Auditions
Announcements
Magnolia Theatre Company, Dayton’s feminist theatre company, announces auditions as well as a call for technicians and designers for UTOPIA: AN MTC Theatre Festival.
Magnolia Theatre Company (MTC) is teaming up with three other Dayton Theatre organizations:Dayton Playhouse, Dayton Theatre Guild, and TheatreLab Dayton to launch UTOPIA, a collaborative Festival aimed at supporting Dayton's emerging artists while pushing our own artistic possibilities.
Auditions will be held at the TheatreLab Dayton’s Space, 116 N Jefferson St, Ste 200, Dayton, Ohio, 45402, Second floor on Sunday, April 26, 2026 from 1pm- 8pm.
Eligible auditioners and technicians must be an Early-Career Artist (ages 18-22 and/ or just graduated from college or university at the start of rehearsal). Everyone is asked to prepare two monologues, contrasting in style, not to exceed 3 minutes. Please sign up for auditions via this Google form. Video submissions will be accepted, and must be received by April 25, 2026. Callbacks will be held as needed.
Are you an Early-Career Stage Manager or Designer? Want to be on the Run Crew? Click Here.
This is a Festival format, with a condensed rehearsal process. All shows will be performed off book, with specific technical parameters.
All actors and technicians will be paid a stipend to be a part of this Festival.
Personnel: Gina Handy Minyard and Annie Pesch (MTC), Philip Drennen and Mackensie King (TLD), Shanna Camacho (DPH), Melissa Kerr Ertsgaard (DTG)
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Magnolia Theatre Company (MTC)
Athena by Gracie Gardner
Director: Annie Pesch
Rehearsal Start Date: August 23, 2026 (flexible)
Rehearsal Frequency: 5-6 days a week, staggered call- 2 consecutive days off a week (weekdays will be held in the evenings, while weekend rehearsals will be late mornings, to mid-afternoon.)
Tech/Dress: September 6, 2026
Performance Dates: September 12, 2026 matinée
Location: Rehearsals will be held in the Metropolitan Arts Center studios or the PNC Arts Annex, performance location is the PNC Arts Annex.
Content Disclosure: choreographed stage combat/fencing, profanity, underage drinking, references to drugs, birth control, medical conditions, assault, and suggestive sexual dialogue
Description: Mary Wallace and Athena are brave, and seventeen, and fencers, and training for the Junior Olympics. They practice together, they compete against each other, they spend their lives together. They wish they were friends.
Roles: MARY WALLACE – Seventeen, passionate, driven, and an A+ student. She likes to be the best. Somewhat sheltered and accustomed to practicing on her own at home. She lives in a New Jersey suburb.
ATHENA – Seventeen, singularly driven, competitive, and cunning. Her communication style is blunt and incisive. She likes to win. She lives in an apartment in New York City. Athena is not her real name.
Actors auditioning for ATHENA and MARY WALLACE will also be under consideration for the role of JAMIE/UNDERSTUDY
Dayton Playhouse (DPH)
macbitches by Sophie McIntosh (rights pending)
Director: Shanna Camacho
Rehearsal Start Date: August 23, 2026
Rehearsal Frequency: 5-6 days a week, staggered call- 2 consecutive days off a week (weekdays will be held in the evenings, while weekend rehearsals will be late mornings, to mid-afternoon.)
Tech/Dress: September 7, 2026 evening
Performance Dates: September 11, 2026
Location: Rehearsals will be held TBD, performance location is the PNC Arts Annex.
Content Disclosure: Strong language, depictions of alcohol and substance abuse, emotional abuse and high-intensity bullying
Description: When freshman acting major Hailey unexpectedly scores the coveted role of Lady Macbeth, her upperclassmen rivals immediately invite her over to “celebrate.” As the Fireball and Svedka flow, the young women interrogate their own ambitions as well as the power structures that have shaped their education—and when the night spirals into violent and shocking acts of betrayal, they come to learn that what’s done cannot be undone.
Roles: HAILEY HUDSON (Lady Macbeth) is a freshman BFA acting major from Kokomo, IN. She is thrilled to be making her mainstage debut at UMNC. “Shoutout to Mr. Hansen and the KHS Drama Squad!”
PIPER BELL (Messenger #1) is a sophomore BFA acting major from Eagle Bend, MN. She has previously been seen on UMNC’s mainstage as Berta in Hedda Gabler. “Psalm 33:3.”
CAM WITKOWSKI (Gentlewoman) is a junior BFA acting major and philosophy minor from Marquette, MI. She has previously been seen on UMNC’s mainstage as a Wedding Guest in The Drowsy Chaperone, Theban Elder/Chorus in Antigone, and an Attendant in Twelfth Night. “All my love to Mom, Dad, Abbie, and Lou (but none to Brian).”
ALEXIS LAPP (Lady Macduff) is a senior BFA acting major from Minneapolis, MN. She has previously been seen on UMNC’s mainstage as Kitty in The Drowsy Chaperone, Maria in Twelfth Night, Mary Warren in The Crucible, and others. “This one’s for you, Mom.”
RACHEL LABEAU (First Witch) is a senior BFA acting major from Mora, MN. She has previously been seen on UMNC’s mainstage as Hedda Tesman in Hedda Gabler, Janet Van de Graaff in The Drowsy Chaperone, Olivia in Twelfth Night, Abigail Williams in The Crucible, and others.
Considering Understudies: No
TheatreLab Dayton (TLD)
Matt & Ben by Mindy Kaling and Brenda Withers (rights pending)
Director: Mackensie King
Rehearsal Start Date: August 23, 2026
Rehearsal Frequency: 5 days a week, staggered call- 2 consecutive days off a week (weekdays will be held in the evenings, while weekend rehearsals will be late mornings, to mid-afternoon.)
Tech/Dress: September 8, 2026 evening
Performance Dates: September 12, 2026 - evening
Location: Rehearsals will be held at the TheatreLab Dayton Space, 116 N Jefferson St, Ste 200, Dayton, Ohio, 45402, Second floor. Performance location is the PNC Arts Annex.
Content Disclosure: strong language
Description: Matt & Ben depicts its Hollywood golden boys – before J-Lo, before Gwyneth, before Project Greenlight, before Oscar… before anyone actually gave a damn. When the screenplay for Good Will Hunting drops mysteriously from the heavens, the boys realize they’re being tested by a Higher Power.
Roles: MATT DAMON and BEN AFFLECK - 2 aspiring actor/writers in their 20s
Considering Understudies: no
Dayton Theatre Guild (DTG)
Occupation by Merri Biechler (rights pending)
Director: Melissa Kerr Ertsgaard
Rehearsal Start Date: August 23, 2026
Rehearsal Frequency: 5 days a week, staggered call- 2 consecutive days off a week (weekdays will be held in the evenings, while weekend rehearsals will be late mornings, to mid-afternoon.)
Tech/Dress: September 9, 2026 evening
Performance Dates: September 13, 2026 - matinée
Location: Rehearsals will be held in TBD, performance location is the PNC Arts Annex.
Content Disclosure: TBD
Description: It’s America. Almost now. An underground movement of young women calling themselves Civilians are strapping bombs to their backs and blowing up Government Officials. Bombs are the new black. Someone has to bury what’s left of these dead girls. Someone has to stand up for the Government Officials. And someone has to tattoo the girl’s identity to her foot before she makes her delivery. In this new world, five women persist in finding hope and humor in their new role as survivors.
Roles: Tattoo Mother: Rough around the edges. Claims to be a coward; angry she’s a survivor.
Garden Mother: Tie-dye and lavender. Wants to remain useful. Given the chance, she’d do everything different.
Patriot Mother: Visibly pregnant. A good girl. Devout. She proudly displays her Patriot pin on her lapel. All optimism and hope. She honest-to-god glows.
Tap Dance Daughter: 15, never removes her tap shoes. As her desperation grows, her dance
outfit becomes more and more elaborate. Dripping in sadness.
Delivery Daughter: 19, an entrepreneur. Ambitious to a fault. Needs to learn to walk away when it gets too dangerous. And it’s always too dangerous.
Considering Understudies: TBD
