Kennedy Center Theater for Young Audiences
CONTRACT
TYA $800 weekly minimum (Tier I)
SEEKING
Equity actors for roles in THE DAY YOU BEGIN (see breakdown).
This world-premiere commissioned musical, based on Jacqueline Woodson’s most popular picture book, is about how there are many reasons to feel different. Maybe it's how you look or talk, or where you're from; maybe it's what you eat, or something just as random. It's not easy to take those first steps into a place where nobody really knows you yet, but somehow you do it. Woodson's lyrical text reminds us that we all feel like outsiders sometimes-and how brave it is that we go forth anyway. And that sometimes, when we reach out and begin to share our stories, others will be happy to meet us halfway.
INSTRUCTIONS
Please email your headshot and resume with the email subject line: HEADSHOT/RESUME SUBMISSION - THE DAY YOU BEGIN 2022-2023 SEASON.
Deadline: Mon, May 2, 2022
SUBMIT TO
danicarodriguezcasting@gmail.com
PERSONNEL
Production Casting Director, Danica Rodriguez
Director of Education Programs and Productions, David Kilpatrick
Written by Jacqueline Woodson
Music by Toshi Reagon
Directed by Charlotte Brathwaite
Casting by Danica Rodriguez
OTHER DATES
Audition dates: Tuesday, May 3, 2022 10:00 AM - 6:00 PM / Wednesday, May 4, 2022 10:00AM - 6:00PM
1st Rehearsal – Thursday, October 20, 2022
Previews – November 17 & 18, 2022
Opening – Saturday, November 19, 2022
Closing – Sunday, December 18, 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
Note: This play is still in development and the roles/descriptions may change upon completion, although we know it will be a diverse ensemble in terms of age, gender, and ethnicity All characters in this production are strong singers; the ability to read music is a plus.
SEEKING:
Some roles will be understudied.
MIN - (she/her, Asian, 18+ to play 8-10 years old). Fiery, headstrong, and confident, with a bit of rambunctious flair. Min celebrates her Korean heritage, takes no stuff from anyone, and dances like she’s straight out of a k-pop music video, when not helping her Mom and Dad at the family’s deli. She loves and is loved fiercely by her family, especially her Halmoni, who helped raise her before moving back to Korea. Comfortable with movement, improvisation, and interacting with young audiences. A strong singer who can harmonize with ease.
RIGOBERTO - (he/him, Latinx, 18+ to play 8-10 years old). Kind, warm, and big-hearted, but figuring out how to come out of his shell in a new place. Newly immigrated from Venezuela as refugees, Rigoberto and his family are navigating the language and the culture of their new home in the States, investing their dreams in Rigoberto’s future. While hesitant and quiet in the classroom, on the soccer field, he shines, knowing his magic feet will do all the talking. Though Rigoberto can sometimes be unsure of himself, there is a vibrancy that radiates out of him, most often communicating with others through his smile. Comfortable with movement, improvisation, and interacting with young audiences. A strong singer who can harmonize with ease. Note: Actors with experience playing soccer are encouraged to submit for this role.
ANGELINA - (she/her, Black, 18+ to play 8-10 years old). Smart, responsible, loving, and mature beyond her years, Angelina is the daughter of a single dad and is often another caretaker for her younger siblings, especially during summer break (childcare is expensive!). A voracious reader, Angelina can be found curled around a book, reading and reading as she finds solace, friends, and other worlds in their pages. She can sometimes feel like an outsider among her classmates, often feeling like her home life and her books can’t compare to the fabulous lives they lead. Comfortable with movement, improvisation, and interacting with young audiences. A strong singer who can harmonize with ease.
SAM - (he/they or his/theirs, any ethnicity, 18+ to play 8-10 years old) - Creative and artistic, with a quiet contemplative spirit. Sam can feel a bit awkward among his classmates, sometimes feeling overwhelmed by the world around them. Too many people, too many noises and clothes that are a bit too tight. They are a singular soul that experiences the world differently, sometimes even feeling like there’s a totally different world inside their head that they can’t really explain. But he always tries. A child of artists, Sam loves to draw and collect art supplies, especially his Dad’s half-used paints. Comfortable with movement, improvisation, and interacting with young audiences. A strong singer who can harmonize with ease.
MS. VEVE (she/her, Black, 20s-30s.) - Generous, kind-hearted, and caring, Ms. Veve is the teacher we all so desperately wanted as a child. The daughter and granddaughter of teachers, she knows the value of shaping young minds. She adores her job and her students, bringing her sweetness and vibrancy into every room she enters. She believes that little humans grow into big humans that change the world. It is her job to make them the best humans they can be by showing them how magic they are each and every day. Comfortable with movement, improvisation, and interacting with young audiences. A strong singer who can harmonize with ease.
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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