There’s a new opportunity for actors and theatre staff, of all levels of attainment, in Lee County! Donato Colucci founded the Publick Theatre in Boston in 1971; it ran for over 40 years. His free, innovative, outdoor and indoor productions of Shakespeare and other classics earned him the sobriquet “Boston’s Joe Papp” from the Boston Globe’s (later Time magazine critic) William Henry III. He is back at work, in Lehigh Acres.
Colucci has now formed the non-profit Lehigh Publick Theatre, which will also present free productions of Shakespeare and the classics. Auditions for its inaugural production, The Comedy of Errors, Shakespeare’s farce of mistaken identity featuring two sets of twins, will be held at Beautiful Savior Lutheran Church, 215 Richmond Ave. N., Wed. Sept. 11, 4-9; Fri. Sept. 13, 1:30-5:30; and Sat. Sept. 14, 10 am – 4 pm.
Colucci promises a surprise-filled show done in the style of a contemporary animated cartoon. The Shakespeare play will be presented at the outdoor stage of Veterans Park, 55 Homestead Road, Lehigh Acres, November 11-17, 19-23. The production is all-volunteer and all roles are open. Previous acting experience is preferred but not a requirement. LPT is also seeking a stage manager, costumer, light and sound techs, carpenter, social-media coordinator, and anyone else who would like to get in on the ground floor of this organization. Send resume and headshot, or email stating your interest, to donatocolucci43@gmail.com.
Immersed in Shakespeare, Colucci has maintained a website, 21st Century Shakespeare Studies (21shake.com) since 1997 and has posted 25 articles. He is also the proprietor and compiler of TheShakespeareRecords.com, a subscription database with over a thousand records, everything that can be documented about Shakespeare, his family, and theatrical associations.
The key themes of The Comedy of Errors, and future seasons, will be professionalism and FUN.
Casting: Duke Solinus: The authority figure, commanding presence. Possibly sadistic.
Character man, 35 to elderly; Egeon: Father of the twin Antipholi. Must come across as sympathetic.
Character man, 50+; Syracuse Antipholus: Thinks everyone in Ephesus is possessed, crazy, or both.
Determined to find his twin brother, father, and mother. Leading man, 25-35; Ephesus Antipholus: 2nd male lead. Husband to Adriana with whom he has been having marital difficulties. Becomes enraged when locked out of his own house, 25-35; Syracuse Dromio: Clown role, physical comedy. Variety of reactions to the slapstick essential. 25-35; Ephesus Dromio: Clown role, similar to his twin, but must progress from sober to very drunk. 25-35; Adriana: Forerunner to Kate the shrew. She runs the gamut of emotions from A-Z. Looking for actor with wide range. Leading lady, 25-35;Luciana: 2nd female
lead, 20-30. Her cool, logical demeanor contrasts strongly with Adriana’s out-of-control emotions;
Angelo: An honest, likable and hard-working goldsmith who just wants to get paid for his labor—and flies off the handle when he doesn’t. Character man, 35+; Balthazar: Loaned money to the goldsmith to make the play’s central prop, a chain. To be played as an orthodox Jew. Need Yiddish dialect. 35 to elderly; Luce: A brawling cook with a rolling pin. 30+; Dr. Pinch: A wizard with fire in his eyes.
Character man, 50+; Courtesan: To be played as a Japanese geisha, possibly in drag. Asian actor with Asian dialect preferred; Abbess: A nun. Figure of authority. Helps sort out the confusions in the final Kabuki theatre), but sometimes involved in the action. May also serve as a kind of Greek chorus, providing a laugh-track for the action as in a TV sit-com. Male/female, looking to develop young actors 16+ for upcoming productions.