AUDITIONS

Jersey Shore Light Opera

Show: H.M.S. Pinafore

Venue: The Main Stage Theater, Grunin Center for the Arts at Ocean County College

Email Address: info@jslo.org

Director: Francis Rella

Auditions: Non-Equity/Non-Paid

Audition Dates: Friday April 17, 2026, 6 – 9 p.m. & Sunday April 19, 2026, 1 – 6 p.m.

Place: Our Lady of Perpetual Help Church Hall

1937 Church Road, Toms River, NJ 08753

First Rehearsal: June 1, 2026

Performance Dates: July 31, August 1 and 2, 2026. Possibility of additional dates

Synopsis: Gilbert and Sullivan’s wildly popular operetta H.M.S. Pinafore has delighted audiences with a nautically tinged story of star-crossed lovers. The gentlemanly Captain Corcoran of the good ship Pinafore has a daughter, Josephine, who is in love with a lowly but gallant sailor named Ralph Rackstraw. The Captain forbids the marriage, wanting to match Josephine instead with the well-bred Sir Joseph, First Lord of the Admiralty. In the meantime, the Captain finds himself in nearly the same position as his daughter: his former nanny, Little Buttercup, falls in love with him, but he hesitates to reciprocate due to his higher social rank. The whole situation is turned on its head when Little Buttercup reveals a game-changing secret she has kept for decades.

Cast Breakdown:

LEAD ROLES

Captain Corcoran – Baritone. Appears 40s to 50s. A well-bred Victorian gentleman, an aristocratic is the beloved commander of the H.M.S. Pinafore. He has a strong sense of propriety and etiquette and believes firmly in the division of the classes/ranks.

Ralph Rackstraw – Tenor. Appears 30s to 40s. Ralph (Rafe) is a gallant and handsome sailor on the H.M.S. Pinafore and the protagonist of the show. Loyal, good-hearted, dutiful, and devoted, he struggles with his balance but still steadfastly mans his position in the upper rigging of the ship.

Josephine – Soprano. 20s+ Daughter of Captain Corcoran. Melodramatic and a little temperamental, Josephine is still a model of Victorian aristocratic refinement and breeding. As a captain’s daughter, she is still somewhat low on the ladder of aristocracy, but if she were to marry Sir Joseph as her father wishes, she would rise in social status.

Mrs. Cripps (Buttercup) – Mezzo – Soprano. 40s +. The "rosiest, roundest, and reddest beauty in all Spithead, Buttercup is a “Bumboat” woman in Portsmouth who sells wares to the crews of ships that are at anchor. As a teenager, she served as a nanny for infants--including Ralph Rackstraw and Captain Corcoran—and she hides that secret of her mistakes.

SUPPORTING ROLES

Sir Joseph Porter – Baritone. 50s +. The Rt. Hon. Sir Joseph Porter, K.C.B. First Lord of the Admiralty is a high-ranking and pompous Victorian aristocrat who reached his position through elbow-rubbing with the British bureaucracy. Despite being the admiral of the entire navy, he knows next to nothing about seamanship.

Dick Deadeye – Bass-Baritone. 18 – 60. A salty sailor on the H.M.S. Pinafore, Dick Deadeye is blunt-spoken and not at all well-liked by his colleagues, despite often being the only one to speak with any conventional wisdom. He is the stereotypical “villain” of the show, but even then he is a person whose good intentions appear obnoxious.

Bill Bobstay (The Boatswain) – Bass-Baritone. 18+. Handsome younger sailor. He is good-natured and optimistic. He often cheers up the rest of the sailors when morale is low through his charming song and frank, but simple powers of observation. He often acts as Ralphs’s sidekick.

FEATURED ROLES

Bob Becket (The Carpenter) – Bass. 18+. Bob Becket is the carpenter of the H.M.S. Pinafore. He sings in a trio and is featured next to the Boatswain in most scenes.

Cousin Hebe – Mezzo Soprano/Alto. 40+. A proper Victorian aristocratic lady, Cousin Hebe is Sir Joseph’s first cousin. Along with his other cousins, sisters, and aunts, she accompanies him wherever he goes. Ultimately, Sir Joseph plans to marry her when his engagement to Josephine falls through.

ENSEMBLE

Sailors, Sisters, Cousins, Aunts – All Voice Ranges. 18 – 40+. The Ensemble includes Sir Joseph’s sisters, cousins, and aunts, who are all proper Victorian ladies; the jolly, salty sailors of the H.M.S. Pinafore; and the Marines. They are on stage for many of the scenes and numbers. All character types.

Director’s notes: This will be fully staged production with authentic period costumes and a full orchestra. I am looking for actors who can sing and singers who can act. There is no dancing, but all must move well. Operetta/Light Opera is a genre that requires great voices and great actors. If you are not there yet, you will get there by the end of the rehearsal period. Each actor brings unique talents and we want them all. The most important thing is creating a great theater experience for the audience and for you. Theater is a community and you belong.

Audition Requirements: I would prefer that everyone sends a virtual audition to screen for callbacks. However, everyone is welcome to audition in person.

Virtual Audition: A song from any operetta or golden age Musical Theater production. Please fill out an audition sheet. Record yourself in a well-lit, quiet room with piano accompaniment. No a cappella singing please. It does not need to be movie quality. It just needs to present you at your best as an actor. Upload your video to YouTube, Google, Vimeo, or a similar platform and email the link to info@jslo.org. Do not email the video file.

In Person Audition and Call Backs: A song cut from the show. An accompaniment link and music will be sent to you. If you would like to sing something other than the song clip, please submit a virtual audition.

To schedule an in-person audition, click here

To fill out an Audition Form click here

Thank you for your interest in Jersey Shore Light Opera! Please feel to contact us at info@jslo.org