Students, faculty, and staff at Notre Dame, Saint Mary's College, and Holy Cross College are invited to audition for The Book of Will by Lauren Gunderson, directed by Sarah Gitenstein, a mainstage theatrical production of Notre Dame's Department of Film, Television, and Theatre.
Show Dates: February 18–28, 2027
About the play
When Shakespeare died, half of his plays had never been printed—and the friends who
knew them by heart were running out of time. The Book of Will is the true story of the
company of actors who fought, grieved, and gambled everything to gather his words into a
single book before they were lost forever—the book that saved Macbeth, Twelfth Night,
and half the language we still quote today.
Written in contemporary language, this drama is funny and quietly devastating —
about grief, friendship, and the impossible work of saving what we love.
CAST: An ensemble of 9–20 actors, with a mix of roles for men and women.
FEATURING: Three professional guest artists performing in the ensemble alongside Notre Dame undergraduates.
How to audition
For your audition, bring in a monologue or tell a story 1–2 minutes in length. A resume or headshot are not required.
In-person auditions will be held October 26–27 from 6pm to 10pm.
There is also an option to submit a video audition, due by October 26 at 10pm.
Callbacks will take place on October 28–29, 6–10 pm. You will be given 24 hours' notice if needed for callbacks.
Roles
Character descriptions are a starting point, not a restriction—don't rule yourself out based on them. Many of these roles are open to actors of any gender. There will possibly be double casting, depending on number of auditioners.
- Henry Condell - 40, feisty, hopeful friend and actor in The King’s Men.
- Alice Heminges - 35, John’s daughter and alewife, knows everyone and hangs with the boys
- Boy Hamlet - young actor
- Barman - ruffian
- Barman 2 - drunk
- Ben Jonson - poet laureate of England, friend/rival of Shakespeare. Amazing drunk. A bear of a man. Surprisingly weepy.
- Elizabeth Condell – Henry’s wife, savvy and fun
- Ed Knight – “stage manager” for The King’s Men, self-serious and particular
- Ralph Crane - humble scrivener of The King’s Men. Quick, sure, quiet.
- Isaac Jaggard – William’s son, will inherit the business. Sensitive, an artist at heart.
- Marcus - 20, printer’s apprentice at the Jaggard print house, nosy but honest
- Compositor - works for Jaggard, young
- Emilia Bassano Lanier - 50, fiery Italian feminist and poet, independent woman, lover of life (and of Shakespeare)
- Susannah Shakespeare - 30, good girl and daughter of Shakespeare
- Crier - newsboy
- Bernardo, Francisco - actors playing those roles
- Sir Edward Dering – 60, book and theatre lover
- Horatio
- Fruit Seller
- Marcellus
About the auditions
Any student of any major is welcome and encouraged to audition for FTT shows. No prior experience in theatre needed! Auditions are also open to students, faculty, and staff at Notre Dame, Saint Mary's College, and Holy Cross College. FTT has pledged a commitment to concrete actions that expose and dismantle white supremacy, including (but not limited to) planning anti-racist theatre seasons. We are committed to providing artistic opportunities for our Black, Indigenous and People of Color (BIPOC) students. We welcome students with disabilities and students of all gender identities. We are committed to making the audition and rehearsal process accessible to all interested students. For questions about auditions and/or equity and accessibility, contact us at theatre@nd.edu.
Questions?
Email us at theatre@nd.edu.
Originally published at ftt.nd.edu.