Meet the Director: Ryan Dever
Audition Seminar: "Fools"
Auditions: "Fools"
Meet the Director: Ryan Dever
Meet the Director
Join us for this Facebook Live event where you can meet Ryan Dever, director of Aethereal Jest's upcoming production of Neil Simon's "Fools."
Hear all about his background, concept for the show, as well as information on auditions, rehearsals, and other aspects of this production.
Get answers to all of your questions!
Audition Seminar
Interested in auditioning for Aethereal Jest Arts Council's upcoming production of Neil Simon's "Fools" and are nervous? Never auditioned before and are unsure of how to prepare? Do you feel like you never hit your cold reads?
Join us at the Aethereal Jest Arts Council Studio at Millworks Art Studios for this Audition Seminar. Participants will have the opportunity to partake in mock auditions in order to receive direct and immediate feedback on cold readings and ways to improve and be more effective in their delivery.
Not interested in auditioning for this production but would still like some feedback? You are welcome to attend as well.
The Audition Seminar is free and open to the public.
Auditions
Aethereal Jest Arts Council is holding open auditions for "Fools" by Neil Simon and directed by Ryan Dever.
Auditions take place on Saturday, September 13, 2025 from 10:00 AM to 2:00 PM and on Sunday, September 14, 2025 from 4:00 PM to 8:00 PM, with a potential callback on Monday, September 15, 2025 from 6:30 PM to 9:00 PM. The show runs Friday, November 14, 2025 through Sunday, November 23, 2025 at 7:00 PM on Fridays, and Saturdays, and 2:00 PM on Sundays with a public Preview Performance on Thursday, November 13, 2025 at 7:00 PM.
Casting will be done without regard to race, color, religion, sexual orientation, pregnancy, national origin, disability or genetic information.
Early and virtual auditions will be held at the discretion of the director; requests must be received at info@aetherealjest.com no later than 5:00 PM on Friday, September 12, 2025.
All listed roles are available and this opportunity is paid, non-union, and non-equity.
Please note:
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Auditions are located at Aethereal Jest's studio located at Millworks Arts Studios, 2020 Leonard Avenue, Columbus, Ohio 43219.
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Auditions will consist of cold readings from the script and be prepared to tell your funniest joke. Dress comfortably and be ready for movement. The entire audition process will last no longer than one (1) hour. Be prepared to stay for your entire audition slot.
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If you have a resume and/or head shot, email them to info@aetherealjest.com or attach them to the audition form.
Synopsis
Leon Tolchinsky is ecstatic. He’s landed a terrific teaching job in an idyllic Russian hamlet. When he arrives, he finds people sweeping dust from the stoops back into their houses and people milking upside down to get more cream. The town has been cursed with Chronic Stupidity for two hundred years, and Leon’s job is to break the curse. No one tells him that if he stays over twenty-four hours and fails to break the curse, he too becomes stupid. But he has fallen in love with a girl so stupid, she has only recently learned how to sit down.
~ Courtesy Concord Theatricals
Characters
Leon Steponovitch Tolchinsky - a young schoolteacher who is sent to Kulyenchikov to teach Sophia
Sophia Irena Elenya Zubritsky - daughter of Dr. and Mrs. Zubritsky and love interest to Leon
Gregor Mikhailovitch Breznofsky Fyodor Yousekevitch ("Count Gregor") - the last descendant of Vladimir Yousekevitch who cursed Kulyenchikov with idiocy 200 years ago.
Dr. Nikolai Zubritsky - father of Sophia and husband of Lenya, Kulyenchikov's doctor
Lenya Zubritsky - mother of Sophia and wife of Dr. Zubritsky
Something-Something Snetsky - a shepherd known as “the sheep loser”
Mishkin - a young postman
Slovitch - an animal-loving butcher
Yenchna - a sweet but forgetful vendor
Magistrate - timid judicial officer.