Updated September 14, 2026
SOMETHING ROTTEN Casting Call
Wavestage Theatre Company is delighted to announce its 30th Season production of Something Rotten!
Wavestage is assembling a fearless, funny cast ready to tear into the biggest musical-comedy romp of the Renaissance. Get ready for big characters, huge musical numbers, outrageous comedy and spectacular singing and dancing.
We are looking for a dynamic and diverse cast of singers, actors and dancers to bring this hilarious musical comedy to life.
Something Rotten! is packed with opportunities throughout the production From Shakespeare and soothsayers to Puritans, playwrights, performers and tap-dancing Renaissance citizens, there is plenty for every type of talent to sink their teeth into. If you love big Broadway comedy, great music, bold characters and the excitement of creating theatre we would love to see you at auditions. Big comedy. Big music. Big opportunities.
Wavestage is committed to diverse, inclusive casting. All roles are non-equity, and non-paying.
BOOK BY KAREY KIRKPATRICK & JOHN O'FARRELL
MUSIC AND LYRICS BY WAYNE KIRKPATRICK & KAREY KIRKPATRICK
Conceived by Karey Kirkpatrick and Wayne Kirkpatrick
Something Rotten! is presented through special arrangement with Music Theatre International All authorized performance materials are also supplied by MTI
Directors - Caileigh Lavery and Sarah Langford
Music Director - Mark Camilleri
Choreographers - Caileigh Lavery and Emilia Ballester Diaz
Tap and Assistant Choreographer - Émilie Brunelle
Media & Lighting Design - Caileigh Lavery
—
Accepting Creative Team Applications for Stage Manager, Assistant Stage Manager, Production Assistant and other positions.
TECH WEEK: April 4-11, 2027
SHOW DATES: April 8-11, 2027
NewRoads Performing Arts Centre
REHEARSAL DETAILS
REHEARSAL LOCATION: Rehearsals are held in Toronto at Mt. Pleasant and Eglinton. On occasion we rehearse dance scenes at an alternate studios in Toronto (Metro Movement and Railpath Arts) . Full rehearsal information and times are located below.
Please note all dates for eligibility. Rehearsals will be broken down by scene and actors will only be required to attend when their scene is being rehearsed. NOTE: Rehearsals are mandatory - any NA must be agreed to in the contract and audition period.
REHEARSAL DATES:
WEDNESDAYS: December 9, 2026, then January 6, 13, 20, 27, February 3, 10, 17, 24, March 3, 10, 17, 24 and 31, 2027 (Wednesdays 5:30–10pm)
SUNDAYS: January 10, 17, 24, 31, February 7, 14, 21, 28, March 7, 14 and 21, 2027 (Sundays 5–10pm)
Sunday, January 10, 2027 is a mandatory TABLE READ for all cast.
There is no Sunday rehearsal on March 28, 2027 (Easter Sunday). The final rehearsals are the Wednesdays of March 24 and March 31, 2027.
PERFORMANCE DETAILS
Performers without vehicles will be assigned carpools for the show week where available.
SHOW WEEK SCHEDULE
All call times in show week are mandatory.
SUNDAY APRIL 4: TECH LOAD IN, all cast required. This is an all-cast assist at the theatre, 5–6 hours, times TBD.
MONDAY APRIL 5: 10:30am–10:30pm, all cast
TUESDAY APRIL 6: 10:30am–10:30pm, Cue to Cue, all cast
WEDNESDAY APRIL 7: 4–10:30pm Dress Rehearsal (staff 3pm), all cast
THURSDAY APRIL 8: OPENING NIGHT, call 4pm, performance 7pm
FRIDAY APRIL 9: call 4:30pm, performance 7pm
SATURDAY APRIL 10: call 4:30pm, performance 7pm
SUNDAY APRIL 11: call 11am, final show 1pm. All cast are required to assist with the LOAD OUT STRIKE until 6pm
Other cast requirements: All cast pay a nominal costume fee.
SCROLL DOWN FOR AVAILABLE ROLES
HOW TO SUBMIT YOUR AUDITION - Due October 14, 2026
SINGERS:
Please make a self-tape with ONE song that best reflects your talents, preferably in a style suitable for this production. Songs should be cut and under 2 minutes. Show off your voice. Please state your name at the beginning of your video. Upload video to YouTube as an UNLISTED, not private, video (please check visibility permissions to confirm) OR upload as a Google Drive file and ensure permissions are "anyone with link can view".
Create a Google Drive folder with your recent headshot (as .jpg, not .pdf), resume and dance reel if you have one. Set your folder permissions to "anyone with link can view".
Fill out the audition form below and include the link to your materials.
DANCERS:
There are positions for tap dancers whose expertise is dance and not singing. Create a Google Drive folder with your recent headshot (as .jpg, not .pdf), resume and dance reel (incl. tap). Set your folder permissions to "anyone with link can view".
Fill out the audition form below and include the url link to your materials.
AUDITION DANCE CALLBACK: SUNDAY OCTOBER 18 for those invited. Tap experience is a strong asset for this production.
Role Descriptions
We will be casting a large and diverse ensemble of performers and are seeking strong singers, actors, and dancers to portray a wide range of Renaissance characters. Several roles are written gender-flexible and are open to all performers.
Principal Roles
William Shakespeare – Playing age 30-45 Vocal range: rock tenor or high baritone. The Bard as arena rock star: swaggering, insecure, and hilarious. Must move well and command the stage. Excellent soloist required.
Nick Bottom – Playing age 30-45 Vocal range: baritone. A leading role requiring a strong singer with relentless comic drive. An ambitious, hot-headed playwright desperate to out-write Shakespeare, who bets everything on staging the world's first musical. Big comedy, sharp text, and a real emotional turn opposite Bea.
Nigel Bottom – Playing age 20-30 Vocal range: tenor. Nick's shy, gifted younger brother and the true poet of the pair. Sweet, earnest and easily overwhelmed. Requires a beautiful legit/contemporary tenor and a soaring soloist.
Beatrice "Bea" Bottom – Playing age 30-45 Vocal range: mezzo with a strong belt. Nick's fiercely loyal, forward-thinking wife who refuses to sit quietly at home. Warm, funny, and unstoppable. A role for a confident comedic actor with a powerhouse voice.
Portia – Playing age 20-30 Vocal range: soprano. A sheltered Puritan girl secretly in love with poetry and with Nigel. Sings duets with Nigel. Sincere, funny, and lovely of voice.
Brother Jeremiah – Playing age 50+ Vocal range: tenor/baritone character voice. Portia's fire-and-brimstone Puritan father, whose every sermon betrays him. A role for a fearless character actor with impeccable comedic timing. Playing age 50 plus.
Thomas Nostradamus – Playing age 50+ Vocal range: baritone. The nephew of the famous seer: a slightly unreliable soothsayer with a huge featured spot in "A Musical." Must move well. Playing age 50 plus.
Shylock – Playing age 50+ A character acting role for an endearing, funny person. An eager Jewish moneylender who desperately wants to be a producer. Playing age 50 plus.
Lady Clapham – Playing age 50+ A wealthy, posh and flamboyant patron of the arts.
Minstrel – Any Age -A confident singer and excellent soloist with a strong presence. Opens the show as our narrator/troubadour with "Welcome to the Renaissance."
The Troupe
The troupe are onstage throughout as Nick's ragtag company of actors. Strong comedic actors who sing and move well. Playing age - 20-50.
Robin
Peter Quince
Francis Flute
Tom Snout
Snug
Featured Roles & Soloists
These are featured character and solo moments cast from within the ensemble. Performers may be assigned more than one:
Helena
Rosalind
Miranda Clerk
Announcer
Messenger
Doorman
Valet
Foreman
Astrologer
Psychic Woman
Chef 1
Chef 2
Chef 3
Sad Little Egg
Eyepatch Person
Woman in Crowd
Man in Crowd
Waitress
Shakespeare’s Valet
Horatio
Footman
DANCE ENSEMBLE ROLES
Tap Ensemble – We seek eight skilled tap dancers who also move in other dance forms. This is the heaviest dance track in the show, featured throughout. Age 14-40.
SINGING ENSEMBLE
The adult singing/acting ensemble is a crucial part of this production with many duets, solos and quartets. They will perform in multiple roles, including:
London Townspeople
Puritans
Renaissance Writers
Shakespeare Groupies / Bard Backup Singers & Dancers
Gallery / People in Court
Servants
New World Troupe
Tappers / Grim Reapers
Please be reminded to double-check all dates listed above.
Ethno-Cultural Mandate:
Wavestage encourages submissions from all qualified performers, and prides itself on having an environment of equity, inclusion, and diversity. Artists from under-represented communities are encouraged to apply for auditions without regard to age, disability, ethno-cultural identity, gender or any other basis prohibited by law. All artists are invited to remove measurements and physical features from the resume.
Applying artists should be aware that Wavestage also does not tolerate any form of harassment of its employees, clients, volunteers, or any persons visiting or spending time on its premises.
TIME COMMITMENT:
Taking part in a Wavestage production is not a light commitment. Please take the time to fully assess whether or not you are able to make that commitment before you audition. It is imperative to the success of this production that everyone involved is able to give it their full attention and time. That said, if you do audition and are cast, the artistic team promises that your time will not be wasted. We will do the utmost to make sure we maximize rehearsals and that the rehearsal process and the performances will be artistically challenging and enjoyable.
Please also familiarize yourself with the calibre of our productions by visiting our YouTube channel.