new Opportunities

MAINSTAGE AUDITION

CONFEDERATES

Firehouse Theatre in Richmond, Virginia is announcing auditions for CONFEDERATES, written by Dominique Morisseau and directed by Dr. Tawnya Pettiford Wates.

Synopsis: 

Two Black American women – an enslaved rebel and a professor at a contemporary university – are having parallel experiences of institutional racism, though they live over a century apart. Tony-nominated playwright Dominique Morisseau's exacting new play explores the reins that racial and gender bias still hold over American educational systems today.

Seeking: 

AEA and non-union actors for the following roles:

SANDRA – Black woman, late 30’s, early 40’s. Scholar, Professor of Political Science, practical, sturdy, compassionate with students, protected with her own emotions, and a striving spirit in the face of institutional racism.

SARA – Black woman, early 20’s. Tenacious, spunky, tough and resilient. A slave woman with a fighting spirit, unwilling to be broken by her circumstances. Crafty and a sharp, witty tongue. Slowly becoming a Union Spy (this role requires frontal nudity from the waist up).

ABNER/MALIK: (Doubled Role)
(1) ABNER – Black man, early 20’s. Energetic and driven. A bit stubborn but strong-willed. A runaway slave and soldier for the Union. Brother of SARA. Loves his sister fiercely.
(2) MALIK – Black man, early 20’s. Studious and focused on his education. Driven and intellectually stimulating. A student of SANDRA’s who tries to carefully navigate her status over his.

MISSY SUE/CANDICE: (Doubled Role)
(1) MISSY SUE – White woman, late 30’s, early 40’s. Spirited, driven, a strong sense of duty and mission. Somewhat oblivious. Emotionally free and open. Daughter of SARA’s Master. SARA’s former childhood friend.
(2) CANDICE – White woman, mid 20’s. Loquacious, intellectually curious, and uncensored in her ideas. Can be misinterpreted as insensitive but is likely unaware. Emotionally free and open. Student and Assistant to SANDRA.

LUANNE/JADE: (Doubled Role)

(1) LUANNE – Black woman, early 20’s. Curious, eager, and inquisitive. A fellow slave with SARA who has been afforded privileges Sara has not. In an affair with the Master. Pushing for kinship with SARA.

(2) JADE – Black woman, late 30’s, early 40’s. Straight shooter, unafraid of confrontation, down-to-earth. Fellow professor and colleague to SANDRA. Navigates institutional racism more directly than SANDRA.

Firehouse seeks collaborative, hardworking, kind, inspired, and inspiring actors, who are ready to support one another and invest in the overall success of the project and the organization. Firehouse supports playwrights and directors in their visions for both culturally-appropriate and non-traditional casting.

Audition Dates and Times: 

Sunday, March 22nd 5:30-9:30pm AUDITIONS BY APPOINTMENT ONLY

Monday, March 23rd 5:30-9:30pm AUDITIONS BY APPOINTMENT ONLY 

Tuesday,  March 24th 5:30-9:30pm CALLBACKS BY INVITATION ONLY

Location: 

All auditions are at the Firehouse Theatre

1609 W. Broad Street

Richmond, VA 23220

To schedule an appointment: 

Please email auditions@firehousetheatre.org, with your preferred date, time and role, and we will provide you with your appointment date and time prior to auditions. 

What to prepare: 

Audition and callback sides will be provided upon confirmation of your appointment.

Rehearsal and Performance Dates: 

Rehearsals will begin on or around Monday, July 20th, 2026

*Rehearsals will be on weekday evenings and weekends

Performances run August 19th through September 6th, 2026

Compensation: 

Members of Actors Equity will be on the new Single Engagement Agreement (category 1, tier B). Non-union actors are paid $1400-$2100 for the project commensurate with experience and the size of the role.