Get Involved - Auditions
Whether you fancy yourself onstage, backstage or offstage, Progress Theatre offers a variety of ways for you to get involved.
We’re all volunteers here, learning on the job and from each other. There’s always room for more though, so if you want to pick up a new skill, perfect an old one, or share your expertise with us, we’d love to have you.
Open Auditions
Progress auditions are open to everyone: members, ex-members, and non-members. Unless the audition notice states otherwise, auditionees must be over 18.
If you are cast for a show, you will need to become a member, this is for legal and safety reasons.
Inclusion
Progress Theatre is committed to the principles of inclusion, and roles are open to all, including any gender identity, disability or ethnicity. Although some characters may be historical figures, auditionees of different ethnicities, disabilities and gender identities are encouraged to audition. We are committed to improving our access to all and would love to welcome you to the Progress community.
Please get in touch at [email protected]
Upcoming Auditions
Julius Caesar
by William Shakespeare
Shakespeare’s political thriller of ambition, betrayal, and the price of power, delivered with gripping modern bite.
Julius Caesar is the most political of Shakespeares plays. It dramatises the events before and after the assassination of Julius Caesar.
Although the play is traditionally very male heavy this production is looking to cast gender blind due to the nature of the play presentation. Progress Theatre is committed to the principles of inclusion, and roles are open to all, including any gender identity, disability or ethnicity. Although the characters are historical figures, auditionees of different ethnicities, disabilities and gender identities are encouraged to audition. There are a number of roles in the play and some doubling will occur.
The production will move the play out from Ancient Rome to an alternative Rome which is more modern in both dress and technology. The actors wil be dressed in modern dress and aspects of the play will be pre-recorded and shown on screens at relevant points.
Directed by Trevor Dale
Content warnings:
- Violence
- Political assassination
- Suicide
There will be discussions around these issues as part of the rehearsal process.
Important dates:
Performance dates: 18-23 January 2027 (including matinee on the 23rd)
Read through date: Saturday 29 August, 2pm-5pm
Audition dates:
- Thursday 17 September 2026, 7pm-10pm
- Sunday 20 September 2026, 7pm-10pm
All will be held at Progress Theatre.
Characters:
During the rehearsal process we will work on the development and rounding of the characters. Ages are not fixed.
Brutus – A politician in the Roman republic. At the start of the play, he is worried that the people want Caesar to be king and to have complete power. When Cassius tells him he is worried about the same thing, Brutus joins him in a plot to assassinate Caesar. His loyal wife, Portia, commits suicide because of his actions, Brutus become more troubled. When Brutus senses defeat in battle, he takes his own life.
Antony – A general in the Roman army and a loyal friend of Caesar. When Caesar is murdered, he flees the chaos. Speaking at Caesar’s funeral, he proves himself to be a charismatic and manipulative speaker and turns the crowd against the conspirators. Together with Caesar’s great-nephew, Octavius, Antony goes into battle against Brutus and Cassius’ armies and defeats them.
Caesar – A general and the most powerful man in Rome. The people of Rome offer to make him king and he seems to enjoy his power, even though he refuses the crown. Seen as too ambitious by the conspirators, he is eventually murdered by them to protect Rome and its ideals as a republic.
Cassius – A talented general and supporter of the Roman republic. He dislikes the fact that Caesar has become like a king in the eyes of the Roman citizens and leads his friend Brutus to believe that Caesar must die. When he senses defeat in battle he kills himself.
Calphurnia – Caesar’s wife. She has come to believe in signs and omens as warnings of the future. After having terrible nightmares and hearing reports of many bad omens, she warns Caesar against going to the Senate on the Ides of March. Caesar agrees to stay but later changes his mind and Calphurnia’s advice is ignored.
Portia – Brutus' wife. She is used to being Brutus’ confidante and is upset when he doesn’t tell her what is happening and why he is worried. When Brutus eventually tells her about the plot, she is nervous about the danger he is in. She later kills herself after he has run away, out of grief that he is gone and his enemies have become so powerful.
Other characters – There are a number of other roles in the play which are critical although smaller in size. Some of these may require doubling.