Auditions

Audition Date & Time:
10:00 am Saturday September 19, 2026

Location:
Old Academy Players

3544 Indian Queen Lane
Philadelphia PA 19129

Audition Requirements 

Synopsis: After losing her college teaching job, Bari returns home depressed and nihilistic. Strange headaches bring on ecstatic experiences that make her feel alive and in love, until she learns they are killing her. She must choose between a short, joyful life or a longer, miserable one.

Roles:

*All roles are non-union, non-paying*

Bari — (40’s‑60’s). A depressed nihilistic misanthrope who undergoes a radical transformation. The leading role.

Patty Cooper — (40’s‑60’s) Loud and controlling and good hearted. Has never left her hometown of East Cooperville

Luanne Cooper — (20) Luann’s niece. Very simple and sweet. Hungry for joy and meaning.

Mike Cooper — (40’s‑60’s). Patty’s cousin. Mike makes beautiful art out of garbage — that’s who he is. He has a crow.

Performance Dates:

Rehearsal Dates:
Monday and Thursday evenings at 7:30 pm, and Sunday afternoons at 2 pm, starting mid October.

If cast, you will also be required to:

• • Attend the Club Night preview performance of the fall Musical TBD on November 4, at 7:30 pm.
  • Assist hospitality for one performance of Musical TBD
  • Assist with Set & Tech Strike/Build on Sunday November 22 at 4:30pm and Monday November 23 at 6 pm.
  • Assist with Set and Tech Strike/Build on Sunday January 24 at 4:30 pm.
  • If you have performed with OAP before, you are required to become a member or renew membership if it has expired: https://oldacademyplayers.org/membership/

* Contact Information
Director Jane Jennings, janejenn@comcast.net

Audition Notice — BUG

Old Academy Players is pleased to announce the audition date for its 2027 production of BUG by Tracy Letts. BUG will be performed at the Old Academy Players theater located at 3544 Indian Queen Lane, Philadelphia, PA from April 16^th, 2027 through May 2^nd, 2027. The play is directed by Josh Tull (Recent: The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Nighttime, Carrie, Newsies, Songs for a New World), and produced by Hannah Leifheit (Recent: The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Nighttime, Carrie, Cue).

Audition Date & Time: November 21^st, 2026 at 10:00 a.m.
(In the event of inclement weather, auditions will be held on December 5^th, 2026 at 10:00 a.m.) Note: Auditions will be seen on a first come-first serve basis in the order in which individuals arrive. If you would like to audition, you must arrive and check-in no later than 12:30 p.m.

Callbacks: Issued by invitation only. 

*All roles are non-union, non-paying*

Location of Auditions and Callbacks: Old Academy Players located at 3544 Indian Queen Lane, Philadelphia, PA. There is free parking onsite, located behind the theater.

Audition Requirements:

• Audition in person onsite, on the listed date and time (NO VIDEO AUDITIONS WILL BE ACCEPTED)
• Prepare a monologue in the spirit of the play (you MAY use a selection from BUG)
  • Some individuals may be asked to cold read sides from the show and/or scenes with other auditionees, actors or actresses
• Bring an UP TO DATE headshot (the photo will not be returned)
• Bring your theatrical resume
• A list of any conflicts with the rehearsal schedule (see below). 
  • Please be aware, due to the demands of this show, conflicts may not be accepted. If cast, you will be expected to be available for all rehearsals. Specific character call dates will be provided after the show has been cast. Not all roles will be called to every rehearsal.
• If you have performed with OAP before, you are required to become a member or renew membership if it has expired: https://oldacademyplayers.org/membership/

Rehearsals: All rehearsals will take place onsite at Old Academy Players. Rehearsals will begin with an in-person table read at 6:30 p.m. on Monday February 1^st, 2027. A full rehearsal schedule can be found here: BUG Rehearsal Schedule

Note: If cast — please be prepared to be off book by the first rehearsal.

Performance Dates: April 16^th, 2027 — May 2^nd, 2027 (Fridays and Saturdays at 8:00 p.m., Sundays at 2:00 p.m.)

Play Information: Obie award winning and Drama League nominated play BUG follows Agnes, a divorced waitress with a fondness for cocaine and isolation, and Peter, a soft-spoken Gulf War drifter. The two meet in a seedy motel room in Oklahoma City. Agnes stays at a hotel in hopes of avoiding her physically abusive ex-husband, Jerry, who was just released from prison. She lets Peter sleep platonically on her floor, but not long after she promotes him to the bed. Matters become more complicated as Jerry returns, expecting to resume their relationship. On top of that, there‘s a hidden bug infestation problem that has both Agnes and Peter dealing with scathing welts and festering sores – which has Peter believing this is the result of experiments conducted on him during his stay at an army hospital. Their fears soon escalate to paranoia, conspiracy theories and twisted psychological motives.

Dialect: Here’s a link to a video of Oklahoma residents speaking for audition dialect guidance.

Characters:
*All roles are non-union, non-paying* ‑mics will not be used for this production.

Peter Evans (Male, 25–55): A soft-spoken, mysterious drifter and Gulf War veteran who may be AWOL. He is paranoid, believing he is a victim of government experiments, and spreads this obsession to Agnes. The individual playing this role must be comfortable with not wearing a shirt and performing in underwear/boxers. Preference will be given to men of color for this role.

R.C. (RONNIE) (Female, 25–55): Agnes’s lesbian friend who works as a biker and introduces Peter to Agnes, later regretting her involvement.

Dr. Sweet (Any Gender, 32–65): A military medical consultant who appears towards the end of the play, claiming to look for Peter, blurring the lines between reality and delusion.

Please note, the Roles of Agnes White and Jerry Goss have already been cast. This is an open call only for the roles listed above.

Contact: Director, Josh Tull (josht@oldacademyplayers.org)