Auditions

The Playboy of the Western World
by John Millington Synge | Directed by Karen Sneed
March 13 – March 28, 2020 (Thu-Sat) | Dougherty Arts Center

Auditions: Monday, Dec. 9 and Tuesday, Dec. 10, 6:30-9:20 pm

J. M. Synge’s comic masterpiece The Playboy of the Western World, takes place in the remote “Wild West” of Ireland in the early 20th century, where fiery Pegeen Mike runs her father’s rural public house. From the darkness of the evening wanders Christy Mahon, a stranger claiming he’s killed his father and has been running for days. Instead of condemning him, the locals savor his story, justify his actions, and elevate Christy to hero status. And mayhem ensues . . .

The play was published and performed at the Abbey Theatre in Dublin in 1907, and provoked riots at the theatre throughout its (successful) run. While the reasons for the displeasure of those original audiences seem archaic to modern sensibilities, the play’s sheer exuberance and the lyricism of the words live on and the play is a favorite all over the world.

Rehearsals will begin in early January. They will take place at various venues throughout Austin. The final schedule will depend on casting, but the director is shooting for Sun-Thursday evenings. There might be a Saturday afternoon. All cast members will be compensated.

These roles all call for an Irish dialect. We ask that you not let this discourage you from auditioning. The director asks that you simply TRY it, have some fun with the language – just put energy and commitment behind whatever you do. Not doing a perfect Irish dialect at the auditions will NOT disqualify you for a role, and doing a perfect dialect won’t guarantee you a role either.

We recommend familiarizing yourself with the play. You can read it here.

Casting all roles:

WOMEN

Pegeen Mike – runs the place, 20-30

Widow Quin – notorious neighbor, 30-50

Susan, Honor, Sara, Nelly – village girls, 18-25

MEN

Shawn Keogh – Widow’s cousin, 25-35

Michael James – Pegeen’s father, 45-65

Philly & Jimmy – two nearby farmers, 40-70

Christy – “not from around here”, 25-35

Old Mahon – Christy’s father, 45-65