Posted by Jules Spizzirri & Sydney Scott
We are looking for performers for our 2025 Toronto Fringe Festival production of Lucian, Plato, and the Secrets of the Pussy at the Michael Young Theatre!
AUDITION DETAILS
Eligibility: Open to Equity or Non-Equity artists. Applicants must be 19+. Queer and Trans performers are especially encouraged to apply. A background in comedy, clown, improv, verbatim theatre, and/or drag is an asset.
Application Deadline: March 18th, 2025 at 11:59pm, but actors are encouraged to submit before the deadline.
Application Form: https://forms.gle/NcvZoAGULpbvajU99
Applicants are asked to submit a 1-2 minute contemporary comedic monologue or scene.
Callbacks: Callbacks will be held on Monday March 24th, 2025 between 12-5pm at Tarragon Theatre. Callbacks will be 20-40 minutes. Actors may be seen alone, or in pairs. We will consider hosting online auditions with actors who can’t make it in person this date/time, but in person auditions will be prioritized.
ABOUT THE PLAY
When Lucian’s wife Leaina takes off to Lesbos with the alluring Megillus, Lucian is faced with an impossible problem. With the help of his ex-mentor Plato, these two men work tirelessly to answer the inconceivable, the impossible, the most preposterous question of all time: “how do they have sex!? Based on the curious little ancient dialogue by Lucian of Samosata, Lucian, Plato, and the Secrets of the Pussy is verbatim theatre meets satirical adaptation that examines whose ideas have shaped our world, and what it means to redefine the truth.
Content Warnings: Depictions of intimacy, sexuality, alcohol, intoxication, misgendering, misogyny, and conversations about bodies/genitals.
CHARACTER BREAKDOWN
LUCIAN: Suppressed, dramatic, ashamed. Lucian organizes every slate in his collection according to size. He measures the seeds of the pomegranates his wife Leaina prepares for him every morning and eats them one by one. A master of focus, Lucian has never encountered a problem he couldn’t solve on his own. 🎵 Step On Me, by The Cardigans
*Open to all. Actor must be comfortable embodying a man, a fool, and portraying intimacy (no nudity).
PLATO: Loose, stimulated, entitled. Plato is a man’s man. The father of vibes. He’s just one of the guys. He has never had a meaningful conversation with a woman, and frankly, he’s pretty sure women don’t think. But when a homie is in turmoil about his estranged wife, Plato’s right behind him. Always.
*Please note the character of Plato has already been cast.
LEAINA: Open, imaginative, generous. Leaina thinks weaving is boring– that is, she thought weaving was boring until she saw Megillus’s fingers handling the thread. Tired of staining her own hands red with Lucian’s pomegranate seeds, once she has a taste of what she wants, she won’t be able to go back. 🎵 Amelia, by Samia
*Open to women, non-binary and genderqueer performers. Actor must be open to playing a character who is referred to as a woman. Actor must be open to portraying intimacy (no nudity).
MEGILLUS: Composed, attentive, inventive. Megillus has fast fingers. They weave fast, they fix fences efficiently, their meals are rushed. They’ve learned not to linger. They slip in and out of the shadows to get by, but Leaina stands in sunlight and suspends time. Lucian makes Megillus out to be elusive and devious, but really they just have everything he doesn’t: rizz, fine linens, and a desire to please. 🎵 Solid, by MUNA
*Open to genderqueer, non-binary and trans-masculine performers. Actor must be open to playing a character who uses they/them pronouns, and whose gender is misunderstood by Lucian & Plato. Actor must be open to portraying intimacy (no nudity).
PRODUCTION INFORMATION
This production is written and produced by Jules Spizzirri & Sydney Scott, and directed by Alyssa Featherstone.
Important Dates
Applicants must be available for the following dates:
Rehearsals: Part time rehearsals in May / June 2025. A full-time rehearsal schedule may begin the two weeks leading up to tech/performances. Rehearsals will mostly occur on weekdays before 4pm, and a rehearsal schedule will be solidified as early as possible.
Tech Rehearsal: Three hours between June 27 – July 1 2025. The exact date/time will be confirmed by the festival mid-May, and applicants must be able to keep these dates free of conflict until then.
Performances: Seven performances between July 2 – July 13 2025. The performance schedule will be confirmed by the festival mid-April, and applicants must be able to keep these dates free of conflict until then.
COMPENSATION
This production will follow a profit-share model, and the selected applicants will receive an additional honorarium. (Minimum $200.)
ACCESSIBILITY
Callbacks: Callbacks will take place in the Rehearsal Hall at Tarragon Theatre on the second floor. Tarragon Theatre has an elevator and an accessible, gender neutral washroom. Tarragon does not have a mask mandate, and applicants will pass through shared spaces within the building. Tarragon has HVAC units with HEPA filters throughout the building. The audition panel will remain masked throughout the callback. We will not be asking performers to be masked during their audition.
Rehearsals: Rehearsal venues are not confirmed, but we are committed to booking spaces that are physically accessible and ventilated. Rehearsals will take place in Toronto, but if any rehearsal takes place outside of the city, transportation will be arranged to and from Toronto. Rehearsals will last 3-7 hours. Rehearsals will be part time, but the 1-2 week(s) leading up to the show, we may rehearse up to 5 out of 7 days a week. We will not have a blanket masking policy, but all collaborators will test for COVID daily.
Performances: Michael Young Theatre (Soulpepper Theatre) has two accessible dressing rooms available. The stage is not sprung. Soulpepper Theatre does not have a mask mandate, and collaborators will pass through shared spaces with unmasked artists/audience members. We will have at least four mask-mandated performances.
Thank you!
Please reach out to lucianplato@gmail.com with any questions.