The Yellow Wallpaper
by The Archive Theater Company
Jun. 26 - Jun. 27
The Yellow Wallpaper is Jeff Davis's direct stage adaptation of Charlotte Perkins Gilman's 1892 short story. The play follows a woman confined to a rented colonial mansion by her physician husband, ostensibly to rest and recover. It contains themes of bodily autonomy, the suppression of women's creative power, and psychological confinement.
THE YELLOW WALLPAPER
Archive Theatre | Austin, TX Auditions: June 26 & 27, 2026 at The ACA Sanctuary, 1110 Guadalupe Street
CHARACTER BREAKDOWN:
JOHN'S WIFE (she/her): Early twenties to mid-thirties. A writer of fierce intelligence and restless imagination, confined and told to rest. Her mind is the most alive thing in the house, and the one thing no one will let her use.
JOHN STETSON (he/him): Mid-twenties to early forties. Her husband and her doctor. He believes he loves her, and he does, in the only language a man like him was ever taught. The cruelty is real and so is the tenderness, and he cannot tell them apart.
We will also be considering one actor for a dual position: Assistant Stage Manager and backstage performer. This actor will serve as a critical presence in the production, embodying Charlotte, the ghost in the walls. No separate audition is required. If you are interested in being considered for this position, should you not be cast in a principal role, please indicate so on your sign-up form.
Within the script, John's Wife is written with she/her pronouns and John Stetson with he/him pronouns. We welcome actors to audition for any role they feel most aligned with, most interested in, or most comfortable portraying on stage. Actors from BIPOC and LGBTQ+ communities are strongly encouraged to audition.
WHAT AUDITIONS WILL CONSIST OF:
We are giving you, the actor, the choice of how you would like to audition! Here are your options:
Prepared monologue: Prepare a dramatic monologue in the 1-3 minute range. Contemporary or classical is welcome. You may also audition with poetry. Preferably something that lives in the psychological, heightened world of the play.
Sides: You may choose to read sides from the script. If you select this option, your sides will be sent to you before audition dates.
Auditions will take place from 6:30-8:30pm, June 26th. Callbacks will take place on Saturday, June 27th from 5:30-7:30pm and will consist of readings from sides only.
AUDITION SIGN-UP CHECKLIST:
1. Fill out our audition form, and choose a timeslot HERE.
2. Then follow the instructions in the form to upload your resume and headshot.
3. Look for the confirmation email that you have signed up (check your spam folder).
4. Show up to your audition (pretty please)!
DATES:
Rehearsals will take place approximately 3x a week in the evenings beginning in mid-July (there is some flexibility on these dates, so if you have conflicts on specific days, please still audition).
Performances will be at Trinity Street Theatre, Austin, Thursday through Sunday September 4th - 20th, 2026. Tech week will be August 30-September 4th, and there will be an industry night (most likely Wednesday September 16).
COMPENSATION:
Principal actors will receive a stipend of $600 at the conclusion of the run.
ABOUT ARCHIVE THEATRE:
Since 2019, The Archive Theater has brought classic stories to the stage for contemporary audiences. Working from the literature and theater of the 16th through the 20th centuries, the company builds detailed, historically grounded productions for Austin, Texas. For more information visit thearchivetheater.org.
The Yellow Wallpaper is directed by Faith Sanders and produced by Emily Taylor with Jennifer Rose Davis, as the Artistic Director of the Archive Theatre.
