HELL'S KITCHEN Equity Principal Actors - NEW YORK SHAKESPEARE FESTIVAL Auditions

HELL'S KITCHEN - NYC EPA

NEW YORK SHAKESPEARE FESTIVAL

SIGNUP INFO

Signups begin Aug 9, 11:45 am (EDT)

LOCATION

Actors' Equity New York Audition Center

165 W 46th St

New York, NY 10036

AUDITION DATE

Wed, Aug 16, 2023

9:30 AM to 5:30 PM (EDT)

Lunch 1:00 PM - 2:00 PM

CONTRACT

Off Broadway

$1682 weekly minimum (Cat. EE)

SEEKING

Equity actors for roles in HELL'S KITCHEN (See breakdown).

PREPARATION

Please prepare a cut (no more than two minutes in length) of an Alicia Keys song, or a song in the style of Alicia Keys. Please bring sheet music for piano accompanist. No singing without sheet music. Also, please bring your headshot and resume stapled together.

PERSONNEL

Music & Lyrics by Alicia Keys

Book by Kristoffer Diaz

Choreography by Camille A. Brown

Directed by Michael Greif

Expected to attend:

Public Theater Casting Office: Jordan Thaler, Heidi Griffiths, Kate Murray, Chalin Tulyathan

OTHER DATES

HELL'S KITCHEN

SYNOPSIS: A new musical that tells the story of Ali, a young girl growing up in NYC’s Hell’s Kitchen in the 1990s.

SEEKING:

UNDERSTUDY KNUCK/RIQ/JUNIOR: Character is a young man in his mid 20s. Black. An exceptional singer who is comfortable with R&B/pop/jazz vocals, and can hold down harmonies. Experience with drumming/percussion a plus. To understudy KNUCK: A young man in the neighborhood that Ali falls in love with. A bucket-drummer. While he may appear tough to those who don't know him, he is a sensitive and soulful spirit, who is growing increasingly frustrated with a world that insists on stereotyping him and treating him as a threat. Will also understudy RIQ & Q-LO: Two young guys from Ali’s Hell’s Kitchen neighborhood. Feel authentically convincing as young men who grew up–and can hold their own–in a tough neighborhood in NYC in the 90’s. This is an offstage position.

THE FOLLOWING ROLES ARE CAST (FOR FUTURE REPLACEMENTS ONLY):

ALI: THIS ROLE IS CAST. Character is a young woman, 18+ to convincingly play 17. Biracial; her mother is white and her father is Black. A strong, stubborn girl with a rebellious streak who is trying to carve out her own identity independent of her mother’s overprotective, ever-watchful eye. An extraordinary singer who is comfortable with R&B/pop/jazz vocals.

JERSEY: THIS ROLE IS CAST. Character is a woman in her 40s. White. Ali’s mother, raising her as a single mom. Tough, outspoken, not afraid of a fight. What she says, goes. Extremely protective of her daughter, to the degree that strikes fear into the hearts of all Ali’s friends. Distrustful of the outside world, most particularly of the intentions of men, she’ll do anything she can to keep her daughter safe and give her the best shot at life. An extraordinary, powerfully-voiced singer who is comfortable with R&B/pop/jazz vocals, and can hold down harmonies.

DAVIS: THIS ROLE IS CAST. Character is a man in his 40s. Black. Ali’s father. A traveling musician, who has been absent for her entire life. Charming and likable. A true artist. His true love is music, and although he also loves his family, it’s difficult–maybe impossible–for him to make space for both. An exceptional singer who is comfortable with R&B/pop/jazz vocals, and can hold down harmonies.

KNUCK: THIS ROLE IS CAST. Character is a young man in his mid-20s. Black. A young man in the neighborhood that Ali falls in love with. A bucket-drummer. While he may appear tough to those who don't know him, he is a sensitive and soulful spirit, who is growing increasingly frustrated with a world that insists on stereotyping him and treating him as a threat. An exceptional singer who is comfortable with R&B/pop/jazz vocals, and can hold down harmonies. Experience with drumming/percussion a plus.

MISS LIZA JANE: THIS ROLE IS CAST. Character is a woman in her 50s. Black. A longtime resident of Ali’s building who becomes Ali’s piano teacher. Outwardly stern and taciturn, with incredible gravitas and presence. Puts tremendous value on discipline and focus, but despite her imposing presence, approaches Ali with patience and empathy, and teaches her about life and adulthood, in addition to music. An extraordinary, powerfully-voiced singer.

TINY/ENSEMBLE: THIS ROLE IS CAST. Character is a young woman in her early 20s. Black. A friend of Ali’s from her Hell’s Kitchen neighborhood. Street smart with a sense of humor. A strong singer/dancer who is comfortable with R&B/pop/jazz vocals and harmonizing.

JESSICA/ENSEMBLE: THIS ROLE IS CAST. Character is a young woman, 18+ to play late teens/early 20s. Latine. A friend of Ali’s from her Hell’s Kitchen neighborhood. Street smart with a sense of humor. A strong singer who is comfortable with R&B/pop/jazz vocals and harmonizing.

RIQ/ENSEMBLE: THIS ROLE IS CAST. Character is a young man in his early 20s. Black. From Ali’s Hell’s Kitchen neighborhood. Must feel authentically convincing as a young man who grew up–and can hold his own–in a tough neighborhood in NYC in the 90’s. A strong singer/dancer who is comfortable with R&B/pop/jazz vocals. Percussion experience a plus.

JUNIOR/ENSEMBLE: THIS ROLE IS CAST. Character is a young man in his early 20s. Black. From Ali’s Hell’s Kitchen neighborhood. Must feel authentically convincing as a young man who grew up–and can hold his own–in a tough neighborhood in NYC in the 90’s. A strong singer/dancer who is comfortable with R&B/pop/jazz vocals. Percussion experience a plus.

RAY/ENSEMBLE: THIS ROLE IS CAST. Character is a man in his late 30s-early 40s. Black. Ali’s doorman. A large, physically imposing presence, but a kind heart. Feels like a real person, not an actor. He looks out for Ali and all the residents of Manhattan Plaza. A strong singer and mover. This role will likely understudy other roles.

MARIA/ENSEMBLE: THIS ROLE IS CAST. Character is a woman in her 40s. Latine. Ali’s neighbor who has known Ali for her entire life. Feels like a real person, not an actor. A strong singer who is comfortable with R&B/pop/jazz vocals and harmonizing. This role will likely understudy other roles.

CRYSTAL/ENSEMBLE: THIS ROLE IS CAST. Character is a woman in her 40s. Black. Ali’s neighbor who has known Ali for her entire life. Feels like a real person, not an actor. A strong singer who is comfortable with R&B/pop/jazz vocals and harmonizing. This role will likely understudy other roles.

UNDERSTUDY ALI/JESSICA/TINY: THIS ROLE IS CAST. Character is a young woman, 18+ to play late teens/early 20s. Biracial or Black. To understudy the roles of Ali, Jessica, and Tiny (see character descriptions above). This is an offstage role.

UNDERSTUDY JERSEY: THIS ROLE IS CAST. Character is a woman in her 40s. White. To understudy the role of Jersey (see character description above). This is an offstage role.

UNDERSTUDY DAVIS/RAY: THIS ROLE IS CAST. Character is a man in his 40s. Black. To understudy the roles of Davis and Ray (see character descriptions above). This is an offstage role.

UNDERSTUDY MISS LIZA JANE/CRYSTAL: THIS ROLE IS CAST. Character is a woman in her 40s-50s. Black. To understudy the roles of Miss Liza Jane and Crystal (see character descriptions above). This is an offstage role.

UNDERSTUDY MARIA/CRYSTAL: THIS ROLE IS CAST. Character is a woman in her 40s. Black or Latine. To understudy the roles of Maria and Crystal (see character descriptions above). This is an offstage role.

1st Rehearsal: 9/11/23

1st Performance: 10/24/23

Close: 12/10/23

Furthest Possible Extension Close: 2/4/24

OTHER

An Equity monitor will be provided.

EPA Procedures are in effect for audition.

Equity’s contracts prohibit discrimination. Equity is committed to diversity and encourages all its employers to engage in a policy of equal employment opportunity designed to promote a positive model of inclusion. As such, Equity encourages performers of all ethnicities, gender identities, and ages, as well as performers with disabilities, to attend every audition.

Always bring your Equity Membership card to auditions.