St Mark's Players

The St. Mark’s Players are pleased to announce auditions for 

“Emma” 

by Kate Hamill, based on the novel by Jane Austen. 

Directed by Heather Cipu

Performances: February 27, 28 and March 5, 6, 7, 12, 13 and 14

 

Audition Dates and Location: 

Monday, December 1, 2025 - 7:00pm-9:30pm

Tuesday, December 2, 2025 - 7:00pm-9:30pm 

Location: St. Mark’s Episcopal Church, 301 A Street SE, Washington, DC 20003. 

Callbacks will be held on Wednesday, December 3, 2025, 7:00pm-10:00pm by invitation only.

What to Prepare:

Actors should prepare a 1-3 minute comedic monologue. They should also prepare to read one of the six scenes selected from the play with a provided reader. Selected show scene options can be found here!

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To sign up for an audition slot and access the audition form, please visit us here!

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If you have any questions about auditions or rehearsals, please contact this production’s Producers at smpemmaproducers@gmail.com.

 

All roles are open to people aged 18 and up. All roles are open to people of all races, gender identities and ethnicities. 

 

About the Show: 

Emma Woodhouse is clever, educated, and energetic… and in imminent danger of going mad with idleness. In a time when respectable ladies are expected to sit quietly at home, she desperately needs projects—and prides herself on matchmaking, much to the chagrin of her friend Mr. Knightley. But where Emma’s considerable energies focus, screwball comedy follows… A fresh feminist take on a treasured classic, this Emma breaks down convention, expectation, and even the fourth wall with vibrant comic flair—leading audiences “forward, onward, and upward!”.

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Character Breakdown:  

• Emma Woodhouse (Female Presenting - Late 20s-30s) Almost unbelievably charming; a natural comedienne. Bouncily flirty; possesses more power of manipulation than even she understands; has a certain sunny, charming self-regard - it’s what allows her to get away with so much. Very very VERY clever - and fancies herself even more clever than she is. Capable of getting ahead of herself. Incredibly dexterous, verbally. Capable of being unfair or short-sighted or impetuous; maybe a bit overindulged. Grew up with wealth. Can be a bit overconfident and self-congratulatory. Capable of getting quite competitive. Generous with those she considers family. Eminently lovable and eminently fallible. Has emotional depth. Very educated, but is not allowed a profession - and thus is a bit like a border collie without any sheep. Frustrated, and thus sometimes putting her considerable energies in the wrong places. Ahead of her time. Given the chance, she just might run the world. 

 

• Harriet Smith (Female Presenting - 20s) A deeply likable girl from the lower classes, who’s been given a basic education. A sweet, naturally affectionate human being, but not the brightest flame in the stove. A born enthusiast; the kind of person who leaps WAY before she looks. Has a strong tendency towards hero worship. A born follower. VERY impressionable. Has a desperate adoring friend-crush on Emma. Wants to be in love. Gets flustered easily. A bit naive. 

 

• Mrs. Weston (Female Presenting - mid 30s-late 40s) Emma’s former governess. A very smart woman with a good sense of humor; very perceptive and grounded. Not afraid to tell it like it is. Capable of really teaching deep lesions. Not without edge, when she chooses. Likable and opinionated. Gives great advice. Picture the coolest aunt imaginable. 

 

• Mrs. Bates (Female Presenting - 70s) An elderly lady, very opinionated, who communicates exclusively in grunts and hand gestures. Mrs. Bates is completely obscured by bonnet and scarves and shawls; she’s a big pile of fabric, rather like Cousin It. We never see what’s underneath all the layers (Over the course of the show played by the performers who play Jane Fairfax, Mrs. Weston and Mr. Elton)

 

• Miss Bates (Female Presenting - 40s+) Headmistress of a struggling school for girls. An incredibly good-natured, if motor-mouthed and daft, woman. Very very proud of her niece Jane Fairfax, whom she talks about obsessively. Once she starts talking, you can’t get a word in edgewise. 

 

• Jane Fairfax (Female Presenting - 20s-30s) You know that girl who always seems to do everything right? Jane is that girl. An overachiever. Very composed. Very beautiful. Very discreet. Very accomplished. Very smart. Every hair in place, and it seems effortless. Works as a governess, until she quits under mysterious circumstances. The only girl-child in a family full of schoolteachers, and thus - seemingly - a model of perfect behavior. Maybe a little bit stiff. Under all of this A+ decorum, she’s hiding a love affair with Frank Churchill - she doubts he can be faithful. Is hiding deep passions under that flawless exterior. 

 

• Mrs. Elton (Female Presenting - 20s-30s) Not bright. What’s more, she has a laugh that’s the auditory equivalent of nails being torn our of your fingers. Is delighted by everything. Her libido is… quite active. Thinks her new husband, Mr. Elton, is the most desirable thrilling brilliant man alive. A truly intolerable woman. May actually be a hyena, wearing a human suit. 

 

• Mr. Knightley (Male Presenting - 30s-40s) A handsome man; a super charming man; an upright fellow. He’s also a bit of a rule-follower; maybe sometimes a bit of a stick in the mud. Very clever. Capable of getting ahead of himself and edging towards know-it-all. Can be competitive. Is preoccupied with Emma - they get under each other’s skin in the most delightful way. Gets quite jealous of Frank Churchill. Has the best intentions. Feels deeply. A genuinely good guy. Ultimately learns to admit vulnerability and share his feelings. 

 

• Mr. Woodhouse (Male Presenting - 60s+) An over-anxious, melancholy hypochondriac, but people humor him, as he’s a nice man under it all. Obsessed with the healing powers of gruel. Tends to darkly predict fatal illnesses as a sign of concern. 

 

• Mr. Weston (Male Presenting - 40s-50s) The kind of man who likes to make awkward “dad jokes.” Very very proud of his son, Frank Churchill. An unsuitable matchmaker. A good man; not a mean thought in his head. Maybe is prone to blurting out the wrong thing. 

 

• Mr. Elton (Male Presenting - any age) A clergyman who sometimes gets the wrong idea. ADORES poetry. A born social climber. Fancies himself a great romantic. Thinks ladies are naturally coy and enjoy wordplay. Is determined to woo, and win. Thinks he oozes charm; maybe just oozes. 

 

• Frank Churchill (Male Presenting - 20s-30s) An incredibly charming, handsome, mischievous flirt of a man - the kind of man who gets away with almost everything, because he’s so irresistible. Not a bad guy, really; just a bit too likable for his own good. Ladies love him. Funny. Gossipy. Clever. A little spoiled and manipulative. A bit unused to hearing “no,” and as a result, doesn’t really believe in “no.” Can be callous or unthinkingly cruel or self-indulgent. Wishes to reform, but can’t… always… help himself. Enjoys half-truths and innuendo. Is, underneath everything, in love with Jane Fairfax - but that doesn’t mean other women become uninteresting to him. 

 

• Robert Martin (Male Presenting - 20s-30s) A sweet groundskeeper, in love with Harriet. Non-speaking.

 

• Assorted Servants