The Gershwins’ PORGY & BESS
– Equity Principal Auditions
Broadway/Production Contract $1,653/week minimum.
Prods: Jeffrey Richards and Jerry Frankel
Music: George Gershwin
Lyrics: Ira Gershwin
Book: Dubose Heyward
Revised Book: Suzan-Lori Parks
Revised Music: Diedre Murray
Dir: Diane Paulus
Choreo: Ronald K. Brown
Mus Sprvsr: David Loud
GM: Richards/Climan, Inc. / Tamar Haimes
Casting: Telsey + Company / Justin Huff
1st reh: 11/28/11. 1st preview: 12/17/11. Opens at the Richard Rodgers Theatre: 1/12/12.
Equity Principal Auditions:
Thursday, October 13, 2011 Telsey + Company
10 AM - 6 PM 315 West 43rd Street, 10th Floor
Lunch from 1:30 – 2:30. New York City
All roles other than Detective and Policeman: Please prepare a brief, appropriate, traditional musical theater song. Bring sheet music in the correct key; accompanist is provided, but may not transpose.
Detective and Policeman: Please prepare a dramatic monologue, 2 minutes or less.
All: Please bring a picture & resume, stapled back-to-back.
Seeking, for the original Broadway company of this production:
Note from Equity: This version of The Gershwins’ PORGY & BESS is currently completing its pre-Broadway run at a regional Theatre. Three roles in the Broadway production have been cast (i.e. offered and accepted) and are listed as “CAST” below). All other roles are currently available (i.e. not yet offered and accepted). The casting-status of available roles may change before the EPA; check notice again for updates.
Male Standby:
Covers African American male roles, late 30s-40s. Actor will stand by for the principal role of Porgy, and possibly for the principal roles of Crown and/or Sportin’ Life (see descriptions below). PRINCIPAL CONTRACT.
Female Standby:
Covers African American female roles, late 30s-40s, Actress will stand by for the principal role of Bess, and possibly for the principal roles of Clara and/or Serena (see descriptions below). PRINCIPAL CONTRACT.
Crown:
African American man, 30s-40s. Violent stevedore. Kills Robbins in a drunken craps game, and goes into hiding. While abusive, he has a great sexual energy and power over Bess, to whom he was originally married. He competes for her love against his foil, the kind-hearted but disabled Porgy. High lyric baritone.
Jake:
African American man, 30s. Strong, salt-of-the-earth fisherman. Husband to Clara. Desperate for money for his family, he is forced to take his boat out during a violent storm. Jake will also sing in ensemble numbers. Must be a strong singer (lyric baritone).
Serena:
African American woman, 30s-50s. Mature wife of the gambler Robbins. Mourns his death when he is killed by Crown during a craps game. Must be an exceptionally strong, emotive singer (soprano).
Maria:
African American woman, 40-50s. Cook-shop owner; saucy matriarch of the community Equally opinionated and motherly, she shuns Bess at first, but then comforts her in her time of need. Must be a strong singer (contralto).
Clara:
African American woman, 20s-30s. Young mother; wife to the fisherman Jake. Sings a lullaby to her child. Fears for her husband, who is adrift at sea during a storm. Must be a strong singer (soprano).
Detective:
Caucasian man, 40s-60s. Summoned to Catfish Row to investigate the murder of Robbins, and then later, the murder of Crown. Role for an actor who can create a multi-layered character that is neither the bad cop nor the good cop. The Detective is a practical man who has a job to do, and will do whatever he needs to do to catch the killer -- even imprison an innocent man to smoke out the guilty one. Non-singing.
Policeman:
Caucasian man, 40s-60s. Non-singing.
The following roles are cast (i.e. offers accepted). Auditioning performers will be considered as possible future replacements and/or as standbys (see above).
Porgy:
CAST. African American man, late 30s – 40s. Disabled beggar and gambler. Virile and attractive. Good-hearted and noble, he defends and takes in Bess when the other residents of Catfish Row shun her. Competes for her love against the violent Crown. Performer must be an exceptionally strong, emotive singer (lyric baritone).
Bess:
CAST. African American woman, 30s-40s. Crown’s girl, who left to defend herself when he flees town. She is shunned by the town, but taken in by the disabled Porgy, with whom she falls in love. She is beautiful, soulful and experienced. High soprano.
Sportin’ Life:
CAST. African American man, 30s-40s. Strutting dope peddler. Appealing, sexy and VERY dangerous. The face of temptation for Bess, he provides not only “happy dust”, but the promise of a better, glamorous life in New York City. Comedic tenor/tenor II.
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