Upcoming Auditions in Nashville 11/04/15

Directors and producers in the Nashville region are seeking actors for upcoming productions of The Larry Keeton Theatre's upcoming production of Sunset Boulevard, Murfreesboro's Center for the Arts' Dreamgirls, Arts Center of Cannon County's Memphis the Musical and ACT 1's production of Will Enos' The Flu Season. We've gathered the details together here to make your planning easier. So now you have no excuse: go follow your dream!

Dickson's The Gaslight Dinner Theatre has immediate openings for two male actor/singer/dancers in Mr. Jingle's Christmas Clause. Legit singer skills a must with MT choreography capabilities. Five actors play more than 20 characters in this musical/comedy so character actor/accent skills a plus (French and Irish are necessities). Rehearsals are now in progress so will need to jump right in. Show opens November 19 and runs through December 19. Thursday/Friday/Saturday matinees and Friday/Saturday evening shows. Competitive pay based on experience. Contact director Greg Frey (615) 829-2217 or at greg@gaslightdinnertheatre.org, if interested. Ideal body types are one taller/lean (5'8-6'/150-180 lbs) and one shorter/stocky (5'6-5'9/140-16- lbs) for costume purposes.

November 8 and 9

ACT 1, Nashville: The Flu Season by Will Eno, directed by Memory Strong. Auditions will be held at Tulip Street UMC, 522 Russell Street (entrance on 6th Street side of building) on Sunday, November 8, and Monday, November 9 from 6 to 8 p.m. Callbacks, if needed, will be held on November 10 from 6 to 8 p.m. Read-through will be on November 12, with rehearsals primarily on Monday, Tuesday and Thursday evenings. Show runs January 15-30, 2016 at the Darkhorse Theater.

Synopsis: "The Flu Season really isn't about the flu or the season, of course. It's about a man and woman, called just that, Man and Woman, who meet and grow close as patients in a mental hospital, and their doctor and nurse, called (you guessed it) Doctor and Nurse, who have their own peculiarities and don't help their patients much. Only The Flu Season is not really about all that, either. It's as much about the commentators, Prologue and Epilogue, who watch from the sidelines and interrupt to discuss the story that's unfolding. What it's about, in fact, is the process of writing the play (or the creative process in general). The two figures represent two sides of the creative impulse. Prologue is the earnest, optimistic voice early in the process, confident of his mastery. Cynical Epilogue is the wised-up voice of experience, after facing problems and rewrites: 'For what it's worth, which is probably very little...'"

Cast requirements: Prolgue: A narrator, Male or Female, any age. Must have a clear speaking voice; Epilogue: A narrator, Male or Female, any age. Must have a clear speaking voice; Man: Intelligent, Scrappy, 28-40; Woman: Intelligent, delicate, 28-40; Doctor: Male, Distracted, 50's; Nurse: Female, maternal, dignified although distracted, 50's

Arts Center of Cannon County: Memphis the Musical, directed by Darryl Deason and choreographed by Regina Wilkerson Ward. At the Arts Center of Cannon County, 1424 John Bragg Highway, Woodbury.

For the Roles of Huey Calhoun and Felicia Farrell: Sunda,y November 8 at 5 p.m. or by appointment
Huey Calhoun- Male, 25 to 40, C(3) to B(4); Felicia Farrell- Female, African American, 18 to 35, G(3) to A(5)

All other roles: (NO ROLES ARE PRE-CAST) Monday November 16 and Tuesday November 17 at 6:30 p.m. Please prepare 16 bars of a song in the style of the show, gospel, or R&B. An accompanist will be provided and you should come prepared for a dance audition

Delray Jones- (Felicia's brother) Male, African American, 25 to 55, Bflat(2) to Bflat(4); Gator- Male, African American, 18 to 40, Fsharp(3) to A(4); Bobby- Male, African American, 18 to 35, G(3) to C(5); Mama (Gladys Calhoun)- Female, 45 to 70, B(3) to A(5); Mr Simmons- Male, 40 to 70, non singer

Ensemble (multiple acting and singing roles): 3 to 5 African American women ages 16 to 30
4 African American men ages 16 to 40; 2 teenage girls; 1 woman age 35 to 50; 2 teenage boys; 3 men ages 25 to 60. Rehearsals will begin early January.

Performance dates: March 11, 12, 13, 18, 19, 20, 25 and 26

For questions and audition sides please email: darryltdeason@gmail.com

November 9 and 10

The Center for the Arts, 110 W. College Street, Murfreesboro: Dreamgirls, directed by Matthew Hayes Hunter, produced by Lavy Little, musical direction by Emily Dennis and choreographed by Tosha Pendergrast. You need only be present one of the two nights for auditions. Callbacks (by invitation only) will be Wednesday, November 11 at 6:30 p.m.

Auditionees should prepare 32 bars of a song in the style of the show (Broadway or R&B is fine). An audition accompanist and auxiliary cable will be provided. Sheet music or instrumental tracks only. Please no CDs or a cappella. Be prepared to move for a short dance call. Ladies, please wear heels, if possible. Cold readings from the script will take place if time permits. ALL roles are AVAILABLE and NOT pre-cast:

Cast breakdown: Effie White - Female, African American, 20-30, Mezzo/Belt. Must move very well; Deena Jones - Female, African American, 20-30, Mezzo/Belt. Must move very well; Lorrell Robinson - Female, African American, 20-30, Soprano/Belt. Must move very well; Michelle Morris - Female, African American, 20-30, Mezzo Soprano/Belt. Must move very well; Curtis Taylor, Jr. - Male, African American, 30-40, Baritone. Must move well.; James "Thunder" Early - Male, African American, 30-40, Rock and R&B Tenor. Must move very well.; C.C. White - Male, African American, 20-30, High Baritone/Tenor. Must move well.; Marty - Male, African American, 30-45, Baritone. Must move well.

Ensemble - Male & Female, ages 16+ and all ethnicities to play several roles in the show, including: The Stepp Sisters, Tiny Joe Dixon, Little Albert & The Tru-Tones, Dave & The Sweethearts, Reporters, Announcers, Fans, Stagehands, Party Guests, Photographers, Film Executives, and more. All ensemble members should possess unique and vivid personalities and be able to play a wide variety of characters. Ensemble will double in at least 2 roles, possibly more.

Rehearsals will be held 3-5 times a week, with possible weekend rehearsals. Rehearsals will go dark for Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year's.

Performance Dates: February 12, 13, 14, 19, 20, 21, 26, 27 and 28. These dates, as well as the week prior to opening, are MANDATORY to be considered for a role.

November 18- 21

The Wiz: A Spiritual Journey, directed by Calvin R. Martin, is seeking actors and singers, poets and spoken word performers, dancers and musicians for an upcoming production. All roles are available and are not pre-cast.

Please prepare a two-minute monologue and one song to show vocal range. Be prepared to sing a capella. Auditions are Wednesday, November 18, from 5 to 8:30 p.m.; Thursday, November 19, from 5 to 8:30 p.m. and Saturday, November 21, will be callbacks by invitation only.

Dancers should prepare a dance piece (32 count) and be prepared to learn choreography. Musicians should have a song prepared to play live on Friday, November 20, from 5 to 8:30 p.m.

Auditions location: Watson Grove Baptist Church, 1415 Horton Avenue, Nashville.

Questions? Call (615) 945-4595 or email TheCRayEvent@gmail.com

November 21 and 22

Sunset Boulevard, with music by Andrew Lloyd Webber and lyrics and book by Don Black and Christopher Hampton, based on Billy Wilder's Academy Award-winning 1950 film of the same name. Directed by Tim Larson and starring Ginger Newman as Norma Desmond, it runs February 18-March 5 at The Larry Keeton Theatre.

Auditions are Saturday, November 21, from 2 to 6 p.m. (sign-in begins at 1:30) and Sunday, November 22, from 3 to 6 p.m. (sign-in begins at 2:30 p.m.). Prepare 32 bars of a Webber piece or similar style to the production. Be prepared to dance/move/ read/sing from the script at auditions.

Principal vocal rehearsals begin December, 2015, accommodating the holidays with supporting roles/ensemble added January, 2016.

All roles available except Norma Desmond, who will be played by Ginger Newman.

Synopsis: Hollywood 1949.Faded star of the silent screen, Norma Desmond, lives in a fantasy world of the past in her decaying mansion on Sunset Boulevard. Down-on-his-luck and handsome screenwriter Joe Gillis, has a chance encounter with Norma, during which she speaks to him of her next big comeback project. Broke and desperate for opportunity, he accepts an off to edit her "masterpiece" in exchange for room and board. Joe soon finds himself living a luxurious lifestyle and lavished with expensive gifts from Norma. Aging Norma falls in love with young Joe, and he soon discovers himself caught between her claustrophobic and reclusive fantasy world and the outside world with his love, beautiful Betty Schaefer. One fatal night Joe attempts to break free of Norma to be with Betty. Devastated and in a fit of shock and rage, Norma shoots Joe as he struggles to leave. Descending into madness Norma, the once Goddess of the Silent Films, is led away by authorities from her home on Sunset Boulevard.

PRINCIPALS Norma Desmond- a faded, eccentric, former silent screen star - CAST Joe Gillis - struggling young screenwriter/BARITONE Max von Mayerling - Norma's first husband and butler/BARITONE Betty Schaefer - A budding writer and Joe's love interest/ MEZZO SOPORANO Cecil B. DeMille - the famous director/BARITONE Artie Green - Betty's fiancé/TENOR Sheldrake - a movie producer on the lot/FEATURED Manfred - an expensive tailor

FEATURED SUPPORTING ENSEMBLE Seeking 16-20 to fill the roles listed: Beauticians 3, Harem Girls 3, Salesman 6, 1ST & 2nd Masseuse, 1st & 2ND Finance man, Party Guests, Young Writer, Young Guard, Film Actor, DeMille's Assistant, Hedy Lamarr, Victor Mature ,Choreographer , Astrologer, Psychiatrist, Doctor , Police Chief , Hog Eye , Morino , Jonesy, Sammy, Cliff John, Myron, Mary, Lisa, Joanna , Heather, Heather, Katharine

For more information you may call Senior Center for the Arts administrator and Larry Keeton Theatre artistic director and producer Jamie London at (615) 231-1231.

EDITOR'S NOTE: Send your audition announcements to Jeffrey Ellis, BWW Nashville senior contributing editor, at jeffreyellis37215@att.net for inclusion in this column.