The Penny Seats will hold in-person general auditions for non-union actors on Sunday, January 25, 2026 from 6:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m. at Cahoots Coworking Event Space, 206 E. Huron St., Ann Arbor, MI 48104.  Sign up for an audition slot here. Walk-ins are welcome, although the order of auditions will give preference to those with an appointment.

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Video submissions will also be accepted through 10:00 p.m. on February 1. Please fill out our Audition Form here, attaching your resume and headshot, and then email links to your submissions to thepennyseats@gmail.com. (YouTube links are preferred for easy access. Please be sure that the videos are unlisted, but not "restricted" or "private.") 

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Please bring a resume and recent headshot, or submit them alongside a video audition. If auditioning for non-musicals only, please prepare 2 monologues, no longer than 4 minutes total. If auditioning for the musical, please prepare one 1-2 minute monologue and one song (24-32 bars) in the style of the show. (Karaoke/MP3 accompaniment is fine - we will have a bluetooth speaker available; songs from the show are fine but not required.) Live piano accompaniment will not be available. 

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Callbacks will occur seasonally on a rolling basis; see callback dates below. We will reach out regarding callbacks after general auditions have concluded.

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All roles are paid. Actor honorarium is set at $500 to be paid at the completion of the run.

 

Although the character descriptions below typically contain binary (male/female) descriptors, our casting seeks to be as inclusive as possible. We encourage gender non-conforming, genderqueer, transgender, and non-binary actors to audition for the roles they most identify with. Further, actors of all races, genders, and ethnicities, as well as actors with disabilities, are encouraged to audition. Please do not hesitate to reach out to us at thepennyseats@gmail.com if you have any questions.

 

THE FOLLOWING 2026 SEASON DATES MAY BE SUBJECT TO CHANGE:

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Precious Little by Madeleine George

Callbacks: Sunday, February 8
Rehearsals begin: Monday, March 9
Performances: April 10-25

Synopsis: Brodie, a gifted linguist, learns unsettling news about the baby she carries. Unable to get comfort from her girlfriend, she finds it in the two least likely sources imaginable: the elderly speaker of a vanishing language…and a gorilla at the zoo.

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Content Warning: discussions of abortion

The roles of Brodie and Dre require stage intimacy. 

Characters:

A - F, 60s - plays THE APE, DOROTHY, CLEVA, THE BABY

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B - F, 40s - plays BRODIE

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C - F, 20s - plays THE ZOOGOERS, RHIANNON, EVELYN, DRE, GLORIA
 

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Gutenberg! The Musical! by Anthony King & Scott Brown

Callbacks: March 23
Rehearsals begin: Monday, July 6
Performances: August 7-22

Synopsis: In this two-man musical spoof, a pair of aspiring playwrights perform a backers’ audition for their new, ill-advised project – a big, splashy musical about printing press inventor Johannes Gutenberg. With an unending supply of enthusiasm, Bud and Doug sing all the songs and play all the parts in their crass historical epic, with the hope that one of the producers in attendance will give them that elusive Broadway contract.

Characters:

DOUG SIMON - An innocent. Naive, utterly sincere, earnest, and passionate. A jack of all trades, master of none - with an infectious, matter-of-fact energy and focus that would sound condescending if he weren’t so guileless and likable. Incredibly proud of the show he wrote with Bud, whom he adores and thinks is a genius.

Vocal range: comfortable-to-higher tenor (approx. E3-A4)

 

BUD DAVENPORT - An innocent. Eager to please, thrives on approval. Revels in his own “brilliance”, but is too naive to be entitled or a true egomaniac; if anything, he’s too grateful for the mere opportunity to create and perform. Enjoys getting caught up in Doug’s passion and admires his friend’s Big Ideas.

Vocal range: high baritone to comfortable tenor (approx. C3-F4)

 

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The Opera Ghost by Joseph Zettelmaier

Callbacks: March 15
Rehearsals begin: Monday, August 31
Performances: October 2-17

Synopsis: A gothic drama. Deep beneath the famed Palais Garnier Opera House, a mysterious man named Erik has reached the end of his life. The masked musician recounts his macabre life as an alchemist's apprentice, a carnival attraction, a master builder, a killer, a magician, a composer...all of which led him to Paris, where he'd become infamous as The Phantom of the Opera! 

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Content Warning: discussions of death, child abuse, and portrayals of violence

Character:

ERIK- 50s - the Opera Ghost.  A man at the end of his life. With the use of masks, he portrays the people who played their parts in his journey.

 

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Chasing Clouds by Michael Alan Herman

Callbacks: April 13
Rehearsals begin: Monday, October 19
Performances: November 20 - December 6

Synopsis: In a world where silver linings are collected and sold, two elderly “cloud farmers” struggle to maintain their farm and their relationship as their monthly deadline approaches. But when Earl Cooper falls victim to a tragic accident, this month might be their last.

Characters:

EARL COOPER - late 60s - a cloud farmer. A curmudgeon. Dedicated to his farm. Proud.

 

JOANNE COOPER - early 60s - Earl’s wife. The sunshine to Earl’s gray clouds. Practical and loving.

 

NATHAN JONES - late 20s - their neighbor. Full of midwestern charm and too much optimism.