Seoul Shakespeare Company to hold auditions for 'Romeo and Juliet'

Actors rehearse for a production of Seoul Shakespeare Company's "A Midsummer Night's Dream" staged earlier this year, April 12. Courtesy of Seoul Shakespeare Company

"O Romeo, Romeo, wherefore art thou Romeo?"

This question will be answered in a couple of weeks, as Seoul Shakespeare Company (SSC) is looking for its next Romeo, as well as selecting a full cast for its upcoming production of Shakespeare's signature play, "Romeo and Juliet."

"We are currently looking for actors of all types but especially those with experience in Shakespeare, of course, and also those who have a background in movement and stage combat," Jason Lane Cutler, managing director of SSC and also director of the upcoming production, told The Korea Times.

He added that this production of the play, originally set in 16th-century Italy, will be set in the present day.

"Two rival families in Verona with a long feud come to blows as two desperate young lovers, representatives of the families, take drastic steps to make the changes that their parents cannot," Cutler said. "It's ultimately a heavy play, true, but it's also an incredibly funny comedy for most of its running length."

SSC will hold the first round of auditions on Nov. 30 and Dec. 1 at Studio Daily in southern Seoul near Sinnonhyeon Station on Line 9 and the Shinbundang Line.

Prospective actors are not required to memorize and recite monologues but should familiarize themselves with the audition sides provided on the SSC website. Auditions will be held in groups, and actors will be evaluated based on "how well they work together with other actors along with how well they can create magic in the moment."

After the first round, SSC will hold callbacks on Dec. 8.

The play will be staged at Yeonhee Art Theatre near Yonsei University over three weekends from mid-May to early June next year.

SSC is a not-for-profit theater company dedicated to bringing Shakespeare’s plays to the stage. Past productions include "A Midsummer Night's Dream," "Measure for Measure" (2023) and "King Lear" (2019).

Visit seoulshakespearecompany.org for more information and to pick an audition time slot.