Website chicagoshakes Chicago Shakespeare Theater
Seeking non-AEA understudies for three roles in BROKEBACK MOUNTAIN.
Book by Ashley Robinson, with songs by Dan Gillespie Sells
Based on Annie Proulx’s short story
Producer: Chicago Shakespeare Theater
Director: Jonathan Butterell
Time Commitment:
Contract begins: 4/27/2026 or 5/4/2026
First preview: 5/28/2026
Opens: 6/4/2026
Closes: 6/28/2026
Character Type/Restrictions:
SEEKING NON-AEA UNDERSTUDIES FOR:
BALLADEER/ENSEMBLE. Female, White. 60s–70s. Wise, warm, earthy—yet ethereal. She is an elemental force, embodying the rugged, unattainable Wyoming landscape and giving it voice through music. Both mythic and maternal, she guides the audience across memory, time, and terrain, weaving song into story. In the final
scene, she transforms into Jack’s Mother, grounding the sweeping love story in intimate, human
loss.
ALMA/LUREEN (two separate tracks). ALMA BEERS DEL MAR. Female. White. Mid-20s to late 30s. Ennis’ wife. Plain, simple, Wyoming-born working class. Practical, resilient, quietly observant. At first she clings to the hope of a stable family life, but heartbreak grows as she senses—and ultimately witnesses—the truth of Ennis’ divided love. She bears both the pain of betrayal and the dignity of survival. LUREEN TWIST. Mid to late 30s. Jack’s wife. A Texas Rose. Raised in privilege as the daughter of a wealthy farm machinery dealer. Intelligent, ambitious, and polished. She genuinely cares for Jack, but theirs is a pragmatic marriage—bound more by money and appearances than passion. Her strength comes from control: where Jack drifts, Lureen anchors. Actor playing Lureen also sings in the band. Bluegrass/country western style. (Though there is a band, this is not a musical. No one sings in character.)
Actor 3: Aguirre / Bill / Jack’s Father
- Joe Aguirre (40s–60s) – Ranch boss. Gruff, blunt, pragmatic, always watching.
Represents the judgment of the outside world, wielding power as an employer and as a
man who “sees too much.” His knowledge of Ennis and Jack’s secret is a lingering,
unspoken threat.
- Bill (40s)– Local grocer. Dependable, warm, a pillar of Riverton community life. His
presence provides contrast to the harder edges of the Wyoming world.
- Jack’s Father (60’s) – Proud, crusty, clinging desperately to the old ways of ranching as
his family land decays. Bitter, unbending, a symbol of generational weight and rejection.
To apply for this job please visit forms.gle.