May 29–31, June 5–7, & 12–14, 2026

Winner of six TANYS awards including:

Meritorious Achievement in Acting to Casey Armstrong for the portrayal of Will Shakespeare
Meritorious Achievement in Acting to Nicole Benner for the portrayal of Viola De Lesseps
Meritorious Achievement in Acting to Caleb Paxton for the portrayal of Kit Marlowe
Meritorious Achievement in Set Construction to Randy West
Excellence in Costume Design to Kimberly Hicks
Excellence in Direction to Marc Ruffino

Shakespeare in Love

Based on the screenplay by
Marc Norman and Tom Stoppard
Adapted for the stage by Lee Hall

Adapted from the Academy Award-winning film. This hilarious and enchanting play takes imaginative liberties in exploring Shakespeare’s creative process. Young Will Shakespeare has writer’s block. With a looming deadline and no inspiration in sight, everything changes when he meets his muse: the brilliant, bold and beautiful Viola. This crafty young woman is Will’s greatest admirer and will stop at nothing—including breaking the law—to appear in his next play. Amid a whirlwind of mistaken identity, backstage antics and theatrical scheming, their forbidden romance blossoms, inspiring Shakespeare to write his greatest romantic masterpiece.

Auditions: November 18-19, 2025 at 6:45 PM – Callbacks November 20 at 6:00 PM

(See Info Below)

Director: Marc Ruffino

Marc Ruffino has been involved in theater for over 25 years. He has been an English teacher since 1995 and a high school director since 2000.

His first show with Aurora Players was in 2013, as he was cast as the murderous mastermind Tony Wendice in Dial M For Murder. Since then, Marc has performed in numerous plays for AP including Towards Zero, The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee, and Bus Stop. He also won three acting awards for his roles in Grease, Present Laughter, and Amateurs.

Marc has also appeared on stage with Lancaster Opera House, Desiderio’s Dinner Theatre, Rocking Horse Productions, and Shakespeare in Delaware Park. This is his second time directing for AP – he directed the farce One Man, Two Guvnors in 2023. He directed Shakespeare in Love at Hamburg High School in 2023. He is very much looking forward to bringing this clever and funny love story to the AP stage.

WILL SHAKESPEARE – Casey Armstrong

VIOLA DE LESSEPS – Nicole Benner

KIT MARLOWE – Caleb Paxton

HENSLOWE – Nate Chateaux

NURSE – Caroline Parzy-Sanders

LORD WESSEX – Wyatt Gilbert

FENNYMAN – Monish Bhattacharyya

QUEEN ELIZABETH I – Mary Eckstein

RICHARD BURBAGE – Nick Benstead

PETER – Dan Todd

TILNEY/SIR ROBERT DE LESSEPS – Chris Best

NED ALLEYN – Brian Tabak

SAM – Ryan Harrington

RALPH – Michael Breen

WABASH/CATLING – Rick Peresie

FREES/ROBIN – Jesse Mallen

WEBSTER – Xavier Deschamps

LAMBERT/NOL – Christopher Jackson

ADAM – Matthew Touris

MOLLY/BARMAID/HEAVY/DANCER – Isabelle Benstead

KATE/MISTRES/DANCER – Molly McGrath

DANCER – Jessica Rasp

DANCER – Mia Sorgi

DETAILS:

Please email the director for an audition appointment (include preferred date and time between 7-9pm) by November 17: marcruffino3@gmail.com. Small group auditions will be scheduled in 10-minute intervals. Walk-in auditioners are also welcome.
Auditions will be held at Aurora Players, 166 South Grove Street, East Aurora (in Hamlin Park),
Shakespeare in Love opens Friday, May 29 and runs for three weekends through Sunday, June 14, 2026. Friday/Saturday shows are at 7:30 PM; Sunday shows at 2:30 PM.
Please carefully review the Audition Information Sheet by clicking the link above. The first read-through will be March 30, 2026. There are several key dates that cannot be missed. A character list and info about desired accents also appears on the information sheet.
Please note all dates you are unavailable for rehearsal during April and May on the audition form. This will not necessarily affect casting decisions, but the director needs to know prior to casting.

PREPARATION:

No preparation required; sides will be provided at the audition and are available by clicking the link above.

SYNOPSIS:

Penniless and indebted to two demanding producers, struggling young actor and playwright Will Shakespeare is tormented by writer’s block, until he meets the beautiful Viola de Lesseps, daughter of a wealthy man, whose fiery passion for drama leaves her secretly longing to be an actor. She disguises herself as a man to become a player in Shakespeare’s new play. But, Viola’s father has promised her to marry the stuffy Lord Wessex. Under the veil of secrecy, Will and Viola’s love affair becomes the basis of the very play he’s writing – Romeo and Juliet.

While this is a heavy male-character cast, the director is open to casting female-presenting performers for male characters.

Please note: There are two younger performers needed for this show (Webster age 10-15 & Sam age 14-20)

Questions? Write to info@auroraplayers.org or leave a message with our box office: 716-687-6727. Aurora Players welcomes all to audition, whether new or seasoned actors.

Principal Characters:

Will Shakespeare (M, 20-35) – is a passionate poet who alternates between anxiously brooding over his writer’s block and boasting all the confidence and charm expected from one of England’s most renowned dramatists. Will is sensitive and searches for inspiration, which he finds in the equally fervent Viola. Performers should be comfortable with stage fight movement and intimacy with Viola.
Viola De Lesseps (F, 20-35) – a noblewoman who fiercely dreams of becoming an actor. Viola is rebellious and passionate, and Shakespeare’s verse should roll off this performer’s tongue, and she should embody a sense of playfulness and determination in her attempts to play a man. Performer should be comfortable with intimacy with Will.
Henslowe (M, 35 and older) – is the owner of the Rose Theatre. Alas, Henslowe is frustrated since he must continually hound the playwright to finish the play. He is a slippery equivocator, and his increasing debts and frustrations are the source of lots of comedy.
Kit Marlowe (M, 25-40) – Will’s more successful theatrical cohort, who never suffers from writer’s block. Kit is smooth and charming, and perpetually good-natured and encouraging to Will.

Lord Wessex (M, 35-60) – an insufferable nobleman engaged to Viola, Wessex is solicitous with the Queen but hateful to nearly everyone else. Wessex is a misogynist and only wants Viola for her father’s wealth. Performer should be comfortable with stage fight movement.

Nurse (F, 35 and older) – a devoted servant to Viola, who helps her lady, with kindness and humor, to dress as an actor and avoid Lord Wessex.

Queen Elizabeth I (F, 40 and older) –the very shrewd monarch who loves theatre but demands comedies with a dog. The Queen is very stern with a daunting presence; she delivers her speeches drolly but fairly.

Fennyman (M, 35 and older) – the producer and financial backer of Will’s play. He is a ruthless loan shark with no sense of humor and has an imperious and intimidating presence. However, his enthusiasm (and stage fright) at playing a small role in Romeo and Juliet endears him to his fellow players.

Ned Alleyn (M, 25-40) – is the lead actor of the Admiral’s Men, and plays Mercutio in R & J. Ned is totally self-absorbed and pompous but likeable, and ultimately a good friend to Will. Performer should be comfortable with stage fight movement.

Richard Burbage (M, 25-40) – is the lead actor of the Chamberlain’s Men, a rival troupe of the Admiral’s Men, and owner of the Curtain Theatre. Burbage becomes angry when he discovers that Will gave R & J to the Admiral’s Men. Performer should be comfortable with stage fight movement.

Featured Characters:

Edmund Tilney/Sir Robert De Lesseps (M, 40 and older) – Tilney is Lord Chamberlain, an obsequious courtier to the Queen, who manages entertainment for her. Strict in his position, Tilney is deferential to the Queen and wants to censor Will and his plays. Sir Robert is Viola’s father, who thinks of his daughter only as property to be given away to the odious Wessex.
Ralph (M, any age) – A tavern server with actorly ambitions, plays Juliet’s Nurse and Petruchio, a member of Tybalt’s gang with only one line, in Romeo and Juliet.
Frees/Robin (M, any age) – Frees is one of Fennymen’s flunkies and debt collectors. Robin is a R & J actor who plays Juliet’s mother, Lady Capulet, and Abraham, a Montague servant. Could be a musician/singer.
Lambert/Nol (M, any age) – Lambert is one of Fennymen’s flunkies and debt collectors. Nol is an R & J actor who plays Benvolio, Lord Montague’s nephew and Romeo’s cousin, and Sampson, a servant to the Capulets. Could be a musician/singer.
Adam (M, any age) – Adam is an R & J actor who plays Gregory, a servant to the Capulets, and Benvolio, Romeo’s cousin.
Webster (M, 10-15) – A street urchin who aspires to be an actor and possesses an unsettling fondness for plays featuring pain and gore.
Sam (M, 14-20) – A sweet young actor who plays Juliet; causes panic in Shakespeare’s company when his voice changes the day of Romeo and Juliet’s first performance.
Wabash/Catling (M, any age) -Wabash is Henslowe’s tailor, is an aspiring actor who stutters; he delivers the prologue to Romeo and Juliet. Catling is a guard at De Lesseps Hall.
Peter (M, 20-40) – Peter is an R & J actor who plays Tybalt, Juliet’s cousin, and Valentine, one of the Two Gentlemen of Verona.
Molly/Heavy/Barmaid (any age)- Molly is a prostitute who flirts with Will and others. Heavy is a Burbage henchman. Could be a musician/singer.
Mistress Quickly/Kate/Rower (F, any age) – Quickly is a wardrobe mistress. Kate is a prostitute who flirts with Will and others. The Rower is a chatty aspiring playwright. Could be a musician/singer.