AUDITION DATES
Thursday, January 29th
4:00-5:30pm – Ages 7-10 – sign up begins at 3:30 pm
for the roles of Gavroche, Little Eponine and Little Cosette
(Please see section on What to Prepare)
6:00-9:00pm – Ages 14-22 sign up begins at 5:30 pm
Ages 14-22 for all major roles, supporting roles and ensemble
(Please see section on What to Prepare)
Monday, February 2nd
4:00-5:30pm – Ages 7-10 – sign up begins at 3:30 pm
for the roles of Gavroche, Little Eponine and Little Cosette
(Please see section on What to Prepare)
6:00-9:00pm – Ages 14-22 sign up begins at 5:30 pm
Ages 14-22 for all major roles and ensemble
(Please see section on What to Prepare)
Wednesday, February 4th
5:00-9:00pm – Ages 14-22 sign up begins at 4:30 pm
Ages 14-22 for all major roles, supporting roles and ensemble
(Please see section on What to Prepare)
CALLBACKS
Callbacks will be held by appointment from Sunday, February 8th – Thursday, February 12th
AUDITION LOCATION
The Mayo Performing Arts Center (MPAC)
9 Pine Street, Morristown, NJ 07960
*Please DO NOT go to the main lobby. Use the Education Studio entrance at 9 Pine Street.
ABOUT THE SHOW
Director: Cathy Roy
Musical Director: Kevin Lynch
Show Dates: Friday, May 29th – Sunday, May 31st
Rehearsals will be held on Mondays, some Wednesdays, Thursdays and Sundays. You must be available for the entire tech week: Thursday, May 21st – Thursday, May 28th. Please note: This includes Memorial Day weekend!
Les Misérables is a sung-through musical based on the novel by the French poet and novelist Victor Hugo. Set in early 19th-century France, it is the story of Jean Valjean, a French peasant, and his quest for redemption after serving nineteen years in jail for having stolen a loaf of bread. Valjean decides to break his parole and start his life anew after a kindly bishop inspires him by a tremendous act of mercy. But he is relentlessly tracked down by a police inspector, Javert. Along the way, Valjean and a host of characters are swept into a revolutionary period in France, where a group of young idealists make their last stand at a street barricade.
ABOUT THE CHARACTERS
PRINCIPLE ROLE DESCRIPTIONS: MALES
JEAN VALJEAN is the hero of the story. It is his life journey that we follow. Jean Valjean is supposed to be stronger than other men, and so physically should appear robust. He should reasonably carry himself as mature and paternal. Valjean's ability to change is his greatest asset. The key to his character is his great humanity and compassion. Jean Valjean is a vocally demanding role.
Range: Tenor - Low A to High A Audition Song: Bring Him Home
JAVERT is the inspector who serves as the antagonist to Jean Valjean. At first glance Javert might appear to be the villain of the story, but on closer examination it is clear that he is not an evil man, but is a man with a profound sense of duty. He sees everything in black and white and is unswerving in his pursuit of justice. His attitudes are rigid and unmoveable. He is stern, foreboding, and lacking in compassion. Must have a very strong and rigid, almost mean, presence and voice. Strong singer and actor.
Range: Low F to High F sharp Audition Song: Stars
THENARDIER is the true villain of this show, but also the comic relief. He is amoral and an opportunist. That said, he should also possess a wicked sense of humor. He delights in cheating, robbing, fraud and blackmail, relishing every aspect of them with glee. He is tough, greedy, brutal, stupid and crafty and yet irresistible. Strong character role.
Range: C (below Middle C) to G sharp (above Middle C) Audition Song: Master of the House
ENJOLRAS is the student leader and is an old soul. He is handsome, brave, daring, and very mature for his age. He is described by Victor Hugo as “a thinker and a man of action”. He oozes with charisma and confidence. On the barricade he physically and vocally should dominate everyone else. Must have a very strong, confident presence and voice. His death at the barricade is one of the dramatic highlights of the show.
Range: Tenor or High Baritone - A to G above the middle C Audition Song: Red and Black
MARIUS is the handsome romantic hero. Very impulsive, awkward, and naïve, but matures by the end of the show. Marius should have a lovely lyrical voice with a contemporary edge.
Range: Low A to High A flat Audition Song: Empty Chairs At Empty Tables
BISHOP OF DIGNE is the kind man who saves Valjean with his compassion. A very strong supporting role. Needs a very lyric, compassionate, and soothing voice.
Range: Low A to High E Audition Song: The Bishop’s part in the show. Music will be available at audition
GAVROCHE is a willful, cocky, charismatic boy who lives on the streets and hangs out with the ABC gang. Considers himself the leader of the streets. He is brave and witty. Think a young Artful Dodger. He has a dramatic death at the barricade.
Range: B below middle C to G Audition Song: Little People
Age: 7 to 10 years, height maximum of 58”
SUPPORTING MALE ROLES
MEMBERS OF THE ABC SOCIETY
A secret society of students and workers, the letters "A" "B" "C", as pronounced in French, make the word "abaisse:' which means "the underdog" or "the people below." The members are drawn from wealthy families, and members have chosen to fight for freedom in stark contrast to the poor who have no choice due to their downtrodden circumstance. Additional characters, besides Enjolras and Marius are:
Combeferre - Is the philosopher and believer in peace. He is gentle, humane, strong and brave.
Feuilly - Is a worker, self-educated and an orphan. A believer in "nationality." Affectionate, warm and poetic.
Courfeyrac - Is a student. His is youthful, passionate and fearless.
Joly - A medical student. Eccentric and light-hearted, although sometimes morbid. His name is derived from the English word "jolly."
Prouvaire - A student of social studies. He is kind, softly spoken and at the right moments strong and masterful. He is also a poet.
Lesgles - A student. Cheerful, laughing at life but unlucky. His close friend is Joly.
Grantaire - A student. He is the opposite of Enjolras. He believes in nothing. Although he admires Enjolras he. loves to mock him. Witty and drunken, he is happy being with the group and they put up with him because of his good humor. He also keeps a watchful eye on Gavroche, the mascot of the group, and is the most heartbroken when Gavroche is killed. So much so that Grantaire abandons his cynicism and rushes to die on the barricade.
Vocal ranges: Low A to F
CHAIN GANG - The Chain Gang consists of Jean Valjean's fellow prisoners. There are four soloists. The overall vocal range of the convicts is low and they should be able sing in a rich baritone.
Vocal range: Low F to High E flat
CONSTABLES - There are two solo constables.
Vocal range: E to High E
FARMER AND LABORERS - The Farmer and a Laborer have solo lines.
Farmer - Vocal range: Middle C to D flat Laborers - Vocal range: A sharp to D flat
FOREMAN - The Foreman begins Fantine on her downward spiral of desperation. He is virile, commanding and a hit sleazy around the edges.
Vocal range: E (below Middle C) to D flat (above Middle C)
SAILORS - The sailors begin the Docks scene. Three have solos.
Vocal range: Low C to Middle C
BAMATABOIS
Bamatabois is the "customer" who taunts Fantine into violence. He is a wealthy dissolute young man who thinks of himself as a gentleman. He is drunk and in a sadistic mood and chauvinistically feels it is his right to buy anything, even Fantine.
Vocal range: D (below Middle C) to High D
PIMP - The Pimp controls the prostitutes at the docks. He is mean, aggressive and abusive. The Pimp has a solo in "The Docks."
Vocal range: E (below Middle C) to D
FAUCHELEVANT - Fauchelevant is the victim of the cart crash. The role requires, a few solo lines and some painful yelps.
Vocal range: B (below Middle C) to E flat
JUDGE - The Judge or Judges are non-singing roles.
MISTAKEN JEAN VALJEAN AND FAMILY - These characters are also non-singing. This is the man who Javert believes to be Jean Valjean.
MONTPARNASSE, BABET, BRUJON, CLAQUESOUS - These are members of Thenardier's gang of thieves and will be cast with males and females.
Brujon - Physically very strong. The body of a bear and a pea sized brain. A genuine gangster, he is stupid and evil.
Babet - Physically frail. He is lean and cunning.
Claquesous - Tough, dangerous and secretive.
Montparnasse - A teenager. Handsome and dangerous. Kills with a knife. He is well dressed, strongly built and supple.
Vocal ranges: C sharp (below Middle C) to E
PRINCIPLE ROLE DESCRIPTIONS: FEMALES
FANTINE is the beautiful young girl who, abandoned by her lover, is left to fend for herself and her daughter Cosette. She is a brave woman defeated by life, sustained by her love for her daughter and clinging to her dignity. Sick with consumption, we witness her descent through poverty, hunger, cold, loneliness and destitution to death. She is a noble and proud character, whose life becomes a series of terrible events that rob her of her pride, character, and ultimately her life. This is a real heartbreaker of a role that requires a mature actress. This actress needs to be comfortable with her emotions out in the open and has to have the ability to convincingly go from wistful to bitter to heartbroken to shouting at God, all in one song. Fantine’s physical and emotional pain needs to be very real.
Vocal Range: G flat (below middle C) to D Audition Song: I Dreamed A Dream
COSETTE is the beautiful daughter of Fantine. She is an intelligent, inquiring, personable girl. Once adopted by Jean Valjean, Cosette lives a comfortable, if secluded life. She is strong willed and loving. She falls instantly in love with Marius, changing her world and her priorities. The role calls for an excellent singer with a lovely, lyrical soprano voice.
Vocal range: B flat below middle C to High 2 octaves above middle C Audition Song: In My Life
EPONINE is the daughter of the Thenardiers. She is a young girl who is streetwise and tough, but also sensitive and lonely. She is in love with Marius, and knowing that he will never love her, she is very vulnerable when it comes to him. She bravely follows Marius to the barricades in the hope that they will die there together. Eponine is a tragic character, hopelessly in love with Marius and dies there. Strong singing and acting.
Range: F Sharp below middle C to E Audition Song: On My Own
LITTLE COSETTE is Cosette as a child and the ward of the Thenardiers, who force her into slavery at their inn. She is a trembling little creature, underfed, beaten by Madame Thenardier and bullied by Eponine, but very sweet despite her circumstances.
Range: A below middle C to C Audition Song: Castle on a Cloud
Age: 7-11 years old
MADAME THENARDIER is the drunk and vulgar wife of Thenardier. Madame Thenardier is as "one" with Thenardier. Together they con the world as partners in crime. They were made for each other, although she complains about him. She is coarse and vulgar; unhappy in her existence without knowing why. She is greedy, evil, and larger than life. She is mean and nasty to Little Cosette and able to improvise in nearly any situation. Strong character actress
Range: G Sharp below middle C to D Audition Song: Master of the House
SUPPORTING FEMALE ROLES:
LITTLE EPONINE is the pampered daughter of the Thenardiers and a spoiled brat who taunts Little Cosette. The role requires no singing or speaking.
FACTORY GIRL fights with Fantine. She is mean, catty and selfish. She also is having an affair with the Foreman and is jealous of Fantine. Strong singer and actress.
Vocal range: B flat (below Middle C) to C (above Middle C)
OLD WOMAN is a nice feature part. This is the character that purchases Fantine's hair.
Vocal range: E (above Middle C) to D
LOVELY LADIES are ladies of the night.
FACTORY WORKERS: Strong singing and acting roles.
(NOTE: From this group several smaller solo roles will also be cast.)
WHAT TO PREPARE
Everyone auditioning must prepare 16-32 bars of a musical theatre ballad. You must have the sheet music with you in the right key.
If you would like to audition for a specific role in the show, please also prepare the following song(s):
VALJEAN - Bring Him Home
JAVERT - Stars
MARIUS - Empty Chairs at Empty Tables
ENJOLRAS - Red and Black
THENARDIER - Master of the House
MADAME THENARDIER - Master of the House
YOUNG COSETTE - Castle on a Cloud
COSETTE - In My Life
FANTINE - I Dreamed a Dream
EPONINE - On My Own
GAVROCHE - Little People
More info at: http://www.mayoarts.org/education/musical
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