Central Piedmont Theatre will hold auditions for Chess The Musical on December 2 & 3 at 7;00pm in Room 300 of the Overcash/Halton Building.
Tim Rice and the rock band Abba have created a complex rock opera that played to full Broadway houses and standing ovations. In this musical, the ancient game becomes a metaphor for romantic rivalries, competitive gamesmanship, super-power politics, and international intrigues. The pawns in this drama form a love triangle: the loutish American chess star, the earnest Russian champion, and a Hungarian American female assistant who arrives at the international chess match in Bangkok with the American, but falls for the Russian. From Bangkok to Budapest the players, lovers, politicians, and spies manipulate and are manipulated to the pulse of a monumental rock score that includes “One Night in Bangkok” and “Heaven Help My Heart.”
One of the best rock scores ever produced. This is an angry, difficult, demanding and rewarding show. – TIME
All roles are open. We are casting 10 women and 13 men ages 18 to 60+. All ethnicities are encouraged to audition. Age ranges are those of the character not necessarily those of the actor.
FLORENCE - strong belt voice (to E). Mid-thirties. Born in Hungary (so shouldn’t look like the “All-American Girl”); has been brought up in America since 1956. She is clever, theatrical, touching, vivacious, volatile. Frederick’s chess “second.”
FREDDIE - Rock tenor (to C). Mid-thirties. An American chess champion. A cross between Bobby Fisher and John McEnroe. Arrogant and temperamental, but a genius; his chess playing revolutionary. We need to see his artistry along with his danger and his obsessiveness.
ANATOLY - Baritone (to G sharp). Early forties. A Russian chess champion. Unexpectedly charming. He doesn't seem a romantic hero at first, but becomes one through his personality. An intelligent, feeling, passionate man.
MOLOKOV - Bass (down to F sharp). Fifties. Not a fake, comic, stage Russian. Intellectually formidable. Seemingly a father figure to Florence. Anatoly’s chess “second.” An actor who sings well.
SVETLANA - strong belt voice. Late thirties. Anatoly’s wife. Domestic, wholesome, homey. A dramatic contrast to Florence - not a contemporary cosmopolitan woman.
WALTER - Bass-Baritone (down to G sharp). Fifties. A marketing agent. Seemingly
respectable, substantial, trustworthy. An actor who sings well.
ARBITER - rock high baritone (up to A). Thirty to early forties. International businessman.Smooth, but with a quick temper.
ENSEMBLE- (SATB) 16 male and females who play various roles in the show from villagers, to reporters to chess pieces.
Auditions will consist of singing 16 to 32 bars of a Broadway show tune and a brief dance audition. Please bring sheet music in the appropriate key. An accompanist will be provided.
A first casting meeting will be held on Monday December 9th at 7:00pm in Room 300 of the Overcash/Halton building. Rehearsal will being on Jan. 2nd at 7:00pm.
Our normal rehearsal schedule is Sunday 2:00pm to 5:30pm and Monday – Thursday 7:00pm to 9:30pm. Performances run February 14 to 23.
You do not have to be a current CPCC student to audition.
For more information call Tom Hollis 704-330-6835 or email to
tom.hollis@cpcc.edu.
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