ABOUT THE SHOW

Stephen Sondheim’s Assassins is a daring, darkly comic musical that brings together the stories of nine people who, across American history, have tried to kill the President of the United States. Rather than a traditional historical drama, the show uses sharp wit, unforgettable music, and a shifting sense of time and place to explore why these individuals felt unseen, unheard, or left behind by the promise of the American Dream.

Through moments that are both unsettling and unexpectedly funny, Assassins asks audiences to look at the thin line between hope and despair, ambition and obsession, belonging and isolation. The score draws from a wide range of American musical traditions—folk ballads, marching tunes, popular songs—creating a rich and varied landscape that mirrors the voices and eras of the characters themselves.

At its heart, Assassins is an ensemble piece about outsiders searching for meaning in a society that has overlooked them. It’s a show filled with humor, tension, and humanity, offering every performer the chance to build a vivid and memorable character.

AUDITION DETAILS

If you are interested in auditioning, complete the form here. Please complete the audition form BEFORE arriving at the theater for your audition. Auditions will start at the times listed above, and if you are unable to audition in person but would still like to be considered, please email the Director and we will do our best to find a virtual option for you. Due to mature themes, simulated violence, and language, auditions are open to anyone 18 years of age or over at the time of the production. If you audition on either Friday the 9th or Saturday the 10th, please keep Sunday the 11th free for potential callbacks. Sunday is ALSO an open audition day, but if we need to call someone back for any reason, we will call them back on Sunday.

Performances are the weekends of Apr 10 and Apr 17, 2026. Tech week will begin Saturday April 3rd, and no conflicts will be permitted during tech week leading up to opening night or for any performance. Yes, we are aware that Sunday April 4th is Easter Sunday, we will do everything in our power to ensure that day is an "off" day...which means plan for Saturday April 3rd to be Tech Rehearsal. Regular rehearsal schedule will be Mondays, Tuesdays, and Thursdays with the occasional Saturday/Sunday as needed, and as much as possible rehearsal schedules will be put out at least 2 weeks in advance. It is vital that you list ALL conflicts you have on the audition form so that accurate rehearsal schedules can be put together.

• Roles may be adapted to suit the range and abilities of the cast.
• We encourage performers of all backgrounds, genders, ethnicities, and vocal ranges to audition.
• Ensemble roles will offer significant opportunities for featured roles, moments, and storytelling.
• All main roles will involve the use of prop (non-functional) firearms.

SONG CALL

For the audition please prepare 60-90 seconds of a song in the style of the show. You will need to bring your own track for the song, we will have a speaker for you to plug your phone into.

DANCE CALL

There will be a no dedicated dance call. This production will involve complicated blocking and timing of movement, but will not be using traditional musical theater dance.

ACTING CALL

You will be asked to cold read from provided scenes, both solo and with scene partners. Please identify the character that you are most interested in on the audition form.

AVAILABLE ROLES

The Balladeer/Lee Harvey Oswald (1939-1963)

Tenor. Ability to play guitar a plus.
The Balladeer is the conscience of America and the champion of the American Dream. He acts as a foil against the assassins and their warped perspectives and actions. Actor transitions into Oswald in the final scenes of the show, becoming convinced by the other assassins to kill JFK.

The Proprietor

A charismatic and unsettling figure who tempts each assassin toward their infamous act. Can be charming, sinister, or darkly humorous. Flexible interpretation welcome—this role sets the tone for the world of the play.

John Wilkes Booth (1838-1865)

Baritone
Tall and distinguished; character will need a genteel Southern accent. A political zealot, “Wilkes” is the pioneer of American assassination and acts as leader and twisted mentor to the other assassins. Eloquent, vain, and passionate, Booth sees himself as a tragic hero. Demands a commanding presence, confidence with period language, and strong vocal delivery.

Leon Czolgosz (1873-1901)

Bass/Baritone
Assassinated President William McKinley at the Pan American Exposition in Buffalo, N.Y. on September 6, 1901. A quiet, intense man. A working-class laborer with deep convictions about injustice and inequality. Physically grounded, emotionally contained, with strong presence and focus.

Charles J. Guiteau (1841-1882)

Tenor
Assassinated President James Garfield in the waiting room of the Baltimore and Potomac Railroad Station, Washington, D.C., on July 2, 1881. Dashing but mad. Guiteau was a multi-careered charlatan with delusions of grandeur. Cheerful and manic, convinced of his own charm and divine purpose. Requires energy, comic timing, and agility between humor and intensity.

Guiseppe Zangara (1900-1933)

Tenor
MUST use a heavy Italian accent for this character.
Attempted to assassinate President-elect Franklin D. Roosevelt as he greeted well-wishers in Bayfront Park, Miami, FL on February 15, 1933. Zangara blamed capitalists and “kings” for his medical condition, a stomach ailment that caused constant pain.

Sara Jane Moore (1930-2025)

Mezzo-Soprano
Character is middle-aged and frumpy, very funny. Attempted to assassinate President Gerald Ford at the St. Francis Hotel in San Francisco, CA, on September 22, 1975. Moore provides much of the comic relief in the show and requires an actress with good comic timing.

Lynette “Squeaky” Fromme (1948- )

Mezzo
Attempted to assassinate President Gerald Ford at the Capitol Park in Sacramento, CA on September 5, 1975. A pixie hippie in love with Charles Manson. Slender and pretty. She is the lunatic foil to Sara Jane Moore’s air headedness in several scenes and sings a duet with John Hinckley.

John Hinckley (1955- )

Baritone
Ability to play guitar a plus. Attempted to assassinate President Ronald Reagan as he left the Washington Hilton in Washington, D.C. on March 30, 1981. A love-obsessed and depressed college student. Hinckley used a sociopathic obsession with Jodie Foster as his excuse to attempt an assassination of Reagan. Hinckley’s clinical insanity and love-sickness add dramatic weight to this character.

Samuel Byck (1930-1974)

Attempted to assassinate President Richard Nixon by hijacking a commercial jetliner. Hysterically irate schlep in a Santa Claus suit. A small vocal role, requires an actor capable of presenting two dramatic, 2 page monologues. Loud, angry, and heartbreakingly lost.

Ensemble

5-7 actors needed, mix of men and women. All will sing, several will double as supporting characters in specific scenes (Emma Goldman, David Herold, James Blaine, and President Gerald Ford, reporters, photographers, tourists, bystanders). Vital to the show, the ensemble members sing the song at the emotional core of the show, “Something Just Broke”.

AUDITION FORM