Casting for theatre production

Quintessence Theatre, the Company in Residence of Droichead Arts Centre, Drogheda, are seeking actors (playing age twenties/thirties) to join the cast of our new devised, physical-ensemble play The Curious Case of Albert Cashier: Lincoln’s ‘Lady’ Soldier.

“Lincoln wanted soldiers. I wanted excitement.”

Belvidere, Illinois, 1862: A young Irishman, Albert D.J. Cashier, enlists with the Union Army in the Civil War, and becomes a decorated hero. But unknown to his comrades Private Cashier is waging an internal war all of his own. When he is fifty years a veteran an indiscreet doctor reveals to America that Cashier was actually born a woman: Jennie Hodgers, of Clogherhead, Co. Louth. From that day on Albert’s greatest battle truly begins: for identity, selfhood, and truth.

The third and final production in our programme ‘Hear Me Roar’: Women, Gender and Silence’ and 1 year residency with Droichead  The Curious Case… will see the director and cast devising the production from scratch, using physical ensemble story-telling techniques to create an original dramatization of the incredible true story of the Clogherhead born transgender soldier.

We are particularly interested in hearing from actors with experience of physical theatre, and devising.

The casting will be gender blind, but we do welcome applications from actors of trans or gender fluid identities.

The play will be directed by Anna Simpson, Artistic Director of Quintessence, Creative Associate of the Pleasance Theatre, London, and Education Practitioner with the Globe Theatre, London.

Rehearsals will take place part time in Drogheda, between Droichead Arts Centre, and the Little Duke theatre there, 10am-5:30/6pm from Monday 13^th January until the show opens and runs 4th- 7th March in Droichead, Drogheda.

Production dates are as follows:

Auditions: Friday 10^th January

Rehearsals: 13^th, 14^th & 15^th Jan

20^th, 21^st, 22^nd Jan

27^th, 28^th, 29^th Jan

3^rd, 4^th Feb

10^th, 11^th, 12^th Feb

17^th, 18^th, 19^th Feb

24^th, 25^th, 26^th, 29^th Feb

2^nd, 3^rd, 4^th March (get-in, tech, and dress)

Run: 4^th-7^th March

A fee of €800 is available for rehearsals, plus generous contribution to expenses, as well as an even share of the profit from ticket sales after the conclusion of the project.

To apply to audition please EMAIL YOUR CV AND HEADSHOT, AS WELL AS A SHORT PARAGRAPH ABOUT ANY EXPERIENCE OF DEVISING AND PHYSICAL THEATRE to Artistic Director Anna Simpson at quintessencetheatreco@gmail.com

About Quintessence Theatre Company

Founded in 2015 as the inaugural Theatre Company in Residence of the An Táin Arts Centre, Dundalk, Quintessence dedicates itself to exploring the human condition through the most theatrical means available to us: the actor themselves, their imagination, and embracing the live relationship between actor and audience.

We believe in play; we believe in collaboration; we believe in amplifying voices not always heard; and we believe in the democraticisation of art: that it should reach people beyond the cultural hubs of large urban populations; that great work can be made from modest means if you have those quintessential elements: a story, a performer, and audience.

We harness the full potential of the actor’s body through heightened physical approaches, mime and a playful ensemble. We seek to surprise, move and provoke our audiences, entertaining them and creating dynamic, innovative, visceral, compassionate story-telling that finds the new in the familiar, and touches on urgent issues at the heart of Irish society here and now.

Quintessence is run by four core members: Leah Rossiter (Company Manager), Anthony Kinahan (Producer), Fiona Keenan O’Brien (Company Liaison) and led by Artistic Director Anna Simpson.

Previous productions include: #MeToo, Three, Four… (Droichead), Boy, Girl, Repeat (Droichead), Cracks (National Tour), Dracula (Smock Alley), Warrior of the Táin (An Táin),  The Deadly Wizard of Oz (Anaverna House), The Star of Chester’s Lane (Droichead Arts Centre, Drogheda Arts Festival Commission winner 2018), Some of Our Children (An Táin), Romeo and Juliet (An Táin), The Wind in the Willows (Anaverna House); Pink Planet (Smock Alley, Scene +Heard); Grimm Tales (Anaverna House); Hamlet (An Táin); Vessel (An Táin; The New Theatre, Dublin); Alice in Wonderland (Anaverna House) and The Picture of Dorian Gray (An Táin).

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/quintessencetheatreco

Twitter: https://twitter.com/QuintessencePro