Auditions
by Lillian Groag
Directed by Kathy Lague
Synopsis: Sarah Bernhardt and Eleonora Duse were two of the great stage actresses of the late 19th century. Not surprisingly, in addition to their legendary talent, these superstars had a legendary rivalry, playing many of the same roles in major productions, often within days of each other. Yet they rarely if ever actually met – there are very few known instances of their being in the same room. The fascinating fact that their lives and careers were greatly “entangled from a distance” allows playwright Lillian Groag to indulge in a bit of fantasy and whimsy. What if… both divas played Camille (the “Lady of the Camellias”), each in their own unique style, on back-to-back evenings in Ms. Bernhardt’s own theater? And then… what if they are both held captive by a radical anarchist trying to free a couple of his cohorts from prison? From here, things spiral crazily out of control in this wild, imaginative farce.
Auditions will be held at the Vokes Theatre on:
Sunday, November 8, 2026, 7:00–10:00 PM
Monday, November 9, 2026, 7:00–10:00 PM
Actors will be seen in groups of up to 6, by appointment only: to reserve your place in a 30-minute appointment slot, please use our signup form below. Auditions will consist of reading sides from the script. Additional information will be distributed electronically along with the audition sides, ahead of the audition dates.
Callbacks will be held on Tuesday, November 10, 2026 starting at 7:00 PM.
Actors must be available for callbacks.
See the Character Descriptions below for more details.
Rehearsals / Important Dates:
Rehearsals will be Sundays, Tuesdays and Thursdays starting Sunday, November 29, 2026 at 7:00 PM, with an initial readthrough on Sunday, November 15, 2026. There are no rehearsals from December 20 to January 3. Tech week begins on Sunday, February 14, 2027 – – no conflicts are permitted during tech week. There will be eleven performances in February-March 2027, over three weekends:
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Friday, February 19, at 8:00 PM
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Saturday, February 20, at 2:00 PM and 8:00 PM
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Thursday, February 25, at 8:00 PM
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Friday, February 26, at 8:00 PM
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Saturday, February 27, at 2:00 PM and 8:00 PM
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Thursday, March 4, at 8:00 PM
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Friday, March 5, at 8:00 PM
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Saturday, March 6, at 2:00 PM and 8:00 PM
Please note that conflicts are not permitted on performance dates, nor for tech week.
To sign up for auditions, please complete our online form, below. Before you fill it out, please note the following:
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Be ready to select a 30-minute appointment slot on Sunday, November 8 (7:00-10:00 PM) or Monday, November 9 (7:00-10:00 PM If you cannot make any of these times, you may submit a video audition, or you may contact the staff at vokes.auditions@gmail.com to arrange an alternate appointment, if possible.
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Be prepared to upload your resume and headshot (when you receive a confirmation email for your signup):
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Resume: PDF format is preferred, but most any document type will do (no image files, please).
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Headshot: If you do not have a headshot, a front-facing picture of your head or head and torso, with just yourself centered in it, is acceptable. JPEG or PNG format is preferred, but any image format will do. (no PDF files, please).
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Instructions for uploading your headshot and resume will be in the confirmation email sent to you when you sign up. Similarly, if you need to submit a video audition, instructions on how to submit it will be emailed to you.
If you have any questions or concerns, please send an email to the staff at vokes.auditions@gmail.com
Character Descriptions
Please note: We will not be casting anyone under the age of 18. A note on accents: The characters represent multiple European countries in the late 19th century and I want to keep the various nationalities distinct. The accents, however, should not be so broad that it would become implausible that the characters understood each other. Therefore, the accents should be slight. Please note that the age ranges below refer to an actor's ability to portray a character of that age, and not necessarily the actor's actual age.
Girl (female presenting, 20’s)
A secondary player in the current production(s) of Camille. Not happy playing maids and other servants. Attached to Sarah Bernhardt’s company, but being loaned out to Eleanora Duse’s company for the time being. More worldly than the others. “Common” accent.
Benoit (male presenting, 60’s)
Caretaker of the theatre. Has known nothing else but the theatre for years and is very protective of the company and particularly Sarah. Has a very clear understanding of divas and what they require to give their best performances. French accent.
Alexandre Dumas, fils (male presenting, 50-60)
The author of La Dame aux Camellias. The play is personal to him (how personal needs to be revealed) and therefore very protective of the text. Delighted to see that the play is being performed by the great actresses, but perhaps concerned about the interpretations. Very elegant and urbane. French accent.
Sarah Bernhardt (female presenting, 50’s)
Considered the leading actress of her day. She is very glamorous and knows what the public wants -it wants her, despite whatever character she is actually playing on stage. She will not hesitate to change lines, settings, costumes to her advantage. French accent.
Eleanora Duse (female presenting, late 30’s)
Also considered the leading actress of her day. She is somewhat grim, dour, melancholy – the exact opposite of Sarah. She subsumes herself in her Pure Art, wanting to really “know” her characters and lose herself in them. Italian accent.
Flavio Ando (male presenting, 40’s)
Eleanora’s leading man. Very handsome and past lover of Eleanora. He is a good actor, but knows his place in the company – he will always be secondary to Eleanora. Italian accent.
Gustave-Hippolite Worms (male presenting, 40’s)
Sarah’s leading man. He is the counterpart to Ando; a good actor, but he will always be tied to Sarah. French accent.
Ivan (male presenting, 30’s)
A passionate young man – willing to do anything to further his cause, even if it’s not clear in the beginning what his cause is. Russian accent.
Benoit Constant Coquelin (male presenting, 30’s-40’s)
A big star in the theatre. He is the original Cyrano (the play debuts the same year as this setting) and appears in full Cyrano costume and character. This character only appears in Act II. French accent.