AUDITIONS for Little Tragedies: Mozart and Salieri & The Stone Guest

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death
dying

Easter Week 8 Corpus Playroom Mainshow is looking for actors! In the plays that will appear in the double bill of Pushkin's Little Tragedies, you can find: an eternal conflict of a jealous hard-working craftsman with a careless genius, a life in pursuit of eros that culminates in a well-deserved, yet tragically picturesque death, poison in a glass of wine, and the Stone Guest statue coming alive to take revenge on his murderer. This is Russian drama at its finest, created by a poet under censorship, at the height of his creative glory.

• Sat 14th Mar, 18:00–19:00, Trinity College Frazer Room
• Wed 18th Mar, 15:00–17:00, Trinity College Frazer Room

Mozart:
“...villainy and genius,
As you’ll agree, my friend, sit ill together.”

Salieri:
“You think so?”
(He pours the poison into Mozart’s drink.)

Two obsessions. One evening. Envy and passion. Pushkin’s Little Tragedies: psychological duels where a single idea becomes a world, and a world is brought to ruin by a single, fatal choice. This double bill presents two of his most devastating studies. Mozart and Salieri dissects the chilling rationale of envy, driven to murder when it confronts divine genius. The Stone Guest is a reckoning for a life lived only for passion, as Don Juan meets his murdered, silent judge. Staged with sharp, modern clarity in the intimate Corpus Playroom, this is classical theatre stripped to its essence. It is an evening of razor-sharp verse, electrified tension, and the sobering thrill of watching destiny unfold. A production for those who believe theatre should be an intellectual event as much as an emotional one.

MOZART AND SALIERI
Mozart - lighthearted, cheerful genius destined to die at his best friend’s hand. Feels his death approaching as he is in the process of composing the Requiem.
Salieri - the best friend in question. Acutely, painfully self-aware, he is tortured by envy for Mozart’s gift. Considers himself to be a “craftsman” of art and gradually sacrifices his morality.

THE STONE GUEST
Don Juan – infamous womanizer. Charismatic, passionate and somewhat immoral.
Leporello – Don Juan’s servant. Pragmatic, cynical, he is a realistic commentator on his master’s adventures.
Laura – the femme fatale of Madrid, a young actress. Don Juan’s ex-lover, she has a hot temper and is desired by many.
Dona Anna – a virtuous, pious widow doomed to become Don Juan’s lover. She was married to the Commander and was tortured by her growing passion for his murderer.
Don Carlos – Don Juan killed his brother, and now he is thirsty for blood. Vengeful and full of rage, he mirrors the Commander.
The Statue of the Commander: The Stone Guest himself! The statue of Donna Anna's late husband. A force from the realm of supernatural vengeance for Don Juan’s crimes.
Monk – a resident of the local monastery who is pious indeed, yet cannot help but admit Dona Anna’s charms.
First Guest,
Second Guest,
Third Guest – friends and admirers of Laura at her party.

NOTE: It is possible to do a double casting of Monk and Leporello, as both are acting as observers/commentators/servants – I would appreciate it if those auditioning for either role would prepare both extracts. Same applies to The Statue of The Commander and Don Carlos, two judges and vengeful spirits.

The audition pack is here: https://docs.google.com/document/d/13m6rA5o4a0gyoFlo0dnZJMyzpa2mxDsdPlozDePI0Ls/edit?usp=sharing

Sign up for the auditions here: https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1JTBDTr9FSx811mgOBnTyqDhA-UENCVqjBOjHg1tR8YI/edit?usp=sharing

NB: I will add more auditions slots soon!

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Contact zc423@cam.ac.uk before 30th Mar 2026 00:00 for more details.