Call To Audition: "Amadeus" for Hottentots Holland Dramatic Society

Hottentots Holland Dramatic Society (HHDS) will stage the Tony Award winning play AMADEUS in April 2014 at the Playhouse in Somerset West. Director: Philippe Pringiers.

Auditions will be held on Sunday October 27 from 5 pm onwards  at the Playhouse Theatre Somerset West (cnr Lourensford & Swalle Rd) for the 9 speaking parts. Non-speaking parts will be auditioned in January. 

Rehearsals will be every Tuesday and Thursday at 7 pm and Sunday at 5 pm, although certainly in the early stages of the process, not all actors will be needed at every rehearsal. View the detailed rehearsal schedule. 

Actors auditioning will be asked to prepare a piece from the script (see below). In order to streamline the audition, you are encouraged to book your 10 min’s audition slot. Call Philippe on 072 959 1372 or email for further info. 

Please click the Read More link below to view the full character descriptions as well as their respective prescribed audition material.

SPEAKING CHARACTERS

Antonio Salieri: male, 30-50’s. This is the main part and requires an enormous stage presence and contains several long monologues. A very demanding part giving the actor the opportunity to portrait a very tormented and complex personality. A basic knowledge or ability to speak Italian and French is required. The part also requires some singing. Pianoplaying is a plus but not essential.
Continuously and rigorously observing the courtesies of the time and place, Salieri is a mediocre composer who is on the one hand fascinated by Mozart’s genius but on the other hand appalled by his lack of style. Salieri who has sworn his life to God in order to create that one masterpiece of music which will make him immortal is deeply envious at Mozart’s easy way of creating such oeuvres. This envy leads him to secretly obstruct the young genius’ progress resulting finally in his death caused by sickness and poverty. In later years Salieri, realising that he will never beat Mozart’s famousness with his music, seeks immortality through the recognition of being To blame for the genius’ dead. This is where the play starts as a flashback.
View the prescribed audition material.

Mozart: male, 25, small, large eyed, pallid, restless and volatile, high voice. Singing voice and piano playing would be preferred. This part is obviously also crucial to the success of the play. It is important to portray the complete opposite characters of Mozart and Salieri. Whereas the latter is composed but shrewd, Mozart is extremely outspoken but naive.
View the prescribed audition material.

Constanze: female, 18-30, high spirited. A bit childish to start but becoming more world-wise throughout the play. One scene might require a degree of nudity: actresses please to indicate what they are comfortable with.
View the prescribed audition material. 

Venticello: 2 male or female characters of any age. They are the gossipers of Vienna and speak very rapidly. Their parts can be compared to jesters.
View the prescribed audition material.

Emperor Joseph: male 30-50, commanding personality, pleased with himself, not too bright. Basic knowledge of French is required.
View the prescribed audition material. 

Count von Strack: male, 55, stiff and proper
View the prescribed audition material. 

Count Orsini-Rosenberg: male, 60, plump and supercilious
View the prescribed audition material. 

Baron van Swieten: male, 50, cultivated and serious
View the prescribed audition material. 


NON-SPEAKING CHARACTERS

Kapellmeister Bonno: male, 50-70, has a few lines to say.
Salieri’s cook: male, preferably a more corpulent, short figure
Salieri’s valet: male, in contrast to the cook it would be preferable to have a tall, very slim figure
8 Citizens of Vienna: male/female, all ages
Priest: male, 30-70, this part will most probably be a double role with being a citizen of Vienna.
4 servants: male/female, all ages. They act as stagehands bringing on and removing furniture and props.
Teresa Salieri: female, 30-40, placid lady described by Salieri as lacking fire.
Katharina Cavalieri: female, 18-30, soprano voice. During one scene, some degree of nudity/revealing will be required.