Onstage: Oct. 8 - 25
TECH week: Aug 24 - Oct. 7
The Pillowman By Martin McDonagh
Synopsis: In a nameless totalitarian state, a fiction writer named Katurian is systematically interrogated by two brutal detectives. His macabre short stories, which frequently depict gruesome acts committed against children, bear a striking and horrific resemblance to a series of recent real-world child murders in the area. What follows is a pitch-black, psychological battle that explores the dark origins of trauma, the blurred lines between art and reality, and an artist’s desperate obsession with ensuring his life’s work survives his execution.
The Pillowman is a gripping, brilliant dark comedy and psychological thriller that examines the destructive power of storytelling and the enduring bond of brotherhood.
Director’s Notes
The Pillowman is a dark, complex masterpiece rooted in emotional truth, systemic trauma, and human behavior. The humor comes from the absolute absurdity and honesty of the stakes, not performance. We are looking for actors who can fully commit to the heavy emotional unraveling of these characters while remaining grounded and connected.
The minor/ensemble roles—including the parents and the children who appear in the stylized fairytale segments—may utilize puppetry, shadow play, or highly theatrical, non-realistic staging to portray the macabre elements of Katurian’s stories.
This production embraces untraditional and inclusive casting. Actors of all races, ethnicities, gender identities, body types, and backgrounds are strongly encouraged to audition. Chemistry, storytelling, and authenticity are our priority.
Character Descriptions
Katurian – A brilliant and defensive fiction writer who works a mundane day job at a slaughterhouse. Highly intelligent and intensely protective of his brother, Katurian is not a political dissident, but his highly violent stories have landed him in the interrogation room. His absolute primary motivation is ensuring that his stories are preserved and survive after his death.
Michal – Katurian’s older brother who lives with profound developmental disabilities, the result of horrific abuse inflicted by their parents during childhood. Michal is child-like, literal-minded, and relies entirely on Katurian. He has a dark, twisted innocence, failing to fully comprehend the morality of violence, making him both deeply sympathetic and deeply dangerous.
Tupolski – The lead detective in the interrogation. Cold, analytical, and deeply cynical, Tupolski considers himself an intellectual and a bit of a writer in his own right. He uses dry, deadpan humor and bureaucratic detachment to control the room, viewing the execution of justice as a matter-of-fact routine.
Ariel – The volatile, aggressively violent “bad cop” who is fiercely driven by a personal moral code. He possesses an intense, visceral hatred for anyone who harms children, fueled by his own history of abuse. While he starts as a blunt instrument of torture, he possesses hidden complexity and undergoes a significant shift during the investigation.
Director’s Notes
Onstage: Nov 12 - 29
TECH week: Oct 29 - Nov. 11
The Rivals By Richard Brinsley Sheridan
In collaboration with Theatre Conspiracy
Synopsis: A sharp, funny, and fast-moving comedy of manners, The Rivals follows a group of lovers, schemers, parents, and servants caught in a tangle of mistaken identities, romantic misunderstandings, and ridiculous social expectations. At the center is Lydia Languish, a wealthy young woman who dreams of a dramatic, forbidden romance, and Captain Jack Absolute, who disguises himself as a poor soldier in order to win her love. Around them swirl jealous rivals, meddling guardians, and one of theatre’s great comic characters, Mrs. Malaprop, whose misuse of language has delighted audiences for centuries.
Director’s Notes
The Rivals is a comedy about people performing versions of themselves: romantic heroes, proper ladies, brave men, obedient children, and respectable adults. The fun comes from watching those performances fall apart. The goal is to make the language sharp, the comedy clear, and the characters feel human, not museum pieces. This should feel lively, ridiculous, fast, and accessible.
Casting Notes
This production will be cast with a flexible ensemble of 8 to 10 actors. Some doubling may be used. Looking for actors with strong comic timing, clear language skills, physical playfulness, and the ability to handle heightened text without making it stiff.
Character Descriptions
Captain Jack Absolute – A clever and charming young officer who disguises himself in order to win Lydia’s heart. Quick-witted, confident, and always trying to stay one step ahead of trouble.
Lydia Languish – A wealthy young woman obsessed with romantic novels and dramatic love stories. Intelligent, determined, and convinced that true love should be difficult.
Mrs. Malaprop – Lydia’s outspoken aunt and guardian. Famous for her accidental misuse of words, she is one of theatre’s great comic characters. Strong comic timing required.
Sir Anthony Absolute – Jack’s father. Forceful, opinionated, and accustomed to getting his way. His explosive temper often creates some of the play’s funniest moments.
Bob Acres – A country gentleman trying desperately to become fashionable and sophisticated. Earnest, likable, and often hilariously out of his depth.
Sir Lucius O’Trigger – An Irish gentleman with a fondness for duels, romance, and grand gestures. Bold, confident, and larger than life.
Julia Melville – Lydia’s cousin and closest friend. Thoughtful, loyal, and emotionally mature. She provides the heart of the play’s secondary love story.
Faulkland – Julia’s devoted but chronically insecure suitor. Intelligent and passionate, but prone to jealousy and self-created misery.
Lucy – Mrs. Malaprop’s maid. Sharp, opportunistic, and always aware of everyone’s secrets. Much of the plot’s confusion passes through her hands.
Fag – Captain Absolute’s servant and confidant. Resourceful, witty, and deeply involved in helping Jack navigate his increasingly complicated schemes.
Onstage: Jan 14 - 31
TECH week: Jan 2 - Jan 13
God of Carnage By Yasmina Reza
Translated by Christopher Hampton
Synopsis: After a playground fight between their eleven-year-old sons, two sets of Brooklyn parents meet to calmly discuss the incident. What begins as a polite and civilized conversation quickly unravels into a hilarious and chaotic clash of egos, marriage, class, parenting, and personal frustrations. As tensions rise and drinks flow, the adults reveal they may be far less mature than their children.
God of Carnage is a sharp, fast-paced dark comedy that explores the thin line between civility and chaos.
Director’s Notes
God of Carnage is a dark comedy rooted in emotional truth, tension, and human behavior. The humor comes from honesty, not performance. We are looking for actors who can fully commit to the emotional unraveling of these characters while remaining grounded and connected.
This production embraces untraditional and inclusive casting. Actors of all races, ethnicities, gender identities, body types, and backgrounds are strongly encouraged to audition. Chemistry, storytelling, and authenticity are our priority.
Casting Notes
(Alan Raleigh) Seeking an actor with strong stage presence, sophistication, wit, and the ability to balance arrogance with charm.
(Annette Raleigh) Looking for an actor with a commanding presence, emotional depth, and strong comedic control.
Character Descriptions
Veronica Novak – A writer who values morality, culture, and doing the “right thing.” Intelligent and well-spoken, Veronica tries to maintain order and civility but slowly loses patience as the evening spirals out of control.
Michael Novak – Veronica’s husband, a wholesaler with a laid-back personality and blunt sense of humor. Beneath his charm is a man uncomfortable with emotional confrontation and eager to avoid accountability.
Alan Raleigh – A successful corporate attorney who is polished, confident, and constantly distracted by work. Intelligent and sharp-tongued, Alan uses humor and intellect to maintain control while avoiding emotional vulnerability.
Annette Raleigh – A successful wealth manager who is polished, disciplined, and deeply aware of status and appearances. Strong, guarded, and quietly judgmental, Annette works hard to maintain composure until the evening pushes her to her breaking point.
Onstage: Feb 18 - Mar 7
TECH week: Feb 4 - Feb 17
bare Book by Jon Hartmere and Damon Intrabartolo
Lyrics by Jon Hartmere | Music by Damon Intrabartolo
Synopsis: At St. Cecilia’s Boarding School, a group of high school seniors navigates the complex, claustrophobic terrain of identity, sexuality, and religion. At the heart of the story are roommates Peter and Jason, who are deeply in love but forced to keep their relationship hidden. While Peter longs to step out of the shadows and live authentically, Jason—the school’s golden boy and star athlete—is paralyzed by the fear of losing his status and being exiled by his family and church. As the pressure mounts and the students prepare to stage a production of Romeo and Juliet, secret relationships, unrequited desires, and systemic religious repression collide.
bare is a raw, pulsating, and contemporary rock musical that explores the devastating consequences of hiding your true self and the high stakes of vulnerability.
Director’s Notes:
bare is a sung-through rock opera rooted in absolute raw honesty, high-stakes teenage angst, and deep psychological isolation. The performances must be grounded in genuine emotional truth, avoiding theatrical melodrama; the tragedy and contemporary relevance come from the crushing weight of societal and religious expectations on young minds.
This production embraces untraditional and inclusive casting. Actors of all races, ethnicities, gender identities, body types, and backgrounds are strongly encouraged to audition. Chemistry, vocal storytelling, and authenticity are our priority.
Character Descriptions
Peter – An introspective, deeply feeling senior who is struggling to navigate his faith and his identity. He is in a committed, secret relationship with his roommate, Jason. Unlike Jason, Peter is growing increasingly tired of living a lie and longs to come out to his family and the world, creating a painful emotional friction between his love for Jason and his need for personal truth.
· Vocal Range: High Tenor.
Jason – The charismatic, popular golden boy of St. Cecilia’s senior class. A star athlete and high-achieving student, Jason projects an aura of effortless perfection, but internally he is terrified. He loves Peter deeply but believes his orientation is wrong and actively suppresses his identity to meet the rigid expectations of his father and the church, choosing dangerous deflection over exposure.
· Vocal Range: Baritone / Tenor.
Ivy – A beautiful, popular, and deeply insecure senior who has acquired a promiscuous reputation that she feels confined and defined by. Desperate for genuine love and to be seen for who she truly is, she falls hard for Jason, unaware of his relationship with Peter. She becomes a tragic catalyst in the narrative when she pushes through his defenses.
· Vocal Range: Soprano / Mezzo-Soprano.
Nadia – Jason’s sharp-tongued, fiercely sarcastic twin sister. Deeply insecure about her weight and appearance, she shields herself with a bitter, rebellious outer shell and resentment toward popular girls like Ivy. Despite her biting wit and apparent independence, she harbors a deep longing to be wanted and accepted.
· Vocal Range: Mezzo-Soprano.
Matt – A studious, highly pious senior and Jason’s direct academic and social rival. Always playing second fiddle to Jason’s effortless success, Matt is harboring a deep, unrequited love for Ivy. His jealousy, combined with a rigid moral compass, drives him to become a volatile threat when he accidentally uncovers Peter and Jason’s secret.
· Vocal Range: Baritone / Tenor.
Sister Chantelle – The wise, no-nonsense nun who runs the school’s drama department. While she presents a fierce, humorous, and sharp exterior to keep the students in line, she possesses deep emotional intuition and empathy. She ultimately serves as a rare, vital source of unconditional love and spiritual validation for Peter.
· Vocal Range: Soprano / Belter.
Claire – Peter’s well-meaning but deeply conflicted mother. She knows her son is struggling and strongly suspects he is gay, but she actively avoids having the conversation due to her own fears, traditional worldview, and inability to face the reality of his situation.
· Vocal Range: Soprano / Mezzo-Soprano.
Priest – The school’s confessional priest and spiritual advisor. He represents the rigid institutional dogma of the church. Caught between institutional rules and pastoral care, he fails to provide the compassionate lifeline the students need during their deepest crises, choosing institutional doctrine over human empathy.
· Vocal Range: Baritone.
Tanya – A dramatic and expressive student at St. Cecilia’s who is a close friend to Nadia and Ivy. She is very much a part of the school’s core social circle, often adding to the heightened teenage energy and gossip of the senior class.
· Vocal Range: Mezzo-Soprano / Belter.
Lucas – The resident student drug dealer and smooth-talking free spirit of the senior class. He provides the substance-fueled escapes for the students’ parties and acts as a detached, cynical observer of the high-stakes drama surrounding him.
· Vocal Range: Tenor.
Rory & Alan – Two prominent seniors within the St. Cecilia’s student body. They populate the background of the intense social dynamic, participating heavily in the school play, parties, and the pressurized high school environment.
· Vocal Ranges: Soprano (Rory) / Tenor (Alan).
Onstage: Mar 25 - Apr 11
TECH week: Mar 11 - 24
A Midsummer Night’s Dream
Synopsis: If you want a polite Shakespearean fairy tale, skip this one.
In true Lab fashion, we are completely flipping Midsummer on its head. The setting is unexpected, roles will be reversed, and the traditional rulebook out the window.
The script is currently being rewritten, so we aren’t releasing a standard synopsis or character breakdowns. We are building this world from scratch and we’d love to see how you envision this world
Casting Notes:
There are no rules. Anyone can audition for any role, regardless of traditional casting norms.
Come ready to experiment and leave your expectations at the door.
Onstage: Apr 22 - May 9
TECH week: Apr 8 - Apr 21
Fences by August Wilson
In collaboration with Theatre Conspiracy
Synopsis: Set in 1957 Pittsburgh, Fences follows Troy Maxson, a former Negro League baseball player turned garbage
collector, as he struggles to provide for his family while carrying the pain and bitterness of racism and lost
opportunities.
As Troy clashes with his son Cory over football, tensions rise within the family, revealing themes of love,
responsibility, pride, and generational trauma. Powerful and deeply human, Fences explores the emotional
barriers people build and the impact those walls have on the ones they love.
Director’s Notes:
Fences is a deeply emotional story about family, identity, pride, and generational pain. August Wilson’s
language is rich, poetic, and grounded in truth, requiring actors who can bring honesty, vulnerability, and
emotional depth to the stage.
Our goal is to create a collaborative environment rooted in authenticity, respect, and powerful storytelling.
Casting Notes:
Looking for a young actor between the ages of 10–12 to portray Raynell.
Looking for a young actor between the ages of 15–21 who can convincingly portray a teenager.
Character Descriptions
Troy Maxson – A proud, charismatic, and deeply flawed man in his fifties. A hardworking father whose past disappointments shape how he views the world and his family.
Rose Maxson – Troy’s loving, devoted, and resilient wife who works to keep the family grounded and together.
Cory Maxson – Troy and Rose’s teenage son. Ambitious and athletic, Cory dreams of creating a future beyond his father’s limitations.
Lyons Maxson – Troy’s older son, a talented musician who values passion and creativity over stability.
Gabriel Maxson – Troy’s younger brother, mentally affected by a war injury and convinced he is the Archangel Gabriel.
Jim Bono – Troy’s loyal best friend and coworker who often serves as a voice of reason and honesty.
Raynell Maxson – Troy’s young daughter with Alberta. After Alberta’s death, Rose raises Raynell as her own.
Video Auditions Open Year ‘Round.
WE WANT TO SEE YOUR SKILLS!
Available roles currently open for casting will be listed below. All other video auditions will be held for consideration for the remainder of the season and made available to the directors as needed.
But this is also the place to drop your information for directors to see for whatever upcoming projects might be in the works.
Intimacy and fight disclosures for any open roles may be found in the video audition registration portal.
IF THE LINKS BELOW DO NOT ACCEPT YOUR VIDEO, PLEASE EMAIL THE INFO TO theaterswfl@gmail.com.
Leave your resume, headshot, and reel (a video audition/self-tape) that has your information on it below. Even if you don’t see a role that fits you today, our directors work behind the scenes and sometimes have exciting new opportunities, so this is your chance to be first in line for those roles.
The Laboratory Theater of Florida, 1634 Woodford Ave., Fort Myers, 33901 (Corner of Second Street & Woodford)
WHEN:
Video auditions for these roles, or to be considered for future roles at The Lab, need to be submitted here.
Callbacks are by invitation only.
A NOTE ON THE LAB’S STANCE ON COLOR-CONSCIOUS CASTING
What is color-conscious casting, and why is it important? Color-conscious casting intentionally chooses an ethnically diverse cast for shows originally written without diversity in mind. It’s important because representation matters. Theatre is better when all stories are told, not just those of a single segment of society. Intentional color-conscious casting goes hand-in-hand with seeking shows that have a universal appeal to audiences of all ethnicities, genders, and sexual orientations.
While some playwrights dictate specific ethnicities in their work, The Laboratory Theater of Florida is committed to offering opportunities on our stage for ethnically diverse actors.
Come play with us!
Get all the details HERE.
VOLUNTEER!
Discover your best fit, and sign up to come play with us today! Currently seeking volunteers for our Build Team, our Front of House/Usher Squad, Props, Costumes, and Landscaping teams. Each team is unique!
For more information – check out our Volunteer Registration Page
