&
Romeo
Juliet
Audition Information
Romeo and Juliet
The following information is for actors auditioning for Romeo and Juliet, produced by Aditya Birla Centre for Performing Arts. and directed by Glenn Hayden from Enigmatic Hills Productions.
We are releasing this information to give actors the best opportunity to prepare for the intricacies of a Shakespeare audition. You will find all information required for the audition process below.
Please read the information we have put together for you.
ALL actors interested in auditioning must fill out the audition form.
NT Aditya Birla Centre for Performing Arts’s vision is to be a premium global Centre and make it aspirational and best-in-class creative institution.
Our mission is to foster diverse eclectic genres in the performing arts and to engage, educate, amplify, entertain, and inspire audiences through an experiential journey, showcasing our offerings in the area of performing arts under the leadership of Mrs. Rajashree Birla.
INTABCPA is an entity of Indian National Theatre (INT) which was founded in 1944 and has since been a marquee institution showcasing amazing talent in theatrical arts, music and dance with spectacular performances put up by artists who have been legends.
In 2004, INT teamed up with the Aditya Birla Group to take forwards its rich legacy. The Performing Art Centre at Babulnath, Mumbai has since been renamed as INT Aditya Birla Centre for Performing Arts (INTABCPA).
INTABCPA, is dedicated to the memory of the visionary, Shri Adityaji Birla. It aims to bolster his legacy of celebrating and advancing
Indian culture. Equipped with state-of-the-art facilities to create an optimal experience for performers and audiences the Centre has a 260-seater auditorium, a mini theatre, rehearsal room, several studios, audio recording studios, a fine dining restaurant and an
All Day Café and adequate parking facility. We envision it as being a home for artists and budding artists where their talent is
nurtured and blossoms.
Crafting Stories, Nurturing Talent, Creating Experiences.
About the Production
Romeo and Juliet
The greatest love story ever told—reimagined in a city on the edge of change.
Directed by Glenn Hayden
An Aditya Birla Centre for Performing Arts Production
Overview
Set in 1970s Mumbai.
The Capulets and the Montagues—two families locked in a bitter, long-standing feud. Their hatred poisons the streets of their city and traps the next generation in a cycle of violence and vengeance. Amidst this chaos, two young lovers—Romeo and Juliet—defy their families, risking everything in pursuit of passion, joy, and freedom.
This bold, contemporary adaptation of Romeo and Juliet is set in 1970s Mumbai, a world of jazz and disco, Mafioso, Bollywood and a city brimming with change. Rooted in Shakespeare’s original text, this version is raw, cinematic, and emotionally urgent.
Who are we looking for?
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We are looking for actors who have and enjoy a strong sense of ensemble; teamwork, creativity, and shared ownership, enhancing the production’s quality and impact through a unified, collective effort.
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The play is alive with contrast and contradiction—love and hate, tradition and rebellion, violence and vulnerability. We are seeking bold, curious actors who are eager to dive into the tension of Shakespeare’s world re-framed in a contemporary Indian context.
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Successful actors will relish the powerful fusion of classic text with rich cultural storytelling
Casting
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The production features a 12-actor ensemble. Some roles will be combined or re-imagined to suit the scale and creative vision of the piece.
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We welcome performers of all backgrounds and ages, especially those excited by ensemble storytelling.
Adaptation, Language & Text
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While Shakespeare’s original language remains at the heart of the production, we are also weaving in Hindi and local dialects to reflect the Mumbai setting and the cultural implications. This will be done with sensitivity, rhythm, and respect for the poetry of the piece.
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To ensure the lyrical integrity of the adaptation, we are working closely with a poet/playwright throughout the process.
Tone & Style
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1970's Mumbai
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The play's world is rich and will allude to mafia, nightclubs and Bollywood of the period.
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Masala cinema energy
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Heightened realism—a city teetering between tradition and modernity
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Cinematic violence—guns, knives, fists replace swords; danger is real and ever-present
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Dark humour—Shakespeare's wit and irony are embraced, not ignored
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To achieve the production style, this ensemble of actors will be required to play chorus or background roles as well as their primary roles.
The play explores:
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The psychological complexities of young people seeking identity
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The intensity of love born in opposition
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The generational divide and ideological conflict
This will be a visually and emotionally vibrant production that captures both the grandeur of the story and the intimacy of its heartbreak.
Music & Soundscape
Music will play a major role in defining mood and character:
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Influences from classical Indian music, Bollywood of the period, Jazz, Disco, and global contemporary sounds
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Underscoring to heighten both tension and celebration
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A sound world that reflects the generational contrast and emotional chaos of the play
Comedy & Tragedy
(Extract from SparkNotes)
Not only does Romeo and Juliet deviate in many ways from the tragic genre, the first two acts of the play are structured much more like a comedy. Shakespeare’s comedies often feature lovers being kept apart by misguided authority figures, just as Romeo and Juliet’s love is thwarted by their feuding parents. Suggestive wordplay is another common trope of Shakespearean comedy.
Romeo and Juliet opens with Gregory and Sampson making bawdy jokes about erections and virginity. The spirit of naughty fun is sustained by Romeo and Benvolio’s jokes in the next scene, as well as the Nurse’s ribald talk in scene three.
Finally, Shakespeare’s comedies often involve disguises, as when Romeo puts on a mask to attend the Capulet ball. Only the play’s prologue, which has warned that the lovers’ are “death-marked,” prevents the audience from assuming the play will follow comedic conventions and end with the two main characters happily united in marriage.
However, once Romeo kills Tybalt in Act Three, scene one, the mood shifts, and we can’t mistake the play for anything but tragedy. In Shakespeare’s comedies, characters’ actions have little lasting consequence. Romeo’s murder of Tybalt, however, has tremendous impact, not just for Romeo and Juliet but also for their communities.
Tybalt’s murder also raises the stakes of the feud between the Montagues and Capulets, since Tybalt was Juliet’s cousin. Once Romeo has Tybalt’s blood on his hands, we know his story cannot end happily. Although Romeo’s murder of Tybalt is not motivated by a tragic flaw, the act is an error of judgement nonetheless. Romeo then compounds this error by killing Paris outside of Juliet’s tomb.
Stage Fighting
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Romeo and Juliet is a violent play. In the time span of the story (three days) 5 young people die.
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The play opens with a street brawl.
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Swords will be replaced by guns and knives in this production
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Most ensemble members will be required to be involved at differing levels in the physical fights of the play.
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The fight scenes will be choreographed by a professional stage and screen Fight Director
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Rehearsal time will be dedicated to fight training
Roles that will require actors with high levels of stage fighting skills and/or fitness:
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Romeo
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Benvolio
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Tybalt
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Paris
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Mercutio
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Lord Montague
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Lady Capulet (while not engaging in a fight directly, this character will be physical in the initial street brawl)
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Actors playing roles of servants and street folk.
Who Should Audition?
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Performers open to strong ensemble-based creation
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Actors with a passion for text-driven work
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Those excited by culture-specific reinterpretations of classics
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Individuals who want to engage with a script that is both visceral and poetic
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Actors with physical and vocal dexterity.
The Writer - Priyanka Charan
A multi-hyphenate artist, Priyanka Charan began her journey with a background in finance, working as a banker and consultant before transitioning into the arts. With over 17 years of experience in theatre and a decade on screen, she has worn many hats—actor, writer, producer, director, acting coach, singer, and TEDx speaker. Her writing spans a wide spectrum, from technical content for Microsoft to dialogues for the acclaimed web series Thinkistan on MX Player. She has penned and directed original plays such as Halla-Hal, and was commissioned by the Ministry of Culture to adapt Tissues—a play on breast cancer awareness—into Turmali. She also translated a photo-fiction book from Hindi to English for German photographer Helena Schaetzle. She has a voracious appetite for books and food alike and thrives on curiosity that shapes her art.
General Information
Final show dates for the production have not been released. The information below is a close estimate.
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Auditions: 07/July and 08/July. 3pm - 9pm
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Audition Venue: You will be told of the location of auditions if selected from the Audition form below
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Rehearsals: Rehearsals will be 6 weeks, full time, Monday to Friday, 11am-5pm. Approx. Sept/Oct 2025
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Show dates: Currently, there will be 4 performances in the initial season in the month of November 2025
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Remuneration: This is a professional production with appropriate actor salaries.
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Cast size: 12
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To apply for an audition, actors must attend to the form BELOW
Audition Information
The following information is provided to support your preparation and ensure an informed and appropriate audition. Kindly review the details carefully
Online Audition Form (Required)
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Live Audition Selection. If selected for a live audition, you will be assigned a specific date and time. While we aim to accommodate individual scheduling needs, please note that adjustments may be limited due to logistical constraints.
Audition Details
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Audition Duration: ~15/20 minutes per actor
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Performance Requirement: Prepare and perform a monologue from the Selected Monologues List (attached below).
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Chemistry Reads: Some actors may be invited for additional auditions to assess on-stage chemistry.
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*Some short listed actors will be required to attend a stage fighting workshop as part of the audition process
Casting Considerations
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Actor Age Range: 18–60
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Character Age Range: 14–60
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Language Requirement: Fluency in both English and Hindi is essential.
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Stage Combat: Prior experience is preferred (not mandatory).
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Musical Ability: Proficiency in a musical instrument is a plus (not mandatory).
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Dance/Movement: Dance experience is a plus. (not mandatory).
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Physical Fitness: A high level of physical fitness will be a major consideration.
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Vocal Dexterity: Strong vocal ability is essential from the entire ensemble.
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Actors with a strong sense of 'ensemble' will be favored.
Singing
We stress that this production is NOT a Musical
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The role of Juliet may include a solo vocal performance at the Capulet's Party. (She doesn't need to be a great singer) and possibly singing to herself in the Balcony Scene.
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We are considering that Paris will also sing, depending on auditions.
We look forward to your audition and thank you for bringing your talent and passion to the process!
Out of Town Actors
Actors living out of Mumbai are invited to apply for an audition and can fill in the form below.
Characters of Romeo & Juliet
Some ensemble members will play more than one role
Where the families originate from and their caste is dependant on who we find in the auditions.
The Montague Household
Ages indicated are the character's age. The 'look' of the characters will be based on what is was fashionable for the 1970's. Stylish and wealthy!
Romeo
The teenage son of the Montague family He is handsome (70's handsome), intelligent, and emotional. Though impulsive, his passion makes him likeable. Caught in a family feud, he avoids violence and longs only for love. He is shielded from family business but aware of it.
More a poet than a fighter but can take care of himself. Gentle, passionate, and romantic. Loyal. He's a natural leader but unaware of it. Very attractive and likeable personality. People trust him. Empathy. A writer.
What I am looking for: In the text he is 16. The look of this Romeo can be as old as 18/19. Unconventional good looks. Slight build and naturally fit (though not a gym body. He has had a physically active and healthy upbringing. He is witty, a fast thinker and a loyal friend. He doesn't carry prejudice into the world. He is dealing with social pressures, family expectations, and internal conflicts that create obstacles to his love life. This Romeo is a poet and at the beginning of the play is in love with the idea of love.
Key Traits
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Impulsive
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Passionate
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Romantic and Idealistic
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Changeable
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Intelligent and Eloquent
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Loyal
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Brave
Lord Montague
Romeo’s father, the patriarch of the Montague clan and bitter enemy of Capulet. Chiefly concerned about Romeo’s melancholy.
What I am looking for: (late 40's/early 50's). The Don of a powerful mafia gang. A self made man. A shrewd businessman who understands the importance of associating with influential figures, including Bollywood personalities. Think Haji Mastan
Key Traits
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Powerful
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Argumentative and Stubborn
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Caring Father
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Self-Controlled
Benvolio
Friend/cousin of Romeo. (Late teenager) Montague’s nephew, Romeo’s cousin and thoughtful friend. Benvolio makes a genuine effort to defuse violent scenes in public places, though Mercutio accuses him of having a nasty temper in private. He spends most of the play trying to help Romeo get his mind off Rosaline, even after Romeo has fallen in love with Juliet.
What I am looking for: Possibly female or male depending on auditions. Earthy, fit, sharp and stylish but not necessarily a traditional beauty . A good friend. Level headed. Logical. Loyal to the family and the family business. Smart.
Key Traits
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Peacemaker:
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Calm and Reflective:
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Loyal and Caring:
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Voice of Reason:
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Honest and Truthful:
The Capulet Household
The Capulets have origins in the South Bombay Koli Community.
Juliet
Teenage daughter of the Capulet family. A beauty, Juliet begins the play as a naïve child who has thought little about love and marriage, but she grows up quickly upon falling in love with Romeo, the son of her family’s great enemy. Because she is a girl in an powerful family, she has none of the freedom Romeo has to roam around the city. Nevertheless, she shows amazing courage in trusting her entire life and future to Romeo. Juliet’s closest friend and confidant is her nurse, though she’s willing to shut the Nurse out of her life the moment the Nurse turns against Romeo.
What I am looking for: In the text she is 14. The look of this Juliet will be 15/16. Intelligent. Truly a contemporary young woman of the 70's. A natural beauty, but not 'Bollywood' pretty. Fit and healthy. Strong and independent. A constant challenge for her family. Naturally funny. Finds it difficult to be traditionally feminine and finds it difficult to conform to tradition. She is strong and a little naughty!
Key Traits
Early Traits:
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Immaturity
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Cheeky
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Naiveté
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Shyness
Developing Traits:
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Determination
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Resilience
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Loyalty
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Decisiveness
Lady Capulet
The matriarch of the Capulet family, mother of Juliet, and enemy of Montague. Seems to think that what is best for Juliet and the family is a “good” match with Paris. Commands respect and propriety, but is liable to fly into a rage when either is lacking. A woman who herself married young (by her own estimation she gave birth to Juliet at close to the age of fourteen). She is an ineffectual mother, relying on the Nurse for moral and pragmatic support.
What I am looking for: (30's/early 40's) Poised, strong, commanding, elegant. Regarded as striking as opposed to being just beautiful. An extremely good business woman who has survived (and is successful) in a male dominated world. Runs a powerful mafia gang. Old money. Family legacy is everything. Can be frightening when challenged. Her love for Juliet is more about legacy than anything else. Is aware of the power of connections with influential figures, including Bollywood personalities. Regarding her crime life, think a cross between Bela Aunty, Sona and Jenabai Daruwali.
Key Traits
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Strong-willed and domineering
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Loving (with conditions)
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Quick-tempered and reactive
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Detachment and Formal Relationship
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Prioritizing Social Status
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Lack of Empathy
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Unforgiving
Nurse
Juliet’s nurse, the woman who breast-fed Juliet when she was a baby and has cared for Juliet her entire life. A vulgar, long-winded, and sentimental character, the Nurse provides comic relief with her frequently inappropriate remarks and speeches. But, until a disagreement near the play’s end, the Nurse is Juliet’s faithful confidante and loyal intermediary in Juliet’s affair with Romeo. She provides a contrast with Juliet, given that her view of love is earthy and sexual, whereas Juliet is idealistic and intense. The Nurse believes in love and wants Juliet to have a nice-looking husband, but the idea that Juliet would want to sacrifice herself for love is incomprehensible to her.
What I am looking for: (late 30's to mid 40's) Open to the physicality and background of the character. Smart, naturally funny and not afraid of the bawdy side of life. Has seen and been through a lot in her life. More devoted to Juliet than she is to the family.
Key Traits
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Maternal
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Loyal:
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Humor and Bawdy Language
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Pragmatic
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Long-winded and Vulgar
Tybalt
Juliet’s cousin on her mother’s side. Vain, fashionable, supremely aware of courtesy and the lack of it. He becomes aggressive, violent, and quick to draw his 'sword' when he feels his pride has been injured. Once drawn, his 'sword' is something to be feared. He loathes all Montagues.
What I am looking for: Extremely fit with a fighters body, cat-like. Narcissistic. Hot headed. Looks great in a suit and knows it. he is devoted to new fashion. A young man who has had little love in his life. He has anger issues. In the business world of the Capulets, he is all flash and no substance. A womaniser. Piercing persona. (70's handsome). Think Mohammed Hussain as the type of producer Tybalt would be....B-Grade. From the crime world, think a young Dawood Ibrahim.
Key Traits
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Aggression and Violence
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Hot-Tempered and Impulsive
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Loyal
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Arrogance and Pride
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Vengeful
Others
Friar Lawrence
A Christian friar, friend to Romeo and ally to Juliet. Kind, civic-minded, a proponent of moderation, and always ready with a plan, Friar Lawrence secretly marries the impassioned lovers in hopes that the union might eventually bring peace to the city. As well as being a holy man, Friar Lawrence is also an expert in the use of seemingly mystical potions and herbs.
What I am looking for: (30's to 60's. Possibly British or Anglo-Indian or Indian. depending on who is suitable to the role in audition) Obsessive and eccentric. (Goan Catholic). Sensual in the true sense of the word (relating to or involving gratification of the senses and physical). A cross between western Christianity and eastern Philosophy. A 'teacher' but shy of the term Guru.
Key Traits
Positive Traits:
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Wisdom and Knowledge:
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Kindness and Compassion:
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Desire for Peace
Negative Traits:
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Scheming and Manipulation
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Overconfidence
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Fear and Cowardice
Mercutio
(In the original text): A kinsman to the Prince, and Romeo’s close friend. One of the most extraordinary characters in all of Shakespeare’s plays, Mercutio overflows with imagination, wit, and, at times, a strange, biting satire and brooding fervor. Mercutio loves wordplay, especially sexual double entendres. He can be quite hotheaded, and hates people who are affected or pretentious. He finds Romeo’s romanticized ideas about love tiresome and tries to convince Romeo to view love as a simple matter of sexual appetite.
What I am looking for Shell shocked ex soldier. (Age and physicality is open to interpretation at this point - from late 20's to 45. I'm interested in interpretation). He is enigmatic, quick witted and bawdy. A strong personality that young men find attractive as someone to look up to.
Key Traits
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Witty and Funny
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Reckless and Hotheaded
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Loyal
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Skeptic of Romantic Love
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Not necessarily a "Good" Man
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Peacekeeper, but in a reckless and even provocative way
Paris
The arranged suitor of Juliet. Once Capulet has promised him he can marry Juliet, he behaves very presumptuous toward her, acting as if they are already married.
What I am looking for Dashing and fit. An up and coming 70's prince of Bollywood through his connections to the Capulets. Incredibly handsome (70's handsome) and masculine/suave. An over confident person. Think young young Feroz Khan or Rajendra Kumar.
Key Traits
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Social Standing and Ambition
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Self-Absorption and Lack of Depth
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Traditional and Conventional
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Well-Meaning but Superficial
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Positional rather than Love-Driven
Ensemble roles include:
Apothecary: A drug dealer on the streets.
Servants/extras with and without lines. (Ages from 18 to 50 from across India)
Prince: The law
A Young Friar Description: Young and eager
Extras
Audition Monologues & Scenes
More about 1970's Mumbai
Mumbai in the 1970s: A Melting Pot
Mumbai was India's financial and entertainment capital, alive with nightclubs, jazz music, and the golden age of Bollywood. The city also became a hotspot for organized crime, particularly due to smuggling, bootlegging, and the rise of the underworld.
Jazz and Disco Culture in Mumbai
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Jazz in Clubs: The 1970s saw the last glow of Mumbai’s live jazz scene, which had begun in the 1930s. Hotels and nightclubs like Talk of the Town, The Astoria, The Blue Nile, and Volga hosted Goan and Anglo-Indian jazz musicians, playing swing, bebop, and jazz-inflected Bollywood tunes.
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Musicians' Lives: Many jazz musicians were working-class artists from Goa or Bandra, playing for Bollywood sessions by day and live gigs by night.
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In 1970s Mumbai, disco emerged as a vibrant nightlife trend, with popular spots like the "Bullock Cart" near Churchgate and "Hell" (at the Hilltop Hotel in Worli) attracting crowds. These venues, along with others like "Blow Up" at the Taj and "Slip Disc" (now Voodoo), became synonymous with the disco era in the city. The "Slip Disc" is also notable for a legendary impromptu performance by Led Zeppelin's Jimmy Page and Robert Plant in 1972.
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Some discos were indirectly or directly influenced by Mafia and Gang activities. Some clubs arte thought to have been fronts for illegal activities, while others may have paid protection money to avoid trouble.
Mafia Connections
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Nightclub Control: The Mumbai underworld had begun to muscle into the city’s nightlife. Many jazz venues were either owned, protected, or extorted by gangsters. Clubs had to pay hafta (protection money), and some served as fronts for smuggling or money laundering.
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Smuggling and Glamour: Gold and electronic smuggling was rampant, and high-end clubs were places where deals were struck and contraband moved quietly. Gangsters like Haji Mastan, Varadarajan Mudaliar, and later Dawood Ibrahim were regulars or silent influencers in these circuits.
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Stars & Syndicates: Some Bollywood stars socialized at the same clubs as dons. The jazz musicians often provided the soundtrack to these mingling worlds of glamour, crime, and power.
Bollywood and the Mafia: A Growing Underworld Influence
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In the 1970s, the relationship between Bollywood and the Mumbai mafia deepened.
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Underworld figures like Haji Mastan began financing films, using the industry to launder black money and gain social status.
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The smuggler lifestyle became glamorized in movies, blurring lines between reel and real underworld figures.
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While much of the mafia's influence was still subtle, signs of coercion and control—such as dictating casting or showing interest in certain stars—started to emerge.
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This decade laid the foundation for the more aggressive mafia interference that would follow in the 1980s.
Decline of Jazz, Rise of Disco
By the late '70s:
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The jazz scene began to decline, with the rise of disco and Western pop in clubs and films.
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Many clubs shut down or converted to discotheques.
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The mafia shifted its focus more aggressively toward Bollywood financing, real estate, and hawala operations, leaving the jazz scene behind.
Legacy
Today, the story of 1970s music and Bollywood and the Mumbai mafia survives in oral histories, memoirs, and cinematic depictions. It represents a unique chapter where art, underworld influence, and cultural transformation converged.
Resources
If you do not know the play, we suggest the following resources
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Film: Romeo and Juliet Directed by Baz Luhrmann. Romeo and Juliet Directed by Franco Zeffirelli. Romeo and Juliet National Theatre Live. Bombay Velvet
