Youth auditions for ‘The Tempest’

BERLIN — Shakespeare’s last play (written in 1610-11) and maritime romance of shipwrecks, sorcery, and spirits will be staged by the Teen Company of No Boundaries Youth Theater in June.

“The Tempest” tells the story of a sorcerer, living on a remote island with his daughter and some magical beings, who conjures a storm to correct their past and change the course of their future. When the storm capsizes a ship, the island inhabitants meet the castaways from a “brave new world.” The NBYT production will be set in the nineteenth century and inspired by the Connecticut whaling industry, which peaked between the 1840s and the end of the century.

Auditions will be held on Monday, Feb. 18, and Wednesday, Feb. 20, at the studio space at the New Britain-Berlin YMCA Program Center, 362 Main St., Berlin. Audition times both days begin at 6 p.m. Rehearsals scheduled for Monday and Wednesday evenings. Additional evenings may be added as needed nearer to the performance dates.

The production will be performed on the grounds of the New Britain Museum of American Art, Thursday and Friday, June 20 and 21, and Sunday, June 23. An additional performance will be held June 22 at a location to be announced.

Auditions are open to 13- to 20-year-olds from any town, and a diverse cast with all levels of experience is sought. Those auditioning should prepare a 30 to 60-second Shakespeare monologue. Actors will also be given dialogue from the script to read at auditions.

To schedule an audition, visit www.nbyt.org, email auditions@nbyt.org, or call 860-515-8115. Pre-scheduled auditions are preferred, but walk-ins are welcome. Those cast will be asked to pay a participation fee of $150 but partial financial waivers and payment scheduling are available. Teens may also contact NBYT with interest in helping backstage.