The Goat, or Who is Sylvia? - Cast Callouts
SUDS Slot 1 AUDITIONS: The Goat, or Who is Sylvia
By Edward Albee
Directed by Felix Tonkin
Produced by Ruby Scott-Wishart
Production Consultants: Aqsa Suryana and Rose Cooke
Auditions are open now for SUDS Slot 1 2025! Sign up for an audition at this link: https://forms.gle/cfG1dqTwCt8citdg7
And find more info here: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1Fc-kEbW1SZDmgzlsDRWAAn7-IkFArQ5qy86hLSJDRd0/edit?usp=sharing
About the Show:
Edward Albee’s The Goat, or Who is Sylvia is a contemporary mix of comedy and tragedy. The play revolves around Martin’s wife, his son, and his long-time friend who discover that he has had an affair with a goat. Although the plot is sad and often confronting, as Martin’s world completely falls apart, the play is balanced with plenty of comedy through Albee’s witty dialogue and through the sheer absurdity of the situation. Fundamentally, I believe The Goat, or Who is Sylvia is about discovering that someone close to you (your parent, lover, or lifelong friend) has done something so unimaginable that you just don’t know how to react.
The Characters:
STEVIE (F): Witty, intelligent, and gregarious, Stevie has enjoyed a long, happy, and almost perfect marriage with Martin. When she discovers Martin’s secret relationship with a goat, however, her life is turned upside-down. Her easy-going confidence in their marriage is shattered. As she comes to terms with the reality of what her husband did, Stevie finds an anger and a coldness within herself that she never knew she was capable of.
MARTIN (M): Although he’s a highly successful, award-winning architect, Martin has been feeling a bit off lately. As his secret affair with a goat weighs on his mind, Martin is now aloof, ignorant, and unable to think straight. His head is in the clouds as his thoughts constantly return to Sylvia (the goat). After finally confessing everything to his lifelong friend Ross, Martin awkwardly stumbles through hostile interactions with his family as he comes to terms with himself. He remains distant and distracted throughout.
*Please be advised that this character kisses another character on the mouth on stage, this will be workshopped with an intimacy co-ordinator.
ROSS (M): Conventional, manly, and assured, Ross hosts a television program and has been friends with Martin for a very long time. When he arrives to interview Martin about his recent achievements, Ross realises that something is off. After learning of Martin’s secret, Ross feels obligated to write to Stevie and tell her everything. Throughout the play, Ross plays a narrow-minded yet level-headed audience surrogate, serving the role that a chorus would serve in a traditional tragedy.
Billy (M): Passionate and Sincere, Billy is already grappling with the turbulence and insecurity of adolescence. He is perhaps the most distressed of all to learn what Martin did. Despite this, his first concern is for his mother, Stevie. When it comes to Martin (his dad), Billy is conflicted, at once despising him for destroying their family, and loving him as a father despite everything. As Martin weaponises the fact that Billy is gay, Billy wants his dad to accept him for who he is and hopes that Martin will fix the mess he created.
*Please be advised that this character kisses another character on the mouth on stage, this will be workshopped with an intimacy co-ordinator.
The Audition Process:
For the audition, you are asked to prepare 1-2 monologues (in total) from the list which can be found at Slot 1 the Goat, or Who is Sylvia Audition Pieces. Memorisation is encouraged.
During the audition, we may ask you to perform a cold-read from material we will provide, and/or we may ask you to perform one of your monologues again according to particular directions we may give. These directions will not be notes per-se, but are more about seeing your range, ability to improvise, etc.
For any questions or concerns, feel free to email slot1thegoat@gmail.com or message Felix, the director, on 0490 468 562.
Important Dates:
Callbacks will take place on the 19th and 20th of October.
The show itself will run in late February to early March.
Content Warnings:
Please be advised that this show will contain the following:
- Strong references to bestiality
- Misogynistic language
- Homophobia
- Animal cruelty
- References to incest
- References to sexual assault and rape
- References to paedophilia
- Coarse language
- Sexually explicit language
- Fake blood
- Strong domestic arguments
If you have any questions about these or about the content of the show in general, please feel free to email slot1thegoat@gmail.com.
Furthermore, as previously mentioned, the characters of Billy and Martin perform a kiss on stage in the script. If you are thinking about applying for either character and have any questions about this or would not feel comfortable performing a kiss on stage, feel free to message the above email.
Casting:
Casting will be race and gender blind, however the original gender of the characters will be played as written.
We welcome everyone. No previous theatrical experience is needed.
All the best with your audition, see you soon!
