Auditions for Paly’s fall play, On the Razzle by Tom Stoppard, will be held from 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. today, Sept. 8, through Wednesday, Sept. 10, in the Haymarket Theater.

Director and theater teacher, Kathleen Woods, will begin by assigning groups to those who wish to audition. Then, the groups will sign up for an audition time on Sept. 9 or Sept. 10.

Woods will then give these groups scripts to practice before the students are expected to perform them on Tuesday or Wednesday for the final audition. Students will perform these scenes once with words and once without. According to Woods, the purpose of this exercise is getting a sense of how the actors use their bodies to communicate.

“There is a lot of physicality in this show,” Woods said. “It’s a comic farce.”

Woods suggests that those auditioning dress formally for the auditions.

“The show takes place in 1850. There are a lot of comic bits with the costumes,” Woods said. “If a girl wears jeans, I wouldn’t be able to tell if she could play a certain part as well as if she wore a skirt.”

Woods estimates that there are about 20 parts to be cast in On the Razzle. However, she also estimates that another four or five actors will be added to the cast to change the sets.

Woods is also looking for Paly students who can speak with different accents for the cast of On the Razzle.

“One character has a German accent and another is Scottish,” Woods said.

Woods is anticipating surprises and excitement at the upcoming auditions.

“I love the energy that students bring to auditions.” Woods said. “I also love the way that students surprise you with the way they’ve grown and changed. Auditions are hard for both actors and directors but also exciting and fun.”

Performances of On the Razzle will be at 7:30 p.m. on Nov. 13, 14 and Nov. 20-22 in the Haymarket Theater.