Black Theatre Troupe of Upstate New York (BTTUNY)
Audition Notice
Confederates by Dominique Morisseau
Directed by Michael A. Lake
Two Black American women – an enslaved rebel and a professor at a contemporary university – are having parallel experiences of institutional racism, though they live over a century apart. Tony-nominated playwright Dominique Morisseau’s exacting play explores the reins that racial and gender bias still hold over American educational systems today.
Performances: February 5th-15th, 2026, on the Main Stage at theREP.
Audition Dates (please attend one):
Saturday, October 25th. Sign-in starts at 1:00 PM. Audition ends at 3:30 PM.
Tuesday, October 29th. Sign-in starts at 6:00 PM. Audition ends at 9:00 PM.
Location: First Congregational Church, 405 Quail Street, Albany, NY 12208.
It is highly encouraged that you prepare a 2-3 minute contemporary monologue. You will then be asked to read from sides that will be provided.
We are also accepting video auditions if you cannot attend either day. Please contact Michael A. Lake at mlake1988@gmail.com to receive sides.
We are casting five actors. This play features doubling, so three of the actors will be cast in two-role tracks, meaning there are no “small roles.”
Available roles
- SANDRA – Black woman, late 30s, early 40s. Scholar, Professor of Political Science, practical, sturdy, compassionate with students, protected with her own emotions, and a striving spirit in the face of institutional racism.
SARA – Black woman, early to mid 20s. Tenacious, spunky, tough and resilient. A slave woman with a fighting spirit, unwilling to be broken by her circumstances. Crafty and a sharp, witty tongue. Slowly becoming a Union Spy.
- *This role calls for partial nudity, to be discussed and staged according to actor comfort and only with consent under the guidance of an intimacy coordinator. Alternative staging may be considered.
- ABNER/MALIK: (Doubled Role)
ABNER – Black man, early 20s. Energetic and driven. A bit stubborn but strong-willed. A runaway slave and soldier for the Union. Brother of Sara. Loves his sister fiercely.
MALIK – Black man, early 20s. Studious and focused on his education. Driven and intellectually stimulating. A student of Sandra’s who tries to carefully navigate her status over his. - MISSY SUE/CANDICE: (Doubled Role)
MISSY SUE – White woman, late 30s, early 40s. Spirited, driven, a strong sense of duty and mission. Somewhat oblivious. Emotionally free and open. Daughter of Sara’s Master. Sara’s former childhood friend.
CANDICE – White woman, mid 20s. Loquacious, intellectually curious, and uncensored in her ideas. Can be misinterpreted as insensitive but is likely unaware. Emotionally free and open. Student and Assistant to Sandra. - LUANNE/JADE: (Doubled Role)
LUANNE – Black woman, early 20s. Curious, eager, and inquisitive. A fellow slave with Sara who has been afforded privileges Sara has not. In an affair with the Master. Pushing for kinship with Sara.
JADE – Black woman, late 30s, early 40s. Straight shooter, unafraid of confrontation, down-to-earth. Fellow professor and colleague to Sandra. Navigates institutional racism more directly than Sandra.
