Opera House Players, Inc. announces auditions for
THE SPITFIRE GRILL
(Music by James Valq, Book and Lyrics by Fred Alley)
Directed by: John Pike
Audition dates:
Monday May 5th: 6pm – 9:30pm.
Tuesday May 6th: 6pm – 9:30 pm.
(Callbacks, if necessary, will be scheduled after auditions have completed)
Audition Location:
Broad Brook Opera House
107 Main Street Broad Brook, CT 06016
Please wear loose, comfortable clothing and bring a headshot, if you have one.
Be prepared to sing the following:
16 – 32 bars of a strong musical theater song in the proper key (no pop songs please). A ballad is best.
Country and folk music is also encouraged.
All roles require strong acting skills; there are no specific dance requirements.
Questions? Please contact director John Pike (
johnpike1@gmail.com)
REHEARSAL AND PERFORMANCE:
Rehearsals: Will begin end of July (around the 25th).
Performances:
The production runs three consecutive weekends in September.
First performance Sept 5; Final performance September 21.
ROLES TO BE CAST (4 female/3 male)
All roles are principles. Age ranges listed are approximate.
FEMALE ROLES
PERCY TALBOTT - Early to mid 20s. Pretty, if a bit rough-edged, her face declares the strength of her youth and a sadness beyond her years. Her accent has a southern Appalachian cadence. Strong folk/country belt to 'D', some head voice required.
SHELBY THORPE - early-30s. A plain, soft-faced creature with a shy, almost ethereal manner. Shimmering folk soprano with strong high belt to 'D'.
HANNAH FERGUSON - about 60-70. A tough-skinned and flinty old bird with a short, no-nonsense manner bordering on the bitter. Mezzo/alto chest range.
EFFY KRAYNECK - 50s. Postmistress and busybody, a woman with narrow eyes and a sour tongue. Solid singer in mezzo/alto chest range. Carries close harmony.
MALE ROLES
CALEB THORPE - early 40s. Out-of-work foreman of the stone quarry. Frustrated working man clinging to the past. Solid folk/rock voice with an edge (Top 'G').
SHERIFF JOE SUTTER - mid-late 20s. A young small-town policeman with an appealing intensity and a restless nature. Strong folk tenor to a 'G' (touches an 'A').
THE VISITOR - mid-40s. A mysterious figure who never speaks. An actor with powerful eyes and a very strong sense of his body.
THE STORY:
A feisty parolee follows her dreams, based on a page from an old travel book, to a small town in Wisconsin and finds a place for herself working at Hannah's Spitfire Grill. It is for sale but there are no takers for the only eatery in the depressed town, so newcomer Percy suggests to Hannah that she raffle it off. Entry fees are one hundred dollars and the best essay on why you want the grill wins. Soon, mail is arriving by the wheelbarrow full and things are definitely cookin' at the Spitfire Grill.
A soul satisfying...work of theatrical resourcefulness. A compelling story that flows with grace and carries the rush of anticipation. The story moves, the characters have many dimensions and their transformations are plausible and moving. The musical is freeing. It is penetrated by honesty and it glows. - The New York Times
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