For this year's annual spotlight on singing and music, Back Stage takes a look at an amazing number of musicals—38 in all—that are either currently running, about to be running, or announced to be running soon on and Off-Broadway, with an eye toward filling you in on what you need to know in order to get cast in one of them. (The dance show "Movin' Out" is not included because, with the exception of one performer, has no vocal requirements.) 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 semi-annual chorus calls and annual calls for principal auditions 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. Shows are listed by order of their opening date.
Long Runs - 19 Shows
Forbidden Broadway: 20th Anniversary Celebration
Off-Broadway Opening: Feb. 25, 1982.
The producers hold casting calls about every two months.
Surprisingly, the longest running show Off-Broadway is also the most up to date. Gerard Alessandrini's brilliant musical satire of The Great White Way has succeeded for so long partly due to the fact that it is constantly being revised. As smash hits come and go, "Forbidden Broadway" is there to spoof them every step of the way, then makes way for the next crop of big shows to come along.
It all started as a cabaret show at Palsson's Supper Club 21 years ago, remembers Alessandrini. "It was located at 72nd and Broadway. If you think back to 1982, Midtown's theatre district was so depressed that people were very happy to get out of there and see theatre somewhere else. But nowadays, most everybody wants to see shows in the theatre district." And that's right where "Forbidden Broadway" has landed after playing at a few interim NYC venues (as well as Boston, L.A., Chicago, and even Tokyo). Audiences can now catch them on Theatre Row at the Douglas Fairbanks Theatre.
"Forbidden" features four performers who do a variety of familiar stage characters over the evening, which often springboards them into roles in legit shows just like the ones they are spoofing. Due to the high turnover, Alessandrini and company are always looking for fresh talent. "This can be a very good showcase. Often our performers will get other offers while doing the show, and they leave. So we're constantly auditioning."
Alessandrini looks for several key traits when finding performers who can handle two-dozen roles a night.
"The first thing is, they have to have a strong voice. Doing all those different roles, they have to have a very versatile and strong instrument. They also need to be funny. I don't know if an actor can be taught to be funny, or if it's just inherent, but it's something you can just sort of tell right away."
Another major requirement is a knack for performing the various styles of musical theatre. "I don't mean doing imitations, because that you can always somewhat teach somebody. It's more about having enough knowledge of musicals. Our show covers everything from opera and Richard Rodgers to 'Rent' and 'Mamma Mia!' What they really need is a good sense of history of musical theatre, and a lot of experience doing these different kinds of shows. If they only do pop singing, or if they only do the traditional type of signing, they're not going to be able to do 'Forbidden Broadway.' They really have to be able to go back and forth."
The producer has no problem seeing nonunion and youthful performers, and often remembers them for future openings. "It's like we have a little casting agency of our own. We're very good about keeping people on file, and calling them back. Bryan Batt auditioned for the show in the '90s, and he was too young at the time. But we kept his picture and kept tabs on him while he was doing 'Cats' and 'Jeffrey,' and when he came back, he knew exactly how to do our show."
—Elias Stimac
Les Misérables
Broadway Opening: March 12, 1987.
The Broadway production of "Les Misérables" will close March 15. The touring company will continue to June and go out again in the fall. Casting director Jamibeth Margolis accepts resumes on an ongoing basis c/o Cameron Mackintosh, Inc.
For Dale Reiling, musical supervisor of "Les Misérables," what catches his eye is someone who can really connect to the material and make it sound personal. " 'Les Miz' is populated with people. What we really want is people to bring their own personal experiences to the character."
There is no need to prepare monologues for an audition. Singing material from the show is reserved for the callback. Casting director Jamibeth Margolis recommends people sing musical theatre pieces in the style of the show, which in the case of "Les Misérables" is contemporary musical theatre. "We ask them to choose music that they feel really shows off their voice, their range, their acting." Performers should, however, prepare full songs for auditions arranged by appointment. "Because that is what 'Les Miz' is about," says Reiling. "It's telling a story. We tend not to like those short, 32-bar cuttings of a song because you ultimately leave out steps in the storytelling."
While finding the right vocal type is important, so is finding somebody who is the embodiment of the character. Non-traditional casting, as in the role of Eponine, opens the role up to a wide range.
In looking at resumes, training and experience are important, but Reiling prefers using it more as an aid. "Sometimes, especially in an open call or for someone who we've never seen before, it might just tell us some information that might not be readily apparent in the audition," says Reiling.
To prepare for an audition, Margolis stresses people should come with more music in their books in case they're asked to sing additional songs. "Preparation means having your music well presented for the accompanist so that you're not standing at the piano for ages explaining it. You're going to have it all laid out nicely in a binder so it doesn't fall off the piano. Know exactly what you're going to sing, so you can show that you're a good musician all the way around."
As to mistakes performers might make at an audition, Reiling feels that sometimes a performer's anxiety and self-doubt can lead him or her to overcompensate. "It's very difficult to audition in New York," says Reiling. "Everybody's a good singer. You have to stand outside in the hall and you get to listen to everybody sing—and it can kind of freak you out. It can, if you let it, call you off your mark. You start to think, 'I have to go in there now and sing louder, bigger, better, fuller, with a better belt or a better mix than the person did before.' Ultimately, that's not what it's about. But that's human nature more than a huge mistake."
—Grace Yen
The Phantom of the Opera
Broadway Opening: Jan. 26, 1988.
Auditions were just held the third week of January. Casting director Jamibeth Margolis accepts resumes on an ongoing basis c/o Cameron Mackintosh, Inc. There is no touring company out.
One of the experiences of working on a long-running production is the opportunity to see many performers return over the years to try again for a spot in the show.
In casting "The Phantom of the Opera," Kristen Blodgette, the associate musical supervisor, has seen people who have previously auditioned return several times over the past 15 years—and it is not something she discourages. "I honor that, and respect that they have the tenacity to come back. It's wonderful to see how people have grown over this period of time." Casting director Jamibeth Margolis can attest to that as well. "I have so many stories of people who have auditioned for our shows, over the years, three or four times, and then get in the show. There is value in being persistent."
For singers to audition, "Phantom" seeks legit musical theatre performers who will be asked to read sides. Blodgette advises performers to come in with a good up-tune and a good ballad prepared. Not only should they bring their books, but have ready a wide array of excerpts of material to demonstrate vocal type and personality. "Sometimes they come in and have chosen something just brilliant and perfect for the audition, and then we'll think, 'Hmmm, who are they really?' And what do they have that's completely different than that and might be totally inappropriate for our show, but will show us a little bit of who they are."
Learning something new for a specific audition is not advisable, says Blodgette. "I think they should really sing something that is very comfortable for them and that they like. I think it is audible and visible if they like what they're doing—and that makes a big difference. If they're learning something new and come in singing it for the first time, I think that it is dangerous. Some people can pull it off, but I'm not convinced that it's doable."
How they relate to other people in the room is also an important factor. For Blodgette, most specifically, it's the rapport between the accompanist and auditionee. "I think that it's crucial because that relationship gives us a window into what you are like to work with. If ever the auditionee doesn't think [the accompanist] did the best job playing the material, depending on how they handle that, that's sort of an important moment to see what [the auditionee] is like."
But what is also important to Blodgette is making the audition process a less stressful one for the performer. "It doesn't matter if someone forgets the lyric in the middle of the song, or if they crack on the final high note. I don't care a wit. Usually, I go back and say, 'Do you want to do that high note again?' because I don't ever want anyone to leave feeling anything but good about the way they just walked into a room. It's very important to me. This business is discouraging enough without going into auditions coming away feeling like less than when you walked in."
—Grace Yen
Beauty and the Beast
Broadway Opening: April 18, 1994.
No auditions are currently scheduled. Casting director Jay Binder also accepts resumes on an ongoing basis. There is one touring company out.
No auditions may be currently scheduled, but the need for replacements does arise. "It's kind of as needed," explains Sarah Prosser of Binder Casting. Prosser says that files are kept and consulted when the need for a replacement arises, both for the Broadway production and for the national tour.
She looks at resumes closely. "I keep an eye open for training, what teachers a performer has worked with, and for Broadway and regional credits." There are usually several callbacks. "As those go along, we will probably ask for specific songs from the show."
For "Beauty and the Beast," singers should have "a legitimate Broadway musical sound," says Prosser. "We initially like to hear numbers that are not from the show, but give us an idea of what you can do." Performers should always have additional pieces ready that highlight their full range. Prosser suggests seeing the show before auditioning in order "to have an idea of the style of acting, singing, and movement the show calls for."
As with most major Broadway musical hits, performers need to be triple threats. They will most likely read sides—for auditions by appointment they will have received these in advance—as well as sing, and are expected to move well, showing an ability to catch on quickly to what they are taught.
The most common mistake Prosser sees in auditions is a performer being unprepared—not having seen the show or not having followed the requirements laid out as to the style being sought for a given role. Not coming across as being able to work well within a company setting is another no-no.
Of course, the exact opposite of each of these traits—being prepared, knowing the show, tailoring one's musical selections and style to what was asked for, and being cooperative—all heighten one's chances of landing the role.
Prosser says that performers who've tried out before are welcome to try out again, and if someone leaves and returns, "We'll be happy to look into working with them again." Her colleague, Laura Stanczyk, has noted that since Binder Casting works with several major Broadway musical hits, at times a child performer from "Beauty and the Beast" or "The Lion King" may outgrow his or her role and be considered for a somewhat older role in another show requiring a replacement.
—Esther Tolkoff
Rent
Broadway Opening: April 29, 1996.
A chorus call will be held on Mon., Feb. 10 and EPAs will be held on Thurs., Feb. 20, both at Chelsea Studios. There is no touring company out.
"It's definitely a cast of young people, and multicultural in a big way," says casting director Bernard Telsey. "The whole show is sung, so voices are the primary asset for this rock score. And for the principals, individual personality has to go along with a big rock voice."
Musical director Henry Aronson specifies some of the qualities needed besides the rock sound. "Most of the women, in addition to a good range, need to be able to belt. And some of the men's parts are at least a lyric baritone, and go pretty high. But all the people need the phrasing and attack of a rock style."
Telsey points out that " 'Rent' has the tiniest ensemble, so it's very important that all the ensemble people can also cover the principal roles. It isn't really like a chorus." There are no special physical types, or special dance abilities—"all sizes and shapes, but young!"
Aronson and Telsey both stress the importance of being ready and prepared at an audition. "Have your sheet music, know the right key for your voice," says Aronson. And always be ready with back-up material if the casting people want to hear more.
"We also want to feel the actors are doing their homework," says Telsey. "They should know something about the show. They should listen to the score. They should dress in something that not only makes them look great, but makes them look right for the part."
In choosing material to sing at an audition, Telsey advises, "Sing something that really shows off your range—preferably a song from the show, or else a song that matches the kind of song in the show we're casting for. Actors' voices sound different depending upon the material they choose, so you have to show us what you can do to help us determine the next step."
Regarding open calls, Telsey adds, "Although these calls are for specific shows, even if you're not right for that show, it's still a good way to be heard by our staff."
—Ira J. Bilowit
I Love You, You're Perfect, Now Change
Off-Broadway Opening: Aug. 1, 1996.
Auditions are held every 3-5 months.
Casting director Amy Schecter reports, "Somebody just left the show, so I just held an audition a few weeks ago. We hold auditions every three to five months, either when we are looking to make our files bigger, or when somebody is actually leaving."
Schecter works together with Stuart Howard and Howard Meltzer on various casting assignments, and has been personally focused on "I Love You" from the beginning. "I think it's been like six or seven years—it's forever!"
What do Schecter and her colleagues look for when finding the "perfect" combination of two men and two women that the show requires? "It's very simple—people in their 30s who can sing really well, and are funny. Actors in their 40s don't work as well for the show, because it's about a continuum of dating, getting together, getting married, and all of that, so younger is better."
As far as what auditionees should prepare, Schecter states, "We're actually very clear about that. For this show, performers should prepare a contemporary comic up-tune. We like to be surprised, but whatever the actor feels comfortable with is what's going to be the best for them. And every performer should have more than one song ready to sing, just in case the composer—who's usually there—needs something different.
"Also, the performers need to have a lot of musical credits. It's almost a sung-through show, so you can't just be a good singer, you have to be a really, really terrific singer. And some shows are different, but in this case, they don't have to know songs from show."
If actors have already seen the show, Schecter suggests people avoid the urge to copy the performances. "This show doesn't work very well with cookie-cutters. Everybody has to be themselves. I think actors should be who they are to the best of their ability, and if that fits what we need, then they have a job. If it doesn't, I don't care how great they are, it's not going to happen."
Schecter knows that actors are often nervous during tryouts, and doesn't blame them. "Auditions are horrible for everybody. Unfortunately, there's no better way to do this. Of course, we want everybody who walks in the door to be fabulous, and when they're not, we're disappointed. And the actors want to be great, too. So they should do whatever they can do to make themselves more comfortable."
Although the casting team doesn't formally hold open calls for the show, actors without representation are welcome to mail in their pictures and resumes. "If the actors say they are specifically interested in this show, I keep their headshots in the file. In fact, on my desk right now is my pile of 'let's see if we want to see these people next' headshots."
—Elias Stimac
Chicago
Broadway Opening: Nov. 14, 1996.
Audition/casting for replacements will take place in April or May 2003. There is no touring company out.
Howie Cherpakov, "Chicago" 's casting director, emphasizes that performers must be triple-threats, but the first and most important threat involves flicking your feet.
"The initial barometer is dancing," Cherpakov says. "If you can't dance, it doesn't matter how well you can sing or act."
The casting director also points out, "Everybody in the show sings. There's no singing chorus or dancing chorus; it's all the same people. So you have to bring something vocally to the table—especially the women. In the 'Cell Block Tango,' there are just five women; so if you have two or three that can't sing, you're in trouble."
Asked what kind of performers he'll be looking for, Cherpakov observes, "We're looking for all types, really. The director, Walter Bobbie, likes to feel there's something for everyone in the audience: all ethnicities, all types, all ages." That includes all sizes, too, ranging from the big, muscled guy to the tiny girl.
The key, notes Cherpakov, is to possess an electric talent. "We want strong, individual personalities. They're all very singular personas who come together as one very strong ensemble."
Because of that, the casters don't simply clone an exiting performer with a look-alike. "We don't just replace the people in the show with the same physicality or ethnicity," he states. "Just because we had a short, Hispanic woman in the role doesn't mean we'll repeat that. We may find a tall, Asian woman. It depends on the person's talent, and also who's in the company at the time. We've had times when we've loved two people in the audition, but said we don't want to see both on stage because they look like the same person. We don't want to be redundant."
As for music in the audition, Cherpakov says, "You can use any contemporary musical theatre that's not pop-rock. A lot of people sing selections from the show, and that's okay. Other Kander and Ebb material is perfectly analogous to the show. You want what shows your voice off well, what shows your range within the musical framework of the show. We don't want operetta, and we don't want 'Rent.' "
What advice can Cherpakov provide to help the young performer in giving a good audition?
"I see a lot of people come in who aren't prepared, which is sort of shocking," he says. "It's important to learn your material. Make sure your music is marked correctly. If we say 16 bars, you should know what 16 bars are, and have your music marked to show your best 16 bars. Make sure your headshot and resume are together and professional and neat. You'd be surprised how many people waste so much audition time with the technicalities of auditioning, which are things they should be fluid with. If you have people who are not confident in their auditioning skills, it makes you nervous about hiring them. It reflects back on their discipline and work ethic. A lot of people shoot themselves in the foot at the audition because they appear undisciplined."
—Roger Armbrust
The Lion King
Broadway Opening: Nov. 13, 1997.
No auditions are currently scheduled. There is one touring company out.
"We describe what we'd like to hear and people should pay attention to that," says Sarah Prosser, an associate at Binder Casting. She suggests that performers should prepare a contemporary or rock number for their initial audition. Potential principals should sing something from the show.
In fact, she notes that it is very important for anyone auditioning to have seen this particular show, because it has its own distinctive style and elements. Non-principals are always watched with an eye towards whether or not they can understudy, so they should be prepared to sing anything a principal might.
"I also think it's important for performers to have more than one piece prepared for any audition," she adds, "in case they're asked to display a completely different style." Choosing the wrong material is one of the most common mistakes made by performers who audition for the show unsuccessfully.
The company is very large and there is a national touring company, as well as several overseas companies.
"This is a very rainbow show, so 'type' is not as much of an issue as in many other shows," musical director Joseph Church has told Back Stage. "There's a lot of South African music in the show and there is a network of South African performers that seek us out or are recommended to us. There are master classes given in South African music, so other people can certainly study that as well."
Church has pointed out that performers "need to be able to manipulate puppets. We ask them to do so during callbacks. We usually have several callbacks before making a choice." Potential cast members also have to be able to perform while wearing masks.
Movement skills are important, too. Those auditioning will be shown African dance steps they are expected to be able to master.
Prosser and Church have both indicated that they look for performers who can act a song. Church has advised performers to choose material that "not only matches the show, but presents both your acting and singing talent to your best advantage."
Prosser adds that acrobatic skills are also important for "The Lion King." As with all shows, she emphasizes, "We do look at unsolicited head shots sent in and we do keep files. I look at training—where people chose to study—previous experience, and the skills we need for this show." And people who have auditioned in the past are definitely welcome to do so again.
—Esther Tolkoff
Cabaret
Broadway Opening: March 19, 1998.
No auditions are currently scheduled. There is no touring company out.
With all the entertainment world's attention right now on "Chicago"—whether on stage or film, it's arguably the most successful Kander and Ebb musical in history—it's important to remember that another work by the pair, "Cabaret," is still on Broadway as well. That Rob Marshall, the behind-the-camera wizard for "Chicago," also co-directed and choreographed "Cabaret" makes it all the more important that performers auditioning to be replacements in the show know precisely what they have to do to land the gig.
And they have to do quite a lot, as Jeremy Rich, casting associate to casting director Jim Carnahan, points out. Unlike, say, what they're on the lookout for at "Thoroughly Modern Millie"—just your run-of-the-mill "triple threat"—the concept of "Cabaret" necessitates the casting of an entirely new skill level: the "quadruple threat."
Putting it simply, "Cabaret" needs "performers who can play instruments, performers who can sing, and performers who can dance—and then, hopefully, performers who also may be able to talk in the process."
But first and foremost, he says, they look for performers who play a musical instrument. All other considerations derive from possessing that skill and proving it.
"That's the starting point, but then, casting 'Cabaret' has always been a process. Fortunately, it hasn't gotten more complicated with time because we've seen so many people and we know so many people who can do this show, have done this show, and are out there." He notes that in the year or so since the national tour ended, the production has "a little bit of a pool available for us to draw upon." Still, he says, "we're always searching for new talent anyway, which is why the required calls we do every six months are great."
Here's how the audition works: First, "you come in and play your own piece." If you pass muster—you and they will know it pronto—next comes a testing of your vocal chops. "We want to hear what sounds best in your range, so don't sing something you wouldn't ordinarily sing. Sing what you know; be who you are."
—Leonard Jacobs
Naked Boys Singing!
Off-Broadway Opening: July 22, 1999.
In addition to auditioning at EPAs, interested actors can submit photos and resumes directly to casting director Alan Filderman.
From the title alone, actors can probably figure out that "Naked Boys Singing!" will have slightly different audition requirements than most other musicals. But performers don't have to actually take off anything until the final dance callback for the hit show, according to casting director Alan Filderman. It doesn't hurt, however, to prepare oneself for the possibility.
"For this particular show, it's a mistake to come and audition without having seen the show and without knowing that you're willing to do it. A lot of guys try out and say, 'Oh, yeah, I have no problem, and then they see the show and they say, 'Oh, I couldn't do that!' So it's a mistake to audition for the show without seeing it first and without being sure you can do it."
According to the most recent audition notice, the cast for "Naked" consists of eight men (plus two swings) in their early 20s to late 30s who are "excellent singers who move very well, all types; all must be very attractive and willing to be completely nude throughout the entire show."
Filderman adds that there are other requirements for particular roles. "There are a couple of roles that definitely require comic timing. There's one role where the actor talks to the audience, so he has to have a nice audience rapport. And there are a couple of roles where dancing is much more important than for others. So there are different requirements for different roles."
When getting ready to try out for the show, Filderman suggests that performers prepare certain types of songs. "We say contemporary Broadway, an upbeat and a ballad. Then, at callbacks, we look to have our original impressions reinforced."
The hit musical has been running for over three years at the Actor's Playhouse since moving here from Los Angeles, and has also found success beyond New York. "There are local sit-down companies in cities like Chicago, Key West, and San Francisco, but they're cast locally."
Off-Broadway's "Boys" has had its share of cast turnover over the years, so the chances of getting into the show are actually pretty good. "Altogether, we've probably had about 30-40 actors in this show at this point. We usually have auditions when somebody gives his notice. If we don't have someone in our files to go to, we will hold another set of auditions."
In between auditions, the casting director does encourage interested performers to submit their photos and resumes. "Anybody who's ever had any interest in being in the show should get me a picture and resume, because I literally see everybody who expresses interest in being in the show. I mean, if someone says they want to audition for this, they basically get seen. This is a long-running show where I say it definitely does pay off to get a picture and resume to the casting director saying that you are interested in auditioning for 'Naked Boys Singing!,' because they will get seen."
—Elias Stimac
The Donkey Show
Off-Broadway Opening: Aug. 18, 1999.
Auditions for replacements and understudies are held on a regular basis.
After three-and-a-half years, plenty of playgoers are still flocking to see "The Donkey Show," a disco retelling of "A Midsummer Night's Dream" at the Club El Flamingo. Diane Paulus and Randy Weiner, the show's creators and co-directors, cast all types of unique performers in their musical extravaganza—deejays, roller skaters, cross dressers. Even personalities such as Robin Byrd and Stuttering John have gotten into the act.
Weiner relates, "Every one of the roles in 'The Donkey Show' is idiosyncratic. The deejay has to be a real deejay. We have celebrity hosts. We have a doorman who acts as Mr. Oberon's personal security guard. We have a 'Disco Girl,' who is a swing, an understudy, and she also helps move the crowd during scene changes. And we have a roller skater who's named 'Dr. Wheelgood.' He doesn't say a word, but skates like crazy, and he passes out illicit substances that create all the problems in 'A Midsummer Night's Dream'—he's our Puck."
In the case of "The Donkey Show," it's difficult to give out a plot or character breakdown for the quirky project without giving away some secrets. Paulus offers one way for performers to prepare for an audition: "I want to make a big point that I think it's incredibly important that people see the show, because it's such an unusual show. It's the best way to understand what were looking for. It helps performers so much to see the show, rather than try to explain it."
Weiner adds, "It's pretty amazing how many things go on during the show. We say that even though the show is only an hour and 10 minutes, we've packed about five hours of shows into it, because everyone's on all the time—there's no offstage! That's a big thing we look for when we're auditioning people. We need people who are incredibly high energy, who want to interact with an audience. Everyone's goal in the arts is to touch an audience, and in our show, you literally touch the audience. So it's very important that you have the right spirit and you are communicating the feeling of the show, which is a lot about love."
Auditionees should bring a pop or disco song, and be prepared to show their stuff on the dance floor. Weiner explains, "Everyone learns the 'Bus Stop' dance from 'Saturday Night Fever' to show if they are quick at picking up choreography. Then we do a 'Soul Train,' which is sort of the hallmark of the Randy Weiner/Diane Paulus audition. Dancers line up on each side, and they come down one at a time to show their moves, show their personality, show how they work the crowd, and how comfortable they are with their bodies. So, by the end of the audition, we create this strange little party."
The party will continue with a karaoke version of "The Comedy of Errors," which the creative partners are currently casting for an upcoming run.
—Elias Stimac
Aida
Broadway Opening: March 23, 2000.
Equity required Principal and Ensemble auditions coming in February. Casting director Bernard Telsey also currently needs an Aida standby. Photos and resumes are accepted on an ongoing basis. There is one touring company out.
"The whole score is Elton John and a definite rock sound is needed. For the three principals—Aida, Amneris, and Radames—you have to have a huge pop vocal sound, a lot of voice, and a really big range," says casting director Bernard Telsey.
He also emphasizes the importance of acting skills. And for the other principals, like Zoser and Mereb, even though the vocal skills may be less important, you still have to have a rock sound.
Aida's vocal requirements are the most varied—she sings ballads, gospel, and legit. She needs a wide range with a high belt, preferably an F, but still needs to have warmth. Amneris is described as a second soprano-alto, with the same warmth and belt as Aida, and also has to sing high harmony. The male roles of Radames and Zoser require the range of a tenor with the warmth of a baritone.
Telsey reiterates the importance of acting skills. "There's a lot of dialogue in the show, so they really have to be strong actors. And Aida needs to have stature and bearing—a sense of authority."
The needs of the ensemble are different, says Telsey. "It's dance first, with singing a close second. It's a small ensemble, but it's a very hard dance show." No special physical or acrobatic skills needed for the ensemble. And Telsey points out, "It's a beautiful looking show, very big on color-blind casting."
There is a lot of harmony in the ensemble, so it's important that they have a rock 'n' roll sensibility about them and are comfortable with the music.
Telsey offers some advice to performers on how to give a good audition: "Come with a sense of who the character is, to help us place you in the role. Dress character-appropriate. That doesn't mean a costume—I still want to see you as an individual. And know the material, so that if we ask you to do something with the material, you'll be able to do it."
—Ira J. Bilowit
The Producers
Broadway Opening: April 19, 2001.
No auditions are currently scheduled. The most recent round of EPAs occurred in November and December. There is one touring company out and a second going into rehearsal in April.
"Traditional" theatrical singers with a 1940s-50s Broadway sound are the order of the day for "The Producers," according to casting director Tara Rubin and musical director Patrick S. Brady.
But sober-sided vocalists need not apply.
"Mostly, we need people that have a great comic sensibility," says Rubin.
Brady concurs: "The funnier the better. If someone does a really funny audition that sticks in our minds, then we try to find a place for them, because they seem special. And they seem—as we say—'of the world of Mel Brooks.' You know, some people just don't belong in that world, it seems."
Although "The Producers" has proved to be the biggest thing to happen in Broadway musicals in years, the cast is actually relatively small: seven men and nine women. All ensemble members are required to sing, dance, and act. Many are also required to cover principal roles. All members of the cast need to be "absolutely triple threats," says Brady. "The greatest singers, if they can't move, there's no way in a [Susan] Stroman show. You've got to be able to know your right foot from your left foot."
Of the seven men, four tend to be young dance specialists, while four are older, character-actor types. All men should be able to sing "a solid G," and there's a special need for a "Ziegfeld-style" tenor to sing "Springtime for Hitler." According to Brady, "The guy should sound like he's in love with the sound of his own voice. Very purple consonants—a little bit over the top, but not jokey."
The women should have "a very high belt and a strong mix." Since some of the production numbers have the rich flavor of a Hollywood-movie musical chorus, there's a call for sopranos with a truly "legit" sound.
For audition material, Brady not surprisingly suggests a song that will show an actor's comic flair. Some auditionees have successfully used non-comic songs with humorously altered lyrics. But other performers don't seem to understand that they're auditioning for the most celebrated laugh riot on the planet. "I'm always amazed at the men who come in and sing the last 16 bars of 'Why Can't I Walk Away?' It does, indeed, show off the voice, but it says nothing about the person we're dealing with."
Brady also pays attention to how auditionees treat their accompanist. Some will walk into the room and shake hands with everyone in sight—except the pianist.
"They will barely say hello. They will not give a clear count off. Your best friend in that room is the pianist. And you should be suckin' up to him like crazy."
—Mark Dundas Wood
42nd Street
Broadway Opening: May 2, 2001.
No auditions are currently scheduled. The most recent Equity call was held in November. There is no touring company out.
In view of the large cast this production has, "We do look at our files," says Sarah Prosser, an associate at Binder Casting. The semiannual, Equity-required auditions and occasional open calls are indeed avenues to this show when there is an opening. Prosser also points out, "We do look at unsolicited pictures and resumes."
Tap skills are musts for this show, but good dancing skills in general, as well as singing, are required. "We look for strong tap dancers who can sing," Prosser says. "The women are all tall and beautiful, but they do vary in terms of ethnicities. We cast from all groups.
"The men should be able to convey a 1930s style and look. Both men and women should know the 1930s style of tap."
As with most shows, auditions for principal roles are most likely to be set up by appointment through agent submissions, and often word-of-mouth. Sides are sent out in advance of such appointments.
"I think performers should have a clear idea of what part they are auditioning for. They should do their homework—see the show, study the roles, figure out the kind of numbers they should sing. We are specific about what we want and so performers should pay attention and prepare accordingly."
How much of a musical number an auditionee will get to sing "depends on the turnout," says Prosser. "In an open call where there are a lot of people, we may listen to just a few bars. I feel that they should always have a few things prepared that they can perform if we want to hear something a little different. If they've prepared a ballad, they should also have something more up-tempo on hand."
Those who join the cast should be "good company members" who work well with other people.
Will Prosser consider performers who've auditioned before and been turned down? "Absolutely." There could be any of a number of reasons a role wasn't landed the first time around. "I'd say definitely try again."
—Esther Tolkoff
Urinetown
Broadway Opening: Sept. 20, 2001.
No auditions are currently scheduled. There is one touring company out.
Laura Stanzcyk, who is with Binder Casting, notes, "We build up files in advance of any cast member leaving and we do use those files" and she is always on the alert for backups. Replacements are cast, as they arise, for principals. Vicki Clark, for instance, is now playing Penny Pennywise, and Anastasia Barzee is playing Hope Cladwell. Open calls are occasionally held for replacements in New York and for the touring company.
Musical Director Edward Strauss has pointed out to Back Stage that the show is "quirky," and so, he and Stanczyk agree, an actor should see it before trying out. A couple of the lead parts call for good looks, but Strauss has indicated, "This show is made for character actors. Each role is very distinctive. Color doesn't matter. Almost no characteristics matter for most of the parts if a performer can make it his or her own and be funny. It's easier to cast a replacement than for most shows because, for most of the characters, a replacement wouldn't have to be exactly like the previous performer."
Nonetheless, "big" singing and strong comedic ability are both musts for "Urinetown." There is a great deal of group and choral singing. Strauss has pointed out that picking a funny audition song is a wise choice "as comedic abilities are so important here," but that performers should not pick something clever "at the expense of vocal range. Most of all, I want to hear what you can do as a singer." Performers are put through dance paces at tryouts, but dance is less important in this show than singing. Acting skills definitely matter, as even chorus people are expected to read dialogue at the auditions. The show employs four swings.
Stanczyk finds, "It takes more than one audition to know what a performer can do. It can take several calls." She looks at resumes with an eye peeled for Broadway and regional credits and for the names of directors and musical directors she's worked with and whom she can ask, "What about this person?"
Strauss told Back Stage that a common mistake performers make is trying too hard to tailor an audition to what that performer thinks "they" want rather than doing what he or she does best. "There should be something an actor wants to show off—being funny, being loud, being a great singer."
Stanczyk says she "definitely" will consider performers she may have turned down before. "There can be a lot of reasons it wasn't right at the time." Strauss told Back Stage that "the only exception to that is if the reason the performer wasn't called back before was because of a bad attitude. It is important to work well with other people."
—Esther Tolkoff
Mamma Mia!
Broadway Opening: October 18, 2001.
The next chorus auditions will be held in late February or early March. There are two touring companies out.
There's a good amount of flexibility when it comes to casting the ABBA musical, "Mamma Mia!," which currently has not only a Broadway company, but two touring ensembles and a Canadian-based troupe. (A fifth North American production will open in Las Vegas in February.)
"It's not only diverse from an ethnic point of view," says casting director Tara Rubin, " but in terms of body types and shapes and all of that. We would replace Caucasians with African-Americans and African-Americans with Caucasians. We like to cast to the strengths of the personalities of the people who are available to us."
David Holcenberg—musical director for the Broadway production and associate music supervisor for the Las Vegas and touring productions—explains that the casting team isn't necessarily seeking ultra-polished vocal performances or personalities. He says they're on the lookout for what he calls the " 'Mamma Mia!' Factor," which he describes as "a combination of quirkiness and vividness."
The show needs singers who have a grasp of a pop-rock sound. Each ensemble requires a few excellent dancers and a few people who can cover principal roles (and who consequently have less stringent dance requirements).
Holcenberg prefers that singers audition with pop songs—not necessarily pop material from the theatre. But he advises against the use of ABBA tunes. "We hear them plenty," he says with a laugh—adding that the show's producers and creative team have very specific ideas about how the famous Swedish pop anthems should be performed.
Audition calls are generally done in two batches: the younger generation (25 and under) and the elders (40-something and above). The younger group has its dance call first. Those who make the first cut do singing and then reading in the callbacks. Men are often asked to prepare a monologue, while women read material from the show itself.
The older group of actors does its singing auditions first. For open auditions, there will often be a movement call the same day. Text from the show is then provided for auditionees to prepare for acting callbacks.
One audition tip Holcenberg offers: "Pay an accompanist to go through the material with you before you come in." Sometimes, he explains, very young and inexperienced actors audition for the show never having heard their song played by a pianist.
—Mark Dundas Wood
Oklahoma!
Broadway Opening: March 21, 2002.
No auditions are currently scheduled. There is no touring company out.
"Oklahoma!" O.K?
No, better than that. Singers in the current Broadway production of the Rodgers and Hammerstein classic need to be a cut above the merely adequate.
According to casting director Tara Rubin, the "Oklahoma!" chorus does a "good deal of singing all night—singing parts to create that big gorgeous sound." While musical director Kevin Stites adds that there are a couple of tracks in the show where vocals are not quite so important, everyone on stage must be able to carry a tune and contribute musically, since this Broadway company is actually fairly small when compared with traditional "Oklahoma!" ensembles.
In the old days, Stites explains, "Oklahoma!" troupes enlisted both a singing and a dancing chorus. "That's all gone now," he tells. So singers must also be talented in the movement department. While not everyone is required to be part of the famous first-act dream ballet, all will be asked to dance in such numbers as "The Farmer and the Cowman."
Acting is important in this musical, too—as many singers in the ensemble are required to cover supporting roles.
But even if you can sing, dance, and act with equal facility, you still may not be right for this show. You need to consider your particular sensibility: Some urban gypsies just can't get the hang of the twang.
"If your hair is pink because you've been on tour in 'Rent,' you might, you know, consider how you're gonna groom yourself before you come in to 'Oklahoma!' " says Rubin. She adds, though, that some performers have been able to successfully inhabit the worlds of both shows.
So if you're a triple threat with a flexible personality and you believe that the casting team just "cain't say no" to your talents, how should you audition?
Avoid rock, pop, and "hard-edged belting," Stites advises. It's probably a mistake to audition with songs from the show itself, he adds, "unless you think you're dead-on right for one of the roles." But picking a very obscure song may also backfire, since it tends to upstage the singer—distracting the music director, who may be tuning you out while thinking about who wrote the number and what show it came from.
Above all, performers should be themselves in auditions, rather than trying to assume a character. "The material they choose should be a window into themselves," says Stites, "and, hopefully, who or what they are is right for what we're looking for."
—Mark Dundas Wood
Menopause the Musical
Off-Broadway Opening: April 4, 2002.
The producers will be holding a large call in the next month or two.
"Menopause the Musical" isn't just a show you can take your mother to—it's a show your mother could be in. The casting notice for this hit comedy revue reads something like this: "Four women, all over the age of 40, must be a size 12 or over."
Currently setting up shop in Manhattan on the Upper East Side at Playhouse 91, the show is at the same time entertaining audiences in Florida and garnering fevered interest from around the country (the show may open in as many as 10 cities across the United States) and around the globe (Spain, Israel, Germany, and South Africa have expressed interest in the project}.
Jeanie Linders is the creator, writer, and producing force behind "Menopause"; Brent Peek is the general manager, producer, and casting director for the show. Together, they look for talented ladies of a certain age who can "act, sing, and dance"—and to whom audiences of a certain age can relate. Linders points out, "As much as the show is a theatrical production, it's more about women than it is about theatre."
Peek concurs. "At the end of the show, the audience is invited to go up and do a kick line on stage. Well, when I first saw the show in Florida, I couldn't tell the difference between the actors and the audience. That's an important quality for us. One of the most important things in the casting, and one of the things that makes the show work so beautifully, is that the women in the audience recognize themselves on stage."
The musical looks at four women going through "The Change," telling their stories through song parodies of classic tunes. Peek notes that the show "recreates all the girl-group blends," and includes a lot of 1960s style singing and dancing. "When we hold auditions, we usually ask the actresses to bring in something from the '60s and a ballad, and then generally some kind of comic monologue. After they sing, we will give people sides if they fit what we're looking for."
Linders states that the show is a challenging show both vocally and physically. "There are over 20 choreographed numbers. So actresses have to have stamina to be able to dance the part. And then they also have to have really great voices."
Interested auditionees can see the show first, or check out the upcoming cast CD that is about to be released. In Peek's opinion, "Singing numbers from the show is just grand. I mean, normally, we would have them go off and learn something when they come back anyway."
Though they've only had to find three replacements in the year the show has been running, Peek expects to hold more tryouts in the coming months. "Right now what were trying to do is put together a large pool of women, because there is interest from every corner of the United States." Linders concludes that the reason is obvious why the show is so universally in demand: "There's a lot of menopausal women in the world!"
—Elias Stimac
Thoroughly Modern Millie
Broadway Opening: April 18, 2002.
Auditions for replacements and the upcoming National Tour have just been completed.
For Jeremy Rich, the casting associate for casting director Jim Carnahan, the ongoing success story that is "Thoroughly Modern Millie" has presented a thoroughly engaging challenge. Whereas a year ago there was no way to know whether the show would work—or run—this year, as he assists casting for replacements and the upcoming National Tour, everything is about finding "certifiable" triple threats.
"I know everybody says that their show requires triple threats, and I know that's very largely true," he says, "but for 'Millie,' it really is absolutely essential. I don't want to stress this too much, but 'Millie" has to have it all: terrific actors who sing and dance terrifically; terrific singers who act and dance terrifically; and terrific dancers who act and sing terrifically. And the reason has to do with the very nature of the show itself."
A bit of two-act musical-comedy froth set in the 1920s? Yes, Rich says, for while audiences froth over the froth, what they are also watching are performers with exceptionally diverse talents. One moment they may need to provide exquisite period harmonies or reach deep for thunderous belts; in another moment, their tap shoes had better be ready to tap. "What we've learned since the show opened a year ago, and since casting for replacements and for the tour, is that one component or element of the performers' talent doesn't mean more than another—it really can't, since everyone in the show has so much, always, to do."
Rich adds that what often distresses him while helping to cast "Millie" is how thoroughly unaware some performers are of what the production requires. It isn't a question of being specific or clear in the casting ads, it's that "the training people are getting nowadays sometimes seems incomplete or insufficient—we just aren't finding triple threats the way we thought we would. Very often, you'll see an amazing soprano in an audition who doesn't dance. It makes it so much harder to cast her—we can't, basically, as much as we'd like to."
—Leonard Jacobs
New This Season - 14 Shows
Hairspray
Broadway Opening Aug. 15, 2002.
Currently casting for the upcoming National Tour. Casting director Bernard Telsey has just returned from auditions in L.A. and is now auditioning in N.Y. Auditions are ongoing, with Equity-required auditions scheduled for the spring, both for Broadway replacements and the tour.
"You need actors who really understand the comedy of the show, and who have a really wonderful sense of humor and wit," says casting director Bernard Telsey. "It's a very strong book musical, and even the songs are very funny. And it's really not just someone who can sing great; they really have to 'get' the tongue-in-cheek wit of the piece. And it's also a pop score, and a big voice."
And the story line requires some specific physical types. "We need a young girl who is—what shall we say—chubby/fat/big. But a healthy version of a fat girl, because she is dancing her ass off for two hours."
As in the original film, the story of an obese, pretty dance addict who dreams of becoming a star via a TV show, the part of the mother is played by a man (Harvey Fierstein) in drag. "It's part of the backbone story of the piece, and we definitely want it to always be a man playing Edna—an older version of the daughter."
Although the ensemble dances, Telsey says that is not foremost. "It's definitely acting and singing first. Sure, they really have to be able to move well and be able to pick up dance steps, but it's not a 'dance first' show."
There are a large number of principals—of different ages and all kinds of physical types. "The show is multicultural both for principals and the ensemble, but we also have some specific roles, like the 11-year-old black girl, and the middle-aged, large black woman."
Telsey wants to remind people that they should know the show when they come to auditions. "Also, when sending in photos and resumes, make sure to mark the envelope with the name of the show they want to audition for. If they feel they're right for more than one show in our office, they should give us more than one photo, so we can put it in the appropriate bins. We will then look at it when we're actually looking for some for that show or a particular part in that show."
—Ira J. Bilowit
Flower Drum Song
Broadway Opening: Oct. 17, 2002.
No auditions are currently scheduled. There is no touring company out.
Unlike the original Broadway version in 1958, this "revisal" of "Flower Drum Song"—set in San Francisco's Chinatown—uses an all-Asian cast. Which is not to say that the ensemble is strictly Chinese-American. There are currently performers in the show of Japanese and Filipino descent, according to casting director Tara Rubin.
Dancing skills are, perhaps, of paramount importance, tells music director David Chase. In an ensemble of 12, two of the six men and one of the six women are hired largely as covers for principal players and may have somewhat less to do in terms of movement. Otherwise, the casting team looks first at dance ability when casting ensemble.
All those in the company will also be called on to act. "There are little specialties for almost everybody throughout the evening," Rubin says. Those hired for the cover positions must be able to believably portray characters significantly older than themselves.
In terms of singing style, a more traditional Broadway sound is required. Chase suggests that auditionees use "stuff from the golden age of Broadway." The musical director claims to be a fan of people who sing "the way they look like they should sing." A general musicality, he says, is more important than any particular set of skills.
"In 'Flower Drum Song,' I need to have at least one bass. I need to have certain high notes—both soprano and tenor. But by and large, those concerns are secondary to having somebody who fits the whole picture—in terms of dance ability, in terms of bringing a piece of themselves, acting-wise, onto the stage. I feel pretty confident that—short of somebody who has absolutely no sense of pitch and no sense of time—I'll make you sing in the ensemble."
Performers should have the emotional depth to handle the straightforward and emotional singing in numbers like the "A Hundred Million Miracles" opening, as well as a knack for the glitzier showbiz styles used in nightclub numbers such as "Fan Tan Fannie." Again, Chase is confident that most singers can pick up the latter skill.
His biggest piece of advice to auditionees? Don't apologize for your audition.
"Don't tell me you're sick," he says. "Don't tell me you're whatever. Just come in and do it. I can probably tell if you're fighting something, sickness-wise. If you crack, I don't care. If you're struggling to reach a certain note, I don't care."
Often, says Chase, hunches about a person's "rightness" for any show are made during the first few seconds the auditionee is in the room. "Then, if they are appropriate, you do everything you can to try to make the whole thing fit."
—Mark Dundas Wood
Debbie Does Dallas
Off-Broadway Opening: Oct. 29, 2002.
Auditions/casting for replacements and out-of-town productions on an as-needed basis.
When a musical based on the infamous 1970s porn film, "Debbie Does Dallas," opened at the Jane Street Theatre last fall, many audience members didn't know what to expect. The same may hold true for performers who audition for the show. Thankfully, the stage version has been toned down from the original movie and concentrates more on comedy than copulation.
Casting director and producer Aaron Harnick—who also cast "Frankie and Johnny in the Clair de Lune" for The Araca Group—admits that selecting all the right cheerleaders and football players for the project isn't an easy task.
"It was the hardest thing I've ever done in my life. Not only do we need performers who can sing, but we need performers who can dance, we need performers who can act, and on top of that, we need people who are funny. So we're not just looking for triple threats, we're looking for quadruple threats! And that's why this show is fantastic—we've got eight performers who literally are the best in New York City."
The casting director works closely with the musical staff to determine which vocal talents will make the cut. "When people come in to audition, I don't care what they sing—it could be opera, it could be a country song—as long as they own it and they shine in it, and that we get to see that. Also, a little humor is always nice."
Sex appeal is also a necessity for this promiscuous project. "It's not just that they have to be sexy on the outside. They also have to have sexuality—not only the women, but the men, too. You have to be comfortable with your sexuality."
Harnick points out some ensemble members have been with the show since its workshop phase, and recommends the process to all actors. "If people aren't dying to get into workshop productions, I don't know what they're doing here. That is so important for actors. I don't care if you are established; try to get into workshops."
The show recently replaced one of its top-string starters, and more auditions are being planned for the future. "In addition, we're looking to take the show to other cities such as L.A. and Las Vegas, and other countries, including Australia. We're very far along with negotiations there, but I don't think I'll be casting that production." Non-represented actors are advised to watch for notices in Back Stage about upcoming local calls.
Harnick, who is now concentrating on a "hysterical play version" of Stephen King's "Carrie," recommends that anyone looking to get drafted in "Debbie Does Dallas" should try to see the show. "They have such an advantage if they go to see this world. The porno world is different, and it's not sleazy porno were talking about, it's just this sexual world mixed with soap opera mixed with musicals. It's like no other show out there."
—Elias Stimac
Man of La Mancha
Broadway Opening: Dec. 5, 2002.
Replacement casting is likely to take place in late spring 2003. There is no touring company out.
"It's obviously Spanish-influenced music, a kind of chamber Spanish-style orchestration," says music director Robert Billig. "It uses a lot of shifting rhythms, a lot of 6/8 and 3/4 time—which was prevalent at that time period."
Billig pointed out the great vocal difficulties for the principal characters. "Quixote is really a baritone range, and it requires a great deal of control, of bravura, to try to reach the heights both range-wise and dynamically.
"Aldonza is very, very tricky, because it was specifically written for someone who had a three-octave range. So we need someone with the depth of voice in a chest-voice range, but who also has a really legit soprano voice," says Billig.
"And Sancho is a comedic role, a high baritone part. But he's pretty rangy—the first note he sings is way up there, an F sharp—and he also has to be an actor with charm and humor and warmth, so it's tricky."
Billig also noted that the dual role of the Governor/Innkeeper was also difficult to cast "because it requires a real bass-baritone to sing 'Knight of the Woeful Countenance' in the key of A, and a totally different style for the Innkeeper."
Casting director Bernard Telsey emphasized the importance of acting ability for all the roles. "We won't be looking for replacements for some time, probably not until late spring. But there's a big principal cast, and we'll be looking for established performers who have the acting weight and the voice that's needed. The ensemble is small, mostly men. They are very masculine, and they have to sing and act and dance—but the dance is not a lot of dance stepping, it's more about a lot of physical movement."
The cast is multicultural, with a bent toward the Latino/Hispanic, and a variety of ages and a big range of physical types. Telsey adds, "The two women in the ensemble have to have big vocal chops, because they're covering the female principals, Aldonza, Antonia, and the housekeeper."
Equity-required auditions will not take place until late spring. When you send photos and resumes to the Telsey office, don't forget to mark which show they're for.
—Ira J. Bilowit
La Bohème
Broadway Opening: Dec. 8, 2002.
Casting for this opera is continuous. There is currently no touring company out.
"Opera, opera, opera, opera, opera! Young opera singers. We're not looking for people with huge resumes. Young kids right out of opera training, or in the middle of opera training, are great," says casting director Bernard Telsey.
This Baz Luhrmann production of the Puccini opera has three rotating casts for the young principals, who together do eight performances a week in demanding vocal roles. "This is not an Equity show, it's AGMA, and performers are on shorter contracts. And with the multiple casts within the one show, casting is ongoing. Our staff tours all over the country going to music conservatories and to opera performances," Telsey reports.
Strong, young, excellent operatic voices are the main focus. "There are a few character roles, middle-aged men, who are the normal musical theatre character-actor types, who are not opera singers, and they play small parts."
The show has a very large cast, and there are "all kinds of physical types in the ensemble, with a huge array of ages, shapes, colors, and sizes. But a good proportion of the ensemble, if not most of them, are opera singers, because they also have to cover the musical score."
Luhrmann has peopled the stage with seeming hordes of actors, and Telsey admits, "Some people are there just because of their size or shape or type—like the midget, or the huge bully man. It's such a big chorus that we can have the luxury of having an actor there who has a specialty."
Since there are no Equity-required ensemble or principal auditions, performers who want to audition for the show should drop off or mail their pictures and resumes to the Telsey office, with a specific note or notation that you would like to be seen for "La Bohème." And if it's for a specific role, note that also.
—Ira J. Bilowit
Imaginary Friends
Broadway Opening: Dec. 12, 2002.
No auditions are currently scheduled. There is no touring company out.
The quasi-musical "Imaginary Friends"—which features Cherry Jones as Mary McCarthy and Swoosie Kurtz as Lillian Hellman—inhabits a world that its casting director, Tara Rubin, calls "intellectual and sophisticated." The show has a supporting ensemble of eight actor-singer-dancers—performers who need to be protean talents.
Music director Ron Melrose describes the score as a pastiche of various pop styles. The bulk of the singing is Dixieland-ish music and clever Cole Porter-style numbers. Although the music is by Marvin Hamlisch (with lyrics by Craig Carnelia), it never edges into Hamlisch's customary pop sound. "Think of it as an old-fashioned musical," Melrose says.
The primary focus of the ensemble is probably acting rather than singing: There are no tracks in the show that don't involve acting (and dancing) as well as singing. In fact, the women in the show scarcely vocalize at all. Two of the men must be accomplished tap dancers. Two others are referred to as "the bartenders," but actually perform an array of tasks. Two of the women need to dance as rag dolls in a production number with Jones and Kurtz.
Although each and every performer gets plenty of stage time and his or her moment in the spotlight, there's no question who the stars of this production are. The ensemble members never walk onto the stage for any purpose other than helping to tell the story of McCarthy and Hellman. So actors need to have "a cheerful willingness to take a supportive role," according to Melrose. "It's unlikely that somebody's going to be 'discovered' in one of these slots."
For musical auditions, Melrose recommends any "comfortable, standard up-tune." The biggest audition mistakes he sees are "trying to be something that you're painfully not" and "radically reinventing the existing material."
He explains that it's unlikely that the production team would hire replacements who would require vocal arrangements to be transposed to a different key or who had "erratically different body types" that would necessitate the construction of brand new costumes. "So replacements become a sort of sad commerce—of fitting an existing slot," the music director explains.
Once you land the job, however, you will be able to sort out the moments in which you can make the role your own from those where you just have to fit in.
"On the whole," says Melrose, "you have to assume with replacements that the show is the show and the track is the track. And if you are close to that, you have a better way of finding your way into it than somebody who would require us to reinvent the wheel."
—Mark Dundas Wood
Little Fish
Off-Broadway Opening: Slated for Feb. 13, 2003.
No auditions are currently scheduled. Open calls and EPAs possible if replacements are needed.
The new Off-Broadway musical, "Little Fish" by Michael John LaChiusa, is a contemporary comedy set in New York. The Second Stage Theatre production was recently cast by Tara Rubin. "We were looking for people who had excellent voices, but who were strong actors and who had a kind of urban sense to them," she tells.
What's perhaps most surprising about this show is its musical tone. According to music director-conductor Dan Lipton, auditionees were skeptical when they were told that the show is basically a rock musical.
"People thought this was a joke, I think. 'Michael John LaChiusa? That guy who writes all the complicated Sondheim-y kind of stuff?' It didn't really add up for a lot of people coming in."
Some performers auditioned using material by LaChiusa's theatrical contemporaries—Jason Robert Brown and Adam Guettel. But the most successful aspirants, Lipton notes, were those who brought in a solid pop song and "just wailed." (One notable exception was the performer who nabbed the leading role, Jennifer Laura Thompson; she, in fact, auditioned using material from the Stephen Sondheim canon.)
But though "Little Fish" will prove a departure for the composer of "Marie Christine" and "The Wild Party," the music is in no way simple. "We're looking for people who can rock out, but can still negotiate really complicated chord changes and who don't get afraid of difficult music," says Lipton. "It's difficult to get your voice around Michael John's music sometimes."
Acting is a large requirement for "Little Fish" performers. The libretto—about urban dating and mating rituals—was inspired by the short stories of Deborah Eisenberg. The eight members of the ensemble represent a cross-section of the Gotham populace. "We were looking for quirky types of people that could give us the multicultural palette, " says Lipton. "The show does rock—and it has some huge rockin' songs in it. But it's about people; it's not about the vocal pyrotechnics. And so I guess the biggest mistake that people might make would be just going in and showing off their wailing vocal ability and not thinking about who these people are."
Though the director-choreographer of the show, Graciela Daniele, is best known for her choreography, the dance call for this show was basically a test to see the limits of the auditionees that the casting team was already interested in. "Little Fish" is not extremely dance-heavy, says Lipton—with the exception of one role. An abundance of polish in the movement department is not necessarily an asset.
"It's a comedy, " the conductor explains, "and what's funny is seeing some of these people suddenly breaking out into dance."
—Mark Dundas Wood
Radiant Baby
Off-Broadway Opening: Previews slated to begin Jan. 31, 2003. No official opening date yet announced.
The show has completed casting. Any plans for casting understudies depend upon the run of the show.
The birth of "Radiant Baby" has been anticipated for a long time and will finally take place at the Public Theater this year, beginning with previews Jan. 31. Based on the life of pop culture artist Keith Haring, who died at age 31, the musical is a testament to his energetic spirit and his enduring legacy. George C. Wolfe directs the world premiere musical by writer Stuart Ross, composer Debra Barsha, and lyricists Ira Gasman, Barsha, and Ross. Daniel Reichard, an alumnus of "Forbidden Broadway," among other credits, plays Haring.
Casting directors Jordan Thaler and Heidi Griffiths have collaborated on over 100 Off-Broadway and Broadway shows, and have been working on Public productions for the past 10 years. Thaler relates that they have been doing casting on "Baby" through its formative stages for nearly three years.
"We did an extensive search, and held a lot of screening auditions. But what's great is that all of the people we cast were cast for character—not just for dancing and singing ability, but specifically for acting ability. That's what made the process so long and difficult."
"Radiant Baby" requires 21 performers—13 males and eight females—ranging in age from 12 to 40. Characters include Haring's youthful contemporaries, as well as children he worked with, and his mentors, including his parents, gallery owners, even Andy Warhol. "It's definitely an ensemble show. With the exception of four roles, everybody else plays multiple characters. The ensemble members were all cast to be able to take over each other's roles if needed. They're also in a completely different world in every scene, whether they're in a discotheque, at an art gallery opening, or in the subway. So we were casting people with an ability to really do that kind of acting work."
Auditionees were asked to bring in a pop song from the eclectic 1980s. According to Thaler, "While the music by Debra Barsha is original, she's paying homage to a lot of music from the '80s, everything from disco to techno. So we were trying to steer performers toward singing pop songs—like early Madonna, Pat Benatar, Heart—and not conventional show tunes. For the first part of the audition, we also wanted them to show some character. We wanted them to sing something and also reveal something about themselves as actors. Then, once we narrowed the field, we gave them material from the script and music to learn from the show."
If the show continues after its initial run, Thaler and Griffiths will be looking for understudies and replacements. "We hold open auditions through the union for the entire season. But performers can also send us photos and resumes. Everything is considered individually and often put into the file. When the time comes around where we need to consider casting understudies, we'll look at those pictures. And if there are actors who think they're right for a role, and they are right that they are right for a role, they may indeed get an opportunity to audition for it."
—Elias Stimac
My Life with Albertine
Off-Broadway Opening: Slated for March 13, 2003.
Open calls and EPA's possible if replacements are needed. Photo/resume submissions can be sent to casting director James Calleri c/o Playwrights Horizons.
Playwright's Horizons casting expert James Calleri has worked on many of Richard Nelson's shows, including "James Joyce's 'The Dead,' " so it's no surprise to see his name on the credits for "My Life with Albertine." The new musical, based on sections of "Remembrance of Things Past" by Marcel Proust, has book, lyrics, and direction by Nelson, and music and lyrics by Ricky Ian Gordon. The prestigious group will debut the show March 13 in its new space on Theatre Row at 416 West 42nd St.
Calleri has enjoyed a successful collaboration with the prolific writer. "I've been at Playwrights Horizons for seven years, and we've done six projects of Richard's here at the theatre. I've also cast many of his outside projects as well, so we work together a lot. 'My Life with Albertine' is similar to 'The Dead' in the sense that it's very character-driven. But 'Albertine' is definitely a musical, as opposed to 'The Dead,' which was a play with music."
The show started rehearsing Jan. 21, with the first preview slated for Feb. 18, so casting has pretty much been completed. However, if the show continues beyond its initial run, he will need to find understudies and replacements as needed.
"Our cast has not changed much since the workshops, but we have been adding on to it. We have several Broadway veterans from shows such as 'Parade,' 'Into the Woods,' 'Side Show,' and 'Sweet Smell of Success.' Richard tends to use people that have been in his past shows, so we have a few people from 'The Dead' who are coming back as well. We also have a few people that were in 'The Dead' national tour, plus a few new people. We have a couple of actors right out of school. So it's definitely a mix."
There are roles for seven men and seven women in the period piece, and Calleri states that "everybody has to sing, dance, and act—it's a real triple-threat show." For any musical audition, he recommends that performers prepare more than one song: "Most people usually bring a whole book. I would advise performers to have a wide range of material when they walk in."
After singing, he has them read a brief monologue or scene from the play being cast. "Another important suggestion is to know what the writer's repertoire is, what his or her work has been like in the past, because that usually sheds quite a bit of light on the current project."
Calleri suggests that actors can attend Equity calls or self-submit if they want to be considered for any of the Playwrights Horizons projects. Ambitious actors can get their headshots and resumes ready to mail in advance for the group's next "wild" production. "We're working on a new musical for the fall from author Erin Cressida Wilson. She's written quite a bit of theatre, as well as the recent feature film, 'Secretary.' Her new musical is called 'Wilder,' and it also features The Red Clay Ramblers."
—Elias Stimac
Zanna, Don't!
Off-Broadway Opening: Slated for March 20, 2003.
Rehearsals begin mid-February. Required replacement calls will occur approximately six months after the show opens, with earlier calls possible. Casting director Dave Clemmons accepts pictures and resumes on an ongoing basis.
Transferring from a stint at the Amas Musical Theatre to the John Houseman Theatre, "Zanna, Don't!" explores a musical fairytale world where same-sex relationships are the norm and hetero-phobia runs rampant. Since the play focuses on a group of teenagers attending Heartville High, the cast needs to have a youthful look and energy.
The show "is completely non-traditional," says casting director Dave Clemmons. "You can do whatever you want with it, because there are no rules at all." And the creative team is adamant and excited about casting an "ethnic mix that's representative of the world today."
Also, he says, "We want the performers to bring a sense of fun, and there's a certain hip factor, and comedy is important. We need to feel like the performer can be funny and engaging to an audience. And when people walk into the room and their own kind of personal personality jumps out, that's intriguing to us."
" 'Zanna' has a challenging, pop-oriented score," advises Clemmons, "and requires excellent performers with incredible voices." For the auditions, actors should prepare a modern pop or modern pop musical theatre song. Usually, Clemmons will only listen to one number, but occasionally "We'll ask for two songs," he says. "But then, in the callbacks, you should always bring your full book in, because you never know what we're going to need. With callbacks, we're much more likely to hear two pieces." In most cases, actors will not be asked to read from sides or prepare monologues until they've been invited to the callbacks.
Before asking an actor to attend a "Zanna" callback, Clemmons attempts to perceive "a sense of honesty. A sense that you can reach out emotionally and touch the audience and let them know what the inherent emotion in the song is—that you'll be able to get that across the footlights. A big problem with performers today is that they do too much—too much flailing around with the hands, or whatever, that isn't needed if the connection to the emotional material is there."
Other problems Clemmons has seen lately are "people coming in for their initial call unprepared with the material they've been given; or not having their picture and resume together; or only bringing one song and not bringing their book; or not having their music prepared in a way that the accompanist can play it." He's also found that a puzzling number of performers refuse to adhere to the creative team's request for appropriate music; whether due to ignorance or obstinacy, again and again performers audition using non-pop—usually traditional musical theatre—tunes. "All these little things," Clemmons laments, "that sound like no-brainers to most people—you would be amazed by how many people break these rules. How the actual audition goes is always up to chance. But these little nuts and bolts are things that performers can control," and yet many don't.
Actors who've auditioned for "Zanna" or Clemmons in the past shouldn't hesitate to audition again. "I'm always willing to see people I've turned down in previous auditions," he says. However, when attending an audition, performers shouldn't dress too sloppily or unprofessionally—although, he notes, "With 'Zanna,' they can dress a little funkier because it's show-appropriate." But you shouldn't come in full costume. "A good role of thumb," he says, "is never wear anything to an audition that you wouldn't wear out in public."
—Luke Thomas Crowe
Urban Cowboy
Broadway Opening: Slated for March 27, 2003.
All casting is completed, according to Jay Bowdan, associate at Jay Binder Casting. Any plans for future casting depend upon the run of the show.
All parts have been cast, but Jay Bowdan, the associate at Binder Casting who works with the show, says, "We're hoping for a long run so we expect to be casting replacements over time." The show was initially produced in Coconut Grove, Florida. Most of that production's cast are coming to Broadway with it, though "we've cast swings and covers in New York," Bowdan notes.
In the dreams-can-come-true category, Bowdan originally spotted the show's female lead, Jenn Colella, in her Master of Fine Arts degree student showcase. She earned the M.F.A. at the University of California-Irvine, went on to "Urban Cowboy" in Florida, and will now star in the Broadway production.
Musical director Jason Robert Brown, who composed several of the show's songs, says that what he looks for are people who "live the characters. These characters live in a very specific world within Houston and they're fiercely proud of it. They are young, good looking, and have a confidence about them. A performer has to have a grasp of the style and the vocabulary of that world and go right into character. I don't care if you're actually Italian from New Jersey or a Hasidic Jew, you have to be able to walk into that audition as one of these people in this particular bar in Houston."
The show focuses on contemporary country music, so Bowdan and Brown agree that it's best to pick a country song. "Pick a good song," says Brown, "We like to hear a lyric that makes sense." But, he notes, what he wants to hear is the performer's voice. "Don't think you can fool us by just singing fast." Again, authenticity and coming across in character count greatly.
"It's a heavy dance show, so you have to be in good shape," he notes. "I don't think there's a show on Broadway today where performers don't have to be triple threats—able to sing, dance, and read lines." Bowdan says that there are seven male and seven female dancers. The choreographer teaches the dance moves to those auditioning and they take it from there.
In terms of advice to performers, Bowdan suggests that the most important thing a performer can do is to "be prepared." The most common mistake he sees is "trying too hard" as opposed to being natural. Brown agreed that a performer should "never be false. Know what suits you and plan your material and your acting accordingly." He says that the worst thing a performer can do is seem difficult to work with—"arguing with the pianist, things like that." Such people are ruled out immediately.
In the end, Bowdan finds, what leads to a callback in any show is "talent and being right for the role at hand. When you say those things, you just know it."
—Esther Tolkoff
Nine
Broadway Opening: Slated for April 10, 2003.
All casting is completed. Any plans for future casting depend upon the run of the show.
The first thing to know about the Roundabout Theatre Company's revival of the Maury Yeston-Arthur Kopit musical, "Nine," is that there are no longer 21 women; now there are 16. According to musical director Kevin Stites, director David Leveaux pared the show down (keeping, of course, Antonio Banderas as Guido Contini) to focus on the fact that "every woman has a story to tell about her interaction with Guido, whether we hear it or not. This way, the 16 women could be fascinating in and of themselves."
They must also be fascinating vocally, he says, and while the production is now cast, Stites has some advice to impart as he looks forward to the possibility of replacement auditions down the road. "What's interesting about 'Nine' is that many women came in with contemporary material to audition with and that often led them down the wrong path. Maury likes really strong melody, and in the more successful auditions I saw, women who did material from the standard theatre repertoire did far better."
But "that doesn't mean everything has to be written by Richard Rodgers," he adds. "Some girls did operetta songs: If they can sing that range, which is required for 'Nine'—they're my 'High C Girls'—and if they can communicate through those songs and not just belt notes, that's enormously valuable to us. Many of today's Broadway composers—and I mean no offense, because there's tremendous genius out there—often emphasize lyrics over the tune, whereas for 'Nine,' we really need their voicing."
Stites again cautions not to underestimate how vital this is. "We really had to be careful when we were casting, because some women came in, and they were absolutely beautiful creatures, utterly exotic. But their vocal prowess was not quite up to par, and that ruled out some people, which we wouldn't have done if we could hire all 21. Musically, every woman carries her own weight—everybody's on almost all the time, and everybody sings everything, so that ups the stakes vocally even more. There are 16 women, four on a part—no room to settle."
Then there's the "look." Ask Jeremy Rich, associate to casting director Jim Carnahan, what that look is, and he'll first characterize the casting of "Nine" as "a big puzzle." Press him further, and he gives up the jig. "Everyone in 'Nine' has to have a very European look. It's something you sense, subtly, when they walk in a room. We collected an amazing array of just gorgeous women for the production over the course of a year, but, unfortunately, we had to not cast several because they looked too, for lack of a better word, wholesome, too American." Don't audition in overalls; in other words, leave Laurey home.
—Leonard Jacobs
Gypsy
Broadway Opening: Slated for May 1, 2003.
All casting is completed. Any plans for future casting depend upon the run of the show.
"It's been a long, long process" to cast the Sam Mendes-directed revival of "Gypsy," says Jeremy Rich, casting associate to casting director Jim Carnahan, "partly due to the fact that this is the classic American musical of all time. There's simply no other musical like it—arguably, it's the greatest musical ever written."
Yet if that weren't enough of a handed-down gauntlet to make casting "Gypsy" daunting, what complicates the matter is the revisionist nature of Mendes' production. Rich notes that the casting of Bernadette Peters, for example ("she's not going to be your standard Mama Rose"), suggests that the way we look at the show may change a good deal after opening night, and that provides some thrilling casting challenges.
Chiefly, Carnahan and Rich have to "find people who fit Sam's vision, which is partly traditional, partly new. I think, also, that this is probably going to be the most book-driven 'Gypsy' ever, so everyone's whole idea from the beginning has been to focus on casting actor-singers. We also saw many, many Junes before we found the one we wanted. It's hard to find actors to get the rhythms of the show."
While most of "Gypsy," Rich notes, has now been cast (they were in "deep in finals for Tessie Tura and a couple of Hollywood Blondes" at press time), Broadway can very likely expect a long run from this revival, meaning that replacements may be needed down the road. So what's a Broadway gypsy after a "Gypsy" gig to do?
"Some of this is the kind of thing we casting people always say, but it's worth repeating," Rich says. "Obviously, you must project the flavor of the time period—the songs, the style. You've got to understand what 'Gypsy' is about—why it's a great American musical. For us, also, this is a big creative team effort: [book writer] Arthur Laurents, [musical supervisor] Patrick Vaccariello, [choreographer] Jerry Mitchell, and Sam are all highly involved in the casting. Understand what role you might be right for, but when you come in, don't show how you bump it with a trumpet. Show you've got the chops, skills, and stamina for a world-class 'Gypsy.' "
—Leonard Jacobs
The Look of Love
Broadway Opening: Slated for May 4, 2003.
All casting is completed. Any plans for future casting depend upon the run of the show.
With so many traditional Broadway musicals running, actors are forever being reminded that the ability to deliver standard show tunes is a must to get cast. It's important, too, for "The Look of Love"—the revue-like compendium of the songs of Burt Bacharach and Hal David—but if there's a single quality also needed to be cast in the show, it's nailing the writers' unique style.
"And the style of the show all comes from the music," says Jeremy Rich, associate to casting director Jim Carnahan. "And the music is not something many performers are accustomed to doing on stage. Also, the fact that these are pop tunes doesn't allow the performer to lack an emotional integrity to his or her performance—people have to commit to the material theatrically because it's being presented less like a revue than a theatre piece."
When the show was called "What the World Needs Now" in earlier incarnations, Rich notes that a light through-line was used to thread the songs along; now, however, any hint of plot has been "scrapped." Still, he says, a character-like quality to the performances is important in a show that seems a cross between "Ain't Misbehavin' " and "Putting It Together," filtered through the key-changing, start-stop melodies of the songwriting team.
Such specificity thus made it easier to cast the show (which is complete). "When we saw people, we asked them to cut to the chase: Either they can do the material or not. That said, we also have another element in the mix: We have this amazing, world-class choreographer, Ann Reinking, on the show, so performers who 'rock' in the song world also must 'rock' in the dance world, too."
With no tour or replacement call for "The Look of Love" in the immediate future, it's unclear when the piece might need new cast members. But if the show is successful, one can bet it will become a regional theatre favorite, which is why Rich offers a tip or two to those who might want to look at "The Look of Love" down the road.
"Yes, this is pop music—classic pop—and that's why it's vital you emotionally connect with the material," Rich says. "Liz Callaway, who is in the show, is such a great example of this. She's so connected to the material; you feel it when she sings or moves. It's all there."
—Leonard Jacobs
Fiddler on the Roof
Broadway Opening: Slated for Aug. 7, 2003.
Just started the EPA process of setting up chorus calls and are just now pre-screening through agent submissions. Most auditions will be held in mid to late March.
The creative team for the upcoming, late-summer revival of "Fiddler on the Roof" is "just getting its feet wet," says Jeremy Rich, associate to casting director Jim Carnahan. Yet with the "EPA process just getting underway and agent pre-screening in full swing," it isn't too early for actors to start thinking about what this musical of musicals (boasting the classic song "Tradition") might require in terms of casting.
First, Rich says, there is that "gorgeous and glorious" Jerry Bock-Sheldon Harnick score. "Above all, no one wants to hear it sung poorly, obviously, so we are going to be searching for performers who can be especially pure in their vocals." True, casting directors want that for many Broadway musicals—but this score, he says, "is especially beloved and especially beautiful and especially well known, plus it's more demanding than actors might think."
In addition to the ability to deliver a pure, unadorned sound, director Matthew Warchus, Rich says, is also going to put the spotlight on actors who can "wrap themselves around an emotional core. It's always going to be Tevye's story, but the thing is, all the other characters, while supporting, are important to the story as well. When these actors appear on stage, it's got to be, for the audience, that you're walking into the small Jewish village of Anatevka."
Warchus' approach to the tales of Tevye and Anatevka, Rich adds, is also going to be derived from the fact that Alfred Molina "is a somewhat younger Tevye than in the past Broadway productions. That means that the ages of Tevye's daughters, for example, will almost certainly be younger than the ones we've seen in the past." Rich was unable to project far enough ahead to know whether the age changes will alter the kinds of voices, or vocal qualities, that the creative team will want to see, but "certainly things will become clearer after auditions begin in the middle to the end of March." Stay tuned.
—Leonard Jacobs
Little Shop of Horrors
Broadway Opening: Slated for Aug. 14, 2003.
All casting is completed. Rehearsals start in April, for a May pre-Broadway opening in Coral Gables.
"There are a lot of different sounds in the show. It's more of a pop style, but it's not as if you have to go in there and wail like you do in pop records," according to music director Henry Aronson. "The show is very, very verbal—there's a lot to be communicated in the lyric—so it's less about pop-singer chops, per se. It's not presentational to the point where it's about the singer—it's also about the story."
Casting director Bernard Telsey points out, "It's a small show, mostly made up of principals. It's primarily a young cast, except maybe for Mushnik. There are no specific physical types, though Audrey has to be sexy. And the three women street urchins have to be African-American and great singers, because they're a take-off on the Supremes. It's a big book musical, but it's really about the voices and the acting—a big pop sound and a huge acting range."
Aronson outlined some of the specific needs for certain roles. "Sure, Audrey may have to be sexy, but she has to have an innocence about her. That's the tricky part, sexy, but in a natural way, not a self-conscious way. The juvenile leads are the juvenile leads, even if they're character-type leads, and are not limited to a physical type—tall or short, thin or fat."
The show will be pretty much in the style of the original, though the plant Audrey may have some vocal changes, Aronson said. "Audrey the plant is still a male voice, but it may not necessarily be a deep bass—it might end up a little higher. Obviously, if you're the plant, you can't do anything physical, so you have to do it all with the voice—you have to communicate the lyric real strongly. I haven't started working on keys yet, so I don't know the ranges. Mushnik's range might also end up a tad higher. But the styles will pretty much be the same."
Aronson feels that in terms of style, it's like an operetta. "And it's a funny kind of show in a sense because, while Mushnik is obviously a character part, in a way, all the roles are character parts. If you come in for an audition, in addition to preparing a song from the show, prepare some pop stuff that is verbal—where the lyric is meaningful, and where you have to communicate that."
Telsey reports, "Right now we're down to casting understudies. We'll be casting understudies in February and March right up to when rehearsals start in April."
—Ira J. Bilowit
The Boy from Oz
Broadway Opening: Slated for Oct. 16, 2003.
Open ensemble calls will probably be held during the last week of February. After that will be appointments, and then the final callbacks will take place sometime in March. Rehearsals begin in July. Required replacement calls will occur approximately six months after the show opens, with earlier calls possible. Co-casting director Dave Clemmons accepts pictures and resumes on an ongoing basis.
Based on the Peter Allen biography written by Stephen MacLean, "The Boy from Oz" was a huge hit Down Under, but it's taken a few years to reach American shores. Along the way, this musical has lost its original writer, director, and stars. Tackling the lead role of singer-composer Allen on Broadway will be Hugh Jackman.
"With 'Boy from Oz,' you're dealing with songs we're familiar with," says Dave Clemmons, the show's co-casting director (with Joseph McConnell), "so they've got to live up to what Peter Allen wrote." Allen, initially discovered by Judy Garland and later married to Liza Minnelli, died of AIDS in 1992. His original compositions were made famous in the '70s by not only his own legendary performances, but by coverage from such megawatt stars as Olivia Newton-John.
Director Philip Wm. McKinley is seeking performers who can infuse exemplary singing and dancing skills with an intense, believable emotional connection to the work. "Emotionally and vocally, it's challenging," Clemmons stresses, "and some of these roles are true old-school, triple-threat, star-making roles, and you've gotta have all those skills or it's not gonna work."
Non-traditional casting has been difficult with "Oz" because of its biographical nature. However, the talents behind the production, says Clemmons, are "always open to any sort of exploration or suggestion. And with the regards to the ensemble, it's completely colorblind." But in the case of historical figures—such as Allen, Garland, and Minnelli—the creative team is seeking performers who at least "embody the spirit" of their real-life counterparts. Also, he says, "We're not going to go with somebody who acts brilliantly, but doesn't sing brilliantly."
When auditioning, performers "need to either sing a Peter Allen song, since he wrote in a pretty particular style, or a '70s-style pop song. So traditional musical theatre is not really appropriate," says Clemmons.
Actors are not typically asked to read from sides or prepare monologues until they're invited to the callbacks. At the callbacks, however, McKinley has been known to demand cold readings, because, he explains, "I need to know I can walk in, and give the actors two new pages of script, and they on their own can get it and do it that night. And that's the value of a cold reading, because you get to see who can adapt quickly."
Clemmons also notes, "People are really dressing down for auditions. And it's a bad trend. People need to think about 'I'm going to stand up in front of someone and ask for a job.' And it's not that women need to wear dresses and men need to wear coats and ties, but we had people coming to their final callbacks in jeans and T-shirts and tennis shoes. And it's a big source of frustration when you see that. It turns you off to the person completely."
"The first thing I want to see in any performer that comes in for me is a certain regard and respect for the industry, and the people in the industry," says McKinley. The second thing he looks for is "people who have a very positive attitude and a certain joy of being in the room. I also want to make sure that the person who's there is putting out their own energy—is offering something to us that may be unique, and that we can use. We're looking for people who will create characters, as opposed to stereotypes and generalities. The ensemble plays, in some cases, seven or eight characters. They go from being 16-year-olds in a bandstand performance to being 40-year-olds in a nightclub in Hong Kong." At the auditions, if prompted by the director, performers should be prepared to show off a full range of characters, ages, and emotions.
Also, says McKinley, "The one thing I want from any musical comedy performer is that they stay grounded. I want to make sure that even if they have to play a scene that is farcical in nature, they do that with a certain reality."
—Luke Thomas Crowe
Wicked
Broadway Opening: Slated for October 2003.
Casting director Bernard Telsey reports they are currently seeing people to fill the last few roles for a March rehearsal date for the San Francisco out-of-town tryout production.
"This is another show with one of those big range vocal scores, especially for the younger roles," says casting director Bernard Telsey. "Wicked" has a score by Stephen Schwartz and a book by Winnie Holzman. Joe Mantello is directing.
"Wicked" takes place in Oz, and is a prequel to "The Wizard of Oz," based on a novel by Gregory Maguire. It's basically the story of Elphaba, who becomes the Wicked Witch of the West, and Glinda, the Good Witch, when they were young schoolmates in Oz.
"It's a show about what we all grew up with and know about, 'The Wizard of Oz,' but beforehand," says Telsey. "It's very, very funny, with real wit and smarts."
Rehearsals will begin in March and casting is almost complete, except for a few roles. "Most of the principals are cast, except for two or three roles, and possibly one role in the ensemble. That casting is going on now through March." The show opens at the Curran in San Francisco, scheduled to play May 27 through June 29, with an expected October opening on Broadway.
"Since the Equity-required auditions have already been done, we won't do other ones until next winter. The ensemble is more of a singing and acting ensemble rather than dancing, but there is a split. Some of them have to be great dancers, and have some tumbling and flying. We're just putting that together now."
Kristin Chenoweth has been mentioned for Glinda and Idina Menzel for Elphaba, but they have not been officially announced. "The leads and the principal character types will be cast with performers who have a really established, known theatrical presence," Telsey noted. "In the ensemble, there are all different physical types—it's Munchkinland, it's Oz, so there's definitely a lot of eclectic types. And it's also multicultural."
—Ira J. Bilowit
Never Gonna Dance
Broadway Opening: Slated for 2003-04 season.
Casting director Bernard Telsey reports that auditions are not on the calendar yet.
"It's a wonderful, wonderful score by Jerome Kern. They're standards. So you don't want a huge, opera-type legit voice, but you want strong personable voices," says music director Robert Billig, who has been part of the workshops. "It was Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers in the movie, and they were not great singers."
Based on the 1936 RKO film, "Swing Time," it's the story of a dancer who has a girl back home, and a gambling addiction, and who falls in love with his dance partner. "The Way You Look Tonight" won an Oscar for best song, and is just one of the many pop standards in the film.
"It's a huge, old-fashioned singing and dancing and tap show," said casting director Bernard Telsey. "For most roles, dancing will be the primary consideration. But there will be some of the classical musical theatre character parts where dancing is not a priority. Though, mostly, dance is of huge importance, and in that '30s period style—couples, swings, lifts, and taps. It's music of the period, and has a legit musical theatre sound."
Billig characterized the vocal needs: "It's really about singing the song honestly and truthfully. The Fred Astaire role is kind of a high baritone, and he's also going to sing ballads—he sings 'The Song Is You.' The Ginger Rogers role is sort of a mixed head-belt kind of voice. There will be some places where she'll actually go into a mid-range kind of head voice. For all the singers, there is a stylizing in the voice—I wouldn't call it jazz, but it's a kind of '30s period style."
Telsey reports that there's no official "go" yet on the show. "We've done workshops and readings, and have been discovering new talent. I don't know if I'm allowed to say this, but we've seen some people that we already love. But we don't have an actual rehearsal date. I might guess early spring or maybe late winter. So we have no dates for the Equity-required principal and ensemble auditions, as well as our own auditions."
As always with the Telsey office, when you are submitting photos and resumes, make sure to mark them for this show, or even for a particular role in this show if you know it.
—Ira J. Bilowit