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OPEN AUDITIONS: Majesticpiece Theatre presents Gallathea

Gallathea
By John Lyly
Directed and adapted by Brandon Urey for the digital stage
Dress rehearsal: Friday, January 15 at 7:00pm
Rehearsal: Tuesday, January 12 at 7:00pm
Readthrough: Wednesday, January 6 at 7:00pm
Performed: Saturday, January 16 at 7:30pm on live online
The Majestic Theatre (a division of the City of Corvallis Parks and Recreation department) is
committed to equity, diversity, and inclusion and to creating a safe place for actors of all
backgrounds to explore their craft. We are particularly eager to work with artists of color and
other artists from marginalized communities. All auditions are free and open to the public. This
audition is for an amateur, volunteer production. The Majestic Theatre staff and volunteers do
not discriminate on the basis of age, national origin, race, gender, ethnic background, disability,
religious beliefs, or sexual orientation.
SHOW TYPE
Majesticpiece Theatre - This show will be rehearsed and performed using the Zoom platform and will have no in-person meetings, rehearsals, or performances. The performance will be presented via Facebook Livestreaming and Vimeo Livestreaming.
FROM THE DIRECTOR Brandon Urey
Lyly’s Gallathea is as delightful as it is bizarre, featuring Roman Gods and peasants with Greek
names running around the English countryside and an entertainingly extraneous subplot about a
couple of schmucks job hunting in all the worst places. Moreover, through his story Lyly asserts
the sovereignty of love above all else, including gender, an unusual but welcome opinion for a
16th century playwright.
SHOW SYNOPSIS
Every five years, the god Neptune demands a virgin sacrifice from a small village in
Lincolnshire. Two shepherds hatch a “cunning” plot to disguise their daughters Gallathea and
Phillipa as men, and thus save them from the jaws of Neptune’s beast, the Agar. However, the
only ones falling for this ruse are Gallathea and Phillipa themselves, who fall madly in love with
each other. Their blossoming romance becomes the battleground for a feud between Diana, the
goddess of chastity, and Cupid, the god of desire.
PREPARATION NOTES
Please choose ONE of the following sides. Record a video on your phone or computer of you
reading the side, and email it to privateerbmu@gmail.com by 5PM on Monday, January 4th.
Feel free to include what role you’re interested in within the body of the email. Some guidelines:
- Perform while seated, trying to frame yourself from the shoulders up. This is what you’ll look
like in the video chat during the performance, so we’ll want to see how well you can emote in
this limited space.
- Props and costume pieces are encouraged! Whatever you have lying around. Just keep in
mind that we can only see your torso and head!
- Actors of any gender, age, race, or ability are invited to audition for any role. We will be casting
11-17 performers and one Emergency Backup Actor, an understudy for all roles who can hop
into the digital performance at any time to cover for another actor who might be experiencing
technical difficulties.
-In order to participate in the performance, you’ll need a stable internet connection; a
smartphone, computer, or tablet that can run Zoom; and a pair of headphones.
-If you have any questions, feel free to email and ask!
CHARACTERS
All characters do not have a specific race or ethnic background; we're excited to see a diverse
pool of actors audition for all roles.
Narrator
Character Age: Any
Character Race: Any
Character Ethnicity: Any
Desired Actor Gender: Any
Character: Romance enthusiast. Tries to present a refined, cultured front that cracks almost
immediately in the face of a cute couple or a confusing plotline.
Tyterus
Character Age: 40s - 50s
Character Race: Any
Character Ethnicity: Any
Desired Actor Gender: Any
Character: A Lincolnshire shepherd, trying to save his daughter Gallathea from being sacrificed
to Neptune.
Gallathea
Character Age: 18 - 23
Character Race: Any
Character Ethnicity: Any
Desired Actor Gender: Female
Character: Daughter of Tyterus and “fair virgin,” disguised as “Tyterus Jr.” by her father. Falls in
love with a similarly disguised Phillida.
Melebeus
Character Age: 40s - 60s
Character Race: Any
Character Ethnicity: Any
Desired Actor Gender: Any
Character: Another shepherd, father of Phillida, who comes up with the same harebrained
scheme as Tyterus.
Phillida
Character Age: 18 - 23
Character Race: Any
Character Ethnicity: Any
Desired Actor Gender: Female
Character: The other “fairest virgin” in Lincolnshire, in disguise as “Melebeus Jr.” Falls in love
with “Tyterus Jr.,’” aka Gallathea.
Venus
Character Age: Ageless, appears in her mid 20s – early 40s
Character Race: Any
Character Ethnicity: Roman Deity
Desired Actor Gender: Any
Character: Goddess of love and mother of Cupid. Trying to rescue her son from Diana’s
captivity and make peace between her high-strung relations.
Cupid
Character Age: Slightly younger than the other gods, appears in his late teens – early 20s
Character Race: Any
Character Ethnicity: Roman Deity
Desired Actor Gender: Any
Character: Impish god of desire, attraction and affection. Equally invested in annoying Diana
and promoting true love in all its forms.
Neptune
Character Age: Ageless, appears in his mid 30s – late 40s
Character Race: Any
Character Ethnicity: Roman Deity
Desired Actor Gender: Male
Character: Prickly and prideful god of the sea. Demands a virgin sacrifice from the people of
Lincolnshire every five years as penance for blasphemy. Has a well-hidden soft spot for his
family.
Diana
Character Age: Ageless, appears in her mid 20s – early 30s
Character Race: Any
Character Ethnicity: Roman Deity
Desired Actor Gender: Female
Character: Goddess of virginity and the hunt. Deeply irritated with Cupid for instilling desire in
her followers.
Telusa, Eurota, Ramia, and Larissa
Character Age: Early 20s – early 50s
Character Race: Any
Character Ethnicity: Nymph
Desired Actor Gender: Female
Character: The nymphs of Diana, sworn to the hunt and vows of chastity, which Cupid would
love for them to break. Four separate roles.
Hebe
Character Age: Mid 20s – late 30s
Character Race: Any
Character Ethnicity: Any
Desired Actor Gender: Any
Character: A somewhat-less-fair virgin of Lincolnshire, who is desperate for attention.
Augur
Character Age: 40s – 60s
Character Race: Any
Character Ethnicity: Any
Desired Actor Gender: Any
Character: A local priest responsible for facilitating the sacrifice demanded by Neptune.
Rafe
Character Age: 18 – late 20s
Character Race: Any
Character Ethnicity: Any
Desired Actor Gender: Any
Character: A rather dim young man in search of a career, going from one dead end job to the
next.
Robin and Dick
Character Age: 18 – late 20s
Character Race: Any
Character Ethnicity: Any
Desired Actor Gender: Any
Character: Rafe’s brothers, whose luck is about on par with that of their sibling. Two separate
roles
Mariner
Character Age: 40s – 50s
Character Race: Any
Character Ethnicity: Any
Desired Actor Gender: Any
Character: A salty old dog fed up with their hapless midshipmen, aka Rafe, Robin and Dick.
Alchemist
Character Age: 40s -50s
Character Race: Any
Character Ethnicity: Any
Desired Actor Gender: Any
Character: Grandiose pseudoscientist who couldn’t transmute ice into water.
Peter
Character Age: Early to late 20s
Character Race: Any
Character Ethnicity: Any
Desired Actor Gender: Any
Character: Former apprentice to the Alchemist. Crafty and a smooth talker.
Astronomer
Character Age: 40s – 50s
Character Race: Any
Character Ethnicity: Any
Desired Actor Gender: Any
Character: Professional stargazer with their head in the clouds.
Villagers 1 and 2
Character Age: Any
Character Race: Any
Character Ethnicity: Any
Desired Actor Gender: Any
Character: A couple of Lincolnshire yokels.
SIDES
Narrator
Ahh, greetings gentle viewer! May I welcome you to this most excellent temple to affairs of the
human heart, or as I like to call it… my library. TONIGHT, I bring you a tale of gods, monsters,
soul-crushing job searches, and a love between two women strong enough to sway the
Olympians themselves! *shrieks delightedly*
Tyterus
In times past, where thou seest a heap of small pebbles, stood a stately Temple of white
marble, which was dedicated to the God of the Sea (and in right, being so near the sea). Hither
came all such as ventured by long travel to get safety by water; yielding thanks for perils past
and making prayers for good success to come; but as the people [changed] their custom, who
instead of sacrifice committed sacrilege, instead of religion, rebellion, tearing down the Temple
[and] enrag[ing] so the God who binds the winds in the hollows of the earth, that he caused the
seas to break their bounds, sith men had broke their vows, and to swell as far above their reach
as men had swerved beyond their reason. Then might you see ships sail where sheep fed,
anchors cast where plows go, and monstrous mermaids instead of passing fair maids.
Gallathea
How now, Gallathea? Miserable Gallathea, that having put on the apparel of a boy, thou canst
[not] also put on the mind. O, fair Melebeus! Aye, too fair, and therefore, I fear, too proud. Had it
not been better for thee to have been a sacrifice to Neptune than a slave to Cupid? To die for
thy country, then to live in thy fancy? O, would when I hunted his eye with my heart, he might
have seen my heart with his eyes. Why did Nature to him -- a boy! -- give a face so fair, or to
me, a virgin, a fortune so hard? It may be Gallathea...foolish Gallathea, what may be? Nothing.
Let me follow him into the woods, and thou, sweet Venus, be my guide.
Venus
Scars, Diana? Call you them that I know to be bleeding wounds? Alas, weak deity, Love’s
wounds, when they seem greene, rankle, and having a smooth skin without, fester to the death
within. Therefore, Neptune, if ever Venus stood thee in stead, furthered thy fancies, or shall at
all times be at thy command, let either Diana bring her Virgins to a continual massacre or
release Cupid of his martyrdom.
Cupid
Aye, but it skilleth not. I bear now mine arrows in mine eyes, my wings on my thoughts, my
brands in mine eares, my bow in my mouth, so as I can wound with looking, fly with thinking,
burn with hearing, shoot with speaking.
Neptune
Do silly shepherds go about to deceive great Neptune in putting on man’s attire upon women?
And Cupid, to make sport, deceive them all by using a woman’s apparel upon a God? Then,
Neptune, that hast taken sundry shapes to obtain love, stick not to practise some deceit to show
thy deity, and having often thrust thyself into the shape of beasts to deceive men, be not coy to
use the shape of a shepherd to show thyself a God. I will into these woods and mark all, and in
the end will mar all.
Diana
Now, ladies, what greater dishonor could happen to Diana or to her nymphs’ shame that should
make their heads so addle? Shall it be said, and shall Venus say it? Nay, shall it be seen, and
shall wantons see it? That Diana, the goddess of chastity, whose thoughts are always
answerable to her vows, whose eyes never glanced on desire, and whose heart abateth the
point of Cupid’s arrows, shall have her virgins to become unchaste in desires, immoderate in
affection, untemperate in love, in foolish love, in base love. And how is your love placed? Upon
pelting boys, perhaps base of birth, without doubt weak of discretion. Aye, but they are fair!. O,
ladies, Is Diana’s chase become Venus’ court?
Rafe
O fortune! I feel my very brains moralized, and as it were, a certain contempt of earthly actions
is crept into my mind by an ethereal contemplation. Come, let us in.
Submit your audition materials by 5:00 PM, Monday January 4th by emailing privateerbmu@gmail.com
Record a video on your phone or computer of you reading the side. Please choose ONE of the following sides to email. Feel free to include what role you’re interested in within the body of the email.