The Upstart Crow Theatre Company is seeking talented and dedicated directors for our 46th season at Boulder’s Dairy Arts Center.
TUC is looking for directors for our 46th season. We’re an actor-centered classical
theatre company founded on a love of language. We respect the words and
intentions of the playwright, and produce plays from all time periods whose
universal themes stand the test of time.
We perform in the Carsen Theater in the Dairy Arts Center. Our four productions
will be:
August 27 through September 6, 2026
December 3 through 13, 2026
March 18 through 28, 2027
May 6 through 23, 2027
Positions are unpaid.
This is your chance to help shape a season filled with engaging, thought-provoking performances. Join us and be part of an exciting artistic journey!
Apply Now:
Email questions to the Board at: board@theupstartcrow.org
You may list up to three plays from the list below that you’re excited about
directing. Deadline for applications is February 25, 2026. Interviews will be held
in early March.
We have some great less-well-known plays on our list this year. If you see titles
you don’t recognize, we encourage you to find a copy and read them.
Plays under consideration for our 46th season:
Public domain plays:
Percy MacKaye: The Scarecrow
https://www.gutenberg.org/cache/epub/57156/pg57156-images.html
11 m 6 f; 2 sets (one set change)
A woman seeking revenge enlists the aid of the Devil, but the scarecrow-turned-
man they create begins to have a mind (and a heart) of his own.
Henry M. Milner: Frankenstein: Or, The Man and the Monster
https://knarf.english.upenn.edu/Milner/milnertp.html
7 m 3 f 2 children plus many extras; 13 settings but many could be simple/suggested
A lavish adaptation of Mary Shelley’s classic.
Saki (H.H. Munro) with Charles Maude: The Watched Pot
https://archive.org/details/in.ernet.dli.2015.149119/page/n369/mode/2up
or (in The Square Egg):
https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=uc1.31210012804124&seq=203
8 m (could easily be 7 and perhaps 6) 5 f; 2 sets (furniture); 2 set changes
Oscar-Wilde-style wit and a number of women plotting to marry a wealthy young
heir.
William Shakespeare: Much Ado About Nothing
https://www.gutenberg.org/cache/epub/1519/pg1519-images.html
Featuring the sparring couple Benedick and Beatrice, the treasonous Don Juan, and
the pompous Dogberry.
Frances Sheridan: The Dupe
5 m 5 f; 3-5 settings (furniture)
A lover’s tiff, a scheming mistress, and a “dupe” who isn’t nearly as clever (or as
wicked) as he thinks he is.
Royalty plays:
Jean Anouilh: Antigone
8 m (one is a boy or very young man) 4 f; flexible set
Anouilh’s darkly comedic take on the Greek myth, written during World War II.
Mary Chase: Harvey
6 m 6 (or 5) f; 2 sets but 3 set changes
Not everyone can see Elwood’s best friend, the six-foot rabbit. But is that enough
to get him committed to a mental institution?
T.S. Eliot: The Confidential Clerk
4 m 3 f; 2 sets, 2 set changes
Both Sir Claude and Lady Elizabeth think his new clerk may be their long-lost son:
but not one they had together.
Christopher Fry: The Lady’s Not for Burning
8 m 3 f; 1 set
The daughter of an alchemist is in danger of being burned as a witch, while a
disillusioned soldier can’t convince anyone to execute him.
Lillian Groag: The White Rose
8m + 1 or 2 extras; 1 f; 1 set with 4 or 5 playing areas
(most of the characters are in their 20s)
A group of students in Nazi Germany risk their lives distributing anti-Hitler brochures.
Steve Martin (adaptation of a 1910 German play by Carl Sternheim): The Underpants
5 m 2 f; 1 set
A brief glimpse of a young wife’s undies nearly leads to adultery in this German farce
adapted by Steve Martin.
Tom Stoppard: Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are Dead
14-16 m 2 f; 3 settings defined mostly by lighting; platfom with barrels in Act Three
A philosophical look at the world of Hamlet featuring Rosencrantz, Guildenstern,
and the Players.
COMPENSATION
• NON-paid
• NO Equity (union) contracts available
In our classical theatre productions, we recognize that traditionally characters have been portrayed within a binary gender framework. We are actively challenging this by inviting actors of all gender identities, including gender non-conforming, genderqueer, transgender, and non-binary individuals, to audition for any role they resonate with. We are also committed to racial and ethnic inclusivity. While some roles may have specific requirements based on the character’s background, we encourage actors of all races and ethnicities to apply. We are dedicated to creating a welcoming and accommodating environment. If you have any specific needs, questions, or concerns, please don’t hesitate to contact us. Your comfort and representation matter to us.
In order to promote a respectful and productive work environment, harassment of any kind is not acceptable at The Upstart Crow (TUC). TUC also prohibits harassment and discrimination based upon an individual’s age, color, disability, gender, gender expression, gender identity, genetic information, national origin, race, religion, sex, sexual orientation, or veteran status.
Harassment occurs when unwelcome verbal or physical conduct, because of its severity and/or persistence, interferes significantly with an individual’s work or safety, or adversely affects performance conditions. Harassment also occurs when a person uses a position of authority to engage in unwelcome sexual advances, requests for sexual favors, or other verbal or physical conduct of a sexual nature.