1940'S RADIO HOUR - The Farmington Players Non Equity Auditions

1940'S RADIO HOUR - The Farmington Players

Audition Notice –Farmington Players

The 1940’s Radio Hour

Director: Rachael L. Rose, Assistant Director: Mary Ann Tweedie,

Music Director: Jose Reyes

Audition: August 27^th Callbacks: 28^th; 7 pm, Registration begins at 6 pm

Mandatory Dates (Includes Performance Dates): 11/12; 11/16; 11/17; 11/19; 11/24; 11/25; 11/26; 11/27; 11/28; 11/30; 12/1; 12/2; 12/7; 12/8; 12/9; 12/14; 12/15; 12/16; 12/20; 12/21 & 12/22

The 1940’s Radio Hour, a musical by Walton Jones, takes you back to a time where the world had only radio broadcasts as links to “live” news and entertainment. The country was united together in fighting World War II. USO shows abounded in order to keep troop morale lifted. Everyone had their part in keeping the country going, including the “Mutual Manhattan Variety Cavalcade.” The1940s Radio Houris a comedic yet poignant “period show” in which the characters prepare to record a final holiday broadcast for the troops overseas, on radio station WOV. The show is full of 1940s music, dancing and old-time sound effects.

The story deals with the harassed producer whose leading singer is often drunk, the delivery boy who wants a chance in front of the mic, the second banana who dreams of singing a ballad, and the trumpet-playing sound effects man who chooses a fighter plane over Glenn Miller.

Take a look at broadcasts from “Prairie Home Companion”, a still-running radio show.
http://prairiehome.publicradio.org/ and learn about their history at
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/A_Prairie_Home_Companion . These will help you understand the feel wanted to take audiences back to the 40’s.

Director Rachael Rose is looking for “over the top” character development. But actors must retain an innocence and “naiveté” that was indicative (in general) of that time.

Music cuts and script selections will soon be available at
farmingtonplayers.org. Full Scripts are available now by contacting Rachael Rose at
rlrose1031@gmail.com .

Below is a list of characters. More detailed descriptions are available at:
http://farmingtonplayers.org/index.html .

CHARACTERS

• Clifton Feddington: The announcer and general manager (head of everything at WOV). He has ulcers from it all and is sometimes hysterical.
• Ann Collier The 'old standard' in the Radio show since its start in 1936. She sings like Dinah Shore, Doris Day, and Peggy Lee (all rolled into one). She is a secretary by day, and at looker by night who is dating Johnny.
• Johnny Cantone: Featured vocalist with the Cavalcade who is on Sinatra's bandwagon. He's an ex-boxer and a rough guy who drinks too much and has a voice like velvet.
• Ginger Brooks: A bubble-headed waitress-turned-singer. She has a pinup, Betty Grable look with lots of makeup and speaks with a Gracie Allen vacancy.
• Geneva Lee Browne: The southern Belle of WOV got her start in music at age 17 performing in local Swing ballrooms around the Atlanta area.
• Neal Tilden: Cab driver by day and singer, dancer, and choreographer at night. He is hopeful for the 'featured vocalist' slot.
• B.J. Gibson: The third of the Gibson brothers to work for the Cavalcade. He is squeaky-clean, good looking, and a preppy student at Yale.
• Connie Miller: A 17-year-old bobbysoxer from Ogden, Utah. She is perennially in love and runs an elevator by day.
• Pops Bailey: Over 60-- A crotchety, wizened stage doorkeeper who is a racing bookie on the company phone and reads hidden copies of Show Girl magazine.
• Lou Cohn: A big shot (at least in his own mind) who tries to impress the girls and is sometimes obnoxious. He runs the show and is the sound effects man.
• Wally Ferguson: Young hopeful from Altoona, Pennsylvania who came to NYC to work for his uncle at the drugstore to get his big show-biz break.
• Biff Baker: A young trumpet player with the Zoot Doubleman orchestra who will be leaving after the concert for Army duty.
• Stanley: Lugs cable and runs around a lot and otherwise lives in the control booth.
• Zoot Doubleman: WOV Orchestra Leader **PLEASE NOTE: THIS ROLE HAS ALREADY BEEN CAST

• "
  (I've Got a Gal In) Kalamazoo" – Clifton, Chorus
• "Pepsi Cola" – Neal, B.J., Connie, Ginger (with sounds performed by Lou)
• "Hey Daddy" – Connie, The Band
• "
  Love Is Here to Stay" – Johnny
• "
  That Old Black Magic" – Ann
• "
  Ain't She Sweet" – Biff, All
• "
  How About You?" – B.J., Connie
• "
  Blue Moon" – Neal
• "Chiquita Banana" – All Girls
• "Rose of the Rio Grande" – Geneva, Men & The Band
• "
  I'll Never Smile Again" – Johnny, Quintet (Neal, B.J., Ann, Ginger, Connie)
• "At Last" – Geneva, Band
• "
  Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy" – B.J., Connie, Ginger
• "
  Blues in the Night" – Ginger, Men
• "
  Jingle Bells" – All (except Johnny)
• "
  I Got It Bad (and That Ain't Good)" – Geneva
• "
  You Go to My Head" – B.J.
• "The Five O'Clock Whistle" – Connie, The Band
• "
  Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas" – Ann
• "
  Strike Up The Band" – Full Company
• "
  I'll Be Seeing You" – Full Company
• "Mutual Manhattan Variety Cavalcade" – Full Company

**
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_1940%27s_Radio_Hour

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