Theatre season at Wake Forest is officially back. On the evening of Aug. 28 at 6 p.m., just a few days into the new school year, Wake Forest’s Department of Theatre and Dance held auditions for its fall production of “Baskerville: A Sherlock Holmes Mystery.”
Written by Ken Ludwig, the show is a fast-paced retelling of “The Hound of the Baskervilles” by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. The story follows Sherlock Holmes and Watson as they race to solve a supernatural mystery while a small ensemble of actors take on the roles of dozens of eccentric characters. Although the play was originally performed by five actors, Director J.K. Curry plans to cast a company of eight, many of whom will take on multiple roles throughout the production. The production is set to open Halloween night and run for eight performances through Nov. 9 on the Tedford Stage. Tickets go on sale Oct. 14.
The department shifted its timeline forward this year, making the second mainstage production the first that first-year students could audition for. This change allowed freshmen to audition for a production during their first week of classes, stirring both excitement and nerves.
Stage Manager Ziqi Huang (’27) reflected on the emotions she experienced as a freshman when she auditioned for her first show in 2023.
“I can definitely share [the freshmen’s] excitement — and sometimes anxiety or nervousness — because I myself auditioned for “Witness for the Prosecution” at the beginning of my freshman year, and I had no idea what to expect,” Huang said.
For first-year Ellie Sharpe, however, their excitement derived from stepping into the process from behind the scenes as assistant stage manager.
“It’s a really cool opportunity, and I’m excited to be involved in a new community and environment and program and learn from the differences between here and my high school,” Sharpe said.
Like all Wake Forest theatre productions, auditions were open to all students, regardless of major or experience. Before stepping into the audition room, students had filled out a form, posed for a photo, and carried with them the words of a script the department had eagerly provided them with ahead of time. The energy built up throughout the week boiled over into a second round of auditions the following Saturday and high-stakes callbacks on Sunday. Not much else was required to jump into “Baskerville” — even for new students.
“Baskerville” promises to bring humor, suspense and a touch of Halloween spirit to the department’s season of shows. Although auditions mark only the earliest stage of the process, the energy that was in the audition room suggests a production that will be as lively offstage as it is on.
