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</o:shapelayout></xml><![endif]--></head><body lang=EN-US link=blue vlink=purple><div class=WordSection1><p class=MsoNormal>Schenectady Light Opera Company will be holding auditions for their upcoming production of <o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal align=center style='text-align:center'><b><i><span style='font-size:16.0pt'>“The 25<sup>th</sup> Annual Putman County Spelling Bee”<o:p></o:p></span></i></b></p><p class=MsoNormal align=center style='text-align:center'><b><i><span style='font-size:16.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></i></b></p><p class=MsoNormal align=center style='text-align:center'>Music and Lyrics by William Finn<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal align=center style='text-align:center'>Book by Rachael Sheinkin<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal align=center style='text-align:center'>Conceived by Rebecca Feldman<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal align=center style='text-align:center'>Directed by Grace McCarthy<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal align=center style='text-align:center'>Directorial Mentor Michael Mensching<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal align=center style='text-align:center'>Musical Director Frank Krumal<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal align=center style='text-align:center'>Choreographer Jordon Fyvie<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Location: Schenectady Light Opera Company, Cabaret Room. 427 Franklin Street, Schenectady, NY<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Dates: December 9<sup>th</sup> and 10<sup>th</sup>, 2014. Callbacks: December 11<sup>th</sup> <o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Times: 7:00-9:30 p.m.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Rehearsals: Sunday, Monday, Wednesday and Friday 7 p.m. – 10 p.m. commencing Sunday December 29, 2013<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Performance Dates: March 20, 21, 22, 23, 27, 28, 29 and 30.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Please prepare<span class=textexposedshow><span style='font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:black'> </span></span><span class=textexposedshow><span style='color:black'>32 bars of any showtune. Please bring sheet music for the pianist and be prepared for a light dancing audition.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span class=textexposedshow><span style='color:black'><o:p> </o:p></span></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span class=textexposedshow><span style='color:black'>Though the show depicts children, they are played by adults so all cast members must be 18 years or older to audition.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span class=textexposedshow><span style='color:black'><o:p> </o:p></span></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span class=textexposedshow><b><span style='color:black'>SHOW SYNOPSIS:</span></b></span><span class=textexposedshow><span style='color:black'> A spelling bee is depicted through hilarious and sometimes deeply touching musical numbers and dialog depicting the trials and tribulations of contestants. Audience participation adds a spontaneous, fun and upbeat energy to the show.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span class=textexposedshow><span style='color:black'><o:p> </o:p></span></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span class=textexposedshow><b><span style='color:black'>CAST OF CHARACTERS:<o:p></o:p></span></b></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span class=textexposedshow><b><span style='color:black'><o:p> </o:p></span></b></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span class=textexposedshow><b><span style='color:black'>CHIP TOLENTINO </span></b></span><span class=textexposedshow><span style='color:black'>(actor also plays JESUS)<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span class=textexposedshow><span style='color:black'>The reigning spelling champion of Putnam County, relatively athletic and social, he expects things to come easily to him. Lately though, he’s been going through some weird changes, and things are slipping out of his control.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span class=textexposedshow><span style='color:black'><o:p> </o:p></span></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span class=textexposedshow><b><span style='color:black'>LOGAINNE SCHWARTZANDGRUBENNIERE<o:p></o:p></span></b></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span class=textexposedshow><span style='color:black'>Younger than most bee participants, she is driven by internal and external pressure-but above all by a desire to win to make her two fathers (from whom she takes her combined last name) proud. She lisps, is a little uncomfortable in her body, has some tics, but still manages to strike a strong presence with the political awareness and keen sense of justice. Having drilled words for hours a day, she is aware of everything that passes in the room.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span class=textexposedshow><span style='color:black'><o:p> </o:p></span></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span class=textexposedshow><b><span style='color:black'>LEAF CONEY BEAR </span></b></span><span class=textexposedshow><span style='color:black'>(actor also plays CARL DAD)<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span class=textexposedshow><span style='color:black'>A second alternate, he never expected to compete here today. Home-schooled with his many siblings, everything about this public bee is an adventure for him, from meeting the other kids to showing off his homemade clothing, to each moment of unexpected attention. He may have severe Attention Deficit Disorder but delights in his own wandering focus. Leaf doesn’t expect to win-or even to spell one word correctly-but he finds absolutely everything incredibly amusing. His mother has made him wear his protective helmet to the bee.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span class=textexposedshow><span style='color:black'><o:p> </o:p></span></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span class=textexposedshow><b><span style='color:black'>WILLIAM BARFREE<o:p></o:p></span></b></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span class=textexposedshow><span style='color:black'>Has a host of health problems and a lot to prove. Loud and combative as a defensive posture, he is the fat kid who becomes a bully to avoid being picked on (though he often gets picked on anyway so gets into a lot of fights). His parents are divorced, his father remarried to a much younger woman; William does not expect kindness from anyone but his mother. So friendship takes him by surprise. Still, he’s noticed on the spelling circuit for his remarkable technique-spelling words out on the floor with his foot. Taken out of competition last year because of an ill-timed allergic reaction, he’s here for vindication. The journey he doesn’t expect is one of coming to care about someone else-when he sees outside his own needs for perhaps the first time, it shakes him fundamentally.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span class=textexposedshow><span style='color:black'><o:p> </o:p></span></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span class=textexposedshow><b><span style='color:black'>MARCY PARK<o:p></o:p></span></b></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span class=textexposedshow><span style='color:black'>The ultimate over-achiever, Marcy has never been given another option. She comes from a family where excellence is expected and so simply produced. A parochial school student, she assumes God, too, expects perfection. She sees herself as a mass of problems but she keeps them to herself. Having moved often because of her parent’s work, she knows she can beat the local competition. Her many talents include piano, dance, martial arts, baton twirling, or the like depending on the talents of the cast member chosen.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span class=textexposedshow><span style='color:black'><o:p> </o:p></span></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span class=textexposedshow><b><span style='color:black'>OLIVE OSTROVSKY<o:p></o:p></span></b></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span class=textexposedshow><span style='color:black'>A word lover, Olive has a fairly quiet life. An only child with often-absent parents, Olive spends a lot of her time alone. She fills some of that time reading the dictionary-the words bring her comfort, as does the idea of the vastness of the world the book contains. During the first half of the bee, she often peers into the audience to see if her father, who is delayed at work, has made it yet. She starts enormously shy and, and shyly blossoms.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span class=textexposedshow><span style='color:black'><o:p> </o:p></span></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span class=textexposedshow><b><span style='color:black'>THE ADULTS:<o:p></o:p></span></b></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span class=textexposedshow><b><span style='color:black'><o:p> </o:p></span></b></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span class=textexposedshow><b><span style='color:black'>RONA LISA PERFETTI </span></b></span><span class=textexposedshow><span style='color:black'>(Actor also plays OLIVE’S MOM in fantasy)<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span class=textexposedshow><span style='color:black'>Putnam’s long-time spelling bee hostess, a local realtor, and 3<sup>rd</sup> annual Putnam County spelling champion. This is Rona’s day to be a queen. From her perspective she keeps the bee running smoothly, upholds protocol, and conveys crucial information to the audience. Her interest in the competition in unflagging and drives it forward. She thinks of this as a complex cerebral sporting event, and she wants the audience to understand every twist and turn. If anything, in her life in general, she has to minimize the importance of this this event to her, embarrassed that her own championship moment remains such a highlight. A little concerned when the substitute word pronouncer arrives, she knows she has to step up her game to make the day a success.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span class=textexposedshow><span style='color:black'><o:p> </o:p></span></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span class=textexposedshow><b><span style='color:black'>VICE PRINCIPAL DOUGHLAS PANCH <o:p></o:p></span></b></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span class=textexposedshow><span style='color:black'>The vice principal of Lake Hemingway Dos Passos Junior High is frustrated with his life. He fell into education, less out of love than a general ability uncoupled to a particular passion. The drive of the young spellers is alien to him. He never found anything that important. Stuck in his current job, endlessly awaiting a promotion that isn’t coming, he was not happy to get the call this morning that he was needed to substitute; but he starts the bee eager to do well, to redeem himself for past mistakes and to impress the local hostess, Rona Lisa, who impressed him long ago.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span class=textexposedshow><span style='color:black'><o:p> </o:p></span></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span class=textexposedshow><b><span style='color:black'>MITCH MAHONEY </span></b></span><span class=textexposedshow><span style='color:black'>(Actor also plays DAN DAD and OLIVE’S DAD in fantasy)<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span class=textexposedshow><span style='color:black'>With a bouncer’s physique and demeanor, Mitch appears an odd choice to be the bee’s “comfort counselor,” but it’s part of his community service assignment. The outsider, who in a way gets to inhabit the audience perspective, he wonders about the wisdom of putting the kids through this at all. He has no idea how to offer comfort, but does increasingly find himself wishing he could find a way to make the kids feel better about losing, and perhaps place misspelling in the wider perspective.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span class=textexposedshow><span style='color:black'><o:p> </o:p></span></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span class=textexposedshow><span style='color:black'>For more information about the theater, please visit our website at SLOC.org or contact the director at gracemccarthy789@gmail.com</span></span><o:p></o:p></p></div></body></html>