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<DIV><FONT color=black size=2 face=arial>Parade: Auditions for African American actors January 25th, 7:30 PM, Chorus Room at Columbia High, East Greenbush, NY. 12061<BR><BR>Spotlight Players is proud to announce the Capital District community theater premiere of Parade (1999 Tony for Best Original Score, Drama Desk and <SPAN style="BORDER-BOTTOM: medium none; BACKGROUND: none transparent scroll repeat 0% 0%; CURSOR: hand" id=lw_1263785775_1 class=yshortcuts><SPAN id=lw_1264389783_5 class=yshortcuts>New York Drama Critics Circle</SPAN></SPAN></FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT color=black size=2 face=arial><SPAN style="BORDER-BOTTOM: medium none; BACKGROUND: none transparent scroll repeat 0% 0%; CURSOR: hand" class=yshortcuts><SPAN class=yshortcuts> Awards</SPAN></SPAN> for Best New Musical). Parade is composed by <SPAN style="BORDER-BOTTOM: #0066cc 1px dashed; CURSOR: hand" id=lw_1263785775_2 class=yshortcuts><SPAN id=lw_1264389783_6 class=yshortcuts>Jason Robert Brown</SPAN></SPAN> who is steadily becoming a leading composer and playwright for American Musical Theater. It is a</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT color=black size=2 face=arial> powerful dramatic musical based on the real life story of Leo Frank. ‘Parade’ concerns the true story of the 1913 trial of a Brooklyn-born Jewish factory manager Leo Frank who was</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT color=black size=2 face=arial> accused of raping and murdering a 13 year old employee, <SPAN style="BORDER-BOTTOM: #0066cc 1px dashed; CURSOR: hand" id=lw_1263785775_6 class=yshortcuts>Mary Phagan</SPAN>. The trial, sensationalized by the media, aroused anti-Semitic tensions in <SPAN id=lw_1263785775_7 class=yshortcuts><SPAN id=lw_1264389783_8 class=yshortcuts>Atlanta</SPAN></SPAN> and the state of Georgia.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT color=black size=2 face=arial> Helped by his loving wife and the principled governor of Georgia, Frank's sentence was commuted due to illegalities with the trial and he was transferred to a prison in Milledgeville,</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT color=black size=2 face=arial> Georgia. Sadly, in the end, a lynching party breaks him out of the prison and Leo Frank is hanged. <BR></DIV>
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<DIV class=description>Parade features many strong roles for African Americans, and due to the historical accuracy of the production, we are committed to cast these parts as accurately as we can. Many</DIV>
<DIV class=description> companies shy away from productions like this, which feature ethnically diverse casts, with the mistaken fear that the community cannot fill roles that require a diverse ethnic view of</DIV>
<DIV class=description> our world. Spotlight believes a braver vision holds true-- one in which all points of view and all types of people should be presented in our productions. We present these productions</DIV>
<DIV class=description> because of our desire to reach out and present serious theater that is thought provoking and different from the tried and true. We recognize that there may be many potential actors</DIV>
<DIV class=description> and great singers who are afraid or inexperienced at taking a first step in auditioning for a dramatic theater role, and so we are taking this added step of holding a special audition date</DIV>
<DIV class=description> for African American actors and actresses.</DIV>
<DIV class=description> </DIV>
<DIV class=description>The audition process is simple:</DIV>
<DIV class=description> </DIV>
<DIV class=description>1) Please prepare 16 bars from a dramatic song from a Broadway musical.</DIV>
<DIV class=description> </DIV>
<DIV class=description>2) Please be prepared to read excerpts from the play in a dramatic reading with other actors.<BR><BR>The show begins <SPAN style="BORDER-BOTTOM: #0066cc 1px dashed; CURSOR: hand" id=lw_1263785775_4 class=yshortcuts><SPAN id=lw_1264389783_10 class=yshortcuts>on Wednesday, May 12</SPAN></SPAN> and runs through <SPAN style="BORDER-BOTTOM: #0066cc 1px dashed; CURSOR: hand" id=lw_1263785775_5 class=yshortcuts><SPAN id=lw_1264389783_11 class=yshortcuts>Sunday, May 16</SPAN></SPAN>. This may be your one and only opportunity to do this musical. The parts listed below have solos-- there</DIV>
<DIV class=description> are many. This is a show in which actors have the opportunity to be onstage a great deal of time and explore many emotional scenes. This is not a dance show, so for you </DIV>
<DIV class=description>acting/singing types, this is right up your alley. As there is very little dancing, scene-work and rehearsals will move quickly. Although we are auditioning in January and February, we</DIV>
<DIV class=description> will not start rehearsals until March. <BR><BR>We are delighted to announce that we have received a grant from the <SPAN id=lw_1263785775_8 class=yshortcuts><SPAN id=lw_1264389783_12 class=yshortcuts>Arts Center</SPAN></SPAN> of the Capital Region, which will help enable us to make the tickets for this show free to the public.</DIV>
<DIV class=description> Because of this, you may be playing to a packed audience of over 900 and you will be able to invite anyone and everyone you've ever wanted to see you in a show. <BR><BR>Listed below are the main African-American characters and their solos: <BR><BR>Newt Lee, 50 and up, Sings 1 solo-- I Am Trying To Remember-- plus sections of Other Songs, Baritone, African-American. This role is for an African-American male who can portray</DIV>
<DIV class=description> an older man in character and voice. He is the night watchman for the factory and is originally accused of the murder as well.<BR><BR>Jim Conley, 20-40, Sings 2 solos -- That's What He Said and Feel the Rain Fall (not on CD), Baritone, Tenor, African-American male with a cunning personality who can command the</DIV>
<DIV class=description> stage. A factory worker also, he is the actual guilty party. <BR><BR>Angela, 20-50, Sings Rumblin and a Rollin with Jim. Newt and Riley – Alto. Belt African-American female who can bring it home in the number Rumblin and a Rollin. She is Riley's wife</DIV>
<DIV class=description> and a laundry worker.<BR><BR>Riley, 20-60, Sings Rumblin and a Rollin - Baritone, an African-American male who can portray a subservient driver for the governor. <BR><BR>There are also solos within songs for additional characters. We may be having ensemble members playing more than one of these characters. Versatility will be necessary for these</DIV>
<DIV class=description> parts. There are other parts in the play not listed above because they do not have solo work. This is just a list of characters who must sing a solo. We are looking for good singers.</DIV>
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<DIV class=description>If you cannot make these auditions, the main auditions are February 9 and 10 at the same locations.</DIV>
<DIV class=description><BR>If you wish to talk to the director, Michael Mensching, or pick up a CD then please e-mail him at <SPAN style="BORDER-BOTTOM: #0066cc 1px dashed; CURSOR: hand" id=lw_1263785775_14 class=yshortcuts><A href="mailto:Senor65@aol.com" rel=nofollow target=_blank ymailto="mailto:Senor65@aol.com">Senor65@aol.com</A></SPAN> or call <SPAN style="BORDER-BOTTOM: #0066cc 1px dashed; CURSOR: hand" id=lw_1263785775_15 class=yshortcuts><SPAN id=lw_1264389783_15 class=yshortcuts>477-2256</SPAN></SPAN>.<BR><BR>This project is made possible in part through a Community Art$Grant, a program funded by The Arts Center of the Capital Region through the <SPAN id=lw_1263785775_16 class=yshortcuts><SPAN id=lw_1264389783_16 class=yshortcuts>New York State Council on the Arts</SPAN></SPAN>, a</DIV>
<DIV class=description> state agency.</DIV><BR> </DIV></DIV></DIV></DIV></DIV></DIV></FONT></DIV></DIV><!-- cg11.c2.mail.ac4.yahoo.com compressed/chunked Sun Jan 24 00:00:47 PST 2010 --></div></body></html>