Second Street Players (SSP) has announced open auditions for its final family production of 2025, “Villain School,” a playful and imaginative comedy by Brian D. Taylor. Auditions will take place at 6:30 p.m. on Friday, June 20, and Saturday, June 21, at the Riverfront Theater, located at 2 S. Walnut Street in Milford.
Directed by Guy Crawford with Assistant Director Ally Deihl, Villain School features a cast of 16 youth performers, ages 10 to 17, and 5 adults, ages 18 and older. Auditions will consist of cold readings from the script, and one youth performer will be asked to sing briefly.
“We’re looking for performers who can bring energy and personality to these bold, over-the-top characters,” said Crawford. “This show has a lot of fun moments, but also some strong themes around identity and challenging the status quo.”
The production will run for three performances: August 29, 30, and 31, 2025.
Villain School is set at the Villain’s Institute for Learning Evil (V.I.L.E.), a place where young monsters, witches, and misfits are trained to follow in the footsteps of the classic storybook villains. The school’s hierarchy is challenged when new student Frank Stein arrives, quickly disrupting the social order—not least because of his forbidden affection for fellow student Heidi Jekyll, who transforms into a sweet princess after a science experiment goes wrong.
“This script takes familiar fairytale tropes and turns them inside out in a really clever way,” said Deihl. “It’s funny, fast-paced, and a great opportunity for young actors to explore character work in a supportive environment.”
The production is presented through special arrangement with Pioneer Drama Service. For more information about the show or audition process, contact Director Guy Crawford at [email protected] or visit www.secondstreetplayers.com.
Second Street Players is committed to diversity and inclusion in casting and throughout all areas of production. This project is supported, in part, by a grant from the Delaware Division of the Arts, a state agency, in partnership with the National Endowment for the Arts.
