Auditions for "The Book of Will"
Schedule
Sun Jan 18 2026 at 06:00 pm to 07:30 pm
UTC-06:00Location
108 E Main St, Starkville, MS, United States, Mississippi 39759 | Starkville, MS
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Without Shakespeare, we wouldn’t have literary masterpieces like “Hamlet”. But without his friends, we’d have lost half of his plays forever! After the Bard’s death, two actors are determined to preserve the words that shaped their lives. They’ll just have to borrow, beg, and band together to get it done, amidst the noise and color of Elizabethan London. This true story of love, loss and laughter sheds new light on a man you only think you know."The Book of Will", written by Lauren Gunderson, will have 8 performances April 9 through April 17, 2026. The director is Regan Plunkett, assisted by Gabe Smith.
Auditions will take place upstairs at the Playhouse on Main on Sunday, January 18 starting at 6 p.m. and again on Monday, January 19 starting at 6 p.m.
Auditions will consist of scene readings from the script. A perusal copy of a script is available by request if you send an email to [email protected].
Intermittent rehearsals may start as soon as the weekend after auditions, with regular rehearsals starting in late February and leading into the show dates in April.
For questions about auditions, scheduling, or the show itself, reach out to the director at [email protected].
AVAILABLE ROLES:
HENRY CONDELL (lead role) – 30s-40s; feisty, hopeful friend and actor in the King’s Men.
JOHN HEMINGES (lead role) – 40s-50s; reasonable friend and financial manager of the King’s Men; owner of the Globe Tap House; a good man, a gentleman, if serious.
ALICE HEMINGES (lead role) – late 20s-30s; John’s daughter and alewife, knows everyone and hangs with the boys.
RICHARD BURBAGE (supporting role) – 50s; seasoned lion of the stage, famous across England, loud and proud.
BEN JONSON (supporting role) – Poet laureate of England, friend/rival of Shakespeare. Amazing drunk. A bear of a man. Surprisingly weepy.
ELIZABETH CONDELL (supporting role) – Henry’s wife, savvy and fun.
REBECCA HEMINGES (large supporting role)– John’s wife, a good wife. Strong, busy with their grocery business, a woman who has weathered much but loves her husband and sons and God.
ED KNIGHT (supporting role) – “Stage manager” for the King’s Men, self-serious and particular.
RALPH CRANE (supporting role)– Humble scrivener of the King’s Men. Quick, sure, quiet.
WILLIAM JAGGARD (supporting role) – Successful if shady publisher of books, plays, and playbills. He is confident in his ability to get what he wants. Very experienced, very connected, willing to do whatever it takes to get the job done. An ass.
ISAAC JAGGARD (large supporting role) – William’s son, will inherit the business. Sensitive, an artist at heart.
ENSEMBLE MEN
Several ensemble roles available, portraying multiple supporting characters, from stage actors to tradesmen to local drunk hooligans.
ENSEMBLE WOMEN
Several ensemble roles available, portraying multiple supporting characters, from writers to tradeswomen to members of Shakespeare's aggrieved family.
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"The Book of Will" is produced by special arrangement with Dramatists Play Service, Inc.
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Where is it happening?
108 E Main St, Starkville, MS, United States, Mississippi 39759Event Location & Nearby Stays:
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