Directed by Jennifer Vaughan
This show may require some minimal stage combat and some physical contact for certain roles.
AUDITION DETAILS
Dates: June 20-21, 2026
Locations: BRCC’s Black Box Theatre and the Waynesboro Players Warehouse.
To sign up for auditions, please click here.
Auditions will be held on the morning of Saturday, June 20, 2026 at Blue Ridge Community College’s Black Box Theatre.
Auditions will be held in the afternoon of Saturday, June 20, 2026, at the Waynesboro Players Warehouse.
See the “Audition Sessions” section below for audition times for various characters.
Callback auditions will be held in the afternoon of Sunday June 21, 2026, at the Waynesboro Players Warehouse for various roles, as necessary. If auditioning for a principal role, please keep this date/time open in addition to your initial audition date/time.
This is an in-person audition. For the safety of all, wearing a mask is allowed if desired.
Parts of this audition may be recorded solely for the purpose of review when making casting decisions and will not be shared with anyone outside the audition team or used for any other purpose.
- Please arrive at least 15 minutes early to sign in. Please complete the online audition form in advance so you will not need to do this at your audition.
- It is only necessary to come to one audition session and location. You will be considered for all roles in which you are interested even if they are not auditioning at the time you come. Please come for the audition session that corresponds to the role in which you are most interested and the audition location which is most convenient for you.
- Those receiving a callback audition will be notified during the evening of Saturday, June 20, 2026. Not receiving a callback audition does not necessarily mean you will not be cast. Receiving a callback audition is not a guarantee of being cast.
- If cast, you will receive a phone call within 2 days of the completion of all auditions. If you are not cast, an email will be sent.
Questions or conflicts: Contact vaughanja10@gmail.com
The following applies to all auditions on Saturday:
All auditions include a vocal and movement audition.
All those auditioning should prepare, in advance, a vocal piece to sing, not longer than one minute in length. Please provide your own music, karaoke version, by means of a bluetooth-enabled device, such as a smart phone. This prepared piece cannot be a piece from 1776. Your selection should highlight your vocal strength as it pertains to the role(s) for which you are auditioning.
Those auditioning are asked to wear comfortable clothing and shoes that allow for movement. You will be taught a short movement piece at auditions. You do not need to prepare any kind of dance audition in advance.
Some that are auditioning may also be asked to do a cold reading. In addition, some may be asked to perform music selections from the show as part of their audition. Not being asked to do these things as part of your audition does not necessarily indicate that you will not be cast. Conversely, being asked to do these things does not necessarily mean you will be cast. This is part of the audition process that aids the audition team in selecting the cast.
All should be prepared to stay for the entire session time, but only need to come to one audition session and location. Please come to the audition session for the character for which you are most interested and the location which is most convenient for you.
Some of those auditioning may be asked to return for a callback audition in the afternoon of Sunday, June 21, 2026. Not receiving a callback audition does not necessarily mean you will not be cast. Receiving a callback audition is not a guarantee of being cast.
Audition Sessions:
Auditions will be held on Saturday, June 20, 2026, from 9:00-10:30am at BRCC’s Black Box Theatre for the roles of Stephen Hopkins, Roger Sherman, Robert Livingston, John Dickinson, Col. Thomas McKean, Richard Henry Lee, Edward Rutledge, the Courier, and other members of the Continental Congress and the ensemble.
Auditions will be held on Saturday, June 20, 2026, from 10:30am-12:00pm at BRCC’s Black Box Theatre for the roles of John Adams, Benjamin Franklin, Thomas Jefferson, Martha Jefferson, and Abigail Adams.
Auditions will be held on Saturday, June 20, 2026, from 1:30-3:00pm at the Waynesboro Players Warehouse for the roles of John Adams, Benjamin Franklin, Thomas Jefferson, Martha Jefferson, and Abigail Adams.
Auditions will be held on Saturday June 20, 2026, from 3:00-4:30pm at the Waynesboro Players Warehouse for the roles of Stephen Hopkins, Roger Sherman, Robert Livingston, John Dickinson, Col. Thomas McKean, Richard Henry Lee, Edward Rutledge, the Courier, and other members of the Continental Congress and the ensemble.
Please note that all morning auditions on Saturday, June 20, 2026, are at BRCC’s Black Box Theatre and all afternoon auditions are at the Waynesboro Players Warehouse.
Callback auditions for some roles will be held, as needed, on Sunday, June 21, 2026, from 1:00-4:00pm at the Waynesboro Players Warehouse. If auditioning for a principal role, please keep this date and time open in case you are needed.
Those auditioning only need to attend one initial audition session at one location. Those auditioning for principal roles will be considered for supporting roles as well without needing to be present for other audition sessions. If you have questions please email the director, Jennifer Vaughan: vaughanja10@gmail.com.
CHARACTERS:
John Adams
Delegate from Massachusetts. John is a dutiful husband. Opinionated, passionate, and a bit boisterous, he wears his age with pride. Starving for independence from England.
Gender of character: Male
Age: Appears as 41
Vocal range top: F#4
Vocal range bottom: C3
Benjamin Franklin
Delegate from Pennsylvania. Franklin is intelligent, well-traveled, and pleasantly cunning. A jolly and admirable fellow with whom one would desire to have a friendship.
Gender of character: Male
Age: Appears as 60 to 70
Vocal range top: Eb4
Vocal range bottom: Ab2
Thomas Jefferson
Delegate from Virginia. Though noticeably tall, Jefferson is mild-mannered and sweet. Along with being a well-read man, he is very much in love with his wife.
Gender of character: Male
Age: Appears as 33
Vocal range top: G4
Vocal range bottom: C3
Martha Jefferson
Thomas Jefferson’s very-much-in-love wife. Her looks are striking, her dancing delightful, and her humor appealing. She doesn’t shy away from a good time. Joy radiates from her.
Gender of character: Female
Age: Appears as 27
Vocal range top: D5
Vocal range bottom: Bb3
Abigail Adams
Loving wife to John Adams. Intelligent, quick-witted, and talented with a pen, Abigail is a radiant and shapely beauty. Every bit as bright as her husband.
Gender of character: Female
Age: Appears as 32
Vocal range top: F5
Vocal range bottom: Db4
Stephen Hopkins
Delegate from Rhode Island. Hopkins’ drinking has led to an appearance befitting of the 2nd oldest in the Continental Congress. He has a dirty old man playfulness about him.
Gender of character: Male
Age: Appears as 70
Vocal range top: Eb4
Vocal range bottom: C3
Roger Sherman
Delegate from Connecticut. A coffee drinker with a penchant for hyperactivity, Sherman is a simple and balding cobbler.
Gender of character: Male
Age: Appears as 55
Vocal range top: Bb4
Vocal range bottom: C3
Robert Livingston
Delegate from New York. Recently a father, Livingston’s disposition has become one of humility and graciousness. He has changed considerably over the years.
Gender of character: Male
Age: Appears as 30
Vocal range top: F4
Vocal range bottom: Bb2
John Dickinson
Delegate from Pennsylvania. A thin, hawkish gentleman. He is sharp-tongued and a touch detestable.
Gender of character: Male
Age: Appears as 44
Vocal range top: E4
Vocal range bottom: A2
Col. Thomas McKean
Delegate from Delaware. McKean is florid and likable with a charming, yet commanding, Scottish Brogue.
Gender of character: Male
Age: Appears as 42
Vocal range top: Eb4
Vocal range bottom: C3
Richard Henry Lee
Delegate from Virginia, Lee is a willowy aristocrat. His flamboyancy is intoxicating and borderline infuriating.
Gender of character: Male
Age: Appears as 45
Vocal range top: G4
Vocal range bottom: C3
Edward Rutledge
Delegate from South Carolina. Despite his good looks, Rutledge is haunting and somewhat ominous as the youngest member of the Continental Congress. There is a serpent-like quality to him.
Gender of character: Male
Age: Appears as 26
Vocal range top: A4
Vocal range bottom: C3
Courier
The message runner between General Washington’s army and the Continental Congress. He has witnessed the hardships of war firsthand, although his innocent disposition and appearance may imply otherwise.
Gender of character: Male
Age: Appears as 15 to 20
Vocal range top: Db4
Vocal range bottom: C3
Other Members of the Continental Congress and Ensemble:
John Hancock
Caesar Rodney
Charles Thomson
Rev, John Livingston
Joseph Hewes
Dr. Josiah Bartlett
Lewis Morris
James Wilson
George Read
Samuel Chase
Dr. Lyman Hall
Andrew McNair
A Leather Apron
A Painter
Additional Members of the Continental Congress
Some supporting and ensemble roles may be doubled.
REHEARSALS:
Rehearsals will begin the week of June 21st (Day TBD) with the read through/sing through.
Please come prepared to begin at the designated rehearsal time.
Starting in June, rehearsals will be three times a week, Monday and Thursday evenings and Sunday afternoons*, until early August, 2026. Weeknight rehearsal times will be 6:00-9:00pm and Sunday rehearsal times will be 2:00-6:00pm, unless otherwise noted in advance.
*Rehearsal on Sunday, August 9, 2026, will be from 6:00-9:00pm instead of the usual afternoon time.
There will be a week break from rehearsals July 5-12, 2026.
In early August 2026, a fourth rehearsal per week will be added on Tuesday evenings from 6:00-9:00pm.
All rehearsals through mid-August are scheduled to be held at the Waynesboro Players Warehouse. Beginning in late August, rehearsals are scheduled to move to BRCC’s Black Box Theatre.
As stated above, rehearsal on Sunday, August, 9, 2026 will be in the evening from 6:00-9:00pm.
Not all cast members will always be called to every rehearsal until the last weeks of rehearsal.
Tech week: All actors must be present.
-Tech week begins Saturday, September 5, 2026, with a costumed tech rehearsal from 2:00-approximately 6:30pm.
-A second full dress tech rehearsal will be held on Sunday, September 6, 2026, from 1:00-approximately 6:30pm.
-Rehearsals for the rest of the week (September 7-10, 2026) will be full dress rehearsals with the run starting at 7:00pm. Call times will begin at 5:30pm. The run should finish around 10:00pm.
Please note that the Saturday, Sunday, and Monday Tech Week rehearsals are on LABOR DAY WEEKEND and are mandatory rehearsals.
PERFORMANCES:
Friday and Saturday performances begin at 7:00pm with call times beginning at 5:30pm. Sunday performances begin at 3:00pm with call times beginning at 1:30pm.
There will be a brush-up rehearsal during the week between the two weekends of the show.
Strike is following the final show and is mandatory for all cast and crew.
The Production Team
Director: Jennifer Vaughan
Producer: David Puckett
Production Assistant: Kyle Legore
Stage Manager: Grace Clem
Music Director: Kyle LeGore
Choreography: Robin Cempe
Costume Design Team: Barbara Ferguson, Terry Southerington, Susan Vass, and Susan Polly
Set Design and Set Realization Coordinator: Jennifer Vaughan
Set Construction Coordinator: Rod Pierce
