Virginia Renaissance Faire Volunteer Cast Auditions
Central Rappahannock Regional Library Fredericksburg Branch
1201 Caroline Street, Fredericksburg, VA 22401
Saturday, March 15 from 12:30 – 3:30
Saturday, March 22 from 2:30 – 4:30
Audition Information
About the Faire
The Virginia Renaissance Faire is a production of Out of the Woodwork Productions, a 501c3 educational non-profit organization whose mission is to provide historical education through interactive entertainment. The Faire runs for 5 weekends each Spring starting on Mother’s Day weekend. The Faire is populated by period vendors and artisans, stage acts, and costumed volunteer performers. The volunteer performers breathe life into the show, portraying the peasantry, court of Elizabeth I, and town militia.
Want to join us?
We are seeking volunteer performers for the Virginia Renaissance Faire. No prior experience is needed to become a volunteer cast member. This is a non-paid position, but we will provide training in interactive street theater, improvisation, Elizabethan history, dance, public speaking, and engaging an audience through a rigorous rehearsal process. Stage combat is also taught, although typically you must be a volunteer cast member with us for one season before qualifying for staged combat training and performance.
What kind of commitment do we expect?
We have a 5 weekend rehearsal process (10 days) running from 9:30 am to 3 pm on both Saturdays and Sundays prior to the Faire’s opening day. A portion of this time is also dedicated to site and stage work, setting up the performance area for the show.
Volunteer cast members are expected to attend most rehearsals and show dates, as well as provide their own period appropriate costuming approved by the Faire’s costume department. We provide some assistance with costuming resources, although volunteers must purchase or create the costuming themselves.
Volunteers must be 16 or older to be on the cast without a guardian present on site. Exceptional volunteer cast members who are younger than 16 will be considered on a case-by-case basis if a guardian is not only on site but also actively engaged in volunteering in the same area of the show as the younger cast member. Volunteer cast members should have reliable transportation to and from Lake Anna Winery in Spotsylvania, VA, the location of the Virginia Renaissance Faire.
What can you expect at the audition?
At the audition, you’ll fill out paperwork and talk to directors about potential cast areas where you can volunteer. You’ll perform a short monologue and engage in a few improvisation exercises. The content of the monologue isn’t important, doesn’t need to be renaissance-era, and it’s okay if you still need to look at notes, but you will be asked to perform it several different ways with an audience in the round. At the end of the process, if you’re accepted onto our cast, you can discuss costuming expectations for your character there at the auditions. New cast rehearsal, your first rehearsal, will be on Saturday March 29 from 9:30 to 3:00 with a location to be determined and distributed on the date of the auditions.
In addition to volunteer cast members, we are also seeking non-costumed volunteers for site work and crew positions in both the preseason and the during the show. For more information and to sign up,
Click Here to Volunteer: Join Us
Or, if you have questions, you can e-mail us at comeplay@varf.org
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Become a Sponsor
Help support the Virginia Renaissance Faire by becoming a sponsor! Click here for more info.