Auditions – One Act Plays

Synopsis: Three historians, one history – or so you would think. But when it comes to the Ancient Romans, historical accuracy suffers at the hands of propaganda, gossip and rumour. ‘150 Years of Roman History in 30 Minutes’ is a humourous retelling of Ancient Roman political history starting with the reign of Caesar in 46BC and ending with Domitians’s reign up until 96AD. Will the historian’s be able to agree on anything? And most importantly, will they be able to entertain the restless guests of a Roman dinner party with their stories?

Character Requirements: There are 19 characters in total, however with the possibility of double-casting several characters, we will likely work with a cast of 9 actors. Despite most of these characters being male in canonical history, we will take creative liberties (much like the Romans did with their own histories) with the gender of characters. Actors of all ages, gender identity, and experience level are encouraged to audition! The only essentials are a good sense of humour and enthusiasm.

Cast:

Suetonius: An ancient historian who loves gossip and telling (slightly) fictionalised versions of real events

Cassius Dio: An ancient historian who shares Suetonius’ energetic temperament, but with slightly more restraint. Cares deeply about the reputation of historians in the eyes of other Romans. Wants to be admired

Tacitus: An ancient historian who is incredibly matter-of-fact. He is a traditionalist and a conservative who lacks a sense of humour

Man: Unnamed man who is hosting the party. A wealthy patricician who wants his party to go well

Caesar: The first emperor of Rome. Incredibly cocky and selfish (which resulted in his assassination)

Octavian: The second emperor of Rome. One of Rome’s most successful and peaceful rulers.

Tiberius: The third emperor of Rome. A competent emperor, but is mostly just a normal guy who is not really known for doing anything.

Caligula: The fourth emperor of Rome. Crazy and arrogant ruler who had a close relationship with his horse.

Horse: Caligula’s horse. He is a horse.

Claudius: The fifth emperor of Rome. No scandals and was considered to be a good ruler. Dignified

Nero: The sixth emperor of Rome. Unhinged and psychopathic. Might have single handedly set fire to Rome.

Woman: Unnamed pregnant woman who gives birth in the audience

Galba: The seventh emperor of Rome and the first emperor in the Year of the Four Emperors. Considered to be a weak ruler. Needs basic singing skills.

Otho: The eighth emperor of Rome and the second emperor in the Year of the Four Emperors. Jealous of Galba. Needs basic singing skills.

Vitellius: The ninth emperor of Rome and the third emperor in the Year of the Four Emperors. Lazy and indulgent. Needs basic singing skills.

Vespasian: The tenth emperor of Rome and the fourth emperor of the Year of the Four Emperors. A strong military general. Needs basic singing skills.

Jospehus: An ancient historian who wrote incredibly unhinged recounts of the Jewish War. Goofy and high-energy.

Titus: The eleventh emperor of Rome. Vespasian’s attractive but dim-witted son.

Domitian: The twelfth emperor of Rome. Vespasian’s unpopular son, who is hateful of his brother Titus.