Auditions

AUDITIONS for “Treasure Island”
by Bryony Lavery, based on the novel by Robert Louis Stevenson
Directed by Elijah McBride, Assistant Directed by Jove Graham

TWO AUDITION DATES!
Monday, August 17th, 2026, 7:00-9:00pm
Tuesday, August 18th, 2026, 7:00-9:00pm
(Possible callbacks: Wednesday, August 19th, 7:00-9:00pm)

Greenspace Center, 815 Market St, Lewisburg, PA
(Show to be performed Oct 9-18, 2026, at the same location)

RiverStage is pleased to announce open AUDITIONS for the first production of its 2026-27 season, Treasure Island by Bryony Lavery (based on the novel by Robert Louis Stevenson). Auditions will be held for two nights, on Monday and Tuesday, August 17th and 18th, beginning at 7:00pm at Greenspace Center, 815 Market Street, Lewisburg. The production is directed by Elijah McBride and will be performed October 9-18, 2026 at the same location.

Auditioners are asked to please prepare for auditions with one of the monologues listed below and also the verse/chorus of a short Christmas carol to sing (suggestions below), as the show involves several pirate / sea shanty songs that are sung in unison by the cast. Callbacks, if any, will mostly be movement-based. Auditioners are welcome to attend either the Monday or Tuesday auditions (not both) and will be asked to fill out an information sheet including all scheduling conflicts from August-October 2026.

Please note that we are seeking a diverse cast of theatre collaborators (ages 14 and up) who aren’t afraid to get silly and play nice in the sandbox–if you’re looking for a show to reignite some childhood whimsy and joy, this is the room for you!  There are a lot of characters in this show, and we will be looking to include many performers who can fill in as various parts of the ensemble, including as puppeteers. While we cannot change the gender of the characters due to licensing, we may cast actors who are comfortable playing outside of their gender for a role. The only exception to this is JIM HAWKINS, who must be portrayed by a female or feminine-presenting actor. 

Characters include:

• JIM HAWKINS— an adventurer at heart, fiercely courageous
• GRANDMA HAWKINS— a landlady
• DOCTOR LIVESEY— a doctor and magistrate
• SQUIRE TRELAWNEY— a squire with a big mouth
• MRS. CROSSLEY— drinker and churchgoer
• RED RUTH— crew member
• JOB ANDERSON— crew member
• LUCKY MICKY— crew member
• SHANTY BAND MAN— leader of singing
• BILL BONES— haunted villain
• BLACK DOG— eight-fingered villain
• BLIND PEW— blind villain
• CAPTAIN SMOLLETT— captain
• LONG JOHN SILVER— one-legged cook, charmer, and secret villain; an adventurer like Jim, perhaps two sides of the same coin
• JOAN THE GOAT— headbutter
• ISRAEL HANDS— clumsy Brazilian; speaks only in Spanish
• DICK THE DANDY— pirate voguist
• KILLIGREW THE KIND— gentle killer
• GEORGE BADGER— malcontent
• GREY— a grey, forgettable character
• CAPTAIN FLINT— a parrot
• BEN GUNN— marooned cabin boy

Monologues:

• JIM: Men various have chosen me to tell you, from beginning to end, keeping nothing back but its bearings, all the particulars about Treasure Island… The bitter spiteful winter both my parents died, before I could read this bright page above us, my old Grandma and I ran the Admiral Benbow Inn above Black Cove. I hated work on the very coldest of days with no food in my belly… The First arrived and the terrible dreams began.
• GRANDMA: Head-In-Clouds! Paying customers! Folks is thirsty. Large brandy, Dr. Livesey? It’s medicinal… Brandy, BrainGone! Now, Good Sir, the matter of the payment of the room, the bacon, the eggs, the grog… this states in big clear writing the outstanding owed. Sir! This girl and me’s had no supper nor breakfast! Nought! This girl’s fetching and carrying for you for free!
• DOCTOR LIVESEY: You are threatening a gentleman. There are witnesses. If you do not put away that knife this instant I promise you shall hang at the next assizes! Hang, sir! By your astoundingly filthy neck sir! Until your face turns blue, until your tongue swells and blackens. Knife!
• LONG JOHN SILVER: A planet. Venus. Star. Vega. Look… Capella. And stars soon make shapes… Cassiopeia, but renamed “Upside-down M.” What is that shape? Saucepan! Hereafter known as Long John’s Saucepan! All these stars and shapes is moving, Jim. Save one immovable star, which Long John’s Saucepan will lead you to… 
• BEN GUNN: I’m Ben Gunn and I haven’t spoken to anyone but myself these past three years. THREE YEARS! Haven’t you, Ben Gunn? What, Ben Gunn, SPEAK UP! Spoken to anyone but yourself these past three years? No, NO! I haven’t, so you’re… Ben Gunn? I am. Are you? Yes, I am. YES I AM! What are you?

Christmas Carols (suggestions only):

Joy to the World

Joy to the world
The lord is come
Let earth receive her kin
Let every heart
Prepare him room
And heaven and nature sing
And heaven and nature sing
And heaven, and heaven, and nature sing

God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen

God rest ye merry gentlemen
Let nothing you dismay
Remember Christ our savior
Is born on Christmas day
To save us all from Satan’s power
When we are gone astray
Oh, tidings of comfort and joy
Comfort and joy
Oh, tidings of comfort and joy

Jingle Bells
Jingle bells, jingle bells
Jingle all the way
Oh what fun it is to ride in a one-horse open sleigh, hey!
Jingle bells, jingle bells
Jingle all the way
Oh what fun it is to ride in a one-horse open sleigh

RiverStage is committed to fostering diversity, equity, and inclusion both on and off the stage. We believe community theatre should create opportunities for people of all backgrounds, identities, and experience levels to explore and develop their creative talents.

While licensing agreements for many productions require characters to remain as originally written, those same agreements often encourage inclusive casting practices. We proudly welcome performers of all races, genders, identities, body types, ages, and experience levels to audition for any role they are passionate about pursuing.

Whether you are a seasoned performer or auditioning for the very first time, we encourage you to get involved and become part of our theatre community.

If you have questions about a specific production, role, or audition process, please contact us at auditions@riverstagetheatre.org.

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