THE BUTCHER BOY Submission - Irish Repertory Theatre Auditions

THE BUTCHER BOY - EQUITY VIDEO SUBMISSIONS

Irish Repertory Theatre

CONTRACT

Off Broadway $735 weekly minimum + pension/welfare

SEEKING

Equity actors for roles in THE BUTCHER BOY (see breakdown).

All stage managerial positions have been filled.

Performers of all races, ethnicities, gender identities, body types, and abilities are encouraged to submit for all roles.

INSTRUCTIONS

SEE PREPARATION INSTRUCTIONS IN BREAKDOWN. Submit at: https://forms.gle/MRTiwhd7ZiwdyYGt7

Deadline: Wed, Apr 13, 2022

PERSONNEL

Producer: Irish Repertory Theatre (Ciaran O’Reilly, Producing Director; Charlotte Moore, Artistic Director)
Director: Ciaran O’Reilly
Music Director: David Hancock Turner
Choreographer: Barry McNabb
Book, Music, and Lyrics: Asher Muldoon
Based on the Novel: The Butcher Boy by Patrick McCabe
Casting: JZ Casting
Casting Directors: Geoff Josselson, CSA and Katja Zarolinski, CSA (viewing auditions)

OTHER DATES

First Rehearsal: June 15, 2022
First Performance: July 20, 2022
Closing: September 11, 2022

OTHER

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 submit.

BREAKDOWN

PREPARATION INSTRUCTIONS:

If you are using an iPhone to video record, please be sure to film horizontally and in a well-lit space (not backlit).

Please submit a video of yourself with:

1) A slate *IN AN IRISH DIALECT* that introduces your name, your song title, and your place of residence/location.

2) Sing a short (approximately 1 minute in length) contemporary musical theatre song of your own choosing that shows off your vocal range and personality, along with an accompaniment backing track. If you do not have a track or are not able to sing a song of your choosing, you may use the accompaniment at: https://www.dropbox.com/sh/s7iek68wxodwwq9/AABJL074ZbBie7_y8MyvgUala?dl=0

SEEKING:

All characters speak with an Irish Dialect.

[FRANCIE BRADY]: Male, 18+ to play a teenager. Energetic, playful and unstoppably youthful. He loves his parents and Joe, and believes his life is perfect just the way it is. Develops a furious obsession with Mrs. Nugent and her son Phillip, who in his mind seem to look down on him and his family. He has to avoid the violent urges brought on by the voices in his head (manifested as four pigs) and try to keep his life together even as everything falls apart. Strong Bari-Tenor. Has great comic timing, incredible depth beneath his youthfulness.

[JOE PURCELL]: Male, 18+ to play a teenager. Francie’s best friend. Although Francie never seems to age mentally, Joe very much grows from boy to man, and befriends Phillip Nugent. He loves Francie but grows increasingly concerned and distant as Francie’s tendencies grow more violent. Strong Bari-Tenor. A youthful boy who grows into a smart young man.

[MA]: Female, early–mid 30’s. A frail woman who is hospitalized for suicidal tendencies early on in the show. Francie loves his mother and seems not to see or process any of her problems with mental health until it’s too late. Her relationship with her husband has fallen into bitterness due to his alcoholism and abuse. Soprano.

[DA]: Male, early–mid 30’s. An ex-musician who has since become an alcoholic and is abusive to his wife and child. Francie loves his father and seems not to see or process anything about his cruelty until very late in the show. When Da finally opens up about his youth as a musician and how he first fell in love with Ma, it’s already too late. Baritone.

[MARY/MARY/MARY]: Female. The first Mary is in her mid-to-late 30’s and owns the candy store in town. She is an old flame of Alo’s, and when he returns for the Christmas party, their cursed romance is briefly reignited. The second Mary is the 16-year-old daughter of William and Kathleen. She is young, but wants to be old, and acts out by going out to dance. She shares a tender moment with Francie and may be the only person who ever truly sees who he really is. The third Mary is the Virgin Mary. Ageless and pristine, she offers emotional and spiritual guidance to Francie, although it seems she may have ulterior motives. Soprano.

[PHILLIP NUGENT]: Male, 18+ to play a teenager. Mrs. Nugent’s son. The same age as Francie and Joe, only raised in England. He is the constant subject of Francie and Joe’s adolescent pranks. Very shy and quiet. In Francie’s imagination, he is quite often personified as a cartoonish dandy, trying to woo Joe away from him with promises of a better life. Strong Tenor. Has excellent comic timing.

[MRS. NUGENT/KATHLEEN]: Female, late 30’s–early 40’s. Mrs. Nugent is Phillip’s mother and Francie’s neighbor. An Irish woman who has spent some years living and raising her son in England. After Francie and Joe steal Phillip’s comic books, she chews out Francie’s mother, and refers to the Brady family as a bunch of pigs. This sparks Francie’s mad obsession with her, which eventually develops into murderous urges. Kathleen, meanwhile, is the matriarch of the family who takes Francie in when he runs away to Dublin. She is sweet and matter of fact, but often tries to see the bright side. Alto.

[ALO BRADY/WILLIAM]: Male, late 30’s-early 40’s. Alo Brady is Da’s brother and Francie’s uncle. He went to London, and is known throughout the town as being the one who was able to make it out. He is an old flame of Mary’s, and when he returns for the Christmas party, their cursed romance is briefly reignited, until it is revealed that he has a wife back in London. William, meanwhile, is the patriarch of the family who takes Francie in when he runs away to Dublin. He is matter of fact and pessimistic, a firm believer that the world is about to end any second. Bari-Tenor.

[FOUR PIGS] Any ethnicities, all shapes and sizes. The pigs are the narrators of the piece, a kind of Greek chorus, as well as the physical manifestation of Francie’s psyche. They also represent Francie’s deep-seated obsession with the sanctity of his own childhood, and they see Mrs. Nugent as the greatest threat to his way of life. As Francie’s life continues to fall apart, they continually try to convince him to take out his aggression on her. In the end, they succeed, at which point they disappear, leaving Francie finally alone. All four have great range (all are many parts) and terrific comedic timing. Written for a Soprano, Alto, Tenor and Bass split.

PIG 1 - Male, 30s-50s. Embodies many figures of authority, including Father Dom, Mr. Purcell, Father Fox and Others. Inside Francie’s head, he is the Commander.

PIG 2 - Female, late 20s-40s. She embodies Francie’s gentler side and is the Peacekeeper of the 4 pigs. Mrs. Kearney, Shopkeeper, Blondie and many others.

PIG 3 - Female, late 30s-50s. The Matron, the most maternal of the 4 pigs, embodies Francie’s deep and tragic connection with his mother. Mrs. Connolly, Innkeeper, and Others.

PIG 4 - Male, 40s-50s. He embodies Francie’s most violent urges. The Butcher in the butcher boy’s head, and the loudest of the 4 pigs. Mr. Connolly, Mr. Leddy and Others.

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 submit.