Upcoming Auditions in Nashville 11/18/15

Directors and producers in the Nashville region are seeking actors for upcoming productions of The Larry Keeton Theatre's upcoming production of Sunset Boulevard, Pull-Tight Theatre's production of Osborne and Eppler's Southern Fried Funeral and Robertson County Players' The Man Who Came to Dinner - and there are upcoming national auditions for the tour of Newsies, set for Nashville on December 11. We've gathered the details together here to make your planning easier. So now you have no excuse: go follow your dream!

November 18- 21

The Wiz: A Spiritual Journey, directed by Calvin R. Martin, is seeking actors and singers, poets and spoken word performers, dancers and musicians for an upcoming production. All roles are available and are not pre-cast.

Please prepare a two-minute monologue and one song to show vocal range. Be prepared to sing a capella. Auditions are Wednesday, November 18, from 5 to 8:30 p.m.; Thursday, November 19, from 5 to 8:30 p.m. and Saturday, November 21, will be callbacks by invitation only.

Dancers should prepare a dance piece (32 count) and be prepared to learn choreography. Musicians should have a song prepared to play live on Friday, November 20, from 5 to 8:30 p.m.

Auditions location: Watson Grove Baptist Church, 1415 Horton Avenue, Nashville.

Questions? Call (615) 945-4595 or email TheCRayEvent@gmail.com

November 21 and 22

Sunset Boulevard, with music by Andrew Lloyd Webber and lyrics and book by Don Black and Christopher Hampton, based on Billy Wilder's Academy Award-winning 1950 film of the same name. Directed by Tim Larson and starring Ginger Newman as Norma Desmond, it runs February 18-March 5 at The Larry Keeton Theatre.

Auditions are Saturday, November 21, from 2 to 6 p.m. (sign-in begins at 1:30) and Sunday, November 22, from 3 to 6 p.m. (sign-in begins at 2:30 p.m.). Prepare 32 bars of a Webber piece or similar style to the production. Be prepared to dance/move/ read/sing from the script at auditions.

Principal vocal rehearsals begin December, 2015, accommodating the holidays with supporting roles/ensemble added January, 2016.

All roles available except Norma Desmond, who will be played by Ginger Newman.

Synopsis: Hollywood 1949.Faded star of the silent screen, Norma Desmond, lives in a fantasy world of the past in her decaying mansion on Sunset Boulevard. Down-on-his-luck and handsome screenwriter Joe Gillis, has a chance encounter with Norma, during which she speaks to him of her next big comeback project. Broke and desperate for opportunity, he accepts an off to edit her "masterpiece" in exchange for room and board. Joe soon finds himself living a luxurious lifestyle and lavished with expensive gifts from Norma. Aging Norma falls in love with young Joe, and he soon discovers himself caught between her claustrophobic and reclusive fantasy world and the outside world with his love, beautiful Betty Schaefer. One fatal night Joe attempts to break free of Norma to be with Betty. Devastated and in a fit of shock and rage, Norma shoots Joe as he struggles to leave. Descending into madness Norma, the once Goddess of the Silent Films, is led away by authorities from her home on Sunset Boulevard.

PRINCIPALS Norma Desmond- a faded, eccentric, former silent screen star - CAST Joe Gillis - struggling young screenwriter/BARITONE Max von Mayerling - Norma's first husband and butler/BARITONE Betty Schaefer - A budding writer and Joe's love interest/ MEZZO SOPORANO Cecil B. DeMille - the famous director/BARITONE Artie Green - Betty's fiancé/TENOR Sheldrake - a movie producer on the lot/FEATURED Manfred - an expensive tailor

FEATURED SUPPORTING ENSEMBLE Seeking 16-20 to fill the roles listed: Beauticians 3, Harem Girls 3, Salesman 6, 1ST & 2nd Masseuse, 1st & 2ND Finance man, Party Guests, Young Writer, Young Guard, Film Actor, DeMille's Assistant, Hedy Lamarr, Victor Mature ,Choreographer , Astrologer, Psychiatrist, Doctor , Police Chief , Hog Eye , Morino , Jonesy, Sammy, Cliff John, Myron, Mary, Lisa, Joanna , Heather, Heather, Katharine

For more information you may call Senior Center for the Arts administrator and Larry Keeton Theatre artistic director and producer Jamie London at (615) 231-1231.

November 29

Join us at auditions for CLOWN NASHVILLE's physical theater production of Bram Stoker's Dracula. This classic story will be adapted and devised from Stoker's novel among the cast members and director, heavily implementing movement as the sole storytelling tool to prepare a night of theater filled with fright and delight!

CASTING: 10 Actors: 5 men, 5 women

AUDITIONS: Sunday, November 29, 2 p.m.-5:30 p.m. at LeQuire Gallery (Previously, The Actor's Bridge Studio, 4304F Charlotte Avenue) Auditions will consist of group exercises, games, and movement.
Dress for success: be ready to move - neutral colors are preferred. There will be two hour-long audition slots, the first beginning at 2 p.m., the second at 3 p.m. Callbacks, if needed, will be at 4 p.m .and will last until 5:30 p.m. Please be on time, and bring a headshot and resume.

REHEARSALS: Rehearsals will meet twice a week: Tuesdays and Thursdays, 2:30 p.m.-5:30 p.m., beginning December 8. Tech Week: Sunday, January 31-February 3, 2:30 p.m.-6 p.m.

PERFORMANCES: February 4 at 7:30 p.m.; February 5 at 7:30 p.m.; February 6 at 2:30 p.m. and 7:30 p.m.; and February 7 at 2:30 p.m.

CLOWN NASHVILLE is a physical theater organization that provides emotional care, arts education, and innovative theatrical experiences and entertainment to the Nashville community through the art of clown, mask, mime, and physical theater performance. To schedule an audition, go to http://www.clownnashville.org/auditions.html.

Tuesday, December 1

VWA Theatricals presents an Audition Master Class with Savannah Frazier, at the Van Wye Vocal Studio. Broadway veteran and Nashville's hometown girl Savannah Frazier will lead a master class on the art of auditioning at The Van Wye Vocal Studio on Tuesday, December 1.

Frazier made her Broadway debut in Amazing Grace, the Musical, which closed on Sunday, October 25, at the Nederlander Theatre.The master class is best described as a pre-audition workshop. Each student who wants to perform should come prepared to sing either two 16-bar cuts, or one 16 bar cut/one-minute monologue. Participants will then be given suggestions/adjustments by Frazier, and will then be able to perform again with those suggestions in mind.

The class is geared toward the objective of a scene or song, and the tactics and process used to achieve the performers goals. When there's specificity in an audition, Frazier says, "It changes the whole game."

Participants will receive instruction and advice to achieve the best audition possible, vocally and acting-wise, and to prepare them for what a typical New York audition would be like.

December 13 and 14

Auditions for Pull-Tight Theatre's production of Osborne and Eppler's Southern Fried Funeral will be held December 13 and 14 at Pull-Tight Theatre (112 2nd Avenue South) in Franklin.

Who knew southern fried could be so good for you? Dewey Frye is dead and his wife Dorothy is left behind to pick up the pieces and hold her family together. Her daughters are at each other's throats, Ozella Meeks from the SonShine committee is trying to take over the funeral, and Dewey's brother is trying to take away her house. Funerals bring out the worst, the best, and the funniest in people, and the Frye family is no exception. A big-hearted comedy about family- Southern Style.

Performances are February 5-20, 2016, with rehearsals beginning December 20.

Auditions will be on December 13 and 14 at 7 p.m. Callbacks (if necessary) will be held Wednesday, December 16 at 7 p.m.

The cast consists of six women and five men, ages 20s-60s.

Those auditioning will be asked to read selected sides from the script, now available for perusal in this article. Authentic southern accents preferred, but not required for all parts.

For additional information, feel free to contact Johnny Peppers, Director, at jpeppers02@gmail.com.

CHARACTER DESCRIPTIONS

DOROTHY FRYE (50s/60s)
Dewey Frye's widow and the matriarch of the family. A character with heart, compassion, and burning loyalty for her family.

SAMMY JO LeFETTE (30s)
The middle child and future president of the Junior League. Sammy Jo is in charge - in everything she does - even when she isn't.

HARLENE FRYE (30s/40s)
The oldest child and prodigal daughter, Harlene left Mississippi to "find herself" and returns for her father's funeral. Unsure of her life's path, her rocky past creates tension with her sister upon her arrival home.

DEWEY FRYE JR (20s)
The youngest child and not the brightest bulb. Dewey Jr is a kind and helpful soul, and struggles with everyday life. Wisdom of a child.

DUB FRYE (50s/60s)
Dorothy's brother-in-law who is the antagonist of the play. He is over confident and believes he is the smartest one in the room.

ATTICUS VAN LEER (30s/40s)
Family lawyer and on-again-off-again love interest of Harlene. Has been pining for Harlene since Kindergarten.

BEECHAM LeFETTE (30s)
Sammy Jo's husband, and has the sarcastic mouth to prove he belongs in the same house with her.

MARTHA ANN FOX (50s/60s)
Dorothy's best friend. Sweet and loving.

FAIRY JUNE COOPER
Contemporary of Dorothy and Martha Ann. All friends since high school. Fairy June is a confused soul, but not ditzy.

BENNY CHARLES GREENWOOD (50s/60s)
Best friend of Dewey Frye Sr. Down to earth man who works with his hands. Eats pork rinds in every scene. That kind of guy.

OZELLA MEEKS
Chairwoman of the SonShine committee at the church, a position she does not take lightly. Ozella and Sammy Jo hate each other because they both want to be in charge.

January 15 and 16

The Robertson County Players are pleased to announce open call auditions for our Spring 2016 production The Man Who Came to Dinner by George S Kaufman and Moss Hart directed by Sarah Head, produced by Ronny Noles.

Auditions are Friday, January 15 from 6 to 8 p.m. and Saturday, January 16 from 10 a.m. until noon, at Springfield High School Theater.

Production dates: March 10, 11, 12, 17, 18 and 19.

Roles available for 15 men and nine women (no children) plus extras.

About the play: The Man Who Came to Dinner is set in Ohio in the 1930s.The play takes place during Christmas. A famous radio personality named Sheridan Whiteside is invited to dinner at the home of a rich factory owner. Before Whiteside enters the house, he falls and hurts his hip. He ends up staying at the home to recover and consequently terrorizes the lives of the rich factory owner and his family.

EDITOR'S NOTE: Send your audition announcements to Jeffrey Ellis, BWW Nashville senior contributing editor, at jeffreyellis37215@att.net for inclusion in this column.