AUDITION FOR FENIX
Auditions for Fenix Theatre Company's 2026 Summer Production of HENRY IV PART 1 will be held on February 21 & 22, 2026 in Portland, Maine.
Directed by Peter Brown
Musical direction by Paul Fidalgo
A restless prince forges his own path between his father’s call to honor and the larger-than-life shenanigans of Shakespeare’s greatest comic creation, Sir John Falstaff. From the tavern to the battlefield, Henry IV, Part 1 blends uproarious comedy with the thrill of sword fights in a story of fathers, sons, and the making of a king.
PRODUCTION DETAILS
HENRY IV PART 1 is an outdoor production that runs July 9-Aug 2 on Thurs, Fri and Sat evenings in Deering Oaks Park, Portland ME.
(3rd weekend may run Wed-Fri; rain dates on TBA Sundays).
Rehearsals will begin in late April/early May.
All roles are paid a stipend of $599.
Just like our recent productions, HENRY IV PART 1 will be infused with music.
We will also be considering actors for our upcoming FLIGHTS WITH FENIX Play-in-a-Day production of RICHARD II directed by Michael Dix Thomas (one day commitment, date TBD in May.)
AUDITIONS WILL BE HELD
Sat Feb 21st from 10:30am-2:30pm at Portland Ovations (120 Exchange St, Portland, ME 04101).
& Sun Feb 22nd from 1pm-4pm at Temple Beth El (400 Deering Ave, Portland, ME 04103).
Fenix is committed to inclusive casting and providing a safe, welcoming artistic work environment; actors of all ethnicities, abilities, and gender identities are encouraged to audition. Character pronouns are only given as a point of reference. All roles will sing.
CASTING BREAKDOWN
Seeking Non-Equity actors (18+) for the following roles
*roles that require moments of fight choreography |^roles that require moments of intimacy
• PRINCE HAL* (he/him)
• HOTSPUR*^ (he/him)
• ENSEMBLE 1: LADY KATE PERCY^ (she/her) & POINS* (any pronouns)
• ENSEMBLE 2: LADY MORTIMER^ (she/her), PRINCE JOHN* (he/him) & TAVERN REGULAR (any pronouns)
• ENSEMBLE 3: MISTRESS QUICKLY^ (she/her), WESTMORELAND* (he/him) & TAVERN REGULAR (any pronouns)
• ENSEMBLE 4: WORCESTER* (he/him) & BARDOLF* (he/him)
• ENSEMBLE 5: SIR WALTER BLUNT* (he/him) & PETO* (he/him)
• ENSEMBLE 6: MORTIMER^ (he/him), VERNON* (he/him) & TAVERN REGULAR (any pronouns)
Other roles (Sheriff, Travelers, Percy Servant) will be assigned at casting.
The roles of FALSTAFF, KING HENRY IV, and NORTHUMBERLAND/GLENDOWER/DOUGLAS are precast. Doubling may change. See below for character descriptions.
AUDITIONS WILL CONSIST OF
Reading from sides which will be provided upon audition slot confirmation. Please come prepared with a short song in any genre (no more than 1 minute); a cappella or self-accompanied on any instrument.
Those interested in being considered for Prince Hal are encouraged, but not required, to audition with “Friends in Low Places (Garth Brooks)”.
Those interested in being considered for Ensemble 1 and/or 2 (the younger female roles) are encouraged to prepare “Ar Hyd y Nos” in Welsh (Cerys Matthews has a good version). The English version of the same tune “All Through the Night” (the Welsh carol, not to be confused with the Cyndi Lauper song) is a suitable substitute.
Links above are given only as reference; we’d love to see you perform the songs in your own way!
CHARACTER DESCRIPTIONS
• PRINCE HAL – the heir to the throne comfortable among commoners; playful, charming and ultimately formidable; charting his own path while fully conscious of the audience watching him
• HOTSPUR – fiery, brilliant, honor-obsessed rebel leader; a legendary warrior who despises compromise
• LADY KATE PERCY – Hotspur’s sharp-witted, emotionally perceptive wife; loving, frustrated, and deeply grounded
• POINS – Hal’s closest tavern companion; clever, sarcastic instigator of schemes and pranks
• LADY MORTIMER – Glendower’s daughter; speaks only Welsh, communicates through song and presence; poetic and emotionally open
• PRINCE JOHN – Hal’s younger brother; serious, disciplined; the brother who shows up and does the work while waiting to be seen
• MISTRESS QUICKLY – long-suffering tavern keeper and comic force; generous, frazzled, and deeply invested in the mess she pretends not to love
• WESTMORELAND – a steady, loyal nobleman; practical, political, and firmly on the king’s side
• WORCESTER – Hotspur’s calculating uncle; a skilled political operator steering the rebellion
• BARDOLF – a red-nosed member of Falstaff’s tavern crew; loyal, comic, and a good sport who’s game to laugh at himself
• SIR WALTER BLUNT – an honorable, seasoned knight; a symbol of loyalty and duty
• PETO – a member of Falstaff’s tavern crew; quieter, observant, and game for trouble
• MORTIMER (he/him) – a respected noble abandoned by the crown; honorable, idealistic, and deeply in love with a wife whose language he does not share
• VERNON (he/him) – Hotspur’s ally; eloquent and surprisingly enthusiastic in his admiration of Prince Hal
To schedule an audition, please email info@fenixtheatre.com with your headshot, resume, roles of interest, and preferred audition date and time. You will be asked to list all possible conflicts at the time of your audition.