Skip to main content

Audition: Private Lives

AUDITION

Private Lives

By Noel Coward

Directed by Noah McBrayer Jones

Show Dates:
March 6th - 22nd, 2026
Audition Dates:
  • Sunday, December 7th at 7PM
  • Monday, December 8th at 7PM

Revived in 2002 by the Royal National Theatre in a production that sparkled on Broadway, Private Lives is one of the most sophisticated, entertaining plays ever written. Elyot and Amanda, once married and now honeymooning with new spouses at the same hotel, meet by chance, reignite the old spark and impulsively elope. After days of being reunited, they again find their fiery romance alternating between passions of love and anger. Their aggrieved spouses appear and a roundelay of affiliations ensues as the women first stick together, then apart, and new partnerships are formed. A uniquely humorous play boasting numerous successful Broadway runs with stars like Coward himself, Laurence Olivier, Tallulah Bankhead, Gertrude Lawrence, Tammy Grimes, Richard Burton and Elizabeth Taylor.

Private Lives premiered on August 18, 1930 at the King’s Theatre in Edinburgh, directed by playwright Noël Coward and starring Coward as Elyot, Gertrude Lawrence as Amanda, Laurence Olivier as Victor and Adrianne Allen as Sibyl. The play debuted on Broadway at the Times Square Theatre on January 27, 1931 with Coward, Lawrence and Olivier reprising their roles and Jill Esmond, who had married Olivier a few months earlier, as Sibyl.

“Gorgeous, dazzling, fantastically funny.” – The New York Times

“A gleaming and gleeful comedy.” – The New York Post

“A brilliant comedy. A very funny play.” – Newsweek

Audition Requirements

  • No monologue is necessary. The audition will consist of cold readings from the script.
  • A headshot and resume are recommended but not required.
  • Please bring a detailed list of conflicts for the next 3 months.

Roles

Available roles: 3 female, 2 male

Note: While the ages of the characters are firm in script, the age of the actors may not necessarily follow that exactly if apparent ages work.

  • Sybil Chase:
    In her early twenties, Sybil is bubbly, coquettish, and mildly insecure. She delights in loving love and walks a fine line of pragmatic problem solving and dramatic tears when wronged.
    The role requires British accent work, mild combat, mild intimacy (close contact with Elyot), and solid awareness of French intonation.
  • Elyot Chase:
    In his late twenties to mid-thirties, Elyot is fashionable and somewhat cynical. He’s wealthy, witty, and as prone to burst into song as he is to mild violence. There’s a certain insecurity in his flippancy and his ultimate vulnerability must be genuine.
    The role requires British accent work, strong hand to hand combat, strong intimacy, and passable awareness of French intonation.
  • Amanda Prynne:
    In her late twenties to early thirties, Amanda is glamourous, exquisitely sharp-witted, strong-willed, and passionate. She and Elyot fit like hand in glove, and she gives as good as she gets. Her loves are honest and undeniable.
    The role requires British accent work, strong hand to hand combat, physical comfort at being picked up, and strong intimacy.
  • Victor Prynne:
    In his thirties, Victor is steadfastly formal and conventionally dignified. His love for Amanda is as pure as his confusion at abandonment, and he is not without passion when prompted.
    The role requires British accent work, mild combat, and mild intimacy.
  • Louise:
    Apparently ageless in Bohemian grandeur, Louise is French and makes no apologies for all that implies.
    The role appears briefly in Act 3 and requires a deep comfort level with French intonation. She is speaking French.