Musical Auditions

 

 

The Spitfire Grill

Music and Book by James Valcq

Lyrics and Book by Fred Alley

 

Saturday, December 5th beginning at 2pm in North Campus RM 106.  Callbacks in the evening.

 

The Script calls for the following breakdown of characters:

 

Hannah Fergusen: About 70.  A tough-skinned and flinty old bird with a short, no-nonsense manner bordering on the bitter.  Mezzo/alto chest range.

 

Shelby Thorpe: Mid 30’s.  A plain soft-faced creature with a shy, almost ethereal manner.  Shimmering folk soprano with strong high belt to ‘D.’

 

Caleb Thorpe: Early 40’s.  Out-of-work foreman of the stone quarry.  Clinging to the past.  Solid folk/rock voice with an edge (Top ‘G’)

 

Joe Sutter: Mid-late 20’s.  A small-town policeman with an appealing intensity and a restless nature.  Strong folk tenor to a ‘G’ (touches an ‘A’).

 

Effy Krayneck: 50s.  Postmistress and busybody, a woman with narrow eyes and a sour tongue.  Solid singer in mezzo/alto chest range (carries close harmonies). 

 

Please prepare 16 bars of a folk song or a song from a musical (and be prepared to sing the entire song should we need to hear more) that demonstrates the ability to handle the style of folk/pop.  Please do not sing anything from The Spitfire Grill.  There will be an accompanist, please bring your own sheet music.

 

Perusal scripts will be available for 24-hour checkout in November. 

 

What we are looking for in the audition:

Ideally, the song you choose to audition with will demonstrate the following three things: 

(1)   That you can act

(2)   That you can sing comfortably in a folk/light pop style

(3)   That you are comfortable in the range in which the character you are auditioning for sings. 

 

Please note:  You must act the song and not just sing it.

 

Some suggestions:

Some of the songs below demonstrate more acting and range and some demonstrate more acting and style.  This is a list of suggestions if you are stuck, and it is by no means complete. 

 

Shelby: “I’m Just a Girl That C’aint Say No (Oklahoma!),” “Cockeyed Optimist (South Pacific),” “Hard Candy Christmas (Best Little Whorehouse in Texas),” “I’m Not Afraid of Anything (Songs From a New World),” “Stranger to the Rain (Children of Eden),” “Ain’t it Good (Children of Eden),” “I Don’t Know How to Love Him (Jesus Christ Superstar),”

 

Hannah/Effy:  “My Child Will Forgive Me (Parade),” “Wages of Sin (Edwin Drood),” “I had Myself a True Love (St. Louis Woman),”

 

Joe: “Lost in the Wilderness (Children of Eden),” “Corner of the Sky (Pippin),” “Winter’s on the Wing (The Secret Garden),” “She Loves Me (She Loves Me)”

 

Caleb: “Kansas City (Oklahoma!),” “Oh What a Beautiful Morning (Oklahoma!),” “Everybody Say Don’t (Anyone Can Whistle),” “Lucky to Be Me (On the Town),”

 

Folk Songs: “Go Away From my Window,” “He’s Gone Away,” “Shenendoah” 

 

This production runs February 26- 29 and March 4-6 at the RWU Performing Arts Center.  There will be a mandatory meeting for all cast members on Saturday, December 12th from 12-5pm.  Cast members will be expected to learn lines, music and dialect during the holidays (we will give you the tools to do so).  Rehearsals will begin on Sunday January 31st, and will run Monday through Friday in the evenings and Saturday and Sundays during the day (and in evenings if necessary).

 

For more information please contact the director, Stephanie Dean at sdean@rwu.edu.