Auditions

The Winter's Tale
Auditions

Bard in the Quad is back for our 21st season in 2026 with Shakespeare’s epic romance The Winter’s Tale. Join us for auditions May 16 at 3:00 pm and May 17 at 6:00 pm. Auditions will be held in the Gladys Valley Gymnastics Center 106 on the OSU Campus (1701 SW Jefferson Ave).

The production runs: July 30-August 2 and August 6-9 with a read-through/meeting June 8 and regular rehearsals beginning June 22.

A full-text version of this script is available online at: https://shakespeare.mit.edu/winters_tale/full.html

Those auditioning should read the script beforehand and be prepared to perform cold readings and movement exercises. Please wear close-toed shoes to the audition. Most performers will be cast in multiple roles to create an ensemble of 14-16 players.

Please follow this link and fill out the audition form before coming to the audition: AUDITION FORM HERE!

Auditions are open to all students, staff, faculty, and community members!
 

Rehearsals will begin with a meeting read-through on June 6 in the evening. Regular rehearsals will start June 22 and be scheduled Sunday 12:00-6:00 pm and Monday-Thursday 5:00-9:00 pm. Tech/Dress rehearsals is July 26-30. Performances run July 30-August 2 and 6-9 with a company celebration on August 10. All cast members must be available for all of tech week, performances, and a strike immediately following the closing performance.

For questions, please contact the director Elizabeth Helman at [email protected]

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Oregon State University Theatre and Music Winter 2027 Auditions:
Into the Woods
Directed by Elizabeth Helman
Music Direction by Nicholas Larson

Oregon State University Theatre and Music will be holding auditions for our Winter 2027 production of Stephen Sondheim’s most beloved and magical musical Into the Woods. Auditions will be held over two sessions: an open vocal audition June 10 at 6:00 pm in GVGC 106 and an invited call-back on June 11 at 6:00 pm in GVGC 106. The rehearsal process will take place over fall and winter terms with performances March 4-6 and 12-14 2027 in the Edward J. Ray Theater. See below for more details about rehearsals and scheduling.

Auditions are open to all students, staff, faculty, and community members. Please note, some of the listed roles may be doubled for a cast size of 16-18 performers.

Please fill out the online AUDITION FORM prior to attending the June 10 audition.

What to prepare:

June 10 Vocal Audition:
* One song, musical theater preferred, preferred selection not from Into the Woods, no longer than 2-3 minutes.
* Sheet music for the accompanist, if you intend to sing with piano accompaniment.
* An accompanist will be provided.

The libretto and a list of vocal ranges is available to read ahead of the audition: link to Into the Woods libretto. If you are called back, you will be notified as to which role(s) you will be reading for.

Available roles and vocal ranges:

Rapunzel

  • Type: High soprano
  • Tessitura: Very high (≈ F5–C6)
  • Full range: ~C5–E6
  • Requirements: Sustained singing above the staff

Cinderella

  • Type: Lyric soprano
  • Tessitura: Mid–high (≈ G4–D5)
  • Full range: ~G3–F5
  • Requirements: Even legato, not range extremes

Baker’s Wife

  • Type: Mezzo-soprano
  • Tessitura: Mid (≈ A3–C5)
  • Full range: ~G3–D5
  • Requirements: Mix/belt coordination

Little Red Ridinghood

  • Type: Mezzo / belt
  • Tessitura: Mid–high (≈ B3–D5)
  • Full range: ~A3–E5
  • Requirements: Bright, forward placement

Witch

  • Type: Mezzo/alto (belt)
  • Tessitura: Low–mid (≈ F3–C5)
  • Full range: ~F3–F5
  • Requirements: Wide range + stylistic shifts

Florinda & Lucinda

  • Type: Sopranos
  • Tessitura: Mid–high (≈ A4–D5)
  • Full range: ~G4–E5
  • Requirements: Ensemble precision

Stepmother

  • Type: Alto
  • Tessitura: Low (≈ F3–B♭3)
  • Full range: ~E3–C5
  • Requirements: Solid low register

Jack’s Mother

  • Type: Alto/mezzo
  • Tessitura: Low–mid (≈ G3–C4)
  • Full range: ~F3–D5
  • Requirements: Chest voice strength

Cinderella’s Mother

  • Type: Soprano
  • Tessitura: High (≈ E5–A5)
  • Full range: ~C5–B5
  • Requirements: Floating tone

Grandmother

  • Type: Mezzo/alto
  • Tessitura: Low–mid (≈ G3–C4)
  • Full range: ~F3–D5
  • Requirements: Character clarity

Snow White & Sleeping Beauty

  • Type: Sopranos
  • Tessitura: High (≈ F5–A5)
  • Full range: ~E5–B5
  • Requirements: Quick, accurate entrances

Jack

  • Type: Tenor
  • Tessitura: Mid–high (≈ C4–F4)
  • Full range: ~B3–G4
  • Requirements: Easy upper register

Baker

  • Type: Baritone
  • Tessitura: Mid (≈ A2–E4)
  • Full range: ~G2–F4
  • Requirements: Passaggio-heavy writing

Cinderella’s Prince / Wolf

  • Type: Baritone
  • Tessitura: Mid–high (≈ B2–E4)
  • Full range: ~A2–F4
  • Requirements: Style contrast

Rapunzel’s Prince

  • Type: Tenor/baritone
  • Tessitura: Higher (≈ C3–F4)
  • Full range: ~B2–G4
  • Requirements: Sustained lyric singing

Narrator / Mysterious Man

  • Type: Baritone
  • Tessitura: Mid (≈ A2–D4)
  • Full range: ~G2–E4
  • Requirements: Text clarity

Cinderella’s Father & Steward

  • Type: Baritone
  • Tessitura: Low–mid (≈ G2–C4)
  • Full range: ~F2–D4
  • Requirements: Efficient, clean singing

Big Takeaways (with Range Context)

  • Highest sustained writing: Rapunzel (lives ~F5–C6)
  • Lowest anchors: Stepmother, Jack’s Mother (centered ~F3–C4)
  • Widest overall range: Witch (~F3–F5)
  • Most passaggio-heavy: Baker (A2–E4 zone)

REHEARSALS:
This fall, Lyric Workshop will be devoted entirely to the music of Into the Woods. All cast members will enroll in Lyric Workshop (MUS 169/369) as part of the rehearsal and preparation process.


Lyric Workshop is officially scheduled Monday, Wednesday, and Friday from 4:00–6:50 p.m. In practice, however, Friday meetings will be rare, and students need not be available for the full three-hour Monday/Wednesday block. Time overrides can be arranged for those with partial class conflicts.
 

Vocal Performance and Music Education majors are required to enroll in Lyric Workshop for both fall and winter terms."

Staging rehearsals for the production will begin Winter term (January 4th 2027) and run Sundays 12-6 pm and Monday through Thursday 6:00-10:00 pm. A cast-read through/dinner will be scheduled December 3, 4, or 5th (please mark your calendars TBD). Full production run-throughs will be February 21-25 with tech rehearsals will be February 27 starting at 10:00 am, dress rehearsal February 28 starting at 12:00, and tech/dress rehearsals running March 1-3 starting at 6:00 pm. Performances are March 4-6 and 12-14 with a pick-up rehearsal on March 11. Strike will follow the closing matinee performance. All cast members are required to attend ALL company run-throughs, tech/dress rehearsals, pick-up rehearsal, performances, and strike. While this schedule does not begin until 2027, keep in mind if you are cast, you are expected to prioritize production rehearsals over other commitments. If you have standing conflicts (work schedule, planned travel, etc.) that may not disqualify you from casting and some conflicts in staging rehearsals can be worked around, however, by being cast you are committing to attend all rehearsals and other production commitments beginning February 21.

For questions regarding singing or fall term rehearsals, please contact the vocal director Nick Larson at [email protected]

For other questions regarding Winter term staging rehearsals or call-backs contact Elizabeth Helman at [email protected]