As we always do once a year, Back Stage takes a look at today's musical productions with an eye toward filling you in on what you need to know to get cast in them. This year, we cover 51 shows either currently running, about to be running, or announced to be running soon on Broadway, off Broadway, or on tour. Vocal requirements, character types, age ranges, musical sensibilities, how to comport yourself properly at an audition, and many other helpful hints are offered by casting directors, musical directors, and other creative personnel involved with each show. Current info on audition scheduling is also included. Remember that if nothing is immediately scheduled, Equity does require that semiannual chorus calls and annual calls for principal performers (the latter known as Equity principal auditions, or EPAs) be held for all Broadway musicals. And most shows maintain ongoing casting files and schedule auditions whenever replacements are needed. So don't forget to check Back Stage every week to find out who is casting what—and when.
Long Runs—17 Shows
Forbidden Broadway: Special Victims Unit
Off-Broadway opening: Jan. 15, 1982.
There is one tour out, and a sit-down company titled "Forbidden Vegas." The next round of auditions is tentatively scheduled for sometime in the spring. A photo, resume, and cover letter expressing interest in auditioning may be sent to Forbidden Broadway Company, 1501 Broadway, New York, NY 10036.
Comic flair and a knowledge of Broadway musical theatre—from operetta to Sarah Brightman to Lerner and Loewe, from 1950s classic to Sondheim to pop—are essential for performers thinking of auditioning for "Forbidden Broadway," the long-running and frequently updated satiric revue of Broadway musical theatre, whose latest edition debuted last month.
In addition to the acting skills required, performers have to be able to sing—and sing well—a range of musical theatre styles, explains "Forbidden Broadway" creator Gerard Alessandrini: "It's very useful for our performers to be able to perform Cole Porter, Gershwin, and 'Avenue Q.' "
The cast consists of four singers: a mature woman, an older man, an ingénue, and a younger man. While the particular talents of the cast may vary, generally "the mature woman may suggest Ethel Merman, the younger woman should be able to do Kristin Chenoweth, the older man should have a clear voice, and the younger man is usually an appealing tenor."
Good audition material consists of two songs that demonstrate vocal strengths and range. "An uptempo song, preferably comic, and a ballad work well," says Alessandrini. "The songs shouldn't run more than a couple of minutes each and we usually let the performers finish each song. If the performers show that they are inherently funny and have a good ear, we may ask them to perform something from the show. Performers don't have to be mimics, but they have to be able to change their voice. Versatility is important."
Alessandrini says the best advice he can give anyone wanting to audition is "be prepared. Know the songs you're going to sing and be prepared to sing other songs in case we want to see more."
What leads to getting a callback is a good voice, versatility, comic talent, and that intangible sense of self-assurance: "We also like to see a good attitude about the show. A performer should be playful and fluid and be able to get into the spirit of the show."
In addition, Alessandrini suggests that performers come to the audition looking their best, sophisticated, not unlike the performers in the show. But extremes in style should be avoided.
Alessandrini will see performers he has turned down in the past. Indeed, he stresses, "We call back people years later. Performers grow and change and sometimes our needs change."
—Simi Horwitz
The Phantom of the Opera
Broadway opening: Jan. 26, 1988.
Auditions are held as necessary, but none are currently set. There is one national tour out.
David Lai, musical director for Broadway's "Phantom," says that casting for the show breaks down into at least three different groups: "the opera group, those who have extensive legit opera experience and training; the ballet dancers, who in many cases don't have any vocal training; and then the more charactery people, who are part of musical theatre."
Even in the opera group, there are cases when adjustments can be made. For instance, though the part of Carlotta requires a singer with a high E, Lai concedes, "there's only one E in the entire show that Carlotta sings. We don't want to lose a great person just because of that one note."
Lai cautions, "We have people who come in and try to sound like an opera singer. It's hard, if you don't have an opera-trained background, to try to fake that. You end up doing yourself a disservice. It's better for people to come in and do what they do best and see if we can find a slot that makes sense." Of course, a legitimate-type singing voice is necessary, but "it can be Rodgers and Hammerstein; it can be light opera." The one thing it shouldn't be is something from "Phantom." Lai explains, "I think it's very unusual for someone to come in and sing something from the show and get hired, because there are so many creators involved and we all have strong ideas about what the role should be. I think it's impossible for someone to come in and hit all the marks that we would expect."
Perhaps Lai's most salient piece of wisdom is "not to think of the audition as an ice skating competition, in the sense that if you come in and happen to flub a word or a note, then you're doomed. We're not looking for perfection. I've seen so many young, talented people come in and, as soon as they make a mistake or the accompanist doesn't quite do what they expect, get thrown. It's not a matter of who does everything 100% perfectly from a technical standpoint; it's who fits a particular slot the best."
—Wally Rubin
Beauty and the Beast
Broadway opening: April 18, 1994.
EPAs have just been held. No other auditions are currently scheduled. There is no national tour out. Send photos and resumes to Jay Binder Casting, Attn: Beauty and the Beast, 321 West 44th St., Ste. 606, New York, NY 10036.
As the need for replacements emerges, auditions for principal roles are scheduled through agent submissions, while chorus members are seen at required calls. While there are no replacement needs at this time, casting director Mark Brandon of Jay Binder Casting keeps actors on file and refers to those files as casting opportunities arise: "I've brought people back for parts six to eight times. As they keep studying, I see them getting better and better, and eventually they book the job."
Actors are expected to sing standard Broadway material at an audition: anywhere from eight to 32 bars at scheduled required calls and two minutes at nonrequired EPAs, while actors with an appointment are asked to sing an entire song. Principal auditions also involve reading a scene from the show.
There are three male and three female ensemble singers who cover principal roles and their vocal-range requirements are very specific: For the men, two have a tenor range and cover Lumière, Cogsworth, and Maurice. All three men cover the Beast and sing up to a G. For the females, two women cover Mrs. Potts and the Wardrobe: One sings up to a C, the other up to a G. The third woman covers Belle and sings up to a C.
"People tend to forget that the lyrics are the most important part," Brandon observes. "The song involves so much more than just showing how high or low they sing. They should tell me a story, and show me that they can act as well."
Brandon offers a word of caution to pop singers: "This show is made up of strong, legitimately trained theatre singers. I see a lot of people who don't possess enough Broadway technique. Sing proper music, properly, for the proper occasion."
The cast comprises a wide range of physical types and ages and is open to all ethnicities. Special acrobatic skills are needed for the Doormat.
Brandon describes appropriate audition clothing: "Casting directors don't respond to people dressing in character. We have more imagination than that. Don't come in to an audition dressed in a ball gown, and don't come dressed too casually, either. Think professionally elegant."
In a final word of advice, Brandon cites a lack of training as the reason for common audition mistakes: "If you're just starting out, go to as many required calls as you can to get the audition jitters out of your system. Adequate training allows you to trust the technique and tell the story without ever thinking about nerves. Be free by being prepared."
—Phoebe Kmeck
Rent
Broadway opening: April 29, 1996.
There will be a chorus call for singers in June and EPAs will be held in December. There is no national tour out.
In the lobby of the casting offices of Bernard Telsey, there is a sign posted: "Are you in your 20s and can sing? Come on in and audition for 'Rent.' " "That casting notice has been there since the show opened," Telsey admits, "and nine years later, we're still sticking with that policy, because it's true. The show is young—people in their early 20s. And it's not a dialogue book; it's really a singing book. So voice only is actually okay. And we're constantly looking for people who can rip the rafters."
To that end, Telsey and his colleagues often go looking for performers in places not normally known as Broadway talent pools, such as rock 'n' roll venues: "We're always having someone digging and searching and prescreening for auditions. If they have that kind of voice, it's the kind of piece where someone can be shaped or molded into the acting requirements."
There was a time when five companies of the popular Jonathan Larson musical were being cast. "It's a little easier now that there's only one tour, but at the same time, we're constantly looking for brand-new people," says Telsey. "We can't go based on past years of talent files, because some of those people are too old, or they're not interested or available. So we're still having to sift through the new generation of talent."
Michael Greif is the director of the long-running production, and Telsey credits him with keeping the show exciting and fresh: "Michael is very much about the individual. He has not stuck to preconceived stereotypes of the character. Joanne doesn't always have to be heavy. Angel can be Asian, Latino, African-American, or white. There's a quality in the characters that we strive for and have to match, but Michael has been very open about casting choices."
Unlike for newer projects, performers are encouraged to sing songs from the show when auditioning for "Rent": "We will tell the agents or the actor what songs to prepare from the show. They still should have something in their repertoire that shows their range, because sometimes the team likes to say, 'Show us what you have that really shows off your voice.' But, primarily, my advice is to know the songs from the show."
—Elias Stimac
I Love You, You're Perfect, Now Change
Off-Broadway opening: Aug. 1, 1996.
No auditions are currently scheduled. There is no national tour out. Casting calls for Equity performers are advertised in Back Stage. Actors can send cover letters, headshots, and resumes to Stuart Howard and Amy Schecter, Stuart Howard Associates, 207 West 25th St., 6th floor, New York, NY 10001.
If you plan to audition for "I Love You, You're Perfect, Now Change," make sure your material matches the tone of the musical. "If you walk in with a Rodgers and Hammerstein ballad, it's not going to help you get cast, regardless of how good your voice is," warns Paul Hardt, a casting associate at Stuart Howard Associates. "If you can find something contemporary that has humor in it and feels like a musical theatre song, that's your best bet," he says. Performers are asked to read sides in addition to singing.
Actors might want to think twice about auditioning if their resume doesn't boast a lot of musical comedy experience, although that situation won't automatically disqualify them. "If your resume has a lot of darker shows that aren't true musical comedy, then sending in your picture might not be a good idea," Hardt says. "If you've done, for example, a lot of Sondheim musicals, it's great experience, but it's not exactly the tone for 'I Love You, You're Perfect, Now Change.' "
Casting directors Stuart Howard and Amy Schecter are willing to see actors they've turned down in previous auditions, but not those who are consistently unprepared. "We know that anyone can have a bad day, but if you continually come in and have the same bad day for the same people, that's something different," Hardt says.
When Equity auditions for the show are held, Howard and Schecter look for attractive performers with vocal talent and great comedic timing. Agents are welcome to recommend clients, but actors without representation can also mail in their submissions. However, mailed submissions should include a thoughtful, enthusiastic cover letter explaining why the actor feels that he or she is perfect for the show and requesting that their information be kept on file. Letters won't guarantee auditions, but if Howard and Schecter think certain actors might be ideal candidates, they will contact them.
Hardt also advises actors never to brag about being able to perform pieces they're unfamiliar with: "If you can't deliver it, don't offer it."
—Josh Hamerman
Chicago
Broadway opening: Nov. 14, 1996.
Auditions for Broadway replacements were held in December, so future auditions probably won't be held until May. There is one national tour out until May, and depending on whether the company stays together, auditions might be held around August. Actors can send headshots and resumes to Howard Cherpakov, National Artists Management Company, 165 West 46th St., Ste. 1202, New York, NY 10036.
"It's not that people in our show don't mind being in the spotlight—they crave it," says casting director Howie Cherpakov of "Chicago." "At some point in the show everyone gets their turn in the spotlight. It's not a show to be anonymous in."
Cherpakov looks for performers who are triple threats—acting, dancing, and singing—to fill all the parts in "Chicago," even those in the dancing ensemble. Not only does every ensemble member take a turn in the spotlight, but all principal understudies are selected from the group.
Cherpakov notes that the cast is a mixture of ethnicities and ages, and replacements aren't chosen on the basis of their predecessors. After all, Billy Flynn has been played by everyone from Kevin Richardson of the Backstreet Boys to Ben Vereen. "As long as it still appropriately tells the story, the casting can be all over the map," he says. "We like to have an interesting and varied group of people on stage as much as possible."
Actors are encouraged to audition with contemporary musical theatre songs that aren't pop or rock pieces. Performing material from "Chicago" or other works by John Kander and Fred Ebb is a plus, as is anything else that fits the musical tone of the show. "It has to be something that showcases their vocal abilities and shows some personality," says Cherpakov. Performers should also make sure they are appropriate candidates for their roles before auditioning: "If you're only 21 and you're coming in for Billy Flynn, or if you're coming in for Roxie but have no dance training, we're not going to cast you."
The casting director welcomes submissions by mail and recommendations from agents, and he'll also see people who come to open calls. Cherpakov is willing to audition actors he previously turned down, and offers important advice to anyone auditioning for "Chicago": "Don't second-guess what you think we're looking for—just come in and be confident doing whatever you can do," he says. "Try to be proficient in all areas and have a strong sense of yourself."
—Josh Hamerman
The Lion King
Broadway opening: Nov. 13, 1997.
Auditions for the two national tours will commence in early February by agent appointment. Swings and replacements for the Broadway and international productions are sought on an ongoing basis. Pictures and resumes may be sent to Disney Theatrical Productions, Attn: Kevin Kennison, 1450 Broadway, Ste. 300, New York, NY 10018, or to Jay Binder Casting, Attn: The Lion King, 321 West 44th St., Ste. 606, New York, NY 10036.
"It's very rare that we don't see someone who writes to us. We'll see almost anyone," says resident director Anthony Lyn of "The Lion King." "The show asks for a lot of people with a contemporary concert background—not terribly common among theatre actors—and with 11 companies around the world that continuously need casting, it is somewhat hard to cast. We see thousands of people every year."
While "The Lion King" is set in Africa, casting is colorblind and all physical types are considered. Credentials and prior experience are not valued above talent: "Many people are making their Broadway or touring debuts with us. What we're looking for has more to do with the spark of individuality coupled with strong technique."
Singers need acting ability and should be able to sing African, pop, and R&B music. Since all of the ensemble songs are sung without vibrato, conventional Broadway technique is not required.
Singers are asked to prepare two songs of contrasting styles for their auditions. Lyn suggests singing R&B material: "Some of our favorite audition songs for men are by Stevie Wonder and James Brown. For females, songs by Aretha Franklin. Songs from 'Rent' are also good choices."
Dancers in the ensemble tend to have a contemporary concert background (modern, Alvin Ailey) with some ballet. Acrobatic skills are considered a huge advantage. For their auditions, dancers are asked not to wear loose-fitting clothes.
All 12 principal roles operate puppets and have ensemble covers.
Lyn guides actors away from making common audition mistakes: "With the advent of 'American Idol,' actors worldwide are coming into auditions less prepared than before. People seem to think that they don't need to bring in sheet music, but they do. If you're a professional working in an industry, then the tools of your trade should be prepared. If a lawyer was bumbling with sheets of paper everywhere, would you hire him? Nothing upsets a creative team more than being ill-prepared."
Other behaviors that turn Lyn off during an audition include constant apologizing and a disinterested attitude: "The style of the pop-culture persona today is laid-back, affecting adults as well as the kids. The panel wants to see that you want to be in the show, so look like you want to be there. An indifferent attitude will not get you in—even if you have the most phenomenal voice in the world."
—Phoebe Kmeck
Naked Boys Singing!
Off-Broadway opening: July 22, 1999.
Auditions for replacements won't be held until March or April at the earliest. There is no national tour out. Casting calls are advertised in Back Stage and are open to Equity and non-Equity performers. Actors can mail their headshots and resumes to Martian Entertainment, Attn: Casting, 165 West 46th St., Ste. 1312, New York, NY 10036.
"Our title says it all—you have to be a boy, you have to be able to sing, and you need to be naked," says Max Wixom of the Off-Broadway musical revue "Naked Boys Singing!"
Wixom is the show's publicist, but he also files photograph and resume submissions from actors who express interest in the show. Actor selections are made by producer Tom Smedes, who supervises auditions. Casting director Alan Filderman used to be responsible for the revue's casting, but when the performance schedule was limited to three shows per week, Smedes took over the casting duties.
Nudity is not required at the beginning of the audition process for "Naked Boys Singing!" Only actors who demonstrate the singing and dancing requirements of the show are asked to disrobe. "If they make it through the singing and dancing tests clothed, then we ask them to sing and dance naked, just to make sure that they're comfortable performing that way in front of an audience," says Smedes.
Smedes requires actors to come prepared with both a ballad and an uptempo piece. However, he advises actors to choose their material wisely. "One of the most common mistakes I see at auditions is when people perform songs that aren't suitable for them," he says. "A young person shouldn't sing something meant for an older character in a musical, or vice versa. Also, the songs need to be appropriate for their vocal ranges."
Smedes is always open to seeing actors he turned down in previous auditions, and he offers advice on how to make a good impression: "I like actors who can relax and be themselves, and who don't try to force the performance," he says. "It's also important to make eye contact with the people you're auditioning for. You need to perform to them."
Actors of most physical types who can sing and dance well are encouraged to submit their photographs and resumes via mail. All submissions are kept on file, and actors of interest to Smedes will be contacted.
—Josh Hamerman
The Donkey Show
Off-Broadway opening: Aug. 18, 1999.
There will be a non-Equity general casting call on Thurs., Feb. 24 (sign-in at 1 pm) at El Flamingo, 547 West 21st St., New York, N.Y. There is no national tour out.
"The Donkey Show" is "A Midsummer Night's Dream" told through disco music in a Studio 54-like audience-interactive environment, according to Randy Weiner, who co-created the show along with his wife, Diane Paulus. Their Project 400 Theater Group produces the show. At the upcoming auditions, the producers are looking to cast all the female roles in the show. They need charismatic and energetic actor-singers who can cross-dress to play men.
The performers sing along with disco recordings, and so must possess "a zest for singing and a passion to communicate the song, but they're not typically great singers," Weiner advises. "But they must be great performers and have a strong voice. It's a loud club, and you have to have a feel for pop music."
Still, notes Weiner, "the last thing we have them do is sing. We ask them to sing a pop song. If they feel uncomfortable singing, we'll play a song on the radio and let them sing along."
The performers mingle with the audience in character even before the actual show begins.
" 'The Donkey Show' is going on all the time," Weiner explains. "Characters dressed as men will hit on women in the audience, so the actor has to be a person who has a zest for character, and can improve and develop the character. She has to like the idea of the show changing every night, because the audience is different every night."
Choreography is secondary, he notes, so the performers are not trained dancers.
As for special skills, "we need a person who can really deejay a record. We need someone who can roller-skate and who can look great when just wearing briefs."
What are some of the most common mistakes actors make at auditions?
"What drives me crazy," emphasizes Weiner, "is when an actor doesn't want to try something new. As soon as I see an actor doesn't want to try something, then I don't want to work with them. That might be me. But it's so important to me to see that they're willing to grow. They've got to understand that we're not doing a stress test on them. We're asking them to do something for a reason. If an actor says, 'Yes, I can do that,' even if they haven't done it before, that enthusiasm carries over. It's very exciting."
—Roger Armbrust
The Producers
Broadway opening: April 19, 2001.
No auditions currently scheduled. As of February, there will be just one national tour out.
It is no surprise to hear Eric Woodall, casting associate at Tara Rubin Casting, say that they "need very funny actors. Material that is prepared should be funny, really driven by their personality. We explore, through the music and through the scenes from the show, a person's comic timing and innate sense of humor."
At an initial audition, actors should prepare material that shows them off. Woodall adds, "I would keep coming back to that for almost every project, because what an actor brings in to sing is so telling about who he or she is. That's really important for 'The Producers' because the person should bring in material that's full of personality or wit or humor and we would go from there."
Woodall notes that there are some roles that require "different tumbling abilities" and "a lot of the female roles are very tall," though not in all cases.
Actors coming in to audition can make a mistake if they come in "trying to be what they think is funny instead of what their personal funny is." Woodall explains, "Many talented people will perform a song that was funny in a show, but on its own, it doesn't stand out. It's much more interesting for someone to be creative and find a funny spin for a song, something that can be more tailor-made for an individual." He often finds himself thinking, "I know why they picked that. They picked that because, in a given show, that's where everyone laughed out loud—but it's only because there was a whole show supporting that moment."
Additionally, Tara Rubin's office noted for us last year that "traditional" theatrical singers with a 1940s-'50s Broadway sound were wanted and that all men should be able to sing "a solid G." There's a special need for a "Ziegfeld-style" tenor to sing "Springtime for Hitler," and female principals should have "a very high belt and a strong mix."
—Wally Rubin
Mamma Mia!
Broadway opening: Oct. 18, 2001.
No audition dates currently set. There is one national tour out and a sit-down company in Las Vegas.
According to David Holcenberg, the associate musical supervisor for all three "Mamma Mia!" American companies, they are looking for actors who are "unbelievably vivid. The number-one skill is vividness."
Eric Woodall, casting associate at Tara Rubin Casting, says, "It is essential to be oneself, to completely come in with no inhibitions and have fun. 'Mamma Mia!' is so exciting because it's really filled with people of all shapes, sizes, ethnic backgrounds. It's not cast in any cookie-cutter way." They are looking for strong actors who sing. For auditions, Woodall says they "want to hear a pop song," but rather than do something from the ABBA songbook, it's "always best to come in with something else, something that an actor knows, that they love and that shows them off."
Woodall mentions that a common mistake made by women auditioning for "Mamma Mia!" is to come in with "too much makeup. I'm constantly telling people to come back and don't wear a stitch of makeup, because makeup makes people look older."
Holcenberg suggests Elton John songs and "Linda Ronstadt songs for women are great. '70s pop women's songs are so great." He says they are looking for women who can "sing strongly up to a G sharp." Even "low women still need to sing an E. High men up to a high C." They welcome nontraditional casting and repeat auditionees: "At 'Mamma Mia!,' we often encourage people—if they don't have the range quite yet but we like them—to keep studying and come back and visit us again."
Along with Equity calls in New York, they make audition swings twice a year to Los Angeles, Chicago, and Las Vegas. Holcenberg concludes, "Keep studying, keep working on that range, and maybe we can get you into the show sometime. There are always positions opening up in 'Mamma Mia!' somewhere."
—Wally Rubin
Menopause: The Musical
Off-Broadway opening: April 4, 2002.
No auditions currently scheduled. Performers are seen on an "as needed" basis. There is no national tour out.
With the approach of its third anniversary Off-Broadway, "Menopause: The Musical" has had only "three vacancies in three years," according to producer Brent Peek. "We're very generous in letting women out to do other productions," adds Peek, which means that there can be the need for actresses to fill the musical's four roles for short periods of time.
Women who want to be considered for the show's four roles must be, according to Peek, "over the age of 40 and at least a size 12." In addition, the show demands that its performers be "triple threats." They need to be able to "act, sing, and dance."
At auditions, the casting team "usually looks for something like a '60s pop song. Sometimes," says Peek, "we'll hear half of the song. Sometimes we hear the whole thing." The musical director will run them through a few exercises during the audition to "see what their range is." In addition, the auditionees will read from sides.
Another component of the audition (which Peek says is generally done within the course of one day, rather than a separate casting process with callbacks) is dance. Here the auditionees will be taught "one of the numbers from the show." Peek describes the show as having a "very heavy dance component." The show is "dancing and singing nonstop."
Actresses in "Menopause" play archetypes: There's the Iowa Housewife, the Earth Mother, the Soap Star, and the Power Woman. Only this latter character is written as racially specific, requiring an African-American woman who can "do a Tina Turner turn during the course of the show." ("Menopause" uses the melodies of well-known pop songs that have been refitted with comedic lyrics about "the change.") Otherwise, Peek says the casting team is open to other "ethnic types going into the other three parts."
Peek says the team is willing to consider actresses who have previously auditioned, but cautions that often they "spot the person who's right for the part and they're just right for the part." He says that the "as needed" auditions are becoming "more as needed as the show goes on."
Thus, an actress who fits the show's requirements may want to send in a submission just in case she's the next "right" performer for this show.
—Andy Propst
Hairspray
Broadway opening: Aug. 15, 2002.
The next chorus call for singers and dancers will be held in May. EPAs will be held in July. There is one national tour out.
"Hairspray" features a musical number that proclaims "Welcome to the '60s," and that could be a casting cue for young performers who weren't even born back then. Set in the tumultuous decade, the show's songs (by Marc Shaiman and Scott Wittman) have a decidedly '60s style, and that's the perfect place to start when looking for an audition number, according to casting director Bernie Telsey of Bernard Telsey Casting.
"Sometimes we'll tell actors to prepare a pop song from that era. Usually that means a number from the female trios of the time. The performers won't lose points if they come in with a modern selection, but do we want to hear them sing a Sondheim song? Absolutely not. That's when the musical director or whoever is in the room will go, 'No.' But a modern pop song is going to be fine."
Telsey tries to guide prospective auditionees to get in touch with the time period: "Performers should go research and learn and find out about the era, especially if you're unemployed and available right now. Nothing shows you off better than if you sing something that's right for the project. That makes it easy for the people on our side of the table to plug you in."
"Hairspray" is one of the musicals out now that has spotlighted a name actor in the role of the leading "lady." But eventually the show's casting policy will probably open up to include lower-profile actors. Telsey relates, "Every show is different. With certain shows, there is a need to cast a celebrity in the lead role, and that decision may come from the producers or the creative team. From all the shows that I've cast, there's not a solid explanation or definition of when that happens. There are business decisions that have to be made, because this is a business, and we're trying to keep the show open for everyone. But with musicals, I can say that none of the producers wants to put someone in a show just because they're a name, because that doesn't help."
—Elias Stimac
Avenue Q
Broadway opening: July 31, 2003.
The next six-month call will be held sometime in March. No audition dates are yet scheduled for the planned Las Vegas company. There is no national tour out. In addition to auditions in New York, open calls are held occasionally in Los Angeles and Chicago.
Auditionees for "Avenue Q" should not be daunted by the prospect of working with puppets in this popular adult take on "Sesame Street." Casting director Cindy Tolan says, "We don't expect anyone to be a puppeteer." The casting process for "Q" begins with singing and acting. After that, auditionees are presented with a puppet. She says if "there's a good learning curve that we spot," the auditionee will be sent to "puppet school" for one or two days and then return. In short, they "find the people who can sing and act it, and then do the puppet."
Tolan says the vocal requirements of the show can be "very deceiving." She points to the need for the performer playing Nicky/Trekkie Monster to be able to sing an A and the requirement that Princeton/Rod be able to "rock out, as compared to being a total legitimate voice." Even "Brian doesn't seem to need to be an incredible singer, but there are the harmonies that are very tricky," Tolan continues.
At auditions, Tolan says that knowing the show's music can be "very, very helpful. It takes a step away for everybody." She warns, though, that performers should not "overlearn" the material. She says that when auditionees stop being "spontaneous and able to make adjustments, it's death already."
This advice could be particularly useful for repeat auditionees. "We continue the revolving door for 'Avenue Q,' " Tolan says. "Maybe something happens over the course of the auditioning experience or in a performer's life, they bring it back into the room, and suddenly something clicks for whatever role they're auditioning for. The whole thing is a process, not your one-shot deal." As an example, Tolan says, "we just recently cast an understudy from an open call in Chicago last year."
Whether someone is seen during an EPA, an open call, or "through the normal channels of an agent," Tolan stresses that performers should be aware that the casting process is "fact-oriented. Casting is simply about what the requirements are." As a helpful tip, she recommends that "all actors should be audition readers—and then they find out that it's actually true."
—Andy Propst
Wicked
Broadway opening: Oct. 30, 2003.
A chorus call for singers and dancers will be held in June. EPAs will take place in July. The first national tour is in rehearsals in New York and will begin performances on March 8 in Toronto.
If you haven't seen "Wicked"—and if you want to audition for it, you probably should—you might be surprised to hear that in addition to the familiar faces, there are plenty of new characters in the show. Bernie Telsey of Bernard Telsey Casting says that the musical, which follows the early years of the witches in "The Wizard of Oz," is more of a departure than one might expect.
"It's a fresh, surprising story based on a place and a world we all know, that's inherent in our lives from watching the movie or reading the book. It's like being let in on a great secret. So there are some new parts, and some characters are from the book versus the movie. No one in the casting process has been trying to re-create the movie, because it's all about a prequel. In 'Hairspray,' there's more of an attempt to try and re-create what Divine did in the lead role. In my three years working on 'Wicked,' no one's ever said, 'Oh, we've got to get that Margaret Hamilton quality.' So the movie's meant nothing in terms of casting."
Telsey reminds actors that the show has a big ensemble and requires young performers with "big voices" for most of the principal roles: "There are all different shapes and sizes and colors in the ensemble—not because of Munchkins. Sure, for one of the principals, called Boq, it's better if that person is shorter. Does the performer have to be Munchkin-like short? Absolutely not. It's just better that it's a shorter actor because it's talked about. But it's more about the eclecticness and youthfulness of the person. It's 90% young ensemble and 10% older ensemble."
Like any of the shows Telsey casts that have been running for a while, he suggests that auditionees learn songs from the show, especially when trying out for the two witches: "The range of the two different leads are so huge—Glinda's so high, Elphaba so belty. So you've got to hit those notes. If you can't sing 'Defying Gravity,' then it doesn't matter how great you are. And the guys as well should prepare a song from the show."
—Elias Stimac
The Karaoke Show
Off-Broadway opening: Dec. 6, 2003. Currently on hiatus, with plans to reopen in spring 2005.
A Non-Equity general-casting open call will be held on Thurs., Feb. 24 (sign-in at 1 pm) at El Flamingo, 547 West 21st St., New York, N.Y. There is no national tour out.
"The Karaoke Show" is "The Comedy of Errors" in an interactive karaoke lounge environment, according to Randy Weiner, who wrote the show. His wife, Diane Paulus, directs it. They're looking to cast all the male and female roles: enthusiastic, high-energy men and women who thrive on audience interaction. All ethnicities are encouraged to audition.
The show uses scripted performance as a launching pad for a night of entertainment, with a featured cast of karaoke characters performing from 8 pm to 9 pm, followed by audience karaoke and a contest.
"Each character in the performance has one number, acted within the plot of 'Comedy of Errors,' " Weiner explains. "So we need actors who can sing, but they need one song they can make their own and get a crowd of 300 to react to. That's what makes karaoke so incredibly addictive for the audience. We've actually discovered people for the main performance in the post-show audience karaoke."
The audition can develop a life of its own, Weiner acknowledges: "We may have 150 people show up for the audition. We'll have them perform one by one, with the others watching. So the audition can actually become a regular karaoke bar."
Weiner suggests that auditionees either bring a karaoke CD to sing along with or choose from the producer's selection online at www.thekshow.com/bible.html.
He notes that while he may suggest a song for a character, he'll let the performer choose another if it fits the scene.
"In 'Comedy of Errors,' the character Adriana is hard-put-upon," Weiner states. "Her husband cheats on her, she suffers greatly, and in our version I wanted the actor to sing Gloria Gaynor's 'I Will Survive.' She couldn't. But she could do a great rap interpretation of a Destiny's Child song. And it worked."
—Roger Armbrust
Fiddler on the Roof
Broadway opening: Feb. 26, 2004
An EPA and a chorus call will be held sometime in February or early March. There is no national tour out.
Jonathan Butterell's musical staging for "Fiddler on the Roof" builds on Jerome Robbins' famously athletic choreography from the original 1964 production. Certainly this is a show that emphasizes the terpsichorean arts—at least with regard to the men in the ensemble.
" 'Fiddler' is a dance-driven show, male-wise, " says casting director Jim Carnahan. "You have the Jewish versus the Russian, and they all have to dance. And so we find the best singers we can amongst the dancers."
Some of the male ensemble members also cover principal roles, so they need to have acting skills, too. For instance, two of the Russian dancers serve as covers for the role of Fyedka.
Female ensemble members are not required to dance in "Fiddler." Also, the show's principals are not required to go through dance calls.
For singing auditions, performers should use material from the traditional musical-theatre songbook. "Everything I'm doing right now is traditional musical theatre," says Carnahan, who also casts "La Cage aux Folles," "Chitty Chitty Bang Bang," and the "Thoroughly Modern Millie" tour. "In each case, it's Bock and Harnick and Jerry Herman that they want to hear."
Perhaps because of the specific ethnic foundations of the show, this "Fiddler" has not utilized colorblind casting. "We take our cue off of the director [David Leveaux]," says Carnahan, "and the creative team here doesn't feel that that's appropriate."
Carnahan's casting team is happy to have actors who have already auditioned attend subsequent EPAs. Just because you're not cast initially doesn't mean something won't turn up down the line—and the team retains notes for future reference. Says J.V. Mercanti of the Carnahan office, "We had a [non-EPA] 'Fiddler' call the other day, and a lot of people showed up. We were looking for one specific thing, mostly. But we also pulled some resumes of people who would be right for things later."
Unsolicited headshots sent to the casting office will probably get lost in the shuffle. According to Mercanti, auditionees stand a better chance if they target a particular slot: "If they know that we're casting the role of Perchik and send their picture and resume saying, 'I know you're casting this role right now—will you please consider me for the part?,' then, yes, we'll look at [their submissions]."
—Mark Dundas Wood
New This Season—19 Shows
Newsical
Off-Broadway opening: Oct. 7, 2004.
No new auditions are scheduled at this time. There is no national tour out. You can send a picture, resume, and cover letter to Margolis-Seay Casting, 333 West 52nd St., Ste. 1008, New York, NY 10019.
Since "Newsical" is a topical revue with comic sketches—no real book—performers who want to audition for the show should have a flair for mimicry and be able to do characters, says Ed Goldschneider, the show's musical director. "They should be funny, creative, and lively." After all, there are only four performers on stage and they have to be able to carry the show.
The casting of two men and two women, mid-30s to early 40s, is both colorblind and all over the map in terms of physical types. "I don't ask performers how old they are," notes Goldschneider, "but everyone has to have a lot of energy."
The four singers are an alto, soprano, tenor, and bass, although the breakdown is not quite that simplistic, continues Goldschneider, adding that singing well and the ability to vocally suggest different characters is key:
"The show changes every few weeks, depending on what's happening in the news. We look for chameleons."
To audition, performers should come prepared to sing a short comic song, although they may be asked to sing something else in addition. "The audition song should be out of cabaret, not musical theatre," cautions Goldschneider. "Cabaret is closer to what we're doing. And we like comic songs that are on the broad side. We're looking for performers who are able to do crazy things, be larger than life, take risks, and look stupid."
Goldschneider makes the point that there are many comic songs out there that are almost foolproof and warns performers against relying on the words to convey the actor's artistry and craft: "It's easy to get coached and comfortable. We're looking for those who go another step, have aces up their sleeves."
At the audition, the performer may be asked to read from sides and do a George Bush—or a generic homeland security leader.
To get a callback, performers have to demonstrate that intangible appeal in addition to creativity. "The question always is, 'Who would you want to spend an evening with?' " says Goldschneider.
He has no problem hiring an actor he has turned down in the past, pointing out that the new swing they just hired was turned down initially: "Sometimes a performer is turned down for no other reason than wrong height or hair color."
—Simi Horwitz
Brooklyn
Broadway opening: Oct. 21, 2004.
A required Equity call will be held soon and replacement auditions will be scheduled as needed. There is no national tour out.
"The score for this show is extremely challenging," says "Brooklyn" casting director Dave Clemmons. "The notes are just stratospheric and you have to be a really great R&B rock singer to handle it. You can't just be a theatre singer who can affect the style, because when you hear the score," Clemmons explains, "there's really nothing theatrical about it. If you have a theatrical singer trying to do this, it just sounds wrong."
The casting of "Brooklyn" is also very specific characterwise. It's a play within a play, so it was decided that the actors should be the ages of the characters in the "play" they perform. "Both Taylor and Street Singer have to be in their 40s," says Clemmons. "Brooklyn needs to be very young, and Faith needs to be on the young side. And it's important that Paradice not be too young because she needs to be at the peak of her career." Of the five onstage roles in "Brooklyn," only the character Brooklyn is "open" in terms of ethnicity. Faith should be an "ethnic" of some sort. Both Street Singer and Paradice are African-American, and because Brooklyn has been cast as white, then Taylor needs to be white also.
"Now then," says Clemmons, "you put on top of all of that the fact that the actors must be able to handle this extremely difficult R&B score, and you can see how this becomes a hard show to cast. The role of Taylor, for example, was almost impossible—to find a 45-year-old white guy who's believable as a Vietnam vet/drug addict who can scream rock 'n' roll and also is a brilliant actor."
Actors interested in auditioning for any of the African-American roles in "Brooklyn" should prepare an R&B selection that shows a big range, "something like Patti LaBelle would sing," Clemmons advises. For the role of Brooklyn, he suggests something in the pop style that shows a "super-high range." Faith just needs to be good with pop music, and Taylor is "a real rock 'n' roll singer, with a kind of Bruce Springsteen, gritty, growly, full-throated sound."
"Ninety percent of the singers in this city are simply out of the running for this show," says Clemmons, "because they don't have the vocal style. So—and this is the only show I would say this for—if you can really sing R&B, send me a demo!"
—Lisa Jo Sagolla
La Cage aux Folles
Broadway opening: Dec. 9, 2004.
No EPAs or chorus auditions currently scheduled. There is no national tour out.
Perhaps the heart and soul of Broadway's "La Cage aux Folles" are "Les Cagelles"—the show's line of 12 statuesque young male chorines. Director Jerry Mitchell insisted on casting these cross-dressing parts with lithe, athletic actors, according to J.V. Mercanti of Jim Carnahan's casting office.
"They have to be in real shape to do all the cartwheels and the dancing and the splits," Mercanti adds.
But Les Cagelles also have to act—and sing. Two of them understudy the role of Jean-Michel, the highly heterosexual son of entrepreneur Georges and drag diva Albin. Some Cagelles appear in male garb as waiters or townspeople in scenes set outside the La Cage club. (In some cases, they're playing their Cagelle personas at off-the-job moments.)
Four of Les Cagelles are baritones, four are second tenors, and four are tenors, says musical director Patrick Vaccariello. As a group, they use their normal male singing voices, although one of them (Chantal) must sing very strong falsetto solos at points in the show—in a soprano range.
It's important, says Vaccariello, that each Cagelle have presence and a distinct personality: "They have to blend vocally, but you want someone who can actually act the song."
In addition to Les Cagelles, there are seven members of the ensemble (four men and three women) who play townspeople and who cover for the principal acting and singing roles (other than Jean-Michel). Auditionees for these slots don't go through a rigorous dance call, as do Les Cagelles. Vaccariello notes, however, that a couple of young male performers turned up at a singing call and were told to think about coming to the dance audition. They did. And they were soon lathering on the mascara.
For singing auditions, Vaccariello recommends using traditional, "legitimate" Broadway material. He tells that some actors showed up for the singing call with modern pop selections. They were sent away and told to come back with something more in the vein of a Jerry Herman show.
Vaccariello advises that performers find a song that suits their voice, with a lyric that they can connect with personally. He also suggests that they have both a long and a short version of their audition number, just in case the casting team wants to hear more than 16 bars.
—Mark Dundas Wood
Little Women
Broadway opening: Jan. 23, 2005.
Auditions have already been held for this production, but future calls will be held if needed and when Equity replacement calls are required. There is no national tour out. Send headshots and resumes to Hughes Moss Casting Ltd., 484 West 43rd St., Ste. 28R, New York, NY 10036. Actors may request being kept on file for a specific project or role (write the project name and role on the envelope; do not phone, visit, or submit videotapes). Self-submission does not guarantee an audition.
Actors auditioning for the musicalization of Louisa May Alcott's much-loved novel "Little Women" need more than a little singing and acting talent to land a role, according to the show's casting directors, Barry Moss and Bob Kale of Hughes Moss Casting.
"Performance skills are grounded in the areas of singing and acting. While being a good dancer is helpful, is it not a dance show per se," says Kale. "However, the acting and singing skills really need to be the best. That goes for all tracks. Craft is as important as talent in terms of both singing and acting, especially in the playing of it eight times a week. The voices need extraordinary flexibility and durability."
The show—directed by Susan H. Schulman, with book by Allan Knee, music by Jason Howland, and lyrics by Mindi Dickstein—has a relatively small cast. And, notes Kale, it's somewhat "limited in terms of variety of ages. There is one male character in his 60s, one in his late 30s, and two in the 18 to 24 range. As a result, there are a lot of men who simply slip through the cracks on this one. They just don't fit in anywhere in terms of age. The ladies are a similar story—there are four in the 18 to 24 range, one late 30s/early 40s, and one in her 50s. As a result, the whole 25-to-35 age group for ladies has almost nothing, unless they look particularly young or particularly old."
Another stumbling block for actors hoping to score a role, says Kale, is that it's "a totally principal cast and, as a result, the need for 'types,' if you will, is limited."
The key to giving a good audition, he says, is not "pushing. Too often, actors want something so bad that they try harder, and when they try harder—instead of just leaving themselves alone—they just end up forcing the material in the way they think it should go, rather than letting it live truthfully through them. Getting bigger and bigger until there's no clean and simple reality left, just a lot of energy that isn't focused. I assume most of them know better, but their nervousness and fear win the day instead of their craft. They start out so big that they have nowhere to go. More often than not, less is more.
"A good audition allows you to show your skills at their best and is, I think, consistently simple, specific, and sincere in all it tries to be."
—Luke Thomas Crowe
Good Vibrations
Scheduled Broadway opening:Feb. 1, 2005.
No auditions currently set. There is no national tour out.
"Good Vibrations" is a musical that uses the songs of the famed 1960s vocal group the Beach Boys. According to David Holcenberg, who is both musical supervisor and musical arranger for the show, singers who audition "need to have an unbelievable pop voice. I don't want to hear a song from the theatre world at all. I want to hear a pop song that shows range. We're looking for someone with a tremendous amount of control, who can control vibrato, who can sing in a very clean style, not a kind of riffing-all-over-the-place style. Particularly hard to find, we are looking for men with an unbelievably great falsetto, who can sing up into the stratosphere."
By way of illustration, Holcenberg states, "The top guy must sing up to an F on the top of the staff. The top couple of guys need an extraordinary range." The show requires five guys "dedicated to creating the Beach Boys' harmonies, so we need a bass, which is also hard to find—a bass who can sing a very solid low F," as well as someone who can reach three octaves higher, the "high men's falsetto F." They need women who can sing "really well without vibrato, who can do straight tone, and who have a really great sense of pop style."
Eric Woodall, the casting associate on the show, says that a common mistake is for guys to come in without a song prepared that can show off what he calls "a crazy high falsetto." "We did run into several guys with 'have strong vibrato' on their resume and then, when we would ask them to show us something, they would have nothing. It always comes back to being prepared."
All the characters in the show are teenagers. Woodall notes, "People need to be very comfortable with the way their bodies will look in beachwear because there's a lot of time spent wearing beachwear, both men and women." Holcenberg adds, "They all have to do part singing [and] all sing backups." Holcenberg suggests bringing two "real pop songs, not even pop musical theatre. An uptempo, driving rock song and a pop ballad would be great. For guys, I enjoy hearing songs from groups like Train, Styx, or Queen."
—Wally Rubin
The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee
Scheduled Off-Broadway opening: Feb. 7, 2005.
No further auditions or performance plans currently scheduled. There is no national tour out.
"The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee" has music and lyrics by William Finn ("Falsettos"), book by Rachel Sheinkin, and direction by James Lapine ("Falsettos," "Into the Woods," "Modern Orthodox"). Although slated to end its run at Second Stage on March 6, the level of the talent involved, combined with good reviews for last summer's regional theatre engagement at Massachusetts' Barrington Stage Company, suggest that this show is almost certain to have some sort of future life, be it in a commercial New York run or in regional theatres across the country.
The show's nine characters consist of six prepubescent youngsters, fifth- to seventh-graders, and three adults, but adults are cast in all the roles. "Our adult characters need to sing," says Vadim Feichtner, the show's music director. "Two of the three parts we created around our performers, and since they have truly amazing voices, we gave them special skills. Mitch, the comfort counselor, has some pretty big tenor notes—some A's, some B flats—and a lot of riffing." Currently, he is played by a black performer, but Feichtner says, "I want him to be good. I don't think that being black is necessary at all."
The female adult character has "regular mezzo notes for most of the show." They would look for a very strong legit mezzo sound, someone "very versatile."
The six kids never use vibrato. But, says Feichtner, "with the kids, the voice is always secondary to the truth of it. It shouldn't look like adults playing children trying to be Annie. It has to be very effortless, and you have to never question for a second that they're a kid. You have to be able to sing on pitch, but it's the quality we're looking for—the ease of being a child. In our show, they never hold a note long enough for it to turn into vibrato—we're pretty specific how we handle it, just so we never question it."
At auditions, they would be looking for someone who could find "the emotional core of a child. Trying to overimpress, trying to do something 'overrangy' " would be a mistake, claims Feichtner. They want "a simple, tiny moment. If someone came in and sang 'Being Green'—that would be a perfect little thing. A very easy song. Keep it simple."
—Wally Rubin
We're Still Hot!
Scheduled Off-Broadway opening: Feb. 8, 2005.
There are no new auditions scheduled at this time. There is no national tour out. Pictures and resumes can be sent to Entertainment Eventz, 320 West 37th St., 8th floor, New York, NY 10018.
"We need a triple threat for 'We're Still Hot!,' " notes musical director Alan Plado. "Good singers, good actors, and good movers. And everyone should have good comic timing."
The cast consists of four middle-aged women, or performers who are able to suggest women in their mid-50s. "They do allude to menopause," says Plado, adding that the casting is colorblind and that women who have a few extra pounds are welcome. "We have found that the performers who audition are often too thin.
"Each of the performers should have her own vocal style. Generally, one of the singers is a belter, one has a lyric voice, one a character voice—meaning it's funny—and one has a particularly flexible voice with lots of vocal range."
To audition, performers should be prepared to sing "two cuttings—15 to 24 measures—of two contrasting songs," suggests Plado. "We like a belting, brassy song and then a ballad or lyric song for contrast. Performers should also come prepared with a contemporary monologue. If we like the singing, we may ask to hear the monologue. If you're invited in for a callback, we'll ask you to read from the script."
Plado says the performers who most impress him are those who connect to the songs emotionally. "Good singers come a dime a dozen. We're interested in those who can act the piece." He also maintains that it's a good idea to see the show before you audition in order to have some idea of what's expected.
"If you choose a song to audition with that's not in the show's style, that makes a bad impression," says Plado. "This is a contemporary musical. But it's not advisable to do a song from the show because then you're competing with the best performers [those already cast in the roles]. The other problem with performing a song from the show is pigeonholing yourself into playing a character that we may not think is right for you."
In addition to displaying singing and acting talent, what leads to getting a callback are a sense of confidence—"the way you introduce yourself"—and preparedness: "Taking the time to mark the music, where to start and where to end. If you can't even do that, how invested are you in the audition?" Plado asks rhetorically.
Plado will audition and, in fact, has even hired performers he has turned down in the past, but he cautions, "I think there is something to be said about making good impressions the first time. You should always be at the top of your game. It's true that one's craft can improve, but if we've turned you down in the past, you're going to have to be that much better the next time out."
—Simi Horwitz
The Musical of Musicals—The Musical!
Scheduled Off-Broadway opening: Feb. 10, 2005.
No auditions are currently scheduled. There is no national tour out. Resumes are accepted in anticipation of auditions for replacements and standbys. Breakdowns are posted on the Equity website.
For this musical that's really five musicals in one, casting director Norman Meranus focuses on the importance of auditionees knowing the work of the writers being spoofed—Rodgers and Hammerstein, Stephen Sondheim, Andrew Lloyd Webber, Jerry Herman, and Kander and Ebb. He says, "Unless an actor understands what is being sent up, it won't work. For younger performers, it requires some research." He says that the worst thing a performer can do at an audition is to come in "not knowing some of the composers or what their work is." If this happens, "you're not properly prepared."
During an audition, this research might be put to the test when a performer may be asked to "do more of a Sondheimy thing." Meranus says that such a direction should "instantly mean something to [the auditionee]." Successful performers will demonstrate a "yeah, I can do that" quality, a willingness to show another side of themselves "vocally or characterwise."
Similarly, movement can be an important part of the audition, but Meranus adds, "It doesn't have to be pretty. There has to be an ease, comfort, and willingness to maybe look a little ridiculous, but with style and skill."
Each member of the four-person cast must be able to play the piano. One character "plays the whole show—and that is a real virtuoso turn," says Meranus, adding, "As part of the staging, the other characters slip in and out of piano parts." This is "much simpler, but does require actual skill at the piano."
Meranus says that specific ethnicities for the four roles in "Musical" are less important than the way in which a group of performers works as a company: "Any of them could be any ethnicity or race. It depends on the complete picture for any cast we're assembling."
This latter factor, Meranus says, results in a willingness to reaudition performers who have auditioned previously. He says that an auditionee "can give an extraordinary audition and not be right. It's a mix of style, looks, sound, height."
Still, Meranus insists that the most important thing is that auditionees "be able to indicate that they know what they're spoofing—the period and the musicality—and have a sense of why this show is funny."
—Andy Propst
Shockheaded Peter
Scheduled Off-Broadway opening: Feb. 22, 2005.
Understudy auditions are to be held within the next month. There is no national tour out.
Calling all countertenors! Real countertenors, that is, "not just someone who has a falsetto and can hit the notes on a good day," says David Caparelliotis, casting director for "Shockheaded Peter," a show with only one singing role, but a role that is very difficult to cast. "A lot of actors have falsettos, but we need a singer who is a genuine countertenor, which means someone who can sustain that kind of singing eight shows a week," says Caparelliotis. The casting director at Manhattan Theatre Club as well as for freelance projects, Caparelliotis discourages actors from misrepresenting themselves by auditioning for this role if they really can't handle the job: "If you do, you'll blow your chances of ever auditioning for me again."
The primary consideration in casting this role is the countertenor singing voice. The age of the actor is unimportant. In the original British cast, the performer was 50 years old, while the American actor currently cast in the part is 28. However, the role does demand a specific kind of acting ability. The performer must be "authoritative, have a commanding presence, and be able to communicate an air of mystery," says Caparelliotis. He compares the role to the character of the emcee in "Cabaret." This character serves as the conduit for the audience, leading them into the story, and must have a sense of humor as well as an edgy, dark quality.
When originally casting this role, Caparelliotis looked to the opera world to find prospective candidates, "singers of the real Haydn and Handel variety," he explains. He relied on recommendations from opera contacts and searched the Internet for countertenors' websites. If you are a real countertenor, Caparelliotis urges you to have your agent contact him or to send your photo and resume directly to his office. "But," he advises, "if you send me your resume, make certain to write 'countertenor' in big letters on the envelope. That will make me open it right away. Otherwise, it may sit on my desk for weeks and you may miss your chance to audition for the understudy position, which I will be casting within the next month."
—Lisa Jo Sagolla
Altar Boyz
Scheduled Off-Broadway opening: March 1, 2005.
Replacement auditions will be held every three months. There is no national tour out.
"Don't come in with something from 'Children of Eden' or some other musical theatre score that you think has a pop sound to it," advises David Caparelliotis, casting director for "Altar Boyz." "It's better to sing something by 'N Sync, the Backstreet Boys, or Billy Joel, something that was not written for the theatre. For this show we're looking for that real 'boy band' pop sound."
"Altar Boyz" has roles for five male performers between the ages of 22 and 28. "They must all be triple threats," says Caparelliotis, "and have a good sense of comedy." Although the current cast is all white, most of the characters can be played by performers of any ethnicity, and all ethnic types will be considered in replacement auditions. Once the show opens, Caparelliotis plans to continue holding auditions regularly, about every three months or so, "just so I can stay aware of who's out there," he says.
In addition to being able to sing in the proper pop style, each performer must be a strong actor, as the show's five characters represent distinctly different personalities. There's the sexy, charismatic leading role; his sweet, sardonic younger brother; a homeboy, street-kid type; an earnest, kind kid named Juan who's been orphaned; and the affable, good-natured Abraham, the lone Jewish boy in a Christian band.
Actors interested in auditioning for "Altar Boyz" need not prepare a monologue, as they will be asked to read from sides distributed at the audition. "But do bring your 'book,' " says Caparelliotis, "because even if we don't consider you right for this show, I might be interested in you for another project I'm casting and may ask you to sing a completely different type of song."
Caparelliotis typically works on several projects simultaneously, so he urges actors who audition for him not to be "shortsighted." He feels that too many actors sabotage themselves at auditions by getting too focused on the show at hand. "The actor's self is their biggest tool and that's usually what they throw away the most," he explains. "They get too carried away with trying to be what they think we want for a specific show. What I really want is to know who you are as a person and as a performer, and then I can figure out how best to use you in whatever projects I'm doing—now or in the future."
—Lisa Jo Sagolla
Dirty Rotten Scoundrels
Scheduled Broadway opening: March 3, 2005.
A chorus call for singers and dancers is scheduled for September, with EPAs set for March 2006. There is no national tour out.
John Lithgow and Joanna Gleason head up the cast of "Dirty Rotten Scoundrels," another movie-turned-musical making its way to Broadway this season. Bernie Telsey of Bernard Telsey Casting sought out a copy of the film to watch before turning his attention to casting the stage version: "I watched it again, just to remember the nuances and the story. All I remember from when I first saw the movie was Steve Martin and Michael Caine now that it is so many years later. So it was helpful to see that to revisit the script—but then again, it's different from Jeffrey Lane's book for the musical."
The music and lyrics are by David Yazbek, composer of "The Full Monty" and a former writer for David Letterman. "It has a pop-rock sound, a more modern sound than a traditional musical theatre score," says Telsey. "Of course, it's probably not best to sing a song from 'The Full Monty' at the audition. Nobody likes to hear their own songs in an audition—I mean, I shouldn't say he doesn't like to. I just don't think it's the best idea to sing from a composer's song list, because the composer is there in the room all the time. But certainly choose something from the same genre—in this case, a pop song. For specific roles, we might give a more specific note. For example, the Steve Martin character in the show is so outrageous that we asked actors to prepare a really funny song."
Telsey states that there's no rush to learn a song from "Scoundrels" right away: "If we want to hear a song from the show, we'll tell you." But that doesn't mean performers should stop building up their repertoire—or their ability to learn songs quickly. "If we were looking for an understudy tomorrow, we would ask you to learn a song from the show, and it is impressive when somebody really learns it and puts the time into it. It helps if you know the material, because sometimes actors are put into a show with little notice. Just remember: We still want to see who you are and your own originality and your take on it."
—Elias Stimac
The It Girl
Scheduled Off-Broadway opening: March 10, 2005.
Casting is complete. Future EPAs will be announced through Back Stage. Send pictures and resumes to Jay Binder Casting, Attn: The It Girl, 321 West 44th St., Ste. 606, New York, NY 10036. There is no national tour out.
"The It Girl" is a valentine to the silent movies of the 1920s and loosely based on the films that made Clara Bow a star.
Megan Larche, an associate casting assistant at Jay Binder Casting, recently completed a yearlong search for actors who possess a rare and specific quality: "They had to have 'it'—which is a combination of tremendous talent and organically radiating the essence of the period. We didn't want actors imitating the '20s. It had to be genuine."
"The It Girl" is an ensemble piece consisting of seven cast members in their 20s and 30s, three of whom play up to four multiple roles. The four principal roles are Betty Lou, a vivacious girl from Brooklyn, high belt; Jonathan, Betty's rich employer and love interest, baritone; Adela, Jonathan's snobby girlfriend, a strong comic with both a high belt and head voice; and Monty Montgomery, a dandy with a tenor range.
The ensemble consists of a baritone male, a mezzo female, and a waiflike soprano female. All three ensemble members need to have strong dance skills, belt voices, and comic timing.
Larche requests that actors select songs appropriate to the time period: "No 'American Idol' singing. Traditional musical theatre doesn't have tricks. One thing about Rodgers and Hammerstein, they don't let singers hide behind the music."
Although she discourages actors from auditioning in costume, Larche suggests choosing attire that winks toward the period: "Be smart about your clothing selection. The '20s is a time when people looked 'done,' so women should do their hair and makeup and wear a skirt and heels. Men who show up wearing a tie and looking clean-cut will imply a more traditional fashion. Do not come in wearing jeans and a T-shirt."
Larche says that calling actors previously seen to audition again was an essential step in casting: "The role of Betty Lou was originally intended for a star, but once the creative team decided otherwise, we asked actresses from the ensemble auditions to try for the lead—and we found her."
To the beginning performer, Larche stresses professionalism: "It's important not to confuse the business with college, where people already know what you can do and give you another chance. You have one shot to give 110%. This is a business, so use your audition time to make us buy you."
—Phoebe Kmeck
Monty Python's Spamalot
Scheduled Broadway opening: March 17, 2005.
No current auditions scheduled. There is no national tour out.
"Monty Python's Spamalot," which is based on the 1975 film "Monty Python and the Holy Grail," has a book by Eric Idle, music and lyrics by Idle and John Du Prez, and direction by Mike Nichols. It is currently fully cast, having just finished its tryout run in Chicago prior to Broadway.
Tara Rubin casting associate Eric Woodall explains, "It's important for someone to come in with a great knowledge of Monty Python's humor and an understanding and appreciation and ability to do it. On top of that, it's a musical, so we need certain singing requirements and certain dance requirements." They are looking for "interesting character types. There is a cast of players, but at the same time, they all have specific roles and bits to do."
At an audition, "we would start the process with hearing a song of their own, a comedic song. The next step would be coming back with material we would give them from the show and that would consist of a scene or a song."
Woodall firmly admonishes actors planning to audition that "it's not difficult for an actor to be familiar with the style of Monty Python—and if they are, they can answer questions [for themselves] about what would be appropriate material. People ask that all the time—do your homework! Look at the style of one show and figure it out and then figure out how you can do that. It costs $3 to rent a movie."
—Wally Rubin
Dessa Rose
Broadway opening: March 21, 2005.
All parts have been cast and rehearsals are underway. There is no national tour out.
When it comes to auditions, casting director Alan Filderman has a mantra for actors: "Be prepared, be on time, and be good." He also advises performers to always bring their audition books along, just in case the casting director wants to hear different material. Filderman recently completed casting for the musical "Dessa Rose," which will debut later this season at the Mitzi E. Newhouse Theater at Lincoln Center.
"The show has a very specific book, so we saw all types of performers at the auditions—young and old, Caucasian and African-American, men and women," he recalls. "It's a multiracial cast of men and women who can act and sing." Prospective cast members were required to read sides and perform two songs. The musical material varied depending on which characters they auditioned for. Actors up for certain roles had to sing pieces from "Dessa Rose," but those auditioning for the remaining characters were asked to prepare Rodgers and Hammerstein songs.
Filderman stresses the importance of preparing any material required by a casting director at an audition. "When I distribute calls for whatever shows I cast, I'm always very specific about what I want to hear, and it's a huge mistake for actors to walk in and offer to do something else," he says. "If you don't have the material in your audition book, you've got however long you need—whether it's a week or a day—to go out and learn something that's appropriate."
During the "Dessa Rose" auditions, the show's creative team (the writers, director, and producer) sat with Filderman to observe the talent and decide which actors would receive callbacks. "We've worked together before and we know each other so well that at this point, the discussion at the end of the day is always short—we just know if someone is or isn't right for a role," he says. "It's about a person's charisma and how well they fit the character."
Filderman is always willing to see actors he turned down in previous auditions. Most actors he tests are recommended by agents, but others are performers he knows from earlier auditions or industry events.
—Josh Hamerman
All Shook Up
Scheduled Broadway opening: March 24, 2005.
Chorus calls for singers and dancers will be held in September. EPAs will be held in March 2006. There is no national tour out. Performers can submit photos and resumes to Bernard Telsey Casting, 145 West 28th St., 12th floor, New York, NY 10001. Please mark the show and role in which you are interested on the envelope.
If you're practicing your lip sneering and hip swiveling in preparation for an audition for the new musical "All Shook Up," you don't have to go through all the trouble. The casting powers that be are not asking for performers to come in imitating Elvis Presley, whose signature songs serve as the basis for this new musical comedy. Cast members may be asked to suggest a few of the King's classic mannerisms, but no one is required to re-create Elvis' trademark vocal and physical style.
"The show has all that Elvis music, completely rearranged so that it's different than him singing it. But we're not at all looking for Elvis impersonations or anything close to that," says casting directing Bernie Telsey. "For auditions, the team really wants to hear songs of the 1950s more than even Elvis songs. We just ask the actors to prepare period numbers."
The ensemble has a real mix in terms of types: "It's a real boy-meets-girl, girl-meets-boy story line. The characters are all different age ranges, all different vocal types, all different ethnicities, all different sizes. It's the most eclectic cast we're casting right now, because it's got older-generation African-American roles, it's got older-generation white roles, it's got younger roles, cool characters, square characters. And then the ensemble is a little of each, because they're all sort of covering other parts."
With a book by Joe DiPietro of "I Love You, You're Perfect, Now Change" fame and direction by "Rocky Horror Show" helmer Christopher Ashley, "All Shook Up" is currently running in Chicago before it hits the Great White Way. The Chicago cast is coming in with the show, but that shouldn't stop performers from having their agents submit them or sending in their own headshots and resumes for an audition.
"In between EPAs, we're always looking for replacements and building up our files for when we need someone new. Some parts are really hard to replace, and if someone is leaving in six weeks, we won't have a replacement if we don't start looking today," advises Telsey.
—Elias Stimac
The Light in the Piazza
Scheduled Broadway opening: April 18, 2005.
Casting is not yet finalized. There is no national tour out.
Casting director Janet Foster and the Lincoln Center Theater producers declined to be interviewed on the casting process for this production, which currently plans a limited run through June 12 at LCT's Vivian Beaumont Theater. Should the production extend or transfer to a commercial run, information contained in the Equity principal audition notice that ran in Back Stage's Aug. 20, 2004 issue will be useful. Actors were asked to prepare "something lyrical or a ballad. Material should be standard show songs, nothing pop or rock." Three main characters were being cast: Clara, a 26-year-old young lady with the mental and emotional skills of a 12-year-old, who should have a "strong soprano (legit) low A to high A, strong belt/mix to high E with a nice ring"; Fabrizio, a handsome young Italian man of 22, who should be a "lyrical tenor who sings to a high B"; and Guiseppe, Fabrizio's older brother, a baritone for whom no other singing requirements were listed.
—David Sheward
Sweet Charity
Scheduled Broadway opening: April 21, 2005.
Casting is complete. Future auditions will be announced in Back Stage. Send photos and resumes to Jay Binder Casting, Attn: Sweet Charity, 321 West 44th St., Ste. 606, New York, NY 10036.
The 1966 smash-hit musical "Sweet Charity" returns to Broadway this spring starring Christina Applegate at the Al Hirschfeld Theatre. The creative collaboration between Neil Simon, Cy Coleman, and Dorothy Fields spawned such famous numbers as "Big Spender," "Where Am I Going?," and "If My Friends Could See Me Now."
With nearly 40 years between the two productions, a more contemporary depiction of women has been worked into the musical. "The driving thrust of the show is the self-discovery of a woman who, throughout the course of the play, realizes her potential and that she doesn't need to be dependent on a man," reveals casting director Jay Binder. "Women were still considered doormats in the late '60s. Before, the show started off with Charity being dumped by her married boyfriend, who then throws her in the lake and escapes with her purse. All those scenes have been cut. Now it kicks off with "Big Spender," and Charity is the one who breaks off the relationship."
The company size is slightly smaller, with 25 members and one standby. Casting is not based on ethnicity or physical type, but individual sensuality is emphasized: "It's a real dance hall, and not everyone is a beauty. Still, each person has an amazing sexuality."
Binder invites actors auditioning for the ensemble to boldly create a character: "Behave like you're a principal, even if you're in the chorus. Each person maintains a very specific personality."
Dancers should be attentive to the new choreography: "I don't think they're conscious of doing it, but dancers should not lapse into a Fosse imitation. Be awake to Wayne Cilento's own work and unique style. Wayne is an exponent of Fosse and honors his technique, but he combines this respect with his own personal style."
Clothing choices should be professional: "Avoid dressing in a sexually exaggerated or vulgar manner—like a hooker."
Binder especially values actors who can perform with authenticity: "Perform from the truth by telling it. Don't just go for the joke. Create a real behavior."
—Phoebe Kmeck
Chitty Chitty Bang Bang
Scheduled Broadway opening: April 28, 2005.
No EPAs or chorus calls are currently scheduled. There is no national tour out.
This musical spectacular—which will open at the renamed Hilton Theatre—is based on Ian Fleming's novel, its 1968 film adaptation, and the recent production from London's West End. Songs (by the team of Richard M. and Robert B. Sherman) utilize a sound reminiscent of the British music-hall tradition.
J.V. Mercanti, of Jim Carnahan's casting office, reports that director Adrian Noble and choreographer Gillian Lynne sought strong singer-dancer-actors for all roles. "You're a strong ensemble member if you create a character out of your ensemble part," he adds.
Musical director Kristen Blodgette notes, " 'Chitty' has three major ensemble groupings. There's a male dancing ensemble. There's a group of men who portray the 'inventors' and who perform a specialty number called 'Me Ol' Bamboo.' This group can encompass a variety of physical types—heavy, tall, short, etc. They also must cover principal male roles. Finally, there's the women's dance ensemble. They also sing and cover the principal female roles."
In the singing audition, performers should use something from the standard musical theatre repertoire, steering away from anything operatic or from the world of contemporary pop. Nor do they need to find a British music-hall number. Blodgette suggests instead "On the Street Where You Live" or a tune by Richard Rodgers, "something very simple and genuine and earnest." Avoid trying out new material during auditions, she warns. Sing something you enjoy singing, even if it doesn't seem to be exactly on target with the tone or period of the show.
Dance calls for "Chitty" come first—except for the principals and the inventors, who read and sing first. But everyone must eventually survive a Gillian Lynne dance audition, which can seem grueling. Blodgette notes that certain auditionees who were about to walk out of the dance call because of its difficulty eventually wound up being cast. So a willingness to go the distance with the choreographer can be a valuable asset.
The ability to assume a "light" British accent will be assessed during the acting auditions. "We will teach that, but one has to have an ear for it," says Blodgette. "First we look to see if they can read."
No British accent need be used during the singing audition. In fact, Blodgette cautions against attempting one.
—Mark Dundas Wood
Coming Next Season—7 Shows
Lennon
Scheduled Broadway opening: July 21, 2005.
Understudies and standbys are still being cast.
Principal casting is complete for this musical biography of the late Beatle. Casting director Janet Foster and the producers declined to be interviewed for this feature. But should the show turn into a long-running hit, performers should bear in mind the Equity principal audition notice printed in Back Stage's Sept. 24, 2004 issue, which stated that the show is "an ensemble piece performed by 10 actors, men and women of differing ages. They function as narrators, real-life characters from the life of John Lennon and often as Lennon himself. They all play aspects of John Lennon, whatever their gender or ethnicity." Performers were required to have a great rock or pop singing voice and to prepare a brief pop/rock song, preferably from Lennon's works.
—David Sheward
The Mambo Kings
Scheduled Broadway opening: Aug. 18, 2005.
Casting will be finalized by the end of January. Submissions are accepted from agents and auditions are announced in Back Stage. EPAs will be held in December2005 or January 2006. A pre-Broadway tryout run is scheduled for San Francisco from May 24-June 19. Send headshots and resumes to Jay Binder Casting, Attn: The Mambo Kings, 321 West 44th St., Ste. 606, New York, NY 10036.
This summer, Latin sensuality expressed through mambo will replace the gyrating "shakalaka" of "Bombay Dreams" at the Broadway Theatre. The producers of this Broadway musical adaptation of the 1992 film starring Armand Assante and Antonio Banderas have yet to announce its stars.
There are 28 people in the cast: eight principal roles, four male and four female singers, six male and six female dancers, plus two male and two female swings. All the singers cover principal roles. All dancers must sing well and have ballet and jazz training, as well as an understanding of Latin dances, particularly mambo coupling. Ages in the ensemble range from mid-20s to early 40s.
"It's basically an all-Latin show," reports casting director Mark Brandon of Jay Binder Casting, "but we're also seeking actors who can convey the sensuality of the culture."
As for what songs are appropriate to sing, Brandon insists on traditional Broadway material: "Old Latin classics like 'Bésame Mucho,' or simple, straightforward Broadway standards. No riffing, nothing from 'Rent,' and no pop songs."
Dancers should arrive with their music and already warmed up. Dance calls involve learning a combination, after which cuts are made. At the end of the day, the remaining dancers are asked to sing.
In the case of required calls, Brandon explains the atmosphere as "professional, unfamiliar, and not chitty chatty."
Brandon frequently invites actors who have auditioned for him in the past to return when the need for a replacement arises. In the meantime, he urges actors to continue studying and sharpening their technique: "I'm on their side, which is why I encourage actors to improve their craft. Hopefully, in the future, they will get cast."
When it comes to standing out from the rest, Binder remembers the actors who boldly show what makes them special: "In a required call, you live in a land of mediocrity. Come in and show me part of your personality. People who make it through have vivid and vibrant personalities, and perform at their best."
Binder offers a final note of advice to contemporary performers auditioning for theatre: "The waters of theatre auditions have been muddied up by 'American Idol.' Too many people are coming into Broadway auditions without the proper Broadway technique. Sing to be in a Broadway show. Remember what you're auditioning for."
—Phoebe Kmeck
Princesses
Pre-Broadway engagement scheduled for the 5th Avenue Theatre in Seattle, May 31-June 19.
Projected Broadway opening: August 2005.
Additional auditions are expected in early spring, but no dates have been set.
"Princesses" is a new musical with a book by Cheri and Bill Steinkellner ("Cheers"), music by Matthew Wilder ("Mulan"), and lyrics and direction by David Zippel ("City of Angels," "The Woman in White"). There are 18 in the cast, 15 of whom play teenage girls. Lynne Shankel, the show's musical director and dance arranger, explains, "The score is really diverse, everything from true pop songs—not what we know as theatre pop—all the way to much more traditional musical-theatre styles."
The girls, Shankel says, "have to be very comfortable in the pop world. They have to have true pop voices—not so much Frank Wildhorn as Christina Aguilera and Pink. I'm looking for girls who have a really great pop belt but, at the same time, also have the opposite end of the spectrum, which is a lot to ask."
She expects that girls coming to audition will "bring their whole book. Come in the room bursting with youth and exuberance—just really full of life. We're not looking for 15 dancers with perfect bodies. We're looking for girls that young people who come to the show can really relate to. You don't have to be a cookie-cutter teenager. We love and welcome different shapes and sizes."
Shankel is firm about what not to do: "One of my pet peeves is people who come in and have their song prepared, but if I ask them for something else, something contrasting, they don't have it. That's not helpful to me. I want to be able to see everything you can do and I want you to be ready and available with anything that I might ask for. Have five songs ready at the drop of a hat."
Do they want girls as young as 15, the age of the girls in the show? Shankel responds, "The show is very demanding, vocally and physically. It's tricky stuff. We're realistic that we need young professionals who can handle the rigors of this show."
Interested parties might want to check out a blog by one of the creators, written at the time of the show's run at Goodspeed Musicals' Norma Terris Theatre last fall, which can be found at www.goodspeed.org.
—Wally Rubin
Zanna!
Scheduled Broadway opening: spring/summer 2005.
Performers can submit photos and resumes to Bernard Telsey Casting, 145 West 28th St., 12th floor, New York, NY 10001. Mark the show and role in which you are interested on the envelope.
"Young, young, young, young, young!" is the main factor that casting director Bernie Telsey is looking for when it comes to the cast of the musical "Zanna!," heading to Broadway later this year.
Telsey and company did not work on the earlier Off-Broadway production, which was originally titled "Zanna, Don't!": "We had nothing to do with that version, but we're in it now. In fact, we're casting the Broadway production as we speak."
He relates that the show has a new director, who, along with the producer, has had a lot of casting input: "Mostly we have been talking to the producer and director about what they want in this production, and that is young, great talent with big voices. Some performers may come from the past version, some not. It's not like we won't consider anybody who did it before—those conversations don't even happen. All the actors who were in it Off-Broadway are being looked at and being considered."
The show is set in a modern-day high school and needs performers who are "real, pure, and honest. The show requires multicultural casting, and people who are filled with heart. We're looking for 'Rent' types, only from ages 18 to 20 rather than 25 to 29. 'Zanna!' is younger than most of the other shows I'm working on, although we actually do look for actors who are over 18 who can play younger."
The musical features a "beautiful pop score," in the words of Telsey, and offers performers a chance to really make the songs their own: "If you're coming in to audition, you can sing anything you like. Just come in with your own song and present something that shows who you are and really wows the room. Be sure to give us a full performance, not just the vocal portion. Then, at callbacks, we'll start asking people to learn songs from the show. We'll tell them, 'Even if you didn't see the show, here's the music, go learn it.' When you're learning something fresh, that's when you've got to really be prepared, because people want to see your take on the material. It's not like when we cast replacements and someone has already created the role."
—Elias Stimac
The Color Purple
Broadway opening planned for 2004-05 season.
Equity principal auditions will be held Wed. Feb. 2 and Wed. Feb. 8. See the Equity casting notice in this week's issue Performers can submit photos and resumes to Bernard Telsey Casting, 145 West 28th St., 12th floor, New York, NY 10001. Mark the show and role in which you are interested on the envelope.
Bernie Telsey of Bernard Telsey Casting has exciting news about a new show heading toward the Great White Way: "The musical version of 'The Color Purple' is definitely coming in. There's nothing in the timetable yet, and we don't know exactly which roles we're looking for right now, but the show has a large cast. There are a lot of roles for African-Americans, a lot of younger roles, and especially roles for women. If there's something different about this show, it's that the casting requires many female principal parts. There are all different types and sizes and ages, which made it fresh."
Telsey has already cast the show—during its premiere last fall in Atlanta at the Alliance Theatre. "La Chanze starred in the role of Celie, and she will be staying with the show as it moves forward. Many of those original cast members will go forward, but there will definitely be more auditions. All of those details are being worked on and talked about as they develop and relook at the show. Their plan was always to go to Atlanta and not even come to Broadway until later so they really would have the proper time to work on it."
Based on Alice Walker's novel and adapted by Marsha Norman (both Pulitzer Prize winners), the show features music by pop songwriters Brenda Russell, Allee Willis, and Stephen Bray. The acting requirements weigh as heavily as the singing in this show. "It's a big book, a heavy book; it's not like 'Rent,' " says Telsey. "So we do consider that when reading actors for the roles."
As for audition songs, performers should choose material in the gospel, R&B, or pop categories. "The music is very modern, with an R&B flair. Try to choose an audition song that is not normally in your repertoire, something that has soul. The piece is very much about soul and heart, and we want to see that in who you are even prior to the audition. We're looking for that person who's really connected to the material. It's a very spiritual story, and we want to see that aspect of the actor as well as his or her talent."
—Elias Stimac
The Woman in White
Broadway opening slated for October 2005.
Equity principal auditions will be held Feb. 16, 17, and 18. See the Equity casting notice in this week's issue for further details.
Best of Both Worlds
Off-Broadway opening: November 2005.
A non-Equity general-casting open call will be held on Thurs., Feb. 24 (sign-in at 1 pm) at El Flamingo, 547 West 21st St., New York, N.Y.
Randy Weiner, who wrote the book and lyrics for "Best of Both Worlds," calls the show "a gospel-revival musical retelling of Shakespeare's 'A Winter's Tale.' It's a mixture of gospel and R&B."
The performer will need both dancing and singing skills, with particular emphasis on singing.
"We work with a composer named Diedre Murray," Weiner explains. "She's exacting—and that's an understatement—when it comes to performers' singing abilities. That's what makes the show incredibly difficult to cast. All eight performers need to do gospel, R&B, and theatre. They have to be able to sing jazz and funk, and the standards are extremely high. It requires harmonics, with people singing all the way through, so it's more like doing opera.
"The range of performers I'm looking for requires the highest level of artistry for singers," Weiner adds. "Our previous production of 'Best' had an all African-American cast because of their connections of growing up with gospel singing in churches."
But Weiner emphasizes that the producers are prepared for "colorblind casting" when auditioning for "Best."
"Mixed casting is something I feel very strongly about," Weiner stresses. "I want my casts to reflect the diversity of the city. I'm a New Yorker, a product of the diversity in this city, and I think it's more important than anything."
Still, the voice also reigns high. The producers don't want to hear show tunes at the audition, Weiner says. Performers should be prepared to do a scale, sing harmonics, and sing a gospel song.
Also, prepare to be surrounded by a bevy of varied talent at the Flamingo audition. That's Weiner and Diane Paulus' performance home. Paulus, who is also Weiner's wife, directs "Best," along with the other shows she and Weiner have developed, including "The Donkey Show" and "The Karaoke Show." Their general auditions seek performers for all their productions.
"You may audition for one role, and if you're not right for it, we may discover you're right for another show," Weiner says.
—Roger Armbrust
On Tour Only—9 Shows
Les Misérables National Tour
National tour opening: Nov. 28, 1988.
No audition dates are currently set. This is the only tour out.
Dale Rieling, the musical supervisor on "Les Misérables" since 1997, wants to make one thing very clear: " 'Les Miz' is really from start to finish about acting beats. There are no dance breaks; it's all about storytelling. We're looking for acting ability: If I just hear a beautiful voice but nothing going on behind the eyes or in the face, then we're really not interested."
Rieling continues, "Of course, we want to make sure that you're a really good singer, because that's what we need. But more importantly, we're looking for someone who can tell a story with his or her face and voice." He goes on to explain, "Jean Valjean has a high B, but generally what we want to see is someone who is a really interesting actor who we can further explore and see what role they might be right for. We're not looking for carbon copies of everybody who's done it. The first thing they need to do is come in and interest us in who they are as an actor and as a person."
Even though initial auditions generally consist of just 16 bars of a song, Rieling wants someone to "treat those 16 bars as a monologue—a snippet of a piece of material that they can connect to—and make us see and hear that connection. People misconceive that 'Les Miz' is all about a big loud voice and being overly dramatic. That, ultimately, is not that interesting. We've been told by [directors] John Caird and Trevor Nunn to put talented people on the stage, talented actors who sing."
Rieling reveals that a common mistake at an initial audition is for someone "to come in and show us their biggest, loudest, highest notes only—and what they haven't done is made us interested in who they are."
Even people cast in ensemble roles are expected to be able to act: "Almost everyone in our show covers a principal role. We want them to act even the ensemble roles as if they were principals. There's very little where you can just turn on the smile, get out and do the number, and get off the stage."
—Wally Rubin
Thoroughly Modern Millie National Tour
National tour opening: July 14, 2003.
No calls are currently scheduled. The national tour is scheduled to run through May 8, 2005.
As the national tour of "Millie" has been on the road since summer 2003 and is likely to close sometime around May of this year, it's unlikely there will be major casting calls upcoming. Still, according to J.V. Mercanti of Jim Carnahan's casting office, there could always be a need for an occasional last-minute replacement.
Music supervisor Michael Rafter confirms that the casting team has kept copious notes on past auditions. They often will turn to their files when seeking a replacement—especially this late in the tour.
There's room in the "Millie" ensemble for performers of diverse shapes and sizes. When replacing a performer this late, however, Rafter notes that the choice sometimes comes down to who best can fit into the available costumes and who best can be matched with the departing performer's dance partner.
The touring company is smaller than the Broadway or London productions, with an ensemble of six men and six women (as opposed to 10 and 10 on Broadway). Consequently, says Rafter, there's no hiding a weak voice here. Ensemble members must sing and dance with equal facility. All women in the ensemble will portray "Priscilla girls," who sing strong harmony parts. Ensemble members will likely be asked to cover principal roles—and they will need to read from sides during auditions.
"Millie" is largely a "colorblind" show. However, the roles of Bun Foo and Ching Ho require young Asian men (and those roles must also be covered by an ensemble member). The part of Muzzy Van Hossmere (although created by Carol Channing for the film version) has traditionally been played on stage by an African-American woman. (Rafter notes that this is not a strict requirement, however.)
Jeanine Tesori's score for "Millie" celebrates the 1920s. So for vocal auditions, Rafter suggests that actors sing a standard—preferably something from the 1920s through the 1940s. "Don't bring in a pop song," he says. "Try to get in what I call the 'area code' of the show."
As for special skills, men are required to have strong falsetto voices (for backup vocals in one of Muzzy's numbers) and will be asked to display their falsetto talents during auditions. Any actor angling for the role of Trevor will be asked to learn and perform the Gilbert and Sullivan interpolation "My Eyes Are Fully Open," in order to demonstrate facility with rapid patter singing.
—Mark Dundas Wood
Big River National Tour
National tour opening: June 11, 2004.
The national tour runs through June 5, 2005. A second company will perform at Ford's Theatre in Washington, D.C., March 18-May 1, with a possible extension to June 5. Both productions are under an Equity MSUA contract. Auditions have already been held for these productions, but future calls will be held if needed. Send pix and resumes to Hughes Moss Casting Ltd., 484 West 43rd St., Ste. 28R, New York, NY 10036. Actors may request being kept on file for a specific project or role (write the project name and role on the envelope; do not phone, visit, or submit videotapes). Self-submission does not guarantee an audition.
As a musical adaptation of Mark Twain's "The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn," says musical director Steven Landau, "Big River has some very diverse characters, but the slots are very clear-cut. The big three are Huck, Mark Twain, and Jim."
An interesting aspect of this version of Roger Miller's tuner is its use of deaf actors. "Huck is played by a deaf actor, and his voice is provided by the actor who plays Mark Twain," says Landau. The Mark Twain character narrates as Twain, speaks and sings Huck's tracks, and also plays guitar, banjo, mandolin, harmonica, and ukulele.
"It's a pretty demanding role," Landau says. And it's not easy finding someone who fits the part, can play the instruments, and can "sing those songs in the voice of Huck, as well as having the kind of charm and open appeal that brings the audience in."
Twain is generally played by an actor between the ages of 30 and 50, and Jim is an African-American male in his 30s with "a nice, big gospel voice." The ensemble actors play multiple roles, and there are opportunities for both male and female hearing and deaf performers.
However, the show's casting directors, Barry Moss and Bob Kale of Hughes Moss Casting, note that colorblind casting isn't really possible, since the story deals with elements of race. "Specific ethnic requirements are self-evident, as it takes place in a Civil War-time U.S.A.," says Kale. "Any slave roles have to be played by African-Americans" and Huck and Twain should be Caucasian.
The show "requires all performers to learn some ASL [American Sign Language] and some to be outstanding at it," Kale says. "The production was conceived by Jeff Calhoun and Deaf West Theatre with those requirements being a foregone conclusion."
"We don't have a lot of dancing," says Landau. "There's just a little bit. But the quality of the American Sign Language gives the show almost a balletic feel." On the other hand, "all performers should be able to move well," notes Kale.
Hearing actors are encouraged to prepare a country-flavored song for the auditions. They don't have to know ASL coming in, says Landau, but once cast they must be ready to be "taught all of their dialogue and all of their lyrics in sign language."
Landau stresses that performers often "shoot themselves in the foot" by not being fully prepared at auditions. Music pages should be nicely organized and in the proper key. "You need to make it as easy for the accompanist as you can, and then they're going to do a better job for you. And then you'll have a better audition," he says.
Deaf actors audition by performing a monologue in sign language or signing along with a CD of music. They should also be prepared to read from sides, which they will translate into ASL on the spot. Interpreters are available at auditions where deaf and hearing actors must interact for the first time.
Says Landau: "It is complex, but this is our fourth incarnation of the show, and I think we're getting better at the whole process."
—Luke Thomas Crowe
The King and I National Tour
National tour opening: June 15, 2004.
The national tour will close in May 2005. After a four-month hiatus, there are tentative plans for a tour of Japan. The show runs under an Equity MSUA contract. Auditions have already been held for this production, but future calls will be held if needed. Send pix and resumes to Hughes Moss Casting Ltd., 484 West 43rd St., Ste. 28R, New York, NY 10036. Actors may request being kept on file for a specific project or role (write the project name and role on the envelope; do not phone, visit, or submit videotapes). Self-submission does not guarantee an audition.
Richard Rodgers and Oscar Hammerstein's classic "The King and I" tells the tale of a young woman who travels to Siam (now known as Thailand) to tutor the children of a king. Although the real-life Anna—the "I" in "The King and I"—was only in her late 20s at the time of her adventure, the role has traditionally been played by slightly older women.
"Gertrude Lawrence originally commissioned Rodgers and Hammerstein to write the musical so she could play the role of Anna," says musical director and musical supervisor Kevin Farrell. Lawrence was in her 50s at the time, and the Broadway musical was a smash hit. "Once an actor and a role are linked like that," says Farrell, "it shapes the way the role is played in the future."
However, he notes, there is some leeway: Deborah Kerr was in her mid-30s when she played the part in the 1956 film, while Sandy Duncan was 58 when she assumed the role of Anna in 2004 (at the beginning of the current tour). And Yul Brynner was only 36 when he landed his part on Broadway in 1951, but he continued touring as King Mongkut of Siam, on and off, well into his 60s.
Performers in "The King and I" must be great actors and amazing singers, but dancing skills aren't crucial—except for the ensemble members who perform in the "Small House of Uncle Thomas" number, who must have strong ballet technique. Apart from Anna, her son, and British envoy Sir Edward Ramsey, all of the roles are intended for Asian performers.
According to Farrell, the hardest part to cast is "Lady Thiang, who has to be a superb legit mezzo soprano to sing 'Something Wonderful.' " Also tricky: The show requires "around 10 or 11 kids, from very young children to actors in their teens."
And, he says, "All the actors have the tough job of living up to people's memories of past productions," so they need to be extraordinary performers in order to fulfill fond remembrances. Farrell is especially pleased that producer Chris Manos gave him a 19-piece orchestra on "King," allowing actors to sing with full accompaniment.
Since Farrell is working on the national tour of "Evita" simultaneously with "The King and I," he isn't always available on set. When he's away, Kep Kaeppeler and Elaine Davidson handle the musical direction of "King" and "Evita," respectively. However, he tries to attend as many auditions as he can, and works with new performers whenever a principal replacement is made in the cast.
When auditioning, Farrell encourages actors to sing a song from the show, but, he cautions, "if a performer is singing a song from a different show, they can put it in whatever key they'd like. But if they're using a song from the show, it's important that they use the key that's actually being performed in the production. And they shouldn't assume that the sheet music they've bought is in the correct key. That's a common mistake. They need to double-check against the genuine score itself."
—Luke Thomas Crowe
Little Shop of Horrors National Tour
National tour opening: Aug. 10, 2004.
This is the only tour out. Performers can submit photos and resumes to Bernard Telsey Casting, 145 West 28th St., 12th floor, New York, NY 10001. Mark the show and role in which you are interested on the envelope.
Bernard Telsey Casting was responsible for the Broadway casting of the recent revival of "Little Shop of Horrors," and it continues to supply the show with Seymours and Audreys as it ventures out on tour. Casting director Bernie Telsey states that the traveling version is maintaining the same concept that director Jerry Zaks instilled on Broadway.
"Jerry was not involved in the original Off-Broadway production, but you know what? He loved that production, so there are some of the same qualities in his version. As a result, there are certain niches that performers have to fit into. And the performers in 'Little Shop' need big voices, and a sense of humor."
When one of his shows goes on the road, Telsey and his associates are never too far behind: "We do go see shows periodically when new people go in. I just came back from Florida, where I checked in with the 'Hairspray' tour, with six new principals. You want to see the end result of what performers do, since you were part of that creative process."
From Telsey's perspective, it's much harder to cast tours than New York-based shows: "With a tour, you're looking for people who can commit to a long run, who don't mind being on the road. And in the back of your mind, you know that the theatres that these people are going to have to fill are much bigger than Broadway houses. Doesn't mean we're looking for bigger voices, but we're looking for people who can hold 2,000- to 3,000-seat venues."
If you didn't know that "Little Shop" was on tour, Telsey suggests that you may need to do more research: "That's part of your job as an actor. You're a detective; you have to find out what's casting, so that if you're not going to get an appointment and you want an appointment, you have to figure out how to get an appointment. If I was the actor, I would think that my job would be to get an audition for everything that I'm possibly right for, so I would ask myself, 'How do I do that?' "
—Elias Stimac
Evita National Tour
National tour opening: Nov. 5, 2004.
The tour runs through December 2005 under an Equity Special Agreement contract. An Equity chorus call for replacements will be held in late February and future auditions will be scheduled as needed. Headshots and resumes can be sent to Dave Clemmons Casting, 265 West 30th St., New York, NY 10001 (unsolicited videos and demos are not accepted). Actors may request to be kept on file for a specific project or role (write the project name and role on the envelope). Self-submission does not guarantee an audition.
Don't cry for the latest incarnation of Andrew Lloyd Webber and Tim Rice's "Evita"—it's in good hands. Much celebrated director Hal Prince has returned to re-create and tweak his original staging of the pop opera that first opened in London in 1978 and on Broadway in 1979. According to Webber's Really Useful Group, Prince has managed "the entire creative process, including casting, rehearsals, and set design." Also along for the ride: original choreographer Larry Fuller (now co-directing as well) and inaugural set and costume designer Timothy O'Brien.
"I've done all the major tours of 'Evita,' " says musical director and musical supervisor Kevin Farrell. "I did one of the nationals way back when, the bus and truck, the '92 and '98, and now this one." But this is his first opportunity to work with Prince on the show, and he feels the production benefits from the vision of Fuller and Prince.
Farrell advises thespians to do their homework seriously before auditioning: "I can say with confidence that Andrew Lloyd Webber does not want his songs sung in a different key. You just don't do it. You walk in being able to sing the songs in the exact keys found in the original score."
Even if an actor chooses to audition with something from a different musical, she should have her material extremely well organized: "Like any business, it's a competition. You want to be as good as the guy next to you. You've got software now that can put music into any key—you know, just push a button—so if you just have some chicken scratch someone wrote out for you with a couple of chords scribbled down, and you say to the accompanist, 'Just do it in this key,' while the guy next to you has the music printed out nicely and it's already in the correct key, well, that person—who may not be as good of a singer as you—he now has the leg up. Because he was better prepared."
It's not just about talent, Farrell stresses. An actor's craft, professionalism, and commitment are important concerns. "If you get a script," he says, launching into a final example, "and one guy spends all night woodshedding the script, and the other guy says, 'Gee, I was too busy with my job, and I only had a chance to glance at it'—well, what's going to happen? The guy who did the work will usually win."
However, he sees a new trend forming in the acting community: "I have to say, many of the people who come in to audition these days are so good it's scary. Especially in New York, where, almost invariably, people have done their homework. They know what they're going to sing, what the shows are, what their vocal range is—everything. As opposed to maybe 20 years ago, where the person who was really prepared made you go, 'Wow!" But now it's the opposite—someone who hasn't done the work really sticks out like a sore thumb. It definitely makes the competition fiercer, but it's good for the industry."
—Luke Thomas Crowe
Disney's On the Record National Tour
National tour opening: Nov. 19, 2004.
The open-ended tour is fully cast. Replacements will be sought as needed.
According to Eric Woodall of Tara Rubin Casting, this revue of songs from Disney films requires "four onstage men and four onstage women and two offstage swings of each sex. They have to be first-rate singers, first-rate dancers, and great actors. The show takes place in a recording studio and the actors pop in and out of the reality of the songs."
If future replacements are required, Woodall says that performers "need to prepare a Broadway-style song in the style of Disney, as well as something that really shows them off well in terms of personality and range. The score features over 60 songs from Disney shows and movies that are woven into a story."
Notices for Equity principal auditions and chorus calls, which ran in Back Stage in late March-early April 2004, stated that the roles required strong singers who are great with harmony and comfortable with many styles.
—David Sheward
Peter Pan National Tour
National tour opening: Dec. 14, 2004.
There are no further casting calls scheduled, but the tour is currently booked into July. This is the only tour out. For updates, visit http://home.mindspring.com/~florescasting/.
With flying children, pirates, Indians, and Lost Boys, casting can be quite a challenge for this production of "Peter Pan."
"John Darling is just 48 inches and Michael Darling"—who is sometimes played by a girl—"has to be smaller than that," says casting director Julia Flores of two roles for children. "We look for kids who can still sing in the upper register. That's sometimes hard for John," says musical director Craig Barna of a character who is 12 years old, an age when the voice may start to change.
The Lost Boys are played by adults, no taller than 5 feet 5 inches, with dancing, singing, and tumbling skills and who need to sound like children. "There is a difference between being able to sing soprano and being able to convey youth," stresses Barna. "If you can get away with conveying youth, the vocal requirements of singing everything in the upper register are not so critical. So you sort of have to look at the whole package."
To audition, all actors should prepare to sing 16 bars and read from sides. "Pirates and Indians don't sing or read until I know they can dance," says Flores. "They go through a dance call first, and then they sing and read. But with all the other roles, they sing and they read and if there is any movement required with their roles, they move a little bit."
"We encourage them to sing something that is appropriate for their character," says Flores, noting that the role of Smee is a character type who does not need a legit Broadway sound, while Mr. Darling is a baritone who also plays Captain Hook. "We're looking for people who are triple threats," says Barna, recommending that performers always continue to hone their musical skills.
For the children, Barna looks for those with focus, and stresses choosing age-appropriate songs: "Even though vocally demanding songs may convey a lot of talent, it doesn't show a lot of what the actor at that age can bring on stage—and that's what we need to see." Children should be able to carry a tune—with the emphasis on acting ability. "Do not coach them, " says Flores. "Let them be themselves."
Performers who have auditioned before are welcome, says Flores, but those who cannot make the dance cut are not seen in callbacks. But most importantly, come prepared.
"We do everything we can to take the power out of our hands and put it into the actors'," says Flores, who has casting information posted on her website. "I'm all about empowering my actors, but they have to take the time and make the effort to follow through with that."
—Grace Yen
Annie National Tour
National tour opening: Aug. 23, 2005.
EPA and chorus auditions will be held in New York beginning the week of Feb. 14 and continuing through May. Auditions will be announced in Back Stage and agent submissions are accepted. Photos and resumes may be sent Attn: "Annie" Casting, NETworks Casting, 19552 Club House Rd., Montgomery Village, MD 20886.
The original creative team of "Annie"—Charles Strouse (music), Thomas Meehan (book), and Martin Charnin (lyrics and direction)—has been tinkering with the show since its Broadway debut in 1977, and will do so again for an upcoming national tour set to debut in Seattle, once again directed by Charnin. Among the changes to be expected is the addition of a new song written for Daddy Warbucks. This time, however, the team declares it will be the last revision.
The cast consists of 27 actors: eight children, six principals, and 13 ensemble members, plus one male and one female swing. The casting department is looking for actors and singers who can move well. The child who plays Molly may be asked to perform gymnastics. The ensemble must have the flexibility to play multiple roles. All vocal ranges are needed.
Casting director Tricia Gentry explains how the show's physical limitations have changed for actors since the original production: "In the original, there wasn't a man under 6 feet tall, nor a woman under 5 feet 8 inches, because children look like children longer when they're surrounded by a tall cast. But now the rule is that all adults not be shorter than 5 feet 4 inches."
Gentry extends the director's call for multicultural actors: "Martin emphasized that people of all ethnicities are encouraged to attend. He is very interested in seeing different ethnic groups."
As soon as actors walk into an audition, Gentry immediately begins taking notes on how they conduct themselves: "I look at how they treat the pianist, how they handle themselves coming in the door, everything. Nothing impresses me more than a person who is comfortable in their own skin and honestly lets me see who they are. When you have a sense of who a person is, you can vote more comfortably in their favor. That alone can lead them into a callback."
To actors who suffer from audition jitters, Gentry advises that the best way to learn how to relax is to attend as many auditions as possible.
Selecting appropriate audition music is another essential to making a good impression: "Pick a standard musical-theatre piece with 16 measures that will show your acting ability as well as your range. Martin likes to hear an entire song because he wants to see what the actor does with it—and he especially loves comedy."
Gentry offers a final tip on headshots: "It can be disappointing when someone who is using a glam shot arrives looking like they made very little effort. The same goes for old photos. The actor should match their photo. Look the way you'd usually look when you take your headshots."
—Phoebe Kmeck