Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead
by Tom Stoppard
Directed by Pamela Kingsley
July 20-August 6, 2023
Thursday-Sunday at 6:30pm
August 31-September 17, 2023
Thursday-Friday at 6:30pm, Sunday-Saturday at 2pm
Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are on a king’s mission to deliver a message to England. The journey is long and traveling is hard, but how long does it take to get to England from Elsinore? The duo feels like they’ve been on the road forever, and surely they should be there by now…but it just keeps going. Fellow travelers seem to come from nowhere and haven’t they passed that tree before?
Confusion abounds as Rosencrantz and Guildenstern (or is it Guildenstern and Rosencrantz?) try to complete their mission. From characters in rewind, to a babbling Hamlet and crazy Ophelia, the pair tries to stay focused but it’s so hard.
This absurdist take focuses on the simple messengers as they try to remember what they are doing, where they are going, and even who they are. A night of laughs and lots of eye rolls, you won’t want to miss this comedic take on one of Shakespeare’s most serious of stories.
Cast of Characters
- Rosencrantz
- Guildenstern
- Player #1
- Player #2
- Player #3 (Alfred)
- Player #4
- Hamlet
- Ophelia
- King Claudius
- Queen Gertrude
- Polonius
- Laertes
- Horatio
- Fortinbras
All roles, except Hamlet, are available. The cast will have a maximum of 16 actors, meaning there may be more players or courtiers than on the list. Casting will be done from a “who can tell this character’s story best,” so any role may be played by any gender. The characters here will play the corresponding characters in Hamlet.
To schedule an audition, complete the audition form. Please prepare a Shakespearean monologue and be ready to read from the script. Callbacks are the same day as auditions. Video auditions are accepted, by March 11. For any other questions, please email us at info@spokaneshakespearesociety.org
Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead is presented by arrangement with Concord Theatricals on behalf of Samuel French Inc.