Announcing Auditions for LONJ’s upcoming production of The Pirates of Penzance
Director, Music Director and Choreographer to be announced
Show Dates: July 12th at 2:30 PM & 7:30 PM, and July 13th at 2:30 PM, 2025
with a possible open dress rehearsal or preview show on July 11th at 7:30 PM
Location: Sieminski Theater, 8000 Fellowship Road, Basking Ridge, NJ
Rehearsals: Basking Ridge, NJ starting June 8, 2025
Registration Deadline: March 31, 2025 (live), April 8, 2025 (virtual)
Preliminary Auditions: April 4 and 11, 6 PM to 10 PM in Basking Ridge, NJ (live)
Callback Auditions: April 12, 1 PM to 5 PM in Basking Ridge, NJ
- Registrations for auditions are now open.
- Exact locations for auditions will be emailed to you after you register.
- If you will be unable to attend our callback auditions in person on April 12 between 1 PM and 5 PM, please do not register for a preliminary audition.
- All roles paid. Stipends to cast members vary by role and other factors; the actual amount will be determined when a specific role is offered.
- We do not provide housing.
- Link to Tentative Overall Rehearsal Schedule (required attendance times for individuals will vary)
- If you have any questions, first check our performer FAQs. If you still have any questions, please contact john.lamb@lonj.org
Click here to register.
In-person Preliminary Auditions: Please prepare two contrasting 16-bar cuts in the style of the show (you are encouraged to choose a song from the show. Bring suitable sheet music for the accompanist. We will provide an accompanist, or you may bring your own. You may be asked to stay and read. There will be no dance call at the preliminary auditions.
Virtual Preliminary Auditions: Please provide a link to a video of you performing two contrasting 16-bar cuts in the style of the show (you are encouraged to choose a song from the show.)
Callback Auditions: We will contact those who are being invited to the Callback round to arrange an audition time. Callback auditions will be held in Basking Ridge, NJ on April 12 from 1 PM to 5 PM. Callbacks will be in-person only, not virtual. Callbacks may include a dance/mover call.
Notes: All character ages are “stage ages”- the age the actor appears on stage. These character descriptions reflect initial thoughts and are not set in stone. When the show is cast, further character work will be developed with the actor’s input.
The Pirates of Penzance Character Breakdown
Actors are encouraged to sing from the show. All roles open. Seeking actors of all races for the following roles:
Mabel – the female romantic lead, the sweet and innocent daughter of the Major-General. Must sing in the soprano range with excellent diction and have good comic timing. Must also be a good actor.
Frederic – the romantic lead of the show. He’s young, manly, heroic, innocent, a bit naive, but genuine and sincere. Must be well-spoken, an excellent singer, and believable as a romantic lead. Frederic should get lots of laughs because he’s 100% sincere and honorable in a situation that is completely ridiculous.
Pirate King – Swashbuckling pirate type. Needs to be a good mover, strong singer and actor, with good comic timing. This character needs to be big, bold, and take command of the stage whenever he is onstage.
Ruth – Frederic’s nursemaid who later becomes one of the pirates. She’s an older woman who has tricked Frederic into thinking she is a great beauty. This role requires excellent comic timing, an ability to be energetic and larger-than-life onstage, and great singing. Ruth is a comically older and plain woman and this is played for laughs several times throughout the show.
Major-General Stanley – Father of Mabel and her sisters, and an upper-class (but quirky) military man. Must be able to convey a high-class, fastidious, pretentious type. Most importantly, this actor must have a good sense of rhythm and articulation for his featured song, which is delivered with rapid-fire precision.
Sergeant of Police – the leader of the band of scaredy-cat police who are pretending to be brave. Bumbling and over-the-top, this actor need to be good mover and singer.
Edith – One of Major-General Stanley’s daughters. Bookish and studious. Needs to be a good singer, and actor. Has some solo singing.
Kate – One of Major-General Stanley’s daughters. Needs to be a good singer, and actor. Has some solo singing.
Samuel – The Pirate King’s right-hand man and ship accountant. Bookish and fussy. Must be a good character actor, and singer. Has some featured solos.
Isabel – One of Major-General Stanley’s daughters. Needs to be a good singer, and actor. Has some solo singing.
Daughters of Major-General Stanley – These actors should be good singers. Each daughter should have some individuality that will distinguish her from the others, so will develop her own character in conjunction with the director that she can portray and sustain throughout the show. Some of these daughters may have featured solos.
Police Chorus – A band of bumbling, comic policemen who are trying to appear brave in the face of danger, even though they are a bunch of scaredy-cats. These actors should be good movers and singers. The police have funny chase and fight scenes. Will double as pirates in Act I. Some may have featured solos.
Pirate Chorus – A band of over-the-top rascally pirates who are eager to serve their Pirate King. Should be good singers, and actors. The pirates are involved in funny chase and fight scenes and need to be good movers for the “Catlike Tread” number. Some may have featured solos.
Mabel – the female romantic lead, the sweet and innocent daughter of the Major-General. Must sing in the soprano range with excellent diction and have good comic timing. Must also be a good actor.
Frederic – the romantic lead of the show. He’s young, manly, heroic, innocent, a bit naive, but genuine and sincere. Must be well-spoken, an excellent singer, and believable as a romantic lead. Frederic should get lots of laughs because he’s 100% sincere and honorable in a situation that is completely ridiculous.
Pirate King – Swashbuckling pirate type. Needs to be a good mover, strong singer and actor, with good comic timing. This character needs to be big, bold, and take command of the stage whenever he is onstage.
Ruth – Frederic’s nursemaid who later becomes one of the pirates. She’s an older woman who has tricked Frederic into thinking she is a great beauty. This role requires excellent comic timing, an ability to be energetic and larger-than-life onstage, and great singing. Ruth is a comically older and plain woman and this is played for laughs several times throughout the show.
Major-General Stanley – Father of Mabel and her sisters, and an upper-class (but quirky) military man. Must be able to convey a high-class, fastidious, pretentious type. Most importantly, this actor must have a good sense of rhythm and articulation for his featured song, which is delivered with rapid-fire precision.
Sergeant of Police – the leader of the band of scaredy-cat police who are pretending to be brave. Bumbling and over-the-top, this actor need to be good mover and singer.
Edith – One of Major-General Stanley’s daughters. Bookish and studious. Needs to be a good singer, and actor. Has some solo singing.
Kate – One of Major-General Stanley’s daughters. Needs to be a good singer, and actor. Has some solo singing.
Samuel – The Pirate King’s right-hand man and ship accountant. Bookish and fussy. Must be a good character actor, and singer. Has some featured solos.
Isabel – One of Major-General Stanley’s daughters. Needs to be a good singer, and actor. Has some solo singing.
Daughters of Major-General Stanley – These actors should be good singers. Each daughter should have some individuality that will distinguish her from the others, so will develop her own character in conjunction with the director that she can portray and sustain throughout the show. Some of these daughters may have featured solos.
Police Chorus – A band of bumbling, comic policemen who are trying to appear brave in the face of danger, even though they are a bunch of scaredy-cats. These actors should be good movers and singers. The police have funny chase and fight scenes. Will double as pirates in Act I. Some may have featured solos.
Pirate Chorus – A band of over-the-top rascally pirates who are eager to serve their Pirate King. Should be good singers, and actors. The pirates are involved in funny chase and fight scenes and need to be good movers for the “Catlike Tread” number. Some may have featured solos.
Mabel – the female romantic lead, the sweet and innocent daughter of the Major-General. Must sing in the soprano range with excellent diction and have good comic timing. Must also be a good actor.
Frederic – the romantic lead of the show. He’s young, manly, heroic, innocent, a bit naive, but genuine and sincere. Must be well-spoken, an excellent singer, and believable as a romantic lead. Frederic should get lots of laughs because he’s 100% sincere and honorable in a situation that is completely ridiculous.
Pirate King – Swashbuckling pirate type. Needs to be a good mover, strong singer and actor, with good comic timing. This character needs to be big, bold, and take command of the stage whenever he is onstage.
Ruth – Frederic’s nursemaid who later becomes one of the pirates. She’s an older woman who has tricked Frederic into thinking she is a great beauty. This role requires excellent comic timing, an ability to be energetic and larger-than-life onstage, and great singing. Ruth is a comically older and plain woman and this is played for laughs several times throughout the show.
Major-General Stanley – Father of Mabel and her sisters, and an upper-class (but quirky) military man. Must be able to convey a high-class, fastidious, pretentious type. Most importantly, this actor must have a good sense of rhythm and articulation for his featured song, which is delivered with rapid-fire precision.
Sergeant of Police – the leader of the band of scaredy-cat police who are pretending to be brave. Bumbling and over-the-top, this actor need to be good mover and singer.
Edith – One of Major-General Stanley’s daughters. Bookish and studious. Needs to be a good singer, and actor. Has some solo singing.
Kate – One of Major-General Stanley’s daughters. Needs to be a good singer, and actor. Has some solo singing.
Samuel – The Pirate King’s right-hand man and ship accountant. Bookish and fussy. Must be a good character actor, and singer. Has some featured solos.
Isabel – One of Major-General Stanley’s daughters. Needs to be a good singer, and actor. Has some solo singing.
Daughters of Major-General Stanley – These actors should be good singers. Each daughter should have some individuality that will distinguish her from the others, so will develop her own character in conjunction with the director that she can portray and sustain throughout the show. Some of these daughters may have featured solos.
Police Chorus – A band of bumbling, comic policemen who are trying to appear brave in the face of danger, even though they are a bunch of scaredy-cats. These actors should be good movers and singers. The police have funny chase and fight scenes. Will double as pirates in Act I. Some may have featured solos.
Pirate Chorus – A band of over-the-top rascally pirates who are eager to serve their Pirate King. Should be good singers, and actors. The pirates are involved in funny chase and fight scenes and need to be good movers for the “Catlike Tread” number. Some may have featured solos.