Tempest​/Doctor Faustus

Starling Shakespeare Company is now accepting auditions for their 2026 summer season. This contract includes both their summer tour and the Mackinac Island Shakespeare Festival. All members of the 5-person acting company will perform in both The Tempest and Doctor Faustus. Due to the nature of the performances, roles will be cast after the entire acting company is assembled, but actors can expect to be playing multiple roles in both shows.

As a point of reference, actors are generally cast as somewhere between 2 and 7 roles in each show, depending on size of each character. This double casting, combined with the fact that Shakespeare’s characters most frequently exist on the binary, often means that actors are playing characters that may not align with their personal gender identity. SSC engages in identity-conscious casting practices with regard to gender, race, and ethnicity both in the assembly of the company members, and the tracking/casting of individual roles.

All members of the company will participate in set‑up and strike for each performance and should be able to lift 50 pounds to assist with these duties. Company members will also have various responsibilities based on skill, interest, and need, to be assigned throughout the production process (i.e. fight captain, dance captain, assisting with props/costumes, promotional material distribution, etc.). In addition to performance/production responsibilities, company members may be asked to assist in teaching educational workshops.

All training/instruction necessary will be supplied.

Starling Shakespeare Company is interested in clarity of storytelling and using individual voices and bodies to tell stories effectively and connect directly with audiences. We are especially interested in a collaborative rehearsal room and performance space, meaning that our productions are heavily influenced by and created with the actors in the room.

Contract runs June 1st through September 13th with a possible extension to September 20th (to be confirmed before rehearsals begin), and consists of 6 weeks of rehearsals in Ripon, WI, ~4 weeks of touring, and a 4 week residency on Mackinac Island, MI. Housing and weekly $450 stipend provided throughout the contract.

To submit your audition, please include a video recording of two contrasting classical monologues, your resume, and headshot. All actors should demonstrate that they can vocally and physically fill a large outdoor space/stage with no amplification. If you have musical abilities, you are welcome to include a song in your submission. If there are any other unique skills that you would like to showcase, you may include brief footage of those as well.

Videos should be no longer 2.5 minutes for monologues, or 3 minutes and 15 seconds if they include music or other skill showcases.
Submission packages should be submitted at the following link no later than February 6, 2026: (Use the "Apply for this Job" box below)./

Virtual callbacks will take place by the end of February. If you run into difficulties with the link or other submission issues, please reach out to [email protected].

SSC is committed to diverse and equitable casting practices. Actors of all ages, races, ethnicities, gender identities, and abilities are encouraged to submit.