Merry-Go-Round Playhouse /
Finger Lakes Musical Theatre Festival 2012
– Equity Principal Auditions
Auburn NY LOA (approval/salary level pending; 2011 weekly minimum: $558).
Producing Dir: Ed Sayles
Equity Principal Auditions:
Sunday, February 12, 2012 Nola Studios
10 AM – 6 PM 250 West 54th Street, 11th Floor
Lunch from 1 – 2. New York City
Line up at 250 W 54 ONLY – NOT @ 244!
Please prepare two contrasting 16-bar selections that display vocal style and strengths. Songs from the season’s shows are welcome, but not required. Bring sheet music; accompanist is provided, but may not transpose.
Please bring a picture and resume, stapled back-to-back.
All dates below are in 2012. All roles are available unless otherwise specified.
Kiss Me Kate Score: Cole Porter. Book: Sam and Bella Spewack. Dir: Ed Sayles. Mus Dir. Corinne Acquilina. Choreo: Lori Leshner. 1st reh: 5/17. Runs 5/30-6/20.
Fred Graham:
40s. Commanding presence. He is actor, director and producer of the play-within-the-play “The Shrew”, and plays Petruchio—he has the lion’s share of Shakespearean dialogue. He is also Lilli’s ex-husband. Strong baritone, low Bb - F4.
Lilli Vanessi:
Late 30s. Actress of stage and screen. Proud, haughty, much like her character Katherine in “The Shrew”, but also vulnerable. Fred’s ex-wife; engaged to Harrison Howell. Strong soprano, C4 - sustained Bb5.
Lois Lane:
20s. An actress; quintessential airhead ingénue, but with lots of charisma and charm. Also plays Bianca in “The Shrew”. Strong alto belter, A3 - C#5. Must be a very strong dancer.
Bill Calhoun:
Ne’er-do-well actor. Has a bit of a gambling problem. Also plays Lucentio in “The Shrew”. Strong baritone, E3 - E4. Broadway hoofer; must be a very strong dancer.
Harrison Howell:
50s. Dignified and very wealthy gentleman from Georgia. Very politically connected. Very Old-South aristocrat. Engaged to Lilli Vanessi.
First Man (Gangster):
Late 30s-40s. Archetypical gangster, complete with accent. Does some soft shoe in “Brush Up Your Shakespeare”, so should move well. Also appears in “The Shrew” (unexpectedly). Comic baritone or tenor, low B – D.
Second Man (Gangster):
Late 30s – 40s. Qualities the same as First Man, but a bit more reserved and dryer of wit.
Harry Trevor:
50s-60s. An actor who appears mostly in “The Shrew” as Katherine and Bianca’s father, Baptista. Has mainly Shakespearean dialogue. Sings in ensemble numbers.
Hattie:
30s-40s. Lilli’s dresser. Sings “Another Op’nin’, Another Show” and in “Too Darn Hot”. Good actress/comedienne. Strong belt, Bb3 - G5.
Paul:
African American, late 20s-30s. Fred’s dresser. Featured singer/dancer in “Too Darn Hot”. Strong baritone, B2 - E4. Strong dancer.
9 TO 5 Score: Dolly Parton. Book: Patricia Resnick. Dir/Choreo: Kate Swan. Mus Dir: Mark Goodman.1st reh 6/14. Runs 6/27-7/18.
Violet Newstead:
30s/early 40s. Senior office manager at Consolidated Industries. Attractive, smart, efficient. Stands up for what she believes in. Lily Tomlin role in film. Alto (Low: F, High (belt): A, High (head voice): F). Some dancing.
Doralee Rhodes:
Late 20s/30s. Hart's secretary. Sexy country gal. Dolly Parton role in film (not seeking impersonators). Country-style belter (Low: E, High (belt/mix): E).
Judy Bernly:
30s. New girl in the office. Meek and insecure at first, later strong and empowered. Jane Fonda role in film. Some physical comedy. Power belter (A - F#).
Franklin Hart, Jr.:
Late 30s/40s. President of Consolidated Industries. Smarmy, pompous, male-chauvinist, corporate 1970s boss. Dabney Coleman role in film. Strong baritone (not a character voice), C - F#.
Roz Keith:
40s/50s. Hart's eyes and ears, the office snitch. Has a crush on Hart. Comic role a la Jackie Hoffman. Some physical comedy, can handle a French accent. Alto (E - belted C).
My Fair Lady Music: Frederick Loewe. Book/Lyrics: Alan Jay Lerner. Dir: Jennifer Waldman. Mus Dir: Corinne Acquilina. Choreo: Lori Leshner. 1st reh: 7/12. Runs 7/25-8/15.
Eliza Doolittle:
Cockney flower girl, working outside Covent Garden. Her potential to become “a lady” becomes the object of a bet between Higgins and Pickering. Soprano, C4 - sustained G5.
Prof. Henry Higgins:
British. Upper-class professional bachelor. World famous phonetics expert, teacher and author of “Higgins’ Universal Alphabet”. Baritone, A3 – Bb4.
Alfred P. Doolittle:
50s. Vigorous dustman. Eliza’s father. Baritone, D4 - D5.
Col. Hugh Pickering:
British. Retired officer with colonial experience. Author of “Spoken Sanskrit”. Baritone, C4 – E5.
Freddie Eynsford-Hill:
Upper-class young man who becomes completely smitten with Eliza. Must have excellent comic skills. High baritone/tenor, C3 – F4.
Mrs. Higgins:
Late 50s-60. Henry’s long-suffering mother. Elegant, charming and cultured, but with a wonderfully dry wit.
Mrs. Pearce:
50s-60s. Henry Higgins’s devoted housekeeper. Very prim and proper lady. Runs a tight ship, but is a very caring person (under a rather formidable exterior). Role for an experienced character actress with strong comedic skills. Should be a strong part-singer, range flexible.
Cabaret Music: John Kander. Lyrics: Fred Ebb. Book: Joe Masteroff. Dir/Choreo: Brett Smock. Mus Dir: Mark Goodman. 1st reh: 8/9. Runs 8/22-9/8.
Emcee:
Master of Ceremonies; the host at the Kit Kat Klub. Presented as a gender-questionable character, comfortable with being close to both men and women. Comedic, lovable . Strong singer (Bb - Ab). Agile stage movement and dance required. German accent.
Sally Bowles:
British, 20s-30s. Cabaret singer at the Kit Kat Klub. Quirky; comes across as flighty – yet, at times, struggles with knowing the darkness of the reality of her life as a cabaret performer. Strong belt, E – belted high C. British accent.
Clifford Bradshaw:
American, 20s - mid 30s. Novelist, travelling to Berlin. Presented as a closeted gay man, exploring his sexuality. Baritone, Bb - E(F). American accent.
Fraulein Schneider:
50+. Landlady who rents rooms in her large flat. German accent. Range: F – belted high A. Comfortable with stage movement and light dance.
Herr Schultz:
Jewish. Very warm and cheerful gentleman, with a charming, sweet disposition. Adores Fraulein Schneider. Heartbreakingly naïve about the new political regime. German accent. Range: B – Ab.
Fraulein Kost:
30s-40s. Another of Schneider’s roomers. Earns money by offering favors to sailors – presentation of the character should exhibit a strong sexual comfort and commanding nature. Comfortable with stage movement. German accent. Range: A - Eb (belt/mix).
Ernst Ludwig:
Late 20s-30s. Handsome and very charming German who belongs to the Nazi Party. Befriends Cliff. German accent. Role for a strong actor with a pleasant mid-baritone.
The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee Score: William Finn. Book: Rachel Sheinkin. Dir/Choreo: Jerry Jay Crawford. Mus Dir: Corinne Acquilina. 1st reh: 8/30. Runs 9/12-9/29.
Rona Lisa Peretti:
# 1
Realtor® in Putnam County. Former bee champion, returning moderator. Soprano, C#4 - Ab5.
Mitch Mahoney:
The official “Comfort Counselor”. Ex-convict, performing his community service with the bee. Hands out juice-boxes to losing students. Tenor, E3 - B4.
Vice Principal Douglas Panch:
Returns as judge after five years' absence from the bee (there was an “incident” five years ago, but he claims to be in “a better place” now, thanks to a high-fiber diet and
Jungian analysis).
The following six roles are young teens played by adults:
Olive Ostrovsky:
Young newcomer to competitive spelling. Her mother is in an
ashram in
India. Her father is working late, as usual, but he is trying to come sometime during the bee. She made friends with her dictionary at a very young age, helping her to make it to the bee. Soprano, B3 - F#5.
Logainne SchwartzandGrubenierre:
Youngest and most politically aware speller, often making comments about current political figures. Has two overbearing
homosexual fathers. Something of a neat freak. Lisps. Mix soprano, C4 - D5.
Marcy Park:
Asian American. Speaks six languages, is a member of the All-American hockey team, is a championship rugby player, plays Chopin and Mozart on multiple instruments. Sleeps only three hours a night, hides in the bathroom cabinet. Getting very tired of always winning. Soprano/mezzo, B3 – E5.
William Barfée:
Bee finalist last year; he was eliminated because of an allergic reaction to peanuts. His famous “magic foot” method of spelling has boosted him to spelling glory, even though he only has one working nostril and a touchy personality. Tenor, Eb3 - Bb4.
Leaf Coneybear:
2nd runner-up in his district; gets into the competition on a lark. Comes from a large family of former hippies. Makes his own clothes. Spells words correctly while in a
trance. High baritone, A2 - G4.
Chip Tolentino :
Boy Scout. Champion of last year’s bee. Returns to defend his title, but finds puberty hitting at an inopportune moment. Tenor, C3 - B4.
Nunsense by Dan Goggin. Dir: Ed Sayles. Mus Dir: Mark Goodman. Choreo: Lori Leshner. 1st reh: 9/20. Runs 10/3-10/20.
Sister Mary Regina (Mother Superior):
Head of the convent, respected greatly by the sisters. While she is strict, she has a hard time keeping the craziness of the convent at bay. Keeps her guard up in front of the nuns, but has an extroverted side. Role requires some very physical humor. Strong belt with some head voice (G belt mix to D, (possibly F)).
Sister Mary Hubert:
In charge of novices. Fancies herself a Mother Superior, and is constant competition with Mary Regina. Exudes maternal wisdom to novices, but also likes to let loose. Strong belt w/some head voice (G – high F).
Sister Robert Anne:
Once a child delinquent herself, this rough, tough nun is a jokester, constantly challenging authority. Speaks with a thick Brooklyn accent. Constantly displays her lack of refinement. Strong belt with some head voice. Low G, belt mix to D (possibly F).
Sister Mary Amnesia:
Has lost her memory, and does not know who she is, except that she is a nun. Spacey and incoherent, often slipping into displays inappropriate for a nun. Must be able to sing in classical and country styles. Very strong singer, mainly soprano w/belt -- Low G, belt to C, belt/mix to E, head voice to high C#.
Sister Mary Leo:
Novice, still learning the way and coming to terms with her decision to give up “civilian” life. A ballerina; displays her talents through much of the show. Easily swayed to join in mischief. Mainly soprano w/belt -- Low G, belt to B, head voice to A.
Altar Boyz Score: Gary Adler and Michael Patrick Walker. Book: Kevin Del Aguila. Dir/Choreo: Doug Hall. Mus Dir: Jeffrey Theiss. 1st reh: 5/24. Runs 6/6-6/30.
Matthew:
“The leader” who started the group. Tenor 2; needs to be able to consistently sing As and Bs in falsetto, a few times at full voice. Same range as Mark, but takes the 2nd line when tenors split.
Mark:
“The sensitive one”, with a secret and a deep faith…in Cher. Tenor 1; needs to have a “comfortable” – not strained – high Bb in full voice, also a solid Bb in falsetto.
Luke:
“The bad boy”, with a heart of gold and an affection for communion wine. Baritone 2; normal baritone part, occasional tenor notes, but most of the normal baritone music.
Juan:
“The Latin Lover”. Orphan boy with an eye for the ladies. Baritone 1 or tenor 3. Has a big range, from low stuff (solid) to above the staff in harmonies. Most solo work is in the normal baritone range, with occasional high hits.
Abraham:
“The Jewish One”, who isn’t entirely sure how he got there. But he wrote the lyrics. Baritone/bass. Has to be a solid bottom singer, with a bass-sounding voice, but can also sing high in group numbers.
My Mother's Lesbian Jewish Wiccan Wedding by David Hein and Irene Carl Sankoff. Dir/Choreo: David Lowenstein. Mus Dir: Eric Anthony. 1st reh: 6/21. Runs 7/5-7/28.
Claire:
40s-50s. David’s mother and Psychology professor. Lovable, energetic, vulnerable yet witty. Mezzo belter.
Jane:
35-50. Claire’s Wiccan partner. Supportive, understanding, free-spirited and focused on feelings. Mezzo belter up to E.
Garth / Others:
Early 40s-50s. Claire’s ex-husband, David’s father. Grounded, simple and friendly. Actor also plays Pilot, Rabbi, Reporter and Claire’s Gay Friend. Baritone.
David:
OFFER OUT (role is still available, as the offer has not yet been accepted; check notice again for casting-status update). Actor should “read” mid – late 20s. David is the grown-up son of the “Lesbian, Jewish, Wiccan Mother”. He also serves as the shows narrator and fronts the band. Boyishly handsome, approximately 6’ tall. Strong pop tenor. Performer must be an accomplished acoustic guitarist who reads music.
Irene:
OFFER OUT (role is still available, as the offer has not yet been accepted; check notice again for casting-status update). Irene is 20s-30s. David's girlfriend and future wife, an attractive and friendly aspiring actress who is also studying to be an actuary. Strong mezzo.
Fingers & Toes by Logan Medland. Dir TBA. Mus Dir: L. Medland. 1st reh: 7/19. Runs 8/1-8/18.
Tristan “Fingers” St. Claire:
Late 20s – mid 30s. Intellectual, gloomy, sarcastic. Must be a strong character actor, good baritone or tenor (up to F) and a brilliant pianist of genuine music director level. Think Oscar Levant meets Harry Connick. Completely at home with stride, blues, jazz; must have a considerable technique.
Dustin “Toes” MacGrath:
Late 20s – mid 30s. Baritenor or tenor (up to G). Seeking great comic actor with the look of a leading man. Must be capable of both great charm and great buffoonery. Must be a highly accomplished dancer in the Fred Astaire/Gene Kelly mold.
Molly Molloy:
20s-30s. Actress must be a genuine triple threat: attractive, good singer, great tap skills and some ballet. Must be capable of buffoonery. Strong belt up to D.
Theatre’s statement: “The Merry Go Round Playhouse and the Finger Lakes Musical Theatre Festival encourage the practice of non-traditional casting to expand opportunities for women, senior performers, actors of color and performers with disabilities.”
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