What is The Prince about?
The Prince is a play written by Abigail Thorn that explores the concept of playing a character and how it relates to modern queer life.
In the play, our leads are two trans women who have become trapped in a multiversal dimension of Shakespeare’s collective works. They have to act out their parts in the Bard’s plays (most notably King Henry IV Part 1 and Hamlet) and work their way towards an escape. After interacting with Henry “Hotspur” Percy, they start to notice some odd behavior that doesn’t align with the original texts. They are left to wonder: are they really the only ones down here?
Who is Abigail Thorn?
Abigail Thorn is a trans woman, Youtuber, actor, educator, and writer best known for their work as an actor in the Star Wars series The Acolyte, House of the Dragon, and her youtube channel PhilosophyTube. Her work is really cool, and I’d genuinely recommend it to anyone!
Is there somewhere online I can watch this play before auditioning?
Yes, the original London West End cast that had Abigail Thorn starring as Hotspur has a recording available on the streaming service Nebula, which lets you subscribe for as little as $6/month. You can find it at https://nebula.tv/theprince
What kind of content are we talking about here?
If you’re asking about source text, it’s a mix of Abigail’s original modern prose, some original verse in iambic pentameter, and some specific scenes and text from Shakespearean plays. Our actors should feel just as comfortable in dramatic meter as they are in comedic modern dialog.
If we’re talking about age recommendations, we’d clock in at a solid “M for Mature” or “R Rating”, for the following reasons:
- Sexual themes and depictions of onstage intimacy
- Intense violence, including use of weapons (swords, axes) and onstage death
- Coarse language, including strong swearing and a single instance of the use of a slur for dramatic effect
- Themes exploring sexual and gender diversity
We would encourage auditioners to notify us if they are uncomfortable with any of these elements, and to be as honest as possible. We have an intimacy coordinator and fight coordinator on the crew to make sure all members are safe and comfortable, but having that information ahead of time will help us know how best to support our actors.
What roles are available in the play?
There are eight roles available in The Prince. The following is a list of all the characters, each with information on recommended demographics, an example quote, and the in-script description provided by the writer. (NOTE: Unless clearly specified, demographic information is a guideline, not a mandate. Please be sure to also read about our restrictions on casting in the following question).
SAM
- Must be a trans woman, young adult (approx. 18–35 years old)
- A trans woman from the modern day. High strung, nervous, motherly.
- Do you know what the definition of a character is? ‘Something that has the appearance of being human.’
JEN
- Must be a trans woman, young adult (approx. 18–35 years old)
- a baby trans from the modern day. Curious, open-hearted, compassionate.
- Do you speak that way because it’s genuinely how you think, or do you think that way because it’s how you were taught to speak?
HOTSPUR
- Must be a trans woman, young adult (approx. 18–35 years old)
- A trans woman so deep in the closet she doesn’t even know it yet. The eldest child of the Earl of Northumberland and a renowned fighter. Hot-tempered, dealing with a lot of internalised misogyny and unspoken pain, has a deeply buried sweet side.
- Why ‘girlish’? Wherefore ‘girlish’ sticks in me? I am a man, no girl, that’s certain! Bah!
KING HENRY IV / NORTHUMBERLAND
- Two roles, one actor!
- man, older adult (+30 years old)
- Northumberland: a mighty warrior in his day, now reaching his twilight years and looking to secure his legacy. Father to Hotspur. Loving and proud.
- King Henry IV: an old lion backed into a corner. King of England and father of Prince Hal. Wrathful, does not accept his son’s homosexuality. Quick to anger, not a great listener.
- To lose a child to war or accident, Or any deadly shock – that is a hell that I pray thou wilt never fall into. But losing a child because they bring you shame must be a deeper still infernal pit.
WORCESTER
- Man, older adult (+30 years old)
- a powerful noble in his own right. The younger brother of Northumberland, and uncle to Hotspur. Wise, level-headed, practical.
- Good nephew, cool the fire of your rage! Have we not spoken many times of calm And all the virtues that it brings a man?
PRINCE HAL
- Man, young adult (approx. 18–35 years old)
- A gay man out to himself – it’s an open secret to everyone else. The son of King Henry IV and heir to the throne. Compassionate and clever, not a fighter.
- ‘Yes! That is absolutely a sensible reaction to my son’s homosexuality, and not at all likely to scar him for life. I am an extremely good father!’ Thanks Dad! Yeah! Yeah! GOLD STAR!
DOUGLAS
- Man, young adult (approx. 18–35 years old)
- Warlord leader of the Scottish rebels. Macho and loving it. A bit of a meathead, but charming and witty when he wants to be.
- Lay on! Lay on ya wee and scrawny thing, I’ve fought grandmothers with more strength than ye!
LADY KATE
- Woman, young adult (approx. 18–35 years old)
- A woman ahead of her time. Hotspur’s wife. Intelligent, determined, sexually confident.
- Some days I feel the lack of that which I have lost, most principally the future I imagined for myself.
What restrictions are in place regarding auditions/casting?
As mentioned above, the characters of Sam, Jen, and Hotspur are mandated in the script to be played by trans women. Additionally, the script mandates the play never be done by an all white cast.
For the purposes of our production, we are defining a trans woman as any individual who was not assigned female at birth who now identifies as feminine. Our definition of a trans woman does not mandate any specific efforts to medically transition nor any specific variation of femininity. If you have questions about this definition, please feel free to ask for clarification.
Additionally, we are asking that all our auditioners be at least 18 years of age.
This involves Shakespeare, will I be expected to have a British accent?
No! In fact, we’ve localized the script with permission from the author to feature references to Canadian slang and Ontario cities. No accent coaching required!
When and where are auditions being held?
Auditions will be held at the Kitchener Waterloo Little Theatre (9 Princess St E, Waterloo, Ontario).
Our auditions are open to all who are interested. You can register for a timeslot ahead of time, or drop in and we will squeeze you in where we can.
Dates and times are as follows:
- Sunday, October 19th, 2025: 12 pm–5 pm
- Monday, October 20th, 2025 and Tuesday, October 21st, 2025: 6 pm–9 pm
What do I need to prepare for auditions?
Please prepare a Shakespearean monologue to present from memory. We have a list of recommended monologues available here. These will also be available on location for drop-in auditions.
What should I expect from auditions?
Auditions will involve three stages: a brief interview, some time presenting your monologue, and a stage combat tryout.
Stage combat tryouts will be held for the first twenty minutes of every hour of auditions in groups. Please be sure to wear comfortable clothing that you can stretch and move in. Feel free to attend the stage combat tryout before or after your scheduled audition, so long as you do one.
In the audition, we will be asking you to present your monologue once through, then we will explore how you take direction with the same reading. Expect to have a wrench thrown into your style of performance.
What are you looking for from actors?
We have a number of priorities we are looking for from our actors.
- Availability: we can’t do a play with you if you can’t rehearse or attend performances after all.
- Ability to take direction: we want to see that you can perform and respond well to changes made to your prepared monologue.
- Ability to think on your feet: We aren’t as concerned with a flawless performance as much as one that clearly flows and portrays your intended emotions and story.
- Use of the space: our production will be held “in the round”. We want to see your ability to connect with an audience all around you.
Notably: skill level, experience, and specific technique are not core priorities for our production. We are welcome to all who want to try.
Will there be callbacks?
Yes! Callbacks will be by invitation only, and will be held on October 22nd, 2025 at the theatre from 6–9pm. Invitations will be sent out the evening of October 21st via your preferred contact method.
Please note: getting a callback is not a guarantee that you will be cast, and not getting one is not a rejection. Additionally, attending a callback is not mandatory, and failing to attend will not affect your chances of being cast.
What is the expected rehearsal schedule like?
Rehearsals will be running from late October through to the end of January, with shows to follow. Expect two weeknight rehearsals and two longer weekend rehearsals each week. If you get cast in a fighting role, those rehearsals will take place over the weekend.
The exact schedule will be determined as part of casting based on availability, and may fluctuate to meet the demands of the show and the theatre in general.
When are the shows and other important dates?
Shows will be running from Jan 30th through Feb 15th, 2026. We will have three shows a week, Friday and Saturday nights and Sunday matinees.
Additionally, we will have our Build/Tech Week starting on Saturday January 17th, 2026, culminating in our Tech Weekend and Dress Rehearsals running from January 24th–27th.
Attendance at Tech Weekend, Dress Rehearsals, and Show Nights are required for our cast.
Please be sure to notify us of any scheduling conflicts or major events you expect to overlap with our rehearsal schedule in advance.
Have any other questions? Contact Eliza (the director) at theprince@kwlt.org.