We are back holding AUDITIONS for our production of Captain Corelli’s Mandolin, based on the novel by Louis de Bernières, adapted for the stage by Rona Munro.
| Directed by | Stanford Reynolds and Ewen Coleman |
| Performance Dates | Mar 31st – Apr 10th 2021 |
Audition Details
When: Saturday 21st November, with call backs (if required) on Monday 23rd November
Where: Gryphon Theatre, 22 Ghuznee Street, Wellington
Auditions will be in large groups and take approximately 60 minutes. Auditions will involve:
- A group physical exercise
- Working with a section of the play that will be sent to you in advance
- Working with sections of the play that you have not seen
To book an audition, please email auditions@wellingtonrepertory.org.nz with your:
- Full name
- Contact phone number
- Which times on Saturday 21st of November you can not make (between 10am – 3pm)
If you can’t make any times on Saturday 21st November, please get in contact ASAP so we can arrange alternative dates.
The Story
During WWII, the Axis forces invade and occupy the idyllic, lively Greek island of Kefalonia. Dr Iannis’ fiery and strong-willed daughter Pelagia is thrown together with the Italian Captain Corelli, who is more interested in music than fighting. Together they discover an unexpected love that blossoms in the most dark and uncertain circumstances.
The adaptation of Louis de Bernières’ much-loved epic novel Captain Corelli’s Mandolin by Rona Munro is dramatically brought to life with all of the passion and poetry that made the love story a best-selling novel (just don’t ask about the Hollywood movie….).
This sweeping tale that spans an entire lifetime is about the different kinds of love, how everyday people are affected by the orders of tyrants, and how the decisions that we make are shaped by our circumstances.
The Production
The play premiered in the UK in 2019. Our production of this epic piece of theatre will be the New Zealand premiere of the show.
The tale is moving, broad, and bursting with beautiful moments and ideas – and as such the production will be a large and ambitious project. The script has a lot of room for creative interpretation, and we are looking for a large cast and crew who are committed to having fun, working as a team, and making sure that every element of the production is strong.
There is music, singing, and dancing and we need strong performances for the lead roles and also an ensemble who can handle a lot of responsibilities – we want everyone involved to contribute a lot to the production.
Potential auditionees please note that there are a number of intimate scenes between male/female and male/male characters including kissing. Also, a large number of the cast will be German, Italian and Greek soldiers and will be expected to wear appropriate army uniforms and handle prop firearms.
The Characters
A large cast of actors of all ages is required plus dancers and singers.
We are also looking for a large backstage crew of lighting, sound, AV technicians, props, costumes, stage management.
| Pelagia | a spirited, headstrong young woman in her 20’s to 30’s. She was raised by her father, Dr Iannis, to be an independent thinker. She is determined to make something of her life but lacks confidence and has an underlying vulnerability. |
| Captain Corelli | an Italian officer in his 20’s to 30’s who plays the mandolin. He is fun loving, kind-hearted, jokes a lot, and doesn’t take the war seriously. He breaks down barriers with the villagers but struggles to balance his love for Pelagia and his duty to his battalion. |
| Dr Iannis | the Island’s doctor, in his 50’s to 60’s, a widower, he has raised Pelagia on his own to make her an independent being. He learnt medicine from books and is an amateur historian. Wise and sagely, he offers counsel to everyone in the village. |
| Mandras | a fisherman in his 20’s to 30’s who is in love with Pelagia. Physically strong but unable to read or write, he has a soft heart that becomes tainted by war. |
| Drosoula | the mother of Mandras, in her 50’s to 60’s who has lived a hard life on the island. She speaks her mind but is a kindly soul with a soft spot for Pelagia. |
| Lemoni | a young girl 8 to 14 years, cheeky, impish, and playful. She loves animals and has no qualms about reprimanding adults. |
| Velisarios | a gentle giant of a man in his 30’s. Although a bit of a buffoon he is always ready to help others. |
| Carlo | a physically imposing Italian soldier in his 20’s to 30’s, he is secretly gay. He is full of love and longs for someone to share this with. He finds it hard to express his feelings to others but writes eloquently. |
| Francesco | an Italian soldier in his 20’s to 30’s , he is a young married corporal who is sweet and naive. He does not cope with the harshness of war, which makes him become distracted, distant and a little bit crazy. He deals with this by adopting a pet mouse to have something to talk to. |
| Goat | played by a physically agile actor. Obstinate and annoying, she is loved by Pelagia but the doctor finds her hard to tolerate. She brings humour to the production. |
| Psipsina | a pine marten (wild cat) played by a physically agile actor. She is a member of the doctor’s family and is playful and insightful. |
| Gunter | German/ Nazi soldier in his 20’s to 30’s. He befriends the Italian soldiers and has a soft side, but takes the war very seriously. |
| Young Iannis | the 10 to 12-year-old son of Pelagia’s adopted daughter when she is in her old age. He is curious and inquisitive, wants to learn the mandolin, and wants to grow up to be a strong man. |
| Ensemble | any age, sex or ethnicity. A major part of the production, they will have many roles on and off stage. They appear on stage as Villagers, Tourists, and Greek, Italian, and German Soldiers. They will also contribute holistically to the production with singing, dancing, and operating technical aspects like props, music, sound and special effects. |