, and their strained relationship highlights themes of duty and disillusionment. The Lawyer represents the weight of societal expectations.
The Poet, 20s-50s: A reflective and philosophical figure. He represents the creative and spiritual struggles of an artist attempting to reconcile lofty ideals with the harshness of reality. The Poet is closest to the dreamer himself, expressing existential despair and hope.
THE ENSEMBLE plays a crucial role in telling this story, fundamental to transitions, setting the scenes, and doubling – maybe tripling – many of the various speaking roles that are encountered throughout the play. Those roles include:
The Voice of Indra/The Locksmith: Although the god Indra is not present on stage, he is important within the drama as the father of Agnes and as a symbol and concept. He appears as The Locksmith, a mystical, almost magical figure who is the only one able to open the enigmatic door.
The Doorkeeper: She is a stern, enigmatic figure who guards access to the stage door. She symbolizes the barriers and hierarchies that restrict human ambition and freedom.
The Bill Poster: A figure who represents the mundane, repetitive tasks of everyday life. His job—posting bills and advertisements—is symbolic of the ephemeral nature of human communication and effort.
The Teacher: She represents the stifling nature of societal systems, like education, which crush individual creativity and spirit.
Pantalone, The Festival Master: A commedia del’arte masked character, who is comical yet cynical. As the absurd leader of Pleasure Island, he presides over both a heaven and a hell.
The Blind Man: A wealthy character who symbolizes human vulnerability and dependence, as well as the lack of clear insight in human existence.
The Chancellor and Four Deans: The four Deans in this play represent the futility of a particular type of human knowledge and pride. They represent medicine, theology, law, and philosophy. Petty and arrogant, they are blind to spiritual truths. Their haughty elitism in their respective fields is contrasted with their lack of understanding of much else outside of themselves. The Chancellor attempts to keep them all under control.
Lena: A washerwoman who lives a life of toil and hardship. She represents the struggles of working-class women and the endless cycle of labor. Despite her difficult circumstances, Lena maintains a certain resilience, embodying human endurance and the dignity of everyday life.
Christine: Another maid, obsessed with pasting up the windows and creating a stifling atmosphere for Agnes.
The Officer’s Mother: She embodies the theme of familial love and sacrifice. She serves as a reminder of the enduring but complicated nature of maternal bonds.
The Officer’s Father: He represents the weight of tradition, authority, and the familial expectations that can burden individuals. His presence highlights the generational pressures and the inherited struggles that shape the Officer’s sense of duty and longing.
He: A nameless male figure who often represents the intellectual, rational, or ambitious side of humanity.
She: A nameless female figure who complements He in their shared exploration of human relationships. She embodies the emotional, nurturing, or intuitive side of humanity.
In addition, there are various other ensemble roles, including a Policeman, Singers, Ballet Dancers, Students, a Stage Manager, more Commedia masked characters, Clerks, Festival Dancers, Stage Actors, and Right-Thinking People.
Advertisement
Event Venue & Nearby Stays
Snug Harbor Cultural Center and Botanical Garden, 1000 Richmond Terrace,New York,NY,United States
