Winter 2026 AUDITIONS
Hello! Welcome to the Northwestern Audition Website. This will be your home for all Wirtz audition information.
Thank you to everyone who auditioned for Winter productions! Cast Lists can be viewed here:
Interested in being an understudy? Please fill out this form by Monday, 11/3 at 12pm:
Wirtz Winter Auditions Timeline:
- Audition Coaching: 10/13 at 6PM in WTZ 225
- Audition Materials/ Virtual Audition Submission Due: 10/17 at 11:59pm CST
- Dance Call: 10/17
- In-Person Auditions: 10/18 – 10/19
- Callback Lists: 10/21
- Callbacks: 10/22 – 10/29
- Withdrawal Deadline: 10/30 at 8PM CST
- Conferrals & Cast Lists: 10/31
- Understudy Callbacks: 11/3-11/6
More instructions are below and should answer your questions – but if they don’t, please don’t hesitate to contact:
Gianna Carter, Production Coordinator (gianna.carter@northwestern.edu)
Break legs!
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Please familiarize yourself with the various casting policies at the Wirtz Center. Especially, the Withdrawal, Double-Casting, and Actor Conflict policies. View them here:
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PRODUCTION INFO SHEETS:
Plays
By Bertolt Brecht
Translated by Alistair Beaton
Directed by Hamid Dehghaani
Josephine Louis Theater
February 5 –8
*Casting from both the Play and Musical room- meaning if monologues are not your expertise, you can sing and still be considered, and vice versa.
By Robert Askins
Directed by Jamel Booth
Hal & Martha Hyer Wallis Theater
January 30 – February 1
IMAGINE U: Imagine That! / Splish Splash
Co-Created by Ellie Levine and Jamal Howard
Co-Directed by Ellie Levine and Jamal Howard
Hal & Martha Hyer Wallis Theater
March 7 – 15
Musicals
HOW TO SUCCEED IN BUSINESS WITHOUT REALLY TRYING
Book by Abe Burrows, Jack Weinstock, and Willie Gilbert
Music and Lyrics by Frank Loesser
Directed by Christopher Michael Richardson
Ethel M. Barber Theater
February 20 – March 1
[AMTP] YADDA YADDA YADDA: The Lyrics of Cheryl Coons
Music and Lyrics by Cheryl Coons
Directed by Rob Lindley
Wirtz Center Chicago
February 6 – 8
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OPEN DANCE CALL
We are inviting all students to participate in the optional dance call for Winter 2025 productions! The Dance Call will be at the Wirtz Center in The WTZ Ballroom on Friday, October 17th from 5:00pm-9:00pm. This is just another way for students who may have strengths in other areas to showcase those skills when auditioning. We strongly encourage students of any major and experience level to audition for our shows!
The dance call will be broken into 4 sessions from 5:00-9:00pm.
15 students will be admitted to the room each hour. Christopher Michael Richardson and Chrissy Martin (director and choreographer of How to Succeed) will teach a sequence of movement and explore movement ideas for the show with a nod to musicality.
Please sign up for a session between 5:00-9:00pm HERE
Participating productions: How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying
*Note that Dance Call may be recorded for casting purposes!
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Drop-In Audition Coaching
on October 13th from 6:00pm – 7:30pm
in Wirtz 225
Want a place to build confidence for your next audition?
Looking to work a new song or monologue?
Just looking for a low-stress environment to try auditioning?
3rd year MFA Director Christopher Richardson will be leading a coaching session on: audition techniques for actors, demystifying the audition process, and working monologues and songs in an open room audition format.
Come to work your material or just to learn new tools to shine in the room!
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CASTING POLICIES
Want to read up on Policies related to Wirtz Casting?? View them HERE
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**The Wirtz Center is strongly committed to diversity. We believe that the growth and vitality of theatre is dependent upon the inclusion of many voices. We urge all directors to challenge preconceived notions of casting, and we encourage people of all ages, ethnicities, colors, cultures, genders, sexual orientations, and physical abilities to audition for all productions.**
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UNDERSTUDY INFORMATION
In the interest of transparency, we can offer this information on expectations for understudies and the support they will be offered. Info sheets will also list understudy guidelines.
- Required Attendances:
- 1st Rehearsal
- Stumble-through
- Designer run
- All Technical Rehearsals
- Any rehearsals when the intimacy director is present, unless the specified role is not included in the rehearsing scene
- Additional put-in rehearsals as needed
- During rehearsals or tech, understudies may be called to step into their role as an understudy due to illness or emergency.
- For performances, understudies must be available by phone two hours before curtain until the show begins, and be within 20 minutes travel time from the theater. Understudies will not be put-in after a performance begins.
- Understudies are encouraged and able to attend as many rehearsals as possible. In the professional world, understudies attend as many rehearsals as necessary to prepare. Understudies are invited to all rehearsals, design/dramaturgy presentations, and meet and greets.
For more information on understudying at Northwestern, please see the “What is an Understudy?” document.
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Helpful Tips for Writing Your Biography:
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Please be aware that in seeking permission from Northwestern University to participate in a Wirtz Center Production you will be waiving all claims for injuries you might sustain arising out of your participation. Upon being cast in a production, you will be asked to sign a LIABILITY WAIVER AND RELEASE FORM before you may participate in the production. Please understand that participation as an actor or performer in any Wirtz production is entirely voluntary and at your own discretion and judgement.
The full text of the WAIVER is available HERE.
Resource for Non-Binary Actors seeking out good audition monologues: Non-Binary Monologues
Also consider visiting the Kilroy List, a survey of excellent new plays by women, trans, and non-binary playwrights.
Have questions?
Contact Wirtz Production Coordinator, Gianna Carter at gianna.carter@northwestern.edu