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Auditions

CORE COMPANY AUDITIONS

OVERVIEW
Under the mentorship of the Public’s Artistic leadership, guest and resident artists, members of Pittsburgh Public Theater’s Core Company will understudy the Public’s mainstage productions, train together throughout the year, and serve as artistic ambassadors to guest artists and the larger community. Membership term is from September 2025 through May 2026. 

EXPECTATIONS

  • Members must NOT be members of Actors’ Equity Association (AEA) or members of any “4A” union including AGMA, AGVA, GIAA, or SAG-AFTRA.
  • Attend all evening Play/Practice workshops free-of-charge
  • Attend first rehearsals, spacing rehearsals, evening tech rehearsals/run-throughs, dress rehearsals, previews, and understudy rehearsals for any production they are assigned an understudy track for
  • Be based locally within 30 minutes of the O’Reilly Theater during performances of a production they have an understudy track for. Members are NOT required to be at the theater for each performance
  • Members may be asked to go on for a performance(s) on book for other roles not previously assigned 

COMPENSATION

  • One (1) Opening Night subscription to the Public’s mainstage season
  • $1,000 stipend per assigned understudy track to cover personal costs, transportation, parking, etc.
    • When understudying, they will receive a payment of $175.17 (equivalent to the standard LORT C 1/6th AEA bump) for any time they go on for a public performance up to the weekly LORT C AEA salary of $1051.  

NEED MORE INFORMATION?
See below or visit PPT.org/CoreCompany.

SEEKING*

ACTOR 1 – ANY ETHNICITY, MALE-PRESENTING, 30s (MUST BE PHYSICALLY ADEPT) 

  • Noises Off – Garry Lejeune
  • An Enemy of the People – Hovstad

ACTOR 2 – ANY ETHNICITY, FEMALE-PRESENTING, 20s 

  • Noises Off – Brooke Ashton

ACTOR 3 – ANY ETHNICITY, MALE-PRESENTING, 30s - 40s 

  • Noises Off – Frederick Fellowes
  • An Enemy of the People – Peter Stockman

ACTOR 4 – ANY ETHNICITY, FEMALE-PRESENTING, 30s  

  • Noises Off – Belinda Blair
  • An Enemy of the People – Petra Stockman

ACTOR 5 – ANY ETHNICITY, MALE-PRESENTING, 20s - 30s 

  • Noises Off – Tim Allgood
  • An Enemy of the People – Billing

*All understudy tracks are subject to change

DATES & LOCATION
Auditions: Thursday, August 21, 4pm – 8pm and Friday, August 22, 11am – 3pm
Callbacks: TBD
Location: Pittsburgh Public Theater Helen Wayne Rauh Rehearsal Hall • 621 Penn Ave • Pittsburgh, PA 15222-3204

PREPARATION
Please prepare two (2) contrasting monologues (not to exceed three [3] minutes total)

APPOINTMENTS
To schedule an appointment, share your headshot and resume with Casting & Literary Director Brian Pope at bpope@PPT.org.

BREAKDOWN*
NOISES OFF

  • 1st Rehearsal: 9/2/25
  • Designer Run: 9/21/25
  • Spacing: 9/23/25
  • Tech Rehearsals: 9/24 – 10/2/25
  • Run Through: 9/28/25
  • Dress Rehearsal: 9/30/25
  • Previews: 10/1 – 10/3/25
  • Understudy Rehearsals: 10/3/25, 10/8/25, 10/9/25
  • Opens: 10/4/25
  • Closes: 10/19/25

AN ENEMY OF THE PEOPLE

  • 1st Rehearsal: 1/6/26
  • Designer Run: 1/25/26
  • Spacing: 1/27/26
  • Tech Rehearsals: 1/28 – 2/5/26
  • Run Through: 2/1/26
  • Dress Rehearsal: 2/3/26
  • Previews: 2/4 – 2/6/26
  • Opens: 2/7/26
  • Closes: 2/22/26

*All dates are subject to change

CORE COMPANY FAQs 

What’s the purpose of the Core Company?  
The Core Company is a training-first program for new and emerging actors to develop the skills and experience necessary to launch their careers. Members of the Core Company will train together throughout the year by attending free workshops hosted by industry professionals, serve as artistic ambassadors to guest artists and the larger community, and understudy in certain roles in The Public’s mainstage productions. 

Does the Core Company require weekday day-time (9am-5pm) availability? 
The program primarily takes place on Monday nights for workshops and then evenings and weekends for attending tech and previews when assigned to a production. The day-time requirements include first rehearsal and understudy rehearsals when assigned to a production. Core Company members will be invited to attend more rehearsals pending their own availability and interest. 

Can Core Company members have full-time employment? 
Yes! The planned day-time commitment is quite minimal, and we will work with Core Company members in advance around scheduling that works with their jobs. As this is a training-first program, it is not intended to take the place of full-time or part-time employment.  

Are Core Company members called for all performances? 
No. Core Company members will understudy 1-2 roles throughout the entire PPT season. For productions where a member has been assigned to cover, they agree to be available and local (within 30 minutes) to Pittsburgh during scheduled performances but are not required to be at the theater each night. Schedule conflicts or travel that would make them unavailable to go on for a performance must be communicated in advance. 

Do Core Company members pay for workshops? What types of trainings are included in this program?  
No. The entire scope of educational trainings, workshops, and Play/Practice events are free to members of the Core Company. These workshops take place weekly on Monday nights and span topics such as Solo Performance, Combat and Physical Training, Vocal and Dialect Coaching, etc. These workshops are taught by visiting guest artists, resident artists, and other industry experts. 

Will Core Company members be Teaching Artists? 
No. Company members will not have Teaching Artist responsibilities. They may be able to apply for a TA position in future seasons. 

What is the compensation for this program? 
In addition to the free trainings and workshops, the Core Company members will receive a $1,000 stipend per assigned understudy track in recognition of their commitment and to cover personal costs, transportation, parking, etc.  When understudying, they will receive a payment of $175.17 (equivalent to the standard LORT C 1/6th AEA bump) for any time they go on for a public performance up to the weekly LORT C AEA salary of $1051.  

Does the Core Company replace union actors’ jobs?  
Pittsburgh Public Theater will not cut any Equity jobs, and we can’t – the art we make isn’t possible without the incredible talent unions bring to our stages. The Core Company will provide more opportunities – not fewer – with a focus on providing education and growth opportunities for emerging artists who may one day pursue membership in actors’ unions.  

Will The Public still have union understudies?  
The Public will continue to have AEA understudy contract opportunities featured in our season mainstage.  The Public is committed to providing an abundance of opportunities for artists at all stages of their careers, including seasoned AEA members and fresh faces alike.  

Why can’t AEA members participate in the Core Company? 
The Core Company program is not covered under an AEA contract. AEA members – and members of the other 4A performing unions (AGMA, AGVA, GIAA, or SAG-AFTRA)– can still audition and participate in the usual avenue through our AEA-contract covered principal, understudy, and stage management roles for our mainstage productions and developmental work. 

Will Core Company members be able to audition for mainstage principal roles? 
No, while serving in the Core Company, members will not be eligible to audition for principal roles in our productions but may audition in subsequent seasons.  

How can I audition for The Public’s mainstage productions? 
The Equity Principal Auditions (EPA) for the 2025-2026 season are complete. Information about open show-specific auditions will be announced here and on the AEA audition website on a rolling basis.  

A CHRISTMAS STORY: THE PLAY YOUTH AUDITIONS

SEEKING
Locally-based young actors aged 8 – 13 to play roles in the Public’s upcoming return production of A CHRISTMAS STORY: THE PLAY!

ROLES AVAILABLE
Randy - Any ethnicity, to play 7-8 years old, Ralphie’s younger brother. A lovable little oddball.
Flick - Any ethnicity, to play 10 years old, one of Ralphie’s classmates and best buddies. Good-natured, curious and game for anything.
Schwartz - Any ethnicity, to play 10 years old, one of Ralphie’s classmates and best buddies. Confident, independent and mischievous.
Scut Farkas - Any ethnicity, to play 12 or 13 years old. A typical schoolyard bully.
Esther Jane Alberry - Any ethnicity, to play 10 years-old, one of Ralphie’s classmates. Sweet, friendly and a little flirtatious with Ralphie.
Helen Weathers - Any ethnicity, to play 10 years-old, one of Ralphie’s classmates. Exceptionally intelligent and a bit of a know-it-all.
Youth Chorus – Any ethnicity, to play 10 years old, Ralphie’s other classmates. These actors will serve as understudies for the other youth roles.

VIDEO AUDITIONS
All child actors who want to be considered for a role in the show must submit a video audition

Audition videos MUST include the following elements:

  • A FULL BODY, HEAD TO TOE shot of your child in which they say their name and their height aloud
  • Your child reading ONE of the monologues copied below from HELEN WEATHERS OR RALPHIE PARKER. It is your child’s choice which of the two monologues they would like to read. Memorization is NOT required.
  • Your child telling a short joke of their choice

To submit a video audition, you and your child MUST complete an electronic form at the following link: https://pct.formstack.com/forms/pptxmasstoryaudition. There, you’ll be asked to submit a link to their video audition (please only submit ONE video link with all required elements captured in it).

ALL Audition submissions are DUE on Monday 8/8 by 5 pm EST. We cannot guarantee that we will be able to review any submissions turned in past that deadline.

IN PERSON CALLBACKS
Director Michael Berresse, Associate Director Daina Michelle Griffith, and Casting & Literary Director Brian Pope will review all video auditions and select a group among those to attend in-person callbacks set for Tuesday, August 19 and Wednesday, August 20 at the O'Reilly Theater (times TBD). At those in-person callback sessions, child actors will participate in some simple theater warmups/exercises before reading for specific roles in the show.

VIDEO AUDITION MONOLOGUES

HELEN WEATHERS
 ... so, while the “ virtual velocity” of light is infinite, the apparent velocity will always appear to be the same. Even though the Michelson-Morley experiment proves that Dr. Einstein’s theory is seriously flawed, I still like his book, “ The Principle of Relativity.” It was a nice break from my Shakespeare studies.

RALPHIE PARKER
“What I want for Christmas by Ralph Parker. What I want for Christmas is a legendary official Red Ryder carbine action 200-shot Range Model air rifle with a compass and this thing which tells time built right into the stock. It is a very good thing to get for Christmas. I don’t think Tinker Toys are a very good Christmas present. Lincoln Logs aren’t a good present, either. The end.” “P.S. Have a Merry Christmas, Miss Shields.”

HAVE QUESTIONS?
Feel free to email Casting & Literary Director Brian Pope at bpope@PPT.org.