Company

Stephen Sondheim’s Company is a sharp, stylish, and deeply human musical about love, commitment, and the messy beauty of modern relationships. Through iconic songs and a witty, fast-moving score, the show follows Bobby as they navigate friendships, romance, and the question everyone seems to be asking: what does it really mean to be ready for love?

Director: Melissa Putterman Hoffmann
Music Director: Joanne Mensching
Choreographer: Trish Scott-Dembling
Producer: Julie Phillips
Stage Manager: Regina Baker

Season subscriptions and Flex Passes are still available. Individual tickets are on sale now.

SLOC Musical Theater presents a diverse array of theatrical productions. Not all performances may resonate with or be suitable for every individual or age group. Patrons are encouraged to review show descriptions, themes, and content advisories before purchasing tickets. Contact the box office with specific questions or concerns about a production’s content.

About the Show

Company began as a series of one-act plays by George Furth about marriage. Stephen Sondheim suggested adapting them into a larger musical. The collaboration among Furth, Sondheim, and Hal Prince resulted in this early-1970s story of Bobby, who is approaching 35 and enjoys friendships with his married friends and single girlfriends while wondering why he hasn’t found a mate for life—or if he ever will. On a more basic level, Company is about the search for connection to the world and to one another, and the quest for happiness, intimacy, and real friendship.

Auditions

Auditions are open to actors of all backgrounds, including people who identify as LGBTQIA+, BIPOC, and people of all gender identities. SLOC Musical Theater never charges tuition or fees to artists of any age to participate in its productions.

Audition dates:
- Monday, November 16, 2026
- Tuesday, November 17, 2026
- Sign-in begins at 6:30 pm; auditions begin at 7:00 pm.
- Attend one session. Invite-only callbacks will be held Wednesday, November 18, 2026, at 7:00 pm.

Audition location:
SLOC Education Building
418 Liberty Street, Schenectady, NY 12305

Auditions are not in the main theater building. Use the address above in your GPS rather than entering only “SLOC.” Free parking is available in any of the city-owned parking lots surrounding the building. Follow the signs for auditions.

What to prepare:
- Prepare 16 to 32 bars of music (approximately one minute) from a Broadway show, ideally in a style similar to the production. Singing from the show is welcome but not required.
- An accompanist will be provided; bring sheet music in the correct key.
- Readings from the script will be provided.
- Dance and movement auditions will happen at callbacks.

Performance dates: March 12–14 and March 17–21, 2027. Performances are Thursdays, Fridays, and Saturdays at 8:00 pm, and Sundays at 3:00 pm.

SLOC Mainstage
427 Franklin Street, Schenectady, NY 12305

Rehearsals will be held Monday, Wednesday, and Friday evenings from 6:30–9:30 pm and Sunday afternoons from 1:00–4:00 pm. The schedule is subject to change based on cast and crew availability. Rehearsals begin with a full-cast read-through on Wednesday, December 2, 2026.

Mandatory attendance for all cast and crew:
- Board Review (date TBD)
- Photo Shoot Day (date TBD)
- Theater Clean-Up Day: Friday, March 5, 2027
- Tech Week: Sunday, March 7–Thursday, March 11, 2027
- All performances
- Strike: Sunday, March 21, 2027, immediately following the final performance

All roles are open to performers age 18 and older. The production hopes to cast a culturally and ethnically diverse group of actors to portray Bobby and his friends in 1970s New York City. Character age ranges may be flexible, but the characters should feel like part of Bobby’s social circle.

Available roles

Robert (Bobby): The central figure, Bobby is a 35-year-old, boyish, affable bachelor (think human golden retriever) who enjoys the good times he has with his married friends and the women he dates. His friends think he is a great guy who makes the party fun. His girlfriends think he is great when attentive and the most frustrating date ever when aloof. Bobby talks about commitment, but it’s unclear whether he is ready. Though often the life of the party, he sometimes feels distant from his friends and recognizes the complexities of the three-way friendships he has with each of the five couples in his social circle. Ultimately, he realizes that he wants to feel deeply connected to someone special. Male-presenting, high baritone, appears to be in his mid-30s.

Couple #1: Sarah and Harry
- Sarah: Warm and caring, Sarah provides comic relief and can be nitpicky with her husband. She and Harry love each other and are very competitive. A chronic dieter who thinks constantly about food, she has recently become a promising karate student to get fitter. She dislikes being scrutinized and knows how to fend off Bobby’s questions and Harry’s comments about her appetite. She enjoys Bobby’s friendship. Female-presenting, mezzo-soprano, appears to be in her 30s.
- Harry: Also a source of comic relief, Harry loves his wife and sparring with her. He is confident about many things, including his memory and his ability to win competitions with her. A recovering alcoholic, he still wants to have fun with friends, even when they are drinking. A little older than Bobby, Harry thinks Bobby is in his prime at 35 and envies the freedoms of being single. He is an honest friend who does not pretend to know all the answers about marriage, but believes its advantages outweigh its disadvantages. Male-presenting, baritone, appears to be 30–50.

Couple #2: Susan and Peter
- Susan: A sweet, maternal southern belle in New York, Susan adores her husband and believes he isn’t afraid of anything. She appears happy to be getting divorced, but feels unfulfilled. Female-presenting, mezzo-soprano, appears to be 30–40.
- Peter: Intelligent, somewhat wealthy, and Ivy League, Peter is a perfectionist who seems comfortable both in his marriage and with his upcoming divorce from Susan. When Susan talks about Peter, we can see that she loves him. When Peter talks about Susan, he focuses on being a stand-up guy who meets his responsibilities to his soon-to-be ex-wife and their children. Male-presenting, baritone, appears to be 30–40.

Couple #3: Jenny and David
- Jenny: A self-described conservative square, Jenny is sweet and playful. She thoroughly enjoys Bobby’s friendship with her and David, and challenges Bobby’s claim that he has no resistance to matrimony and is ready to marry. Perhaps more traditional than the other wives, she is obedient and attentive to her husband, who does not always treat her the same way. Female-presenting, soprano, appears to be in her 30s.
- David: Compared with Bobby’s other married friends, David and Jenny are an average, slightly colorless couple. David believes that marriage means having everything except freedom, that his wife and children are worth what he has given up, and that it all evens out. He is comfortable being in charge at home. Male-presenting, baritone, appears to be in his 30s.

Couple #4: Amy and Paul
- Amy: Perhaps the funniest character, Amy is about to marry Paul but is highly anxious about marriage. She overthinks her concerns and argues that awful things will happen if she goes through with the wedding, but she loves Paul. Despite her frenetic behavior, she calmly explains to Bobby the importance of finding the right person to marry. Female-presenting, mezzo-soprano, appears to be in her 30s.
- Paul: Genuine in his love and care for Amy, Paul is levelheaded, patient, and willing to work through her assertions that their wedding and marriage will lead to doom. As Amy becomes undone on their wedding morning, he remains patient and in love with her. Male-presenting, baritone, appears to be 30–40.

Couple #5: Joanne and Larry
- Joanne: The least content and most restless of the women, Joanne has been divorced several times and appears cynical about marriage. She and her husband understand each other well and seem compatible even when Joanne is erratic. In a social “No Man’s Land,” she is older than the other wives, has little in common with the younger set, and wouldn’t be caught dead spending time with people in her own age bracket. Stylish, funny, and acerbic, she is dissatisfied with what it means to be aging, but vulnerable underneath her brash exterior. Her relationship with Bobby differs from his interactions with the other wives. Female-presenting, alto, appears to be 40–65.
- Larry: Thoroughly grounded and comfortable being a little past middle age, Larry continues to make a good living in Manhattan, loves his wife, and understands that when she lashes out, it is because she feels insecure and needs to know he adores her. Male-presenting, baritone, appears to be 45–65.

Women involved with Bobby

Marta, Kathy, and April are what we might call today “friends with benefits.” They are at different stages of being involved with Bobby. Dance experience is appreciated for all three roles.
- Marta: The character most in love with New York, Marta is astute about life in the big city and people’s efforts to connect. Opinionated and hip, she thrives on the chaos of the Big Apple and the diverse people she encounters there. Female-presenting, mezzo-soprano, appears to be 25–35.
- Kathy: No longer romantically involved with Bobby, Kathy is now his friend. The time when he might have asked her to marry him has passed, and she is moving on, even if she sometimes wishes things had turned out differently. Since she is no longer sexually involved with Bobby, she has the most objective view of him and understands his foibles and the frustrations of the other women he dates. Female-presenting, mezzo-soprano, appears to be 25–35.
- April: A stereotypically sexy, ditzy stewardess who begins dating Bobby as the story unfolds. Female-presenting, mezzo-soprano, appears to be 25–35.

Vocal Minority: Three additional vocalists may be cast as written in Sondheim’s orchestration. The Vocal Minority backs up certain numbers in a 1970s/Burt Bacharach style. These are usually women’s voices, but all voices will be considered. The ability to hold a part in tight chords is a plus. The Vocal Minority will be onstage and may sometimes be part of a scene.

Questions? Contact the production team at [email protected].