[Capdist-auditions] Spelling Bee Auditions at SLOC, December 9 and 10.

[Michael McDermott]

Schenectady Light Opera Company
will be holding auditions for their upcoming  production of:  
"The 25th Annual Putman
County Spelling Bee"
Music and Lyrics by William
Finn
Book by Rachael Sheinkin
Conceived by Rebecca Feldman
Directed by Grace McCarthy
Directorial Mentor:  Michael
Mensching
Musical Director Frank Krumal
Choreographer Jordon Fyvie
Location:  Schenectady Light Opera Company, Cabaret
Room.  427 Franklin Street, Schenectady,
NY
Dates:  December 9th and 10th, 2014.  Callbacks:  December 11th 
Times:  7:00-9:30 p.m.
Rehearsals:  Sunday, Monday, Wednesday and Friday 7 p.m. -
10 p.m.,  commencing January 5, 2014.
Performance Dates:  March 20, 21, 22, 23, 27, 28, 29 and 30.
We
are looking for adults that can easily look and play the parts of middle school
children ages 8-14.  All ethnicities are
encouraged to audition.  Please prepare
16 bars from an up tempo or comedic song (most preferably one from the show) and
come dressed in the persona of the character you most wish to play.  Please be prepared for a simple movement
audition, and bring dance and clothes shoes if necessary (i.e., if your “character”
clothes are not appropriate for dancing).
 We’re looking for unique characters that would
be “different” in a group setting-- the kids that either annoy or stand-out to
their teachers.  The humor of these
contestants is that they are adult actors in these roles.  Though the show depicts children, they are
played by adults so all cast members must be 18 years or older to audition. 
 Spelling Bee Administrators (roles of Rona,
Panch, and Mitch):  Please prepare either
a song from the show or a ballad that is appropriate for your character, Vice
Principal Panch does not sing a lot, so most anything is fine.  For these three characters, please come dressed
as the professional character appropriate for the role.  
SHOW SYNOPSIS:   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.  
Character
Breakdown:  
Chip
Tolentino: TENOR (to high B) 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.   (Actor also plays
Jesus).
William
Barfée: TENOR (to high B flat) 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. His parents are divorced, his father
remarried to a much younger woman; and 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.  
Olive
Ostrovsky: MEZZO (B to F sharp) 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 shyly
blossoms.  
Logainne
Schwartzandgrubenierre: MEZZO (C to D) 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 her political awareness and keen sense of
justice. Having drilled words for hours a day, she is aware of everything that
passes in this room.   
Leaf
Coneybear: TENOR (A to G) 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.   (Actor
also plays Carl Dad)
Marcy
Park: MEZZO (B to E) 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 parents’ work, she knows she can
beat the local competition. Her many talents include piano, dance, martial
arts, baton twirling, and/or other special gifts.   
Rona
Lisa Peretti: MEZZO (C# to A Flat), Age 30-40 The #1 realtor in Putnam County,
a former Putnam County Spelling Bee Champ (at the 3rd annual Bee) and long-time
spelling bee moderator. From her perspective, she keeps the bee running
smoothly, upholds protocol, and conveys crucial information to the audience.
Her interest in the competition is unflagging and drives it forward. She thinks
of this as a complex cerebral sporting event, and she wants the audience to
understand ever twist and turn. If anything, in her life in general, she has to
minimize the importance of 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.   (Actor also
plays Olive’s Mom in Fantasy Sequence).
Vice
Principal Douglas Panch: BARITONE, Age 40-55 This 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.   
Mitch
Mahoney: TENOR (E to A), Age 25-35 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 wider perspective.  (Actor also plays DAN DAD and OLIVE'S DAD
in fantasy).
For more information about the
theater, please visit our website at SLOC.org  or contact
the director at gracemcarthy78 at gmail.com
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