THE CADAVER SYNOD: A Pope Musical - NYC Appointments
Producing Org TBD
APPOINTMENTS
NYC auditions to be held on an upcoming date TBD by appointment only.
CONTRACT
NYMF Salary: New in 2017 for ALL shows the New York Musical Festival is now on a new contract with Actors’ Equity. All performers will be compensated at a rate of $11/hr, with no hourly minimum per week, and a maximum of 36 hours/week. Health/pension will NOT be paid on this contract.
SEEKING
Equity and non-Equity actors for various roles.
INSTRUCTIONS
For consideration, email picture and resume ASAP with CADAVER in the subject line.
SUBMIT TO
PERSONNEL
Book, Music, and Lyrics: Robbie Florian
Director: Ryan Emmons
Choreographer: TBA
Musical Director: Dan Gorman
General Manager: Lisa Dozier King, LDK Productions
Casting: Joy Dewing Casting
OTHER DATES
First Rehearsal: o/a June 15th, 2017
Runs: July 17th - July 23rd, 2017
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
CASTING DIRECTOR’S STATEMENT: We are seeking all ethnicities, types, and genders for all roles. Where gender-specific pronouns are used, they are used to describe the gender identity/presentation of the characters and not the gender of the actors playing those characters. We welcome and encourage actors to audition and/or submit without regard to ethnicity, type, ability, or gender.
SYNOPSIS:
The Cadaver Synod: A Pope Musical is the true story of a medieval pope's audacious tactics to embarrass his predecessor by screaming at his corpse. This actually happened. History is weird.
The story is told with self-referential irreverence. The first act is loud and boisterous. The rock and punk score is inherently political, as it seeks to shake up the status quo, at the very least with its volume and its drastic performance, demanding to be seen and heard. It is an overwhelming sensory experience, which mirrors the theatricality and showmanship of successful political action through an unhinged, tweaker energy. The second act is a radical shift from the public to the private, the loud to the soft, the hard to the vulnerable, the political to the emotional. As we delve into Pope Stephen’s private moments and secret motivations, the show follows suit. The musical emphasis shifts from guitar and drums to piano and strings. Choreography becomes less jagged and begins to flow, before ramping back up to an explosive finale. There are sexual situations but no nudity.
So... yeah! Enjoy. Popes!
SEEKING UNION AND NON-UNION TALENT OF ALL ETHNICITIES FOR THE FOLLOWING ROLES:
[POPE STEPHEN VII] Male, Rock/Punk Tenor, 20s-30s. Lean and toned like a young Axl Rose or Iggy Pop. Bursting with manic energy, which can manifest itself as either commanding intimidation or overcompensating insecurity. He has been hurt by Formosus, and though he has a great capacity for love, he buries it beneath a great show of blustering anger and indignation. Can sing with both a rough punk style and a delicate sweetness. Must be comfortable with sexual situations. Literally could be any ethnicity. Doesn’t matter. LEAD.
[POPE FORMOSUS] Male, Rock Baritone, 20s-30s. Large, muscular, and beautiful. Cool, aloof, and confident in a way that makes Stephen’s energy look childish in comparison. Vain and condescending. Smooth voice; sings in luscious, easy riffs. He has built his entire self around an image of distant, unflappable composure, and reacts cruelly if he feels his walls are being breached. Must be comfortable with sexual situations. Literally could be any ethnicity. Doesn’t matter. LEAD.
[TEEN DEACON] Male, Pop/Rock Tenor, 18+ to play teens/early 20s. Thin, hunched, nebbishy. Genuine, logical, and highly moral; he is unaccustomed to the brutal manipulation of Roman politics and rendered awkward and jittery by the force of Pope Stephen’s bravado. Though he is ambitious, and overtly proud of his intellect, he believes that hard work and faith will help him rise in the ranks. Sings with an almost embarrassing earnestness. Literally could be any ethnicity. Doesn’t matter. LEAD.
[MAROZIA AND OTHERS] Female, Pop/Rock Alto, mid-20s to mid-40s. Breathtakingly gorgeous and self-assured. Sly, cunning, and manipulative. Commands a room. She is very aware of the affect she has on men and has used it to gain control of the Roman senate. Sings with blunt power. Will also double as various other roles. Must be comfortable with sexual situations. Literally could be any ethnicity. Doesn’t matter. SUPPORTING.
[AGELTRUDE AND OTHERS] Female, Pop/Rock Alto/Mezzo Soprano, 30s-40s. Strong and assertive. Has had to take the reins of an empire for her pre-pubescent son and will do anything to protect him. Fiercely maternal. Does not take shit, does not suffer fools. Will also double as various other roles. Literally could be any ethnicity. Doesn’t matter. SUPPORTING
[SERGIUS III AND OTHERS] Male, Pop/Rock Baritone/Tenor, Age 20s-30s. Attractive but dim. A complete slave to Marozia’s will, he is intimidated by her and will do anything to please her. Easily distracted like a dog. Will also double as various other roles. Must be comfortable with simulated sexual situations. Literally could be any ethnicity. Doesn’t matter. SUPPORTING.
[LAMBERT AND OTHERS] Female, Mezzo Soprano, 18+ to play a 14-year-old boy. Petulant and impatient. Possessive of his role as Holy Roman Emperor. A mama’s boy. Will also double as various other roles. Literally could be any ethnicity. Doesn’t matter. SUPPORTING.
[BISHOP ZOSIMUS MIXMUS AND OTHERS] Male, Tenor, Age 20s-30s. Stephen’s right-hand man. Fiercely loyal to the pope. A brownnoser. Refuses to see Stephen’s faults. Will also double as various other roles. Literally could be any ethnicity. Doesn’t matter. SUPPORTING
[BISHOP LAZ ROJAS AND OTHERS] Male, Bass, Age 20s-30s. Stephen’s left-hand man. Does as he is told, but is unable to hide his frustration with the pope. Will also double as various other roles. Literally could be any ethnicity. Doesn’t matter. SUPPORTING
[BISHOP WILLIAMS MAY AND OTHERS] Male, Baritone, Age 20s-30s. Does the pope’s dirty work, i.e. digging up the corpse. Unstable and strange. Should not have been made a bishop. Will also double as various other roles. Literally could be any ethnicity. Doesn’t matter. SUPPORTING
[BISHOP ENSEMBLE] Males, 20s-40s. They act as our Greek Chorus and historical guides. They speak directly to the audience to convey exposition with irreverence and comedic purpose. Will also play various featured roles including REVEREND BOLAN, the smarmy head of the rectory, and KEN, who has a three-legged dog. Strong punk/rock singers with explosive energy, dynamic movement skills and good comedic timing. Literally could be any ethnicity. Doesn’t matter.
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.
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