"The Pillowman" - by Martin McDonagh - Colonial Chorus Players (Reading, MA.) - AUDITIONS
Colonial Chorus Players
Will Hold AUDITIONS
for Martin McDonagh's
"THE PILLOWMAN"
Written by Martin McDonagh
Directed by Corey Cadigan
Produced by Jennifer Estabrooks
Assistant Produced and Stage Managed by Michaelyn St. Pierre
Auditions, rehearsals, and performances to be held at the Old Hose House Theater, 1249 Main Street, Reading, MA. 01867
AUDITION DATES:
June 22, 2026 from 7:00pm
June 23, 2026 from 7:00pm
June 24, 2026 from 7:00pm (Callbacks, IF REQUIRED, 8:15pm)
Please sign up using the Signup Genius and expect to stay the entire time.
AUDITION PREPARATION:
- Please prepare a brief two-minute monologue in the style of the show.
- Following monologues, auditioners will be asked to cold read from the script.
- Sides are available online for you to read over ahead of time.
- Bring a completed Audition Form (see below) and Rehearsal Conflicts Calendar (see below), as well as a résumé and headshot or photo of yourself.
- Arrive 15 minutes early to complete paperwork, and expect to stay the entire audition.
REHEARSAL SCHEDULE (beginning Thursday, August 13, 2026):
Sundays, 5:30pm until 8:30pm
Tuesdays and Thursdays, 7:00pm until 9:30pm
CONFLICTS:
Please print the Rehearsal Conflicts Calendar (see below), fill out any conflicts, and bring it with you to your audition. No additional conflicts except for emergencies will be accepted once rehearsals begin. Dress rehearsals and performances are mandatory for all cast members.
CHARACTER DESCRIPTIONS:
- KATURIAN (age 20-30s): A writer of dark and twisted short stories. He is deeply connected to his work, which often explores themes of violence and childhood trauma. Katurian is emotionally complex, torn between his loyalty to his brother and his desire to protect his stories from those who may seek to censor or twist them. An everyman with whom the audience connects.
- TUPOLSKI (30s–60s): The lead investigator and "good cop." A seasoned and cynical detective, Tupolski is tasked with investigating a series of child murders. Though he often presents a tough, no-nonsense exterior, Tupolski has moments of vulnerability that reveal a more complicated personality. He engages in a dark and manipulative form of interrogation, playing psychological games with Katurian.
- ARIEL (20s–40s): A younger, more aggressive detective, the "bad cop" of the interrogation duo. He is impulsive and sadistic, willing to resort to extreme methods in his quest for justice. Ariel’s volatile nature contrasts with Tupolski's calm demeanour.
- MICHAL (20s–30s): Katurian’s mentally disabled brother, who has been deeply affected by their abusive upbringing. He is emotionally vulnerable, and his actions, while unintentionally harmful, are shaped by his troubled past. Michal's relationship with Katurian is one of dependence and strained affection.
- ENSEMBLE (Adults): Child, Mother, and Father. Three strong actors to play various roles in Katurian’s stories. These characters will be brought to life using various styles of pantomime and puppetry. Puppetry experience is helpful, but not required.
CAST OFFERS:
Following auditions and callbacks you will be contacted via phone or email.
FINANCIAL COMMITMENT:
All cast members must become a member of Colonial Chorus Inc. by paying annual dues of $25 for the season that runs June 1, 2026, to May 31, 2027.
For additional information or if you have any questions, please contact producer Jennifer Estabrooks at jenniferestabrooks06@gmail.com
Performances:
October 2, 2026 through October 11, 2026
(Contact Box Office for Exact Times)
For more information call # 781-944-9780, email info@1961.org or visit the Colonial Chorus website at: ccp1961.org
Performances to be held at the Old Hose House Theater, 1249 Main Street, Reading, MA. 01867
TICKETS
Please email the Colonial Chorus Box Office at tickets@ccp1961.org.
May contain content not suitable for all audiences.
Because food and beverages are not permitted in Shepardson Hall, water only will be available in the Lobby.
COVID 19 PROTOCOLS
Contact Venue for Most Updated COVID-19 Safety Protocols and Information.
ABOUT THE SHOW
Winner of two Tony Awards and two Drama Desk Awards!
In Martin McDonagh's "THE PILLOWMAN"- This dark, satirical play weaves a complex tale about life and art, fact and illusion, politics and society, and creative freedom and censorship.
In an interrogation room in an unnamed totalitarian dictatorship, Katurian Katurian, a writer, is being interrogated by two detectives.
Next door, Katurian’s mentally disabled brother Michal waits.
The detectives want to know why Katurian’s stories feature gruesome plots about child murder and torture, and in particular, why they seem to mirror a string of recent child murders in the area.
This brutal dark comedy from Martin McDonagh, the master of the horror-comedy, poses unanswerable questions:
- Can stories hold the power to cause atrocities?
- Where is the line between truth and fairy tale?
- Is a life of horror worth living at all?
Drawing on inspiration as diverse as Grimm’s Fairy Tales, Kafka and Antonin Artaud, "THE PILLOWMAN" is a dark, twisty and utterly unforgettable masterpiece from one of Ireland’s most treasured writers. (STAGEAGENT)
ABOUT COLONIAL CHORUS PLAYERS (CCP)
MISSION
COLONIAL CHORUS PLAYERS (established 1961) provides quality theatrical entertainment that showcases the diverse talents of our family of members and volunteers, both on and off stage, and educates people of all ages in the theater arts through mentoring, workshops and summer programs.
VISION
To provide a vital performing arts outlet that inspires creative community involvement, educating and supporting lovers of musical theater and the arts, while producing quality entertainment. This includes our dream of renovating and expanding the Old Hose House into a state-of-the-art blackbox theater and rehearsal space.
P.O. Box 443
Reading, MA. 01867
# 781-944-9780
