Audition Location: Conejo Players Theatre, 351 S. Moorpark Road, Thousand Oaks, CA 91361
Audition Dates & Times: Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday – September 9, 10, & 11, 2019 – at 7:00pm
Rehearsal Schedule: September 16 through November 7, 2019, 7:00 - 10:00pm, Monday through Thursday. Morning/early afternoon on most Saturdays; Occasional Friday evenings as needed,
+ Conflicts must be listed for ALL DAYS, though – the above schedule may be changed based on cast availability
Performance Dates: November 8 through December 1, 2019, Friday and Saturday at 8:00pm / Sunday at 2:00pm Thurs 11/14 at 8:00pm • Sat 11/23 & 11/30 at 2:00pm *All performances are mandatory
Audition Requirements:
Please prepare one (1) minute of a standard musical theatre song, and bring an alternate selection as a backup (in some cases, the casting team may wish to hear more). Do not sing a song from the show. Do not sing a cappella. Bring sheet music in your key; an accompanist will be provided. A CD or music device with an accompaniment-only track is also acceptable, provided it is edited and cued correctly and saved locally (please no YouTube recordings or anything that relies on a wireless signal). There will be a short combination to assess movement ability; please wear or bring comfortable dance attire and dance shoes if you have them. There will also be readings from the script. This is an open call audition. Non-Equity, NO PAY.
When auditioning, please list any and all commitments during the rehearsal period – even on days not currently listed as rehearsal days. To the greatest extent possible, the schedule will be built around the cast's availability. No additional conflicts will be accepted after casting, and no conflicts will be accepted for performance dates or the week before opening. The only way we would consider performance conflicts would be if we were to double-cast a role; this is not currently the intent, but it is not impossible. Please just be upfront with us, and we will afford you the same courtesy.
Plot Summary:
With an unforgettable score from four-time Grammy® winner, three-time Oscar® winner, and musical theatre giant Stephen Schwartz, PIPPIN is the story of one young man's complicated, illusory journey to be extraordinary.
A recent college graduate with an unsettled future ahead, Pippin is desperately searching for the secret to true happiness and fulfillment. Our production is set in the post-apocalyptic circus of Pippin's frightened and confused subconscious mind, where the glories of the battlefield, the temptations of the flesh, and the intrigues of political power might offer answers … or do they? Guided by the sinister Leading Player and his band of misfit fellow players, Pippin is portrayed as a Prince in the Holy Roman Empire, striving to prove that he is exceptional. In the end, however, he finds that happiness – or, perhaps, contentment – lies not in extraordinary endeavors, but rather in the unextraordinary moments that happen every day. ~ RATED PG-13 (for sexual situations)
For More Information:
Email Tami Keaton, Producer, at tmkeaton@gmail.com
Character Breakdown:
All roles are open to all actors without regard to race or ethnicity. Ages listed are VERY approximate, and apply to the character and not the actor. As the conceit of this show is based on players telling a story, the ages of the actors can be very flexible.
This production will be set in a post-apocalyptic circus setting. Acrobatics and other such skills are a definite plus; the specifics will be decided based on the skillset of the actors cast.
Leading Player
The ultimate ringleader. Masterfully charming and manipulative to the point of deception, the Leading Player is a chameleon – and Pippin’s destructive alter ego. After winning Pippin’s trust, which is probably not deserved, they guide Pippin through his own story. Ultimately, they try to intervene in Pippin’s life-altering denouement … by whatever means necessary. Obsessed with putting on a great show for “the audience.” Excellent dancer.Gender: ANY, Age: ANY
Vocal range top: Ab4, Vocal range bottom: Db3
Pippin
Our story's young and confused protagonist. Childish and discontent yet cerebral and sweet (and, most significantly, suicidal), he longs to find his “purpose” – which, as a rich white male, initially manifests as power and privilege. Would rather let things happen to him than take an active part in his own decisions. Eventually finds love – and meaning – with Catherine and Theo. Son of Charles.
Gender: Male Age: To play 18 to 25
Vocal range top: Ab4 Vocal range bottom: G2
Charles (Charlemagne) Pippin’s stereotypically demanding father – someone to whom he can never measure up. As “the King of the Holy Roman Empire,” Charlemagne is the smartest, the most powerful … and also the biggest hurdle in Pippin’s quest for fulfillment. He wears his years with almost too much pride. Gender: Male Age: To play 45 to 60
Vocal range top: E4 Vocal range bottom: G2
Fastrada
Pippin’s conniving “wicked stepmother.” A greedy (and possibly incestuous) seductress who is no stranger to deceit and betrayal, she is both sexy and smart. Skilled at using her sexual appeal to benefit herself and her very favorite son, Lewis.
Gender: Female Age: To play 35 to 50
Vocal range top: F5 Vocal range bottom: A3
Lewis
Pippin’s brutish half-brother, son of Fastrada and Charles. He’s perfect in the eyes of his parents (maybe too perfect in Fastrada’s), for he’s a flawless combination of the two – handsome, smart, physically agile, and fairly depraved. But in our protagonist’s eyes, he’s legitimately dumb, far inferior, and undeserving of praise.
Gender: Male Age: To play 18 to 25
Vocal range: ANY
Berthe
Pippin’s grandmother, who wants nothing more than for her grandson to be happy. She is always – always – on his side. Old yet youthful, Berthe is full of wisdom and sass … representing his ever-present need for validation.
Gender: Female Age: To play 67
Vocal range top: C5 Vocal range bottom: E3
Catherine
A widow and mother, Catherine represents that which Pippin initially sees as boring and beneath him: she’s real. Smart, flawed, giving, and strong, she begins as an unnoticed observer and later encounters Pippin at his lowest point … eventually recognizing that Pippin might not be extraordinary after all, and falling in love with him in the process.
Gender: Female Age: To play 25 to 40
Vocal range top: Db5 Vocal range bottom: F#3
Theo
Catherine's spunky, creative, needy yet lovable son – an observer, like his mother, who mirrors Pippin’s immaturity … but who also reflects Pippin’s dream of an enviable family.
Gender: Male Age: 6 to 16 (can be interpreted multiple ways)
Vocal Range: ANY
The Players
A varied, eclectic, and sinister troupe of performers cut from the same cloth as the Leading Player. They will play various roles in Pippin’s story, including members of Charlemagne’s Army, monks, nobility, peasants, dalliances, and more … all with the goal of seducing or even criticizing Pippin – whatever they think he needs at the moment – until he faces his “finale.”
Videos
