[Capdist-auditions] A CHORUS LINE

[Barbara Amirault]

Details:
Troy Civic Theater will be holding auditions for A Chorus Line.

Conceived and originally Directed and Choreographed by: Michael Bennett
Book by: James Kirkwood & Nicholas Dante
Music by: Marvin Hamlisch
Lyrics by: Edward Kleban

Directed by: Brian J Cotterell
Musical Director: Caity Gallagher
Choreographer: Mani McCalmon
Producer: Michael Ciaravella

Audition Dates:

Monday, August 28th
Sign in begins at 6:30pm
Auditions begin at 7:00pm
Tuesday, August 29th
Sign in begins at 6:30pm
Auditions begin at 7:00pm
Wednesday, August 30th
Callbacks begin at 7:00pm

Show Dates are December, 8th-17th 2017

Rehearsals will begin on October, 2nd 2017

Those auditioning should prepare 16-32 bars of music from a Broadway show
(Please bring sheet music with lead sheet symbols any questions please
contact Caity at caity.n.gallagher at gmail.com) Readings will be selected
from the script. There will be a challenging dance audition as well, please
dress accordingly.

Synopsis:
A CHORUS LINE is a celebration of those unsung heroes of the American
Musical Theatre: the chorus dancers– those valiant, over dedicated,
underpaid, highly trained performers who back up the star or stars and
often make them look even more talented than they are. It is also a
celebration of the American Musical itself. A CHORUS LINE is also about
competition, and competition might easily be the common denominator that
grabs the audience and holds it by the collective heartstring until the
final, ultimate choices are made. For everyone, at one time or another,
puts his life on the line. We all compete, no matter what business we’re
in, for promotion, for attention, for approval and for love. Specifically,
A CHORUS LINE takes the audience through the final grueling audition run by
the director, Zach, for a new Broadway musical.

At the beginning of the show, Zach, a driven, compulsive worker, has
assembled thirty semi-finalists and is putting them through a vigorous
series of dance combinations, including ballet and jazz. Soon he thinks
this group down to the final sixteen, eight boys and eight girls. They and
the audience know that eventually this number will be cut in half and Zach
will choose only four boys and four girls to be in his new musical. Instead
of having them read a short audition scene, Zach wants to elicit a personal
history from each one: how they got into show business, why they became
dancers, what their hopes, fantasies and aspirations are. As he calls upon
them individually, they react in every possible way, from bravado to
reticence. From childhood on, their memories emerge, blending into a
seamless series of musical numbers and monologues, some humorous (“Dance:
Ten; Looks: Three”), some poignant (“At the Ballet”), some group
reminiscences when they all share their adolescent experiences (“Hello
Twelve, Hello Thirteen, Hello Love”) and some intimate, as when he calls
upon Cassie, his former lover who has returned from California to ask for a
chorus job after having been a featured performer (“The Music and the
Mirror”).

As their individual stories pour out in song (“Nothing”) and in spoken
words (Paul’s monologue), interspersed by learning dance routines that
reveal their ability to perform as a faceless drill team (“One”), the
audience, as well as Zach, gets to know each one of these ambitious
entertainers individually, so that by the show’s end, they can identify and
root for their favorites as well as empathize with all of them because they
all need the job– they all want to work at their craft.

A CHORUS LINE departs from the usual glossy backstage musical by presenting
a true picture of what it’s like to be in the theatre: glamorous, yes, at
times, but also tough, heartbreaking and sometimes even tragic, in the case
of Paul who is knocked out of the competition by an injury sustained during
a dance number (“The Tap Combination”). After these brave dancers explain
why they go through a life filled with rejection and injury (“What I Did
for Love”), Zach makes his selection, eliminating the last group who
reluctantly leave the stage. The lights soon fade on the remaining eight
ecstatic dancers as they are told to prepare for rehearsals of their new
Broadway show. They fade only to come up as each performer, now dressed in
full, shimmering finale costume, reappears to receive an individual bow
before joining together to perform the brilliant dance finale (“One”) and
showing exactly the talent it takes to make it into A Chorus Line.

-James Kirkwood and Nicholas Dante

Character Descriptions:

ZACH: The director and choreographer of
the show, non-singing role

LARRY: Zach’s assistant

ALAN DELUCA: Baritone- very straight,
street tough, macho, newly
married to Kristine.

BEBE BENZENHEIMER: Alto- very insecure
about her looks and
funny

BOBBY MILLS: Baritone- flamboyant,
funny, bitchy and witty

CASSIE FERGUSON: Soprano- older
Dancer, returning to
the chorus after years
of being a featured
performer.

CONNIE WONG: Alto- Experienced dancer,
short

DIANA MORALES: Alto- streetwise, a little
bit tough, a determined
athletic dancer

DON KERR: Baritone- ladies man, All
American guy, Cocky

GREGORY GARDENER: Baritone- gay, very
conscious of how
he looks and
appears to others.

JUDY TURNER: Mezzo- Funny, gawky,
nervous, scatterbrain.

KRISTINE URICH: Mezzo- wide-eyed,
naive. Married to Al.

MAGGIE WINSLOW: Soprano- A
sweetheart, little sister
type

MARK ANTHONY: Tenor- optimistic, first
timer, naive but
charming.

MIKE COSTA: Tenor- determined, cocky,
sure of himself but likeable.
Tap dancer

PAUL SAN MARCO: Baritone- Introverted
and slightly insecure
but loves performing

RICHIE WALTERS: Tenor- African-
American, strong dancer,
enthusiastic, cool and
funny.

SHEILA BRYANT: Alto- Oldest dancer on
the line, brassy, sexy,
bitchy and sophisticated.

VALERIE CLARK: Mezzo- Sexy, sassy, funny
& foul‐mouthed

CUT DANCERS: 4 Males and 3 Females,
ages 18 and up will
understudy and sing
throughout the show.
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