Auditions

BLOOMSDAY

A dramatic romance by Steven Dietz

Directed by Penel Keegan

 Auditions: Saturday, 16 May from 10.00am by appointment.

Rehearsal schedule: Tuesdays & Thursdays at 7.00pm & Sundays at 2.00pm

Season: 11 July - 1 August 2026

Copies of the script are available upon request from the theatre office.

SYNOPSIS
Years after a brief but life-changing encounter with an enchanting Irish tour guide, Robert returns to Dublin, unable to forget the woman he let slip away. As memory and reality begin to intertwine, younger and older versions of Robert and Cait retrace their steps through the city’s streets, revisiting moments that shaped their lives. What unfolds is a tender, time-bending story of what was, what wasn’t, and what might still be.

Bloomsday is a warm, funny and deeply romantic play about memory, missed chances, and whether some loves ever truly leave us.

ROLES
(Ages are indicative only. If you feel you may be suitable for a role, you are encouraged to audition.)

Caithleen (Female, early 20s)
A young Dublin tour guide with warmth, wit, and an earnest openness to the world. Caithleen is emotionally perceptive and more grounded than she first appears, and her connection with Robbie becomes the emotional heartbeat of the play.

Robbie (Male, early 20s)
An idealistic young American travelling through Ireland. Impulsive and endearingly awkward, Robbie is drawn to literature, romance, and the possibility of personal reinvention. He feels deeply, often before he fully understands what those feelings mean.

Cait (Female, mid-50s)
The older version of Caithleen. Wry, thoughtful, and self-possessed, Cait carries a life shaped by both action and inaction. She is intelligent and emotionally aware, with a dry humour and an undercurrent of unresolved feeling that surfaces as the past returns.

Robert (Male, mid-50s)
The older version of Robbie. Reflective and quietly restless, Robert returns to Dublin with unfinished business, whether he fully admits it or not. Time has given him perspective, but not necessarily peace. 

DIRECTOR’S NOTES
Bloomsday is a gentle but emotionally rich play, one that exists in the space between memory and reality, youth and age, hope and hindsight. It is deeply romantic without sentimentality, and quietly funny without ever losing sight of the ache at its centre.

This is an actor-driven piece, where the relationships between both versions of Caithleen and Robert are central. The play asks its actors to balance naturalism, emotional precision, and a strong sense of rhythm, as past and present echo and overlap. Each role offers the opportunity to explore different stages of the same life, and how time reshapes both identity and connection. An Irish accent will be required for Caithleen/Cait and an American accent for Robbie/Robert, and coaching can be provided during the rehearsal process.

At its heart, Bloomsday is about timing, connection, and the lives we imagine for ourselves, or leave behind.

ABOUT THE DIRECTOR
Since first stepping onto the Howick Little Theatre stage in 1998 as Ma Larkin in The Darling Buds of May, Penel has been a familiar face in the community theatre scene for more years than she cares to count. Her recent directing credits at Howick Little Theatre include The Case of the Frightened Lady, Grand Horizons, Hilda’s Yard, and Neighbourhood Watch, as well as Death of a Dream and Spirit Level at Dolphin Theatre. In 2023, she also returned to the spotlight herself, appearing as the titular Kimberly in Dolphin Theatre’s season of Kimberly Akimbo.

Beyond the stage, Penel may also be fondly remembered by many as the “Chrisco Lady,” a role she held for 10 years, earning a special place in the hearts of countless households.

Now officially of retirement age, Penel somehow manages to fit in multiple volunteer jobs, a rigorous gym schedule, and the heroic task of teaching two grandsons to drive. Her five grandchildren are also all taller than her now, officially making her the shortest member of the family.

Watch this space for details of upcoming auditions for the other plays in the 2026 season. Meanwhile, you can sign up to the emailing list to receive advance information.