Bloomington Civic Theatre Will Hold Auditions For THE KING AND I 8/23-24

Auditions for Bloomington Civic Theatre's The King and I (Director Rick Shiomi, Music Director Anita Ruth, Choreographer Sandy Agustin) will be Sun., 8/23 and Mon., 8/24 at 6:30. Callbacks will be held Sun., 8/30, at 6:30. Actors called back should be dressed for movement on 8/30. Audition location is the Center for the Arts in the Bloomington Civic Plaza, located on the southeast corner of 98th St. and Logan Ave.

Requests for appointments and additional show-related information may be directed to Kristine Markovich, kmarkovich@bloomingtonartcenter.com.

CASTING OF ALL ROLES WILL BE MULTI-RACIAL - All non-union actors and dancers are invited to audition. $200 stipend available for expense reimbursement.

Children, ages 4-10, are also needed.

Extensive movement/choreography will be incorporated into the framework of portions of the piece.

Please prepare 16 bars of any vocal selection that best features your abilities, in addition to a monologue. Resume and headshot will be collected at the time of auditions.

Rehearsals begin approximately Mon., Mar. 8, Mon.-Fri., 6:45-10:00 then switch to 6:30-11:00 beginning Fri., Apr. 16. Performance dates are Apr. 23-May 22. Plan for a full weekend rehearsal Sat. and Sun., Apr. 17-18.

About the Show: East versus West makes for a dramatic, richly textured and ultimately uplifting tale of enormous fascination. This classic Rodgers and Hammerstein story is full of immortal songs like "Getting To Know You," "I Have Dreamed," "Shall We Dance?" and "Hello, Young Lovers."

In 1862 Siam, an English widow, Anna Leonowens, and her young son arrive at the Royal Palace in Bangkok, having been summoned by the King to serve as tutor to his many children and wives. With both keeping a firm grip on their respective traditions and values, Anna and the King grow to understand and, eventually, respect one another, in a truly unique love story.

Character Breakdown

The King - Trying to come to terms with Western ideas and ways of life, but the conflict between Eastern and Western values, combined with his inbred sense of being a Supreme Ruler, ultimately destroys him.

Anna Leonowens - Young widow still grieving the loss of her husband Tom. She is compassionate but business-like, and almost completely undaunted by the regal magnificence of her employer.

Louis Leonowens - Anna's son and fiercely fond of his mother.

The Kralahome - The Prime Minister. A hard and bigoted official who obviously cannot understand why his master is flirting with Western ideas.

Tuptim & Lun Tah - Star-crossed lovers who are pawns in the game of the giant rulers of the Far East.

Lady Thiang - Wise, composed and understanding, she can see clearly both sides of the King's nature and thus of her country's standing in the world.

Prince Chululongkorn - The heir to the throne, whose mixture of filial piety and awareness of the need to change are partly a result of Anna's teaching and partly inherited from both his parents.

Sir Edward Ramsay - Anna's old flame and an important player in the diplomatic game for the friendship of Siam.

Phra Alack - The King's Secretary

Captain Orton, The Interpreter, Princess Ying Yaowlak - young daughter of the King, The King's Princes and Princesses, Royal Dancers, Priests of Siam, Royal Wives, Amazons.

For more information, visit www.bloomingtoncivictheatre.org.

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