In the average year, roughly 60 brand-new plays are developed at Playwrights’ Center with the help of the finest actors Minnesota has to offer. These actors are often the first to bring life to characters that may be only days—or hours—old. They, along with the writer, director and dramaturg, are the only people to see drafts as they change, scenes as they are cut or added, or lines as they grow, shrink or disappear completely.
An acting gig at Playwrights’ Center looks very different from an actor’s usual schedule of rehearsals and performances. The majority of workshops take place over one to three days, and many do not involve any kind of public performance. Actors participate not only in the reading of freshly-printed scripts, but in discussions of the play itself. Their feedback and on-the-spot performance choices can help inform the development of a character, a scene or an entire play.
Actors are an integral part of the theatrical community we strive to support, and seeing casts of new faces and old friends come through our doors every week keeps us energized and inspired. We are proud not only to employ some of the most talented and artistically generous performers in town, but also to put artists in touch with one another in a professional context.
Playwrights’ Center is a hub for the Twin Cities theater community, where artists can find one another and develop relationships that enrich their lives and future work. We are always grateful to welcome back frequent collaborators and are also delighted to meet new faces and build new relationships
FAQ
What’s the job?
We are an artist-service organization rather than a producing theater. Playwrights’ Center workshops are, first and foremost, about helping playwrights further develop their work in whatever way is most helpful for each writer. Some workshops lead to performances for an audience, others find the play in a different phase of development and (in the words of one former fellow) an actor’s “physical presence is a form of writing.”
What specific skills are helpful?
Patience, an ability to make strong choices with little preparation, and a sense of adventure.
What’s the time commitment like?
Most workshops are held weekdays in the mornings and/or afternoons, with occasional evening readings during our public season. Please do not request an audition if you do not have daytime availability.
How often do you cast?
Playwrights’ Center casts year-round. We hold general auditions once each year in the fall.
How much does it pay?
Most workshops offer 10-25 hour contracts, and pay an hourly rate.
If I audition, will you remember me for a future role?
After our general auditions, we update our database of actors to be considered for workshops. We contact actors throughout the year to cast individual workshops, and our staff has an incredible memory for Twin Cities’ talent.
Who chooses the actors?
Playwrights’ Center artistic staff bring their ample gifts and expertise into collaboration with the artistic cohort associated with each play (playwright, director, etc.) In addition to annual general auditions, staff makes an effort to see as much work as possible around town to see artists at work. The majority of roles are filled by local actors, but occasionally actors are brought in from out of town to make sure the cast suits the playwright’s needs.
What’s it like to act at Playwrights’ Center?
We’ll let a few of our “frequent fliers” answer that:
Being able to be there as an instrument to serve a playwright in a really specific way is just so special. Being part of the living growing animal. Like, things that start out as cells or molecules and then become a blood flow and a life force of something, and then all of a sudden there’s a skeleton and then…a play. It’s tremendous to be part of the lifespan of a play, which is just so different from a full production. It’s totally magical and it’s some of the best, some of the truest purest art you will ever come in contact with.
There’s so much love in the room and there is so much opportunity for growth as an actor, you know, even though it’s about the play and about the writing, the words. As an actor, I still get to grow and break down a script and then break down your character, which you may not always get to do because there’s always a timeline, and there’s always more at stake when you’re doing a production. Here the stake is: we’re investing in the playwright. We want the playwright to get as much as they can get out of it. And then you’re here as an actor to help that process along.
One of the things I love about being at Playwrights’ Center is that everyone’s on the same page, that we are here to make sure the playwright has what they need. Everyone is aligned in that mission. It’s a lot of listening, really listening, to what the playwright’s needs are, and being flexible to fit whatever that may be, and that may change from day to day, hour to hour.
I’ve done workshops where I come in one day and the team is like, ‘It’s nothing against you, the scene is cut. It’s not in the play anymore.’ And I’m like, ‘It’s what you need. No harm done. Can I still hang out?’
I just don’t want to leave the room. So, it’s definitely more flexible than working on a traditional play process where the play is set and maybe you’re building off that, but a workshop of a play is like laying the bricks that will be the foundation.
Do national playwrights appreciate the acting pool in the Twin Cities?
We’ll pass the mic for that answer too:
When actors bring their own personality and self to the process and you suddenly realize ‘oh this play isn’t mine alone anymore’ there is that wonderful feeling of how collaborative this process will be.
This place deserves at least some of the blame for having cultivated an army of performers who are very, very good at new work. It might be mostly Playwrights’ Center’s fault. I’m not sure. But there is a whole community of actors here that know exactly how to sink their teeth into new work and give you five different reads for the same line, that are really willing to jump in and experiment and experiment. It’s an incredible community of artists.
If you are an actor in the Minneapolis/Saint Paul area with weekday daytime availability, we would love to meet you! You can learn more about how to audition here.