[Capdist-auditions] Curtains auditions: May 18 and 19, Spotlight Players, East Greenbush NY.

[Michael McDermott]

Spotlight Players presents CURTAINS!
 
Director – Eric Shovah
Producers – Ferne Dutkin and Michael McDermott
Musical Director – Nathan Meredith
Choreographer – Heather D’Arcy
Rehearsal Secretary/Production Assistant – Marlene Countermine
 
Spotlight Players Community Theater is proud to announce auditions for Curtains - The Musical Comedy Whodunit!  This musical was the final collaboration between John Kander and the late Fred Ebb, who are famous for such hits as the Tony Winning classics Cabaret and Chicago. Curtains was nominated for many Tony and Drama Desk Awards and brought the first Tony to Saratoga native David Hyde Pierce.  
 
Auditions will be held at Columbia High School in East Greenbush on May 18 and 19, 2010.  Sign in for auditions is at 7:00pm and we will begin by 7:30pm.  
 
Please prepare 16 bars from the show, from another Kander and Ebb piece or from one of their contemporaries that shows range and character.
 
No roles have been precast and there are many leading and supporting roles, as well as a large ensemble.  The Ensemble will be very active in this show.  There are several production numbers and big dance numbers.   Many of the ensemble members will have small solos, lines, and featured dancing moments.  Everyone will be asked to take part in a dance audition (though there are some minimal movement principal and ensemble roles).  Some may be asked to stay for a more difficult combination.  
 
No monologue is necessary, but be prepared to read from the script.
 
If you are auditioning for the role of Aaron Fox, please indicate if you can play the piano.  You may be asked to accompany yourself on “I Miss the Music.” Playing the piano is not a requirement for the role, but may help to set you aside from other auditoiners.  

Performances will be held at Columbia High School in East Greenbush from July 23 to August 1, 2010.   The rehearsal process will begin the week after auditions.  Below is a brief synopsis of the show and a list of characters.  For a more in depth synopsis, feel free to visit the Theatrical Rights Worldwide website.

The year is 1959 and Boston’s Colonial Theatre is hosting the opening night performance of “Robbin’ Hood! – a new musical of the Old West.”  The cast is doing their best, but the show’s star, Jessica Cranshaw, can’t act, sing or dance.  After the bows, Jessica Cranshaw falls to the ground and is rushed to Boston Hospital.    We find out from Lieutenant Frank Cioffi, a local detective, that Jessica was murdered.  The cast and crew are locked down in the theatre – trying to solve the murder and prepare for a re-opening.  Cioffi questions the producers, the cast, the crew, the writers, the director and everyone involved in the production and offers tips along the way to improve the failing show. 

Listed below are the main characters: 

LIEUTENANT FRANK CIOFFI (30-40s): Local Boston detective who is also a musical theatre aficionado. Aside from being exceptionally good at his job, he has also aspired to be a musical theatre performer his entire life. He falls in love with Niki.
 
NIKI HARRIS (20s-early 30s) Pretty, naive ingenue. Niki is a chorus girl/understudy in the chorus of the show-within-the-show during its Boston tryout. She aspires to make it as a performer on Broadway. She meets and falls in love with Dt. Frank Cioffi who is investigating a murder at the theatre. Actress must have legit Soprano and good comic timing.
 
GEORGIA HENDRICKS (30-40s) Female half of our songwriting team. Ends up taking on the leading lady role. Must sing and dance well.
 
CARMEN BERNSTEIN (45-65) Brassy Broadway producer. Terrific comedic actress who sings well.
 
AARON FOX (30-40s) The composer of the show-within-the-show. His songwriting partner, Georgia, is also his wife from whom he's separated. He's a sexy, charming ladies man.
 
SIDNEY BERNSTEIN (Late 50s-70s): The producer of an out of town flop. Sidney is tough and self-serving. Seeking a character actor with good comic timing.
 
CHRISTOPHER BELLING (30-60) English director. Very camp. Very funny. Requires a good comic lead actor.
 
BAMBI BERNSTEIN (Early 20s-early 30s) Performer in the chorus and daughter of Carmen, the lead producer. Hungry to work her way up to leading performer many think she was only hired because of her mother. Bambi is a good dancer/comedienne who sings well.
 
DARYL GRADY (30-40s): A Theatre critic for the local Boston newspaper, he enjoys using the power he has to make or break shows during their out of town tryouts.
JOHNNY HARMON (30s-50s) The Stage Manager of the show-within-the-show. Johnny is a character man who is gruff but lovable. He keeps the company in line and on their toes throughout the rehearsal process.
 
OSCAR SHAPIRO (30-65): The general manager. An agreeable if slightly gruff man. He is always looking for any angle to find money. Seeking a good comic actor who sings.
 
BOBBY PEPPER (20s to early 30s) The choreographer and lead dancer. Seeking a strong singer who dances well.
 
JESSICA CRANSHAW (30s-50s) Fading Hollywood star. A diva, who has no right to be one, she is a terrible singer and actress who stars in the show within a show and gets murdered on its opening night.
 
ENSEMBLE ROLES:
RANDY DEXTER
MONA PAGE
HARV FREMONT
ROBERTA WOOSTER
DETECTIVE O'FARRELL
MARJORIE COOK
ARLENE BARRUCA
ROY STETSON
BRICK HAWVERMALE
JANE SETLER
CONNIE SUBBOTIN
PEG PRENTICE
RONNIE DRISCOLL
RUSS COCHRAN

If you wish to talk to the director, Eric Shovah, or pick up a CD then please e-mail him at bialystockandbloom at nycap.rr.com or call 526-1300.
 
Michael McDermott
(518) 669-5414
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