Musical Theatre West To Hold First Live, In-Person Auditions For GREASE

After two years of delayed or canceled shows, zoom auditions, and virtual casting, Musical Theatre West will hold the first live, in person auditions of their new season the week of May 10 for their upcoming production of Grease. Auditions and Rehearsals will be held at the MTW's rehearsal hall: 4350 E 7th Street, Long Beach, CA 90804. Performances will be held at the Carpenter Performing Arts Center: 6200 E Atherton St, Long Beach, CA 90815.

Long Beach, California, is regularly hailed as one of the most culturally diverse cities in the United States, and Musical Theatre West strives to reflect that diversity in all of their productions. That will be particularly true for Grease, in which the cast will represent a typical Long Beach High School. Performers of any gender identity, age, religion, sexual orientation, race/ethnicity, language, physical ability or diverse viewpoint are welcome and encouraged to audition.

All roles are open in the cast of 20, and all actors will be paid. Both union and non-union talent will be considered. MTW is particularly seeking young and energetic talent. A full list of character descriptions is posted on the MTW website and at the end of this article.

MTW operates under the guidance of AEA's MOU regarding COVID-19 Pandemic Reopening Process. All company members must be Fully Vaccinated for COVID-19 by the start of the rehearsal process. Proof of vaccination will be required.

One of the world's most popular musicals, this highly anticipated production of Grease will be helmed by Snehal Desai, who joins the team fresh from the run of East West Players' critically acclaimed production of Assassins at the David Henry Hwang Theater in Los Angeles. Musical direction will be provided by Jan Roper, whose musical América Tropical was a winner of the Raise Your Voice Award for diversity and inclusion. Rounding out the team is multi-talented choreographer Corey Wright, who is currently directing and choreographing Pippin at UCLA.

Snehal Desai is the Producing Artistic Director of East West Players, the longest-running and largest Asian-American theater company in the country. He has directed plays everywhere from The Old Globe in San Diego to Boom Arts in Portland, Oregon, to the Old Vic in London, and he's worked at more than a dozen theaters in New York City. Recent projects include Assassins, Mamma Mia, the first post Broadway production of Allegiance starring George Takei, The Who's Tommy, Free Outgoing and A Nice Indian Boy. Desai serves on the board of the Consortium of Asian American Theaters and Artists (Caata), the National Alliance for Musical Theatre (NAMT) and Theater Communications Group (TCG). Among various positions he has held, Desai served as resident director of Theater Emory, participated in the Lincoln Center Directors Lab and was a literary fellow with London's Royal Shakespeare Company. A Soros Fellow and the recipient of a Tanne Award, Desai was in the Inaugural Class of Theater Communications Group's (TCG) "Spark" Leadership Programnd the Inaugural Recipient of the Drama League's Classical Directing Fellowship where he was in residence at The Old Globe in San Diego. Snehal is on the faculty of USC's graduate program in Arts Leadership. He is a graduate of Emory University (BA) and Yale University (MFA Directing).

Jan Roper is a composer and music director. After many years as a singer/performer, she launched her theater career with the full-scale production of her own original rock opera, Jerusalem A.D. Another original work, City of Light, was chosen for the ASCAP Stephen Schwartz workshop (2016) and the sheNYC Festival (2017), where it won Best Score. Her latest work, The Path to Catherine, had a critically acclaimed world premiere at Brick House Theater in NoHo in the spring of 2022 where it enjoyed a 6-week run. Another current new work in development, América Tropical, was the winner of the Raise Your Voice Award for diversity and inclusion in 2020 and recently had a staged reading produced by McCoy Rigby Entertainment at the La Mirada Theatre. Jan stays busy as a faculty accompanist and teacher at AMDA College of the Performing Arts, and music director in the local theater and cabaret community of Los Angeles. She won the L.A. Scenie Award for Best Music Director in the 2019-2020 season.

Corey Wright's world in the arts all connects to one thing: storytelling. From Louisiana to NYC, to L.A., Corey has worked with the Verdon-Fosse Estate on a reconstruction project that began in 2012. His original choreography for Chicago at Moonlight Amphitheater earned him a Craig Noel nomination. Corey was also assistant choreographer on a production of Chicago with Plan B entertainment. Other choreography credits include: Pippin, "Conan O'Brien," "General Hospital," and Within (a virtual reality company.) As a former teacher for Broadway Connection, he's had the opportunity to share his love of dance and storytelling with students from all over the U.S.

Grease

Book, Music & Lyrics by Jim Jacobs & Warren Casey

Directed by Snehal Desai

Music Direction by Jan Roper

Choreographed by Corey Wright

AUDITION DATES

Female-Identifying Dance Call (ECC): Tuesday, May 10 at 9am

Male-Identifying Dance Call (ECC): Tuesday, May 10 at 11am

Performers who don't identify with either gender are welcome to attend the dance call of their choosing.

Principal Auditions (EPA): Tuesday, May 10, 2pm - 10pm (both Equity and Non-Equity Actors are encouraged to attend!)

Agent Appointments and Callbacks: May 12 & 13, 2022

REHEARSAL/PERFORMANCE DATES

First rehearsal: Tuesday, June 21, 2022

Preview: Friday, July 8, 2022

Opening: Saturday, July 9, 2022

Closing: Sunday, July 24, 2022

LOCATIONS

Auditions & Rehearsals will be held at MTW rehearsal hall: 4350 E 7th Street, Long Beach, CA 90804.

Performances will be held at the Carpenter Performing Arts Center: 6200 E Atherton St, Long Beach, CA 90815

CONTRACT

AEA COST (Tier 2+, $863/wk)
Non-AEA ($15/hr)
Priority is always given to those with local housing

AUDITION MATERIAL

As per AEA requirements, masking and proof of vaccination will be required in order to audition (as defined by the CDC, is more than 14 calendar days following receipt of a final dose of an FDA or World Health Organization authorized or approved vaccine).

Actors are encouraged to sing from the show for this audition. Material for each character can be found at musical.org/auditions after May 2.

When attending an audition, actors should bring a headshot & resume, and be prepared to dance!

Dance Combinations will be available at musical.org/auditions at least one week prior to auditions.

SHOW DESCRIPTION

Here is Rydell High's senior class of 1959: duck-tailed, hot-rodding "Burger Palace Boys" and their gum-snapping, hip-shaking "Pink Ladies" in bobby sox and pedal pushers, evoking the look and sound of the 1950s in this rollicking musical. Head "greaser" Danny Zuko and new (good) girl Sandy Dumbrowski try to relive the high romance of their "Summer Nights" as the rest of the gang sings and dances its way through such songs as "Greased Lightnin'," "It's Raining on Prom Night," "Alone at the Drive-In Movie" recalling the music of Buddy Holly, Little Richard, and Elvis Presley that became the soundtrack of a generation. An eight-year run on Broadway and two subsequent revivals, along with innumerable school and community productions place Grease among the world's most popular musicals.

CHARACTER DESCRIPTIONS

DANNY ZUKO: Male identifying, High School Teen (Range: tenor, D4-B5)
The leader of the Burger Palace Boys; good-looking, strong and confident, with an air of easy-going charm.

SANDY DUMBROWSKI: Female identifying, High School Teen (Range: Soprano, A3-F#5)
New girl in town; sweet, wholesome, naive, cute, and innocent.

BETTY RIZZO: Female identifying, High School Teen (Range:Alto A3-C5)
Leader of the Pink Ladies; tough, sarcastic, and outspoken but vulnerable.

FRENCHY: Female identifying, High School Teen (Range: Alto, A3-D5)
A dreamer; good-natured but not too smart, she is heavily made up, fussy about her appearance, particularly her hair. She can't wait to finish high school so she can be a beautician.

MARTY: Female identifying, High School Teen (Range Alto, C4-C5)
The 'beauty' of the Pink Ladies; pretty and looks older than the other girls, but betrays her real age when she opens her mouth. She tries to act sophisticated.

JAN: Female identifying, High School Teen (Range: Alto, A3-C5)
Funny, loud, compulsive eater, and awkward member of the Pink Ladies. Loud and pushy with the girls, but shy with boys.

DOODY: Male identifying, High School Teen (Range: Tenor, D4-A5)
The youngest of the guys; small, boyish, and open, with a disarming smile and a hero-worshipping attitude towards the other guys. He also plays the guitar.

KENICKIE: Male identifying, High School Teen (Range: Tenor, C4-F5)
The second in command of the Burger Palace Boys; tough-looking, tattooed, surly, and avoids any show of softness. He has an offbeat sense of humor.

SONNY LATIERRI: Male identifying, High School Teen (Range: baritone, G3-A5)
A member of the Burger Palace Boys; funny Italian-American, he is a braggart and wheeler-dealer who thinks he's a real lady-killer

ROGER: Male identifying, High School Teen (Range: Tenor, D4-A5)
The anything-for-a-laugh stocky type of boy; a clown who enjoys winding people up, he is full of mischief and is always dreaming up half-baked schemes and ideas.

VINCE FONTAINE: Male identifying, High School Teen (Range: Ensemble/Part Flexible)
A typical 'teen audience' disc jockey; slick, egotistical and fast-talking. He is also a veteran 'Greaser.'

CHA-CHA, aka CHARLENE, DIGREGORIO: Female identifying, High School Teen (Range: Alto, C4-C5)
The best dancer at St. Bernadette's; a loud mouth, she wins the dancing competition with Danny.

EUGENE FLORCZYK: Male identifying, High School Teen (Range: Tenor, A3-E5)
The class valedictorian; physically awkward, with weak eyes and a high-pitched voice. He's a typical 'apple-polisher' - both smug and pompous, but gullible.

JOHNNY CASINO: Male identifying, High School Teen (Range: Tenor, G4-E5)
All-American, rock-star "greaser" student at Rydell High, whose real name is Clarence.

MISS LYNCH: Female identifying, Age Flexible (Range: Ensemble/Part Flexible)
A no-nonsense, serious, loud English teacher.

PATTY SIMCOX: Female identifying, High School Teen (Range: Alto, D4-A4)
A typical cheerleader; attractive, athletic, sure-of-herself, but can be given to bursts of disconcerting enthusiasm. She's a bit of a pain and unpopular with the Pink Ladies, and can twirl a baton.

TEEN ANGEL: Male identifying, Age Flexible (Range: Tenor, E4-F5)
Frenchy's suave and slick guardian angel, who encourages her to stay in school.

THE PINK LADIES: Ensemble (SATB)
The club-jacketed, gum-chewing, hip-swinging girls' gang who hang around with the Burger Palace Boys.

THE BURGER PALACE BOYS: Ensemble (SATB)
A super-cool, DA-haired, hard-looking group of high school wheeler-dealers... or so they think.

RADIO VOICE: Male identifying, Age Flexible (Rage: Tenor, A3-C5)
A Radio Voice

For additional audition information, visit: https://musical.org/auditions/