AUDITION NOTICE: The Shoe-Horn Sonata - Villanova Theatre Players

Title: The Shoe-Horn Sonata

Presented By: Villanova Players

Genre: Drama

Synopsis: Set in 1995, The Shoe-Horn Sonata reunites two women who were prisoners of war in Japanese camps during World War II. A television documentary forces them to revisit their shared past, confront the present and question the future. Woven through their fifty years of separation are a shoe-horn and the enduring threads of loyalty, friendship and love that form their uncommon bond. A heart-warming story of bravery and friendship, based on true accounts of Australian nurses during World War II.

Audition Date: Saturday June 27th, 2026

Audition Time: 10:30AM - 11:30AM

Audition Location and Address: The Hut, Jean Howie Drive, Balmoral Park, Morningside

Audition Self-Tape Due: If you’re unable to make it to in-person auditions, please submit a video audition to info@villanovaplayers.com by June 27 and please email with any questions.

Audition Requirements: Auditionees will be asked to complete a cold read from the script.

Audition Registration: Please book an audition session and complete the Expression of Interest form.

Audition Pack: The Shoe-Horn Sonata Audition Pack

Performance Dates: September 18th - 20th, 2026

Performance Times: 

• Friday - 7:30PM

• Saturday - 2PM & 7:30PM

• Sunday - 2PM

Performance Location: Ron Hurley Theatre, Seven Hills

Rehearsal Dates: Commencing Sunday 26 July 2026

Rehearsal Times:

• Mondays & Wednesdays - 7PM – 9:30PM

• Sundays - 11AM – 4:30PM

Rehearsal Location: The Hut, Jean Howie Drive, Balmoral Park, Morningside

Warnings: This production contains themes relating to war, imprisonment, trauma, loss and the experiences of prisoners of war during World War II.

Performer Age: 18+

Creative Team: Director - Jane Binstead

Production Website: Villanova Players - The Shoe-Horn Sonata

Other Information:

• Villanova Players is a community theatre group based in Morningside and has been producing theatre since 1948. The company presents a diverse annual program including plays, musicals, youth productions and special projects.

• Please note that the role of Sheila has already been cast.

Available Roles/Character Breakdown:

• Bridie Gender: Female | Playing Age: 65+

An Australian nurse who served in Malaya during World War II and was imprisoned in a Japanese prison camp. Tough, funny and resilient, Bridie is one of the subjects of a television documentary exploring the experiences of former prisoners of war. More than fifty years after the war, she is forced to revisit memories of survival, friendship and loss.

• Interviewer Gender: Male (Voice Only) | Playing Age: Any Age

The off-stage interviewer conducting the television documentary. This role does not appear on stage and is heard only as a voice throughout the production.