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SEACT's Romeo & Juliet / Anastasia Competition Team
SEACT Education is now accepting registrations to audition for the 25-26 Competition Team! This year we have competition opportunities for students and adults. Romeo & Juliet will feature a blended student/adult cast (ages 13+) and Anastasia: The Musical (Youth Edition) will feature a student-only cast (grades 9-12). You may audition for one team or both.
Questions? Email billyh@seact.com
AUDITION DATES FOR BOTH TEAMS: July 27-28, 2025
CALLBACKS FOR BOTH TEAMS: July 29, 2025
YOU MUST 1) SUBMIT THIS FORM AND 2) SIGN UP FOR AN AUDITION APPOINTMENT
Audition Style: Your first audition will be a 5-minute appointment with the production teams of both shows. For Romeo and Juliet, you should prepare a memorized 60-second Shakespearean monologue (options available here). For Anastasia, you should prepare a 32-bar cut (about 30 seconds) of a musical theatre song that showcases your vocal range. Your selection can be from Anastasia or another musical. Please provide an instrumental track with time stamps on the audition form, or email your track and timestamps to billyh@seact.com no later than one week prior to the audition.
Crew/Tech: You should also submit a registration form and sign up for a five-minute audition appointment to introduce yourself to the production team and discuss your areas of interest. If you have work samples, you are welcome to bring those as well.
After auditions, a callback list for both shows will be posted at SEACT.com on the evening of July 28. Callbacks will be held on Tuesday, July 29 from 5:30-8:30.
ROMEO & JULIET
This one-hour adaptation of Shakespeare's famous tragedy tells the story of Romeo and Juliet, whose families are in a long-standing feud. Despite their families' bitter rivalry, Romeo and Juliet secretly marry and plan to escape Verona together, but a series of misunderstandings lead to their untimely deaths and the reconciliation of their families. Featuring a blended student/adult cast.
Director: Billy Hutto
Competition: ACTFest (Alabama Conference of Theatre)
Competition Dates: Oct. 17-19
Competition Location: Alabama Center for the Arts (Decatur, AL)
School Matinees
Wednesday, Oct. 22, 9 AM, 11 AM (must have this morning free from work/school)
Public Performances
Thursday, Oct. 23 7:00 PM
Friday, Oct. 24 7:00 PM
Performance Location: Cultural Arts Center (909 S Saint Andrews St., Dothan, AL)
Enrollment Fee: $250 (includes competition coaching, t-shirts, scripts/materials, and competition registration fees. Hotel/travel/food not included)
ROMEO & JULIET REHEARSAL CALENDAR
ANASTASIA: THE MUSICAL (YOUTH EDITION)
Anastasia: The Musical is the spectacular new musical about discovering who you are and defining who you’re meant to be. From Tony winners Terrence McNally, Stephen Flaherty and Lynn Ahrens, creators of such Broadway classics as Ragtime and Once On This Island, this dazzling show transports its audience from the twilight of the Russian Empire to the euphoria of Paris in the 1920s, as a brave young woman sets out to discover the mystery of her past. Pursued by a ruthless Soviet officer determined to silence her, Anya enlists the aid of a dashing con man and a lovable ex-aristocrat. Together, they embark on an epic adventure to help her find home, love and family.
Director: Anna Lokey
Production Manager: Billy Hutto
Vocal Director: Jared Schneider
Grades: 9-12
Competition: Alabama Thespians
Competition Dates: February 13-15, 2026
Competition Location: Vestavia Hills High School (Vestavia Hills, AL)
School Matinees
Wednesday, Feb. 4, 9 AM, 11 AM (must have this morning free from work/school)
Public Performances
Thursday, Feb. 5, 7:00 PM
Friday, Feb. 6, 7:00 PM
Saturday, Feb. 7, 7:00 PM
Performance Location: Cultural Arts Center (909 S Saint Andrews St., Dothan, AL)
Enrollment Fee: $400 (includes competition coaching, t-shirts, scripts/materials, and competition registration fees. Hotel/travel/food not included)
ROMEO & JULIET CASTING BREAKDOWN
Some roles will be doubled. Casting for most roles is gender-flexible. Audition for the part YOU want to play. All roles are open to student and adult actors.
ROMEO 98 lines - Montague's son. Falls head-over-heels in love with Juliet, who is a member of the house of Capulet--his family's sworn enemy. He gets caught in a duel and kills Juliet's cousin, Tybalt, and is banished from Verona. When he tries to reunite with Juliet, he mistakenly believes her to be dead and takes his own life. Several Monologues.
JULIET 65 lines - Capulet’s daughter. Falls head-over-heels in love with Juliet, who is a member of the house of Montague--her family's sworn enemy. Against her parent's wishes, she marries Romeo. Through a tragic turn of events, she takes her own life upon discovering that Romeo has taken his. Several Monologues.
MERCUTIO 34 lines - Romeo’s friend. An oddball/class clown type who recounts his wild dreams of an evil fairy queen. He is accidentally killed in a duel, spurring Romeo to avenge his death.
BENVOLIO 35 lines - Romeo’s cousin. Has a heart of gold and tries to intervene in the Montague vs. Capulet violence.
TYBALT / ENSEMBLE 13 lines - Juliet’s cousin. Hot-tempered, arrogant, and deeply resentful of the house of Montague. Kills Romeo's cousin, Mercutio.
ESCALUS / ENSEMBLE 8 lines - Prince/Princess of Verona. One Monologue.
PARIS / ENESMBLE 4 lines - A young count placed in an arranged marriage with Juliet.
NURSE 47 lines - Nurse to Juliet. The soul and comic relief of the play. Larger than life energy and great comedic timing. Cares deeply for Juliet and secretly arranges her marriage to Romeo despite the dire consequences that could come of it.
MONTAGUE 8 lines - Romeo's father. One Monologue
CAPULET 36 lines - Juliet's father. One Monologue. Intimidating and forceful. Refuses to allow Juliet to marry whom she chooses.
Friar Laurence 24 lines - A wise, religious man who marries Romeo and Juliet in secret. He provides Juliet with a potion to help her fake her death and reunite with Romeo after he is banished. One Monologue.
FRIAR JOHN 3 lines - A religious man.
LADY MONTAGUE 2 lines - Montague’s wife.
LADY CAPULET 15 lines - Capulet’s wife. Concerned with appearances and requires Juliet to marry Paris.
BALTHASAR / ENSEMBLE 2 lines - Servant to Romeo.
ABRAM / ENSEMBLE 5 lines - Servant to Montague.
SAMPSON / ENSEMBLE 13 lines - Servant to Capulet.
GREGORY / ENSEMBLE 9 lines - Servant to Capulet.
PETER / ENSEMBLE 7 lines - Servant to Capulet.
APOTHECARY / ENSEMBLE 3 lines - An expert in medicines.
WATCHMEN / ENSEMBLE 1, 1 lines - Two guards.
ENSEMBLE - Citizens, servants, partygoers, and soldiers - the ensemble will work as a unit to tell the story through devised movement.
MUSICIAN - Looking for a violinist or guitarist to compose brief musical interludes and to play during the show.
ANASTASIA CASTING BREAKDOWN
Open to students grades 9-12.
YOUNG ANASTASIA – A great role for a younger performer who is ready to take some responsibility onstage. She sings along with the Dowager Empress but doesn’t have a solo, so cast a confident actor who can portray a precocious royal princess!
THE DOWAGER EMPRESS – True royalty, and she knows it. Cast an actor who reads as older onstage, and can encompass both the Dowager Empress’s regal bearing but also her deep grief as losing her family. This character does not need to dance but should be an excellent actor and singer. The Dowager Empress sings “Once Upon a December.”
TSAR NICHOLAS II – Not quite as serious as his mother The Dowager Empress, especially with his young daughter Anastasia. Cast an actor who reads as older onstage and makes a good pair with Young Anastasia. This role requires ensemble singing and some acting, but cast an actor who is comfortable dancing and performing choreography.
TSARINA ALEXANDRA FYODORONVA – A good role for a dancer who may not be comfortable performing a larger role with solos and dialogue. Cast a dancer who can portray the Tsarina’s regal bearing, and excel during the Romanov family’s various appearances throughout the show in Anya’s memories.
THE RUSSIAN COURT, including the PHOTOGRAPHER, Anastasia’s THREE SISTERS, her BROTHER, and other members of the COURT – appear throughout the show as figments of Anya’s lost memories. This is a good place for performers who are movers or dancers and excel with ensemble singing.
ANYA – The undisputed lead of the show. Anya’s journey is what the show is all about: her bravery, tenacity and perseverance make her the hero of the story, even though she’s also the princess. An innate likeability and natural sense of comedic timing are both helpful for this street-smart lost princess. This role requires your strongest singer and actor, as Anya has multiple solos and must portray a large emotional range throughout the show. Anya sings “Learn to Do It,” “Once Upon a December,” Journey to the Past” and “In a Crowd of Thousands.”
GLEB VAGANOV – The strait-laced Soviet officer with a softer side who is tasked with locating Anya. Though Gleb is the antagonist of the story, in his mind, he’s the hero – he truly believes in the Soviet cause and is doing his best to be a good soldier. Cast a strong actor and singer in this role who can understand the nuances of this character. Gleb sings “The Rumors Never End.”
DMITRY – A street urchin turned con artist. Though his career choices aren’t necessarily honest, Dmitry has a heart of gold and ultimately chooses what’s best for Anya, despite what he might want for himself. If Anya is the lead of the show, Dmitry is a close second – cast a mature, responsible performer with innate charm and comic timing. Dmitry must be an excellent actor/singer and a good dancer. Dmitry sings “Learn To Do It,” “My Petersburg” and “In a Crowd of Thousands.”
LUDA, GALINA, ALEXEI, SASHA, NIKOLA, MIRA, MIKHAIL and the MARKETEERS – Good roles for performers who may be new to the stage, or who aren’t ready to take on a larger role. These roles require featured lines and solos and are great spots to involve more young people.
VLAD POPOV – A charming, jovial, intelligent character who should be played by an actor with great comic timing. Vlad serves as friend to Dmitry, the trio’s “in” with Lily, and as the buffer between Dmitry and Anya’s budding romance. This is the role for your strongest comedic actor. Make sure he reads as older onstage, is a good singer and fine mover, and pairs well with Lily. Vlad Popov sings “Learn to Do It.”
THE COUNTESS IPOLITOV – A featured acting and singing role with lines and a solo. Cast an actor who can read as older onstage and who can handle the dramatic subject matter of the scene. The Countess Ipolitov sings “Stay, I Pray You.”
COUNT LEOPOLD – A featured acting role. Cast an actor who can make a big impression from a few lines – though the Count isn’t onstage very long, he has to stand up to Lily, so cast someone with a good stage presence. Count Leopold sings “Land of Yesterday.”
LILY – The life of the party! She is the Dowager Empress’s lady-in-waiting, and former royalty herself. She loves everything 1920s Paris has to offer. Lily must be an excellent dancer and good actor and singer. Cast someone with a sense of comic timing who works well with Vlad. Lily sings “Land of Yesterday.”
ENSEMBLE
The ensemble in this musical is a great place for anyone who would like to be involved in the show. The MARKETEERS have a few sung lines, and GORLINSKY, the EXILED RUSSIAN and ANNOUNCER have spoken lines. The PEOPLE OF PARIS and PEOPLE IN THE NEVA CLUB should be dancers or strong movers, but everyone else should simply have a willingness to put on a great show! POLICEMAN 1 and POLICEMAN 2, the RUSSIAN COURT and PEOPLE OF RUSSIA are great roles to fill with your ensemble.