Chagrin Valley Little Theatre depends on volunteer talent for all of its plays each season. Our auditions are open to anyone with an interest in performing in community theater. Age ranges, experience levels and other requirements change from production to production, so keep your eyes on us – you just may be the one we’re looking for!
Auditions are publicized right here on our website, as well as via our mailing list, our Facebook page, our Twitter feed and via Fred Sternfeld’s the Northeast Ohio Performing Arts List (NEohioPAL). You may also find our audition notices in your local newspapers from time to time.
Chagrin Valley Little Theatre is a 501c3 Non-Profit Organization. All actors cast are strictly volunteers. No AEA Contract(s) available.
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Anastasia
Auditions for Anastasia, The Musical
- Director: Esma Eddeb
- Choreographer: Jen Justice
- Producers: Tom Jones & Nancy Rogoff
Audition Dates & Details
Dates & Times:
- Sunday, July 12th | 5:00pm – 8:00pm
- Tuesday, July 14th | 7:00pm – 10:00pm
Location: River Street Playhouse, 56 River Street, Chagrin Falls, OH 44022 (The red building west of CVLT’s parking lot)
Callbacks
Date & Time: Wednesday, July 15th | 7:00pm – 10:00pm
Location: River Street Playhouse Dance Studio, 56 River Street, Chagrin Falls, OH 44022
Video Submissions
If you cannot physically attend the audition dates, video submissions will be accepted. Please email submissions to Tom Jones at tjones@cvlt.org.
- Deadline: Submissions are due no later than July 14th.
- Late submissions will not be considered by the production team.
Audition Preparation
Please bring the following to your audition:
- Resume: Your theatrical resume (if you have one—not required!).
- Headshot: A recent photo of yourself for the production team’s reference.
- Music: Sheet music for a 32-bar cut in the style of the show, in your appropriate key. An accompanist will be provided.
- Please do not sing music from the show itself.
- No Sondheim or Jason Robert Brown, please.
- Dance: The dancing portion will be held during callbacks. If invited, please dress for movement. If you have tap shoes, please bring them (not required).
Rehearsal Timeframe
- First Read-Through: Monday, September 28th at 6:30pm (River Street Playhouse Dance Studio).
- Regular Rehearsals: Sunday through Thursday evenings, 7:00pm – 10:00pm.
- Tech Week: Sunday, November 8th – Thursday, November 12th.
Performances
Run Dates: Friday, November 13th through Sunday, December 13th, 2026
- Fridays & Saturdays: 7:30pm
- Sunday Matinees (11/22, 11/29, 12/6, & 12/13): 2:00pm
Synopsis
From Tony winners Terrence McNally, Stephen Flaherty, and Lynn Ahrens, creators of such Broadway classics as Ragtime and Once On This Island, this dazzling show transports its audience from the twilight of the Russian Empire to the euphoria of Paris in the 1920s, as a brave young woman sets out to discover the mystery of her past. Pursued by a ruthless Soviet officer determined to silence her, Anya enlists the aid of a dashing con man and a lovable ex-aristocrat. Together, they embark on an epic adventure to help her find home, love, and family.
Character Breakdown
Age Range: All ages. Looking to cast all roles! (Please note: Ages in the descriptions are suggestions; actors of different ages may be cast.)
Principal Roles
- Anya / Anastasia (G3-F5): A lost soul with great strength, pride, determination, and dignity. The missing daughter of Tsar Nicholas.
- Dmitry Sudayev (A2-A4): The prince of St. Petersburg’s black market. An opportunist trying to make it on the streets of Russia by selling stolen objects from the Tsarist past. He creates the scheme to find an Anastasia impersonator to gain the reward. Tough, persuasive, and daring.
- Dowager Empress (F3-Bb4): The formidable and imperious grandmother of Anastasia, whom she loves with all her heart. Bitter and hardened after years of enduring impersonators, she still secretly holds onto hope.
- Gleb Vaganov (A2-Gb4): A career officer in the Bolshevik secret police and a son of the Russian revolution. A passionate defender of the new order whose attraction to Anya puts him in violent conflict with himself.
- Lily Malevski-Malevitch (G3-C5): The confidante and lady-in-waiting to the Dowager Empress. Compassionate, respectful, and worldly when she is away from court.
- Vladimir Popov (A2-F4): Dmitry’s right-hand man and a former minor functionary at the imperial court. Uses his past romantic relationship with Lily to arrange a meeting with the Dowager Empress.
Featured Roles
- Anastasia “Anna”: The 16-year-old version of Anastasia.
- Young Anastasia (C4-C5): The 5-year-old version of Anastasia. A sweet and impressionable young princess.
- Tsar Nicholas II: A loving, elegant father trying to keep the peace between his mother and the Tsarina. Protects and guides Anya.
- Tsarina Alexandra: A stern, deeply devout, and brittle mother. Paranoid about the collapsing regime and protective of her son, the Tsarevich.
- Count Leopold: One of the presumptive Romanov heirs; a snob and a bit of a fop.
- Count Ipolitov: A dignified White Russian intellectual, grief-stricken about leaving his homeland.
Ensemble
The Ensemble has an incredible amount to do in this show, playing a vast array of featured characters including Townsfolk, Royal Servants, Bolshevik Officers/Soldiers, Parisians, Reporters, and Aristocrats. The following specific tracks will be cast directly from the ensemble:
| Groupings / Featured Roles |
|---|
| “Anna” Anastasia / Paulina |
| Young Anastasia / Alexei Romanov |
| Tsar Nicholas II / Count Ipolitov / Count Gregory |
| Tsarina Alexandra / Female Reporter / Countess Gregory |
| Count Leopold / Gorlinsky / Drunkard 4 |
| Olga Romanov / Odette in Swan Lake |
| Tatiana Romanov / Marfa / Swan Lake Dancer |
| Mariya Romanov / Dunya / Swan Lake Dancer |
| Prince Siegfried in Swan Lake / Drunkard 1 / Sergei the Doorman |
| Von Rothbart in Swan Lake / Drunkard 2 |
Questions?
If you have any additional questions, please feel free to reach out to the production team:
- Director Esma Eddeb: eddeb.esma@gmail.com
- Producer Tom Jones: tjones@cvlt.org
- Producer Nancy Rogoff: nhrogoff@gmail.com
We hope you’ll join us and have a wonderful Journey to the Past!
Lend Me A Tenor
Auditions for Ken Ludwig’s Lend Me A Tenor
Directed by Neil Thackaberry
AUDITIONS: July 18 and 19, 1-4 PM
PERFORMANCES: September 25 – October 4, 2026 – Fridays/Saturdays 7:30 PM, Sundays 9/27 and 10/4 at 2 PM
Winner of 3 Tony Awards and 4 Drama Desk Awards, Lend Me A Tenor is set in September 1934. Saunders, the general manager of the Cleveland Grand Opera Company, is primed to welcome world-famous singer Tito Merelli, known as Il Stupendo, the greatest tenor of his generation, to appear for one night only as the star of the opera. Tito arrives late, and through a hilarious series of mishaps, he is given a double dose of tranquilizers and passes out. His pulse is so low that Saunders and his assistant Max believe he’s dead – and in a frantic attempt to salvage the evening, Saunders persuades Max to get into Merelli’s costume and fool the audience into thinking he’s Il Stupendo. Max succeeds and lives up to his idol, but Merelli regains consciousness and gets into the identical costume, ready to perform. Now two opera singers are running around in the same costume and two women are running around in lingerie, each thinking she is with Il Stupendo. A sensation on Broadway and in London’s West End, this madcap, screwball comedy is guaranteed to leave audiences teary-eyed with laughter.
Roles:
- Max
- Age Range: 20s to early 30s
- Description: The underdog hero. A strong, legit tenor voice is desirable but not a deal breaker.
- Tito Merelli
- Age Range: 30s to 50s
- Description: A world-famous Italian superstar tenor. A strong, legit tenor voice is desirable but not a deal breaker.
- Saunders
- Age Range: 50s to 60s
- Description: An authoritarian, high-strung, and fiercely pragmatic businessman on the verge of a nervous breakdown.
- Maggie
- Age Range: 20s to early 30s
- Description: A sweet, bright, and slightly naïve ingénue.
- Maria
- Suggested Age Range: 30s to 50s
- Description: A fiercely proud, explosive, and deeply passionate wife.
- Diana
- Suggested Age Range: 30s to 40s
- Description: An ambitious prima donna soprano.
- Julia
- Suggested Age Range: 60s to 70s
- Description: The grand dame of Cleveland society.
- The Bellhop
- Suggested Age Range: Any age
- Description: A cynical, hyperactive star-worshipper.
The Lion in Winter
Auditions for The Lion in Winter
by James Goldman
AUDITIONS: July 26 & 27
- Director: Don Bernardo
- Asst. Director: Greta Rothman
Summary
Sibling rivalry, adultery, and dungeons – The Lion in Winter, by James Goldman, is a modern-day classic.
Comedic in tone, dramatic in action – the play tells the story of the Plantagenet family, who are locked
in a free-for-all of competing ambitions to inherit a kingdom. The queen, and wealthiest woman in the
world, Eleanor of Aquitaine, has been kept in prison since raising an army against her husband, King
Henry II. Let out only for holidays, the play centers around the inner conflicts of the royal family as they
fight over both a kingdom and King Henry’s paramour during the Christmas of 1183. As Eleanor says,
“Every family has its ups and downs,” and this royal family is no exception.
This is a great small-ensemble show, with many plot twists and turns – almost a “medieval murder
mystery” without the “murder.”
This intimate production will be presented in CVLT’s River Street Playhouse, a 50-60 seat “black box”
theatre adjacent to Chagrin Valley Little Theatre.
History
The Lion in Winter premiered at the Ambassador Theatre in New York City on March 3, 1966. Directed
by Noel Willman, the production featured Dennis Cooney, Suzanne Grossman, Rosemary Harris, Robert
Preston, James Rado, Bruce Scott and Christopher Walken. A revival premiered at Criterion Center Stage
Right on March 11, 1999. Directed by Michael Mayer, this production starred Laurence Fishburne as
Henry II and Stockard Channing as Eleanor, who would win a Tony Award for her portrayal.
Audition Dates and Location
- Sunday, July 26, 7pm to 10pm
- Monday, July 27, 7pm to 10pm
- CVLT Main Stage, 40 River Street Chagrin Falls
- Please note that video auditions are not being accepted for this production.
Production Dates
- First Read-Through: Sunday, September 13
- Rehearsals: Sunday thru Thursday evenings (generally 7pm to 9:30) starting Sunday, September
13 - Performances: Friday, October 30, 7:30pm
- Sunday, November 1, 2pm (note: no Sat. performance first week)
- Friday, November 6, 7:30pm
- Saturday, November 7, 7:30pm
- Sunday, November 8, 2pm closing matinee
Audition Requirements
No preparation necessary. Audition will consist of cold readings from the script.
Casting Information – Available Roles
The play is set in a fictional Christmas court of Henry II, King of England, at his castle in Chinon (France)
in 1183.
Casting 1 woman and four men.
Please note that the roles of HENRY and ELEANOR have already been cast.
- Alais Capet
Female, Age Range: can play 20-30 (the character as written is 23)
The sister of Philip Capet, Alais is of the royal blood of France and would thus, through a
contracted marriage with Richard, ally the two strong countries of France and England. She was
raised as a child by Eleanor, and is the mistress of Henry. She is no less a pawn in the
machinations of Henry and Eleanor than are their sons. - John
Male, Age Range: can play 16-20
The youngest of the three sons of Henry and Eleanor, John is described as pimply and an
immature boy. He is, however, his father’s choice for the crown, and he uses this knowledge in
taunting his two brothers. - Geoffrey
Male, Age Range: 20-30
The middle son of Henry and Eleanor, Geoffrey has no one fighting for his right to any throne,
and he usually accepts his fate, but his does rankle him that he usually is not considered—in any
matters of the heart or family. He is described as the most cerebral of the three boys. - Richard
Male, Age Range: can play 25-35
The oldest of the three sons of Henry and Eleanor, Richard in later life becomes known as Richard
the Lion Heart. He is his mother’s choice for the next king, and is the best warrior of the three
sons. He expects to inherit the crown from the aging Henry, who has not yet declared his heir.
This provides one of the central conflicts of he play. - Philip Capet
Male, Age Range 20-35
The king of France, Philip is the brother of Alais. He is young, but has already become a strong
monarch, although no match for Henry. His desire is to marry Alais to Richard and have Richard
crowned king, thus cementing a relationship between the two countries.
Questions: Please email the director at donbernardo@sbcglobal.net
Deathtrap
Auditions for Deathtrap
by Ira Levin
Directed by Chris Bizub
AUDITIONS:
Sunday, October 11th from 7:00pm to 10:00pm
Monday, October 12th from 7:00pm to 10:00pm
CALLBACKS:
Callbacks will be Wednesday, October 14th from 7:00 PM to 10:00 PM
PERFORMANCES:
January 22nd, 2027 – February 7th, 2027
Fridays & Saturdays at 7:30 PM
Sundays at 2:00 PM
REHEARSALS:
Rehearsals will take place Sundays thru Thursday from 7:00pm to 10:00pm. Rehearsals begin November 15th.
CLICK HERE TO SIGN UP FOR A GROUP AUDITION SLOT
WHAT TO PREPARE:
- Actors should bring a headshot or recent picture, and resume (if you have one)
- A list of conflicts from November 15th to February 7th
- Auditions will consist of readings from the script
SYNOPSIS:
In Ira Levin’s classic comedic thriller, Deathtrap, a washed-up playwright finds a chance to rise to the top once more, a shot he’d be willing to kill for. Sidney Bruhl hasn’t written a hit play for 18 years when he receives a script from a former student, Clifford Anderson, that’s a guaranteed success. His wife, Myra, suggests the two men could collaborate; Sidney jokes that it’d be just as easy to murder the young man and steal the script for his own. When Clifford arrives later that evening, no one–not even the visiting psychic–could predict where the dark events of the night will go.
Roles:
Any age, race, ethnicity, national origin, gender, body type, abilities, or other identities are encouraged to audition and will be considered equally in character casting, unless directly specified by the playwright as integral to their story. Age/age ranges, genders, and descriptions, if listed, are recommendations by the script but are flexible to interpretation. No roles for this production have been precast unless otherwise stated in marketing announcements regarding the auditions.
- SIDNEY BRUHL (Male Presenting. Mid 40s-60s) – A once acclaimed author fallen victim to a recent creative drought. He’s usually the smartest and most charming one in the room and wants to make sure everyone else in the room knows it. Sidney is extremely ambitious and will do almost anything to get what he wants, no matter who might be in his way.
- CLIFFORD ANDERSON (Male Presenting. 20s-30s) – An attractive and talented young writer with a bright future ahead of him. He’s usually the smartest and most charming one in the room but is fine with biding his time to let people find that out. He is extremely clever and can easily slip on fronts of innocence and naivety that belies some of his darker ambitions.
- MYRA BRUHL (Female Presenting. Mid 40s to 60s) – Sidney’s loving and supportive wife. She is a kind and calming presence during some of Sidney’s stormier moods. Her soft exterior will give way to a much firmer attitude when she needs to get Sidney off of some of his more unhealthy notions.
- HELGA TEN DORP (Female Presenting. 30+. Has a Dutch accent.*) – Celebrity Psychic who loves every minute of her fame. She is free spirited, and not easily intimidated. *Actors auditioning for Helga are encouraged to attempt her accent in their audition, but are not required to if not comfortable.*
- PORTER MILGRIM ( Male Presenting. 30+.) Sidney’s friend and attorney. Very sharp and observant of his surroundings. Isn’t sure he trusts Clifford.
If you have any questions or would like to audition for this production, but are unable to attend regular auditions, please contact the director at bizchris85@gmail.com feel free to reach out with any questions you may have regarding the production.