AMERICAN MORNING - NYC EPA
Prospect Theater Company
AUDITION DATE
Wed, Feb 20, 2019
9:30 am - 5:30 pm (EST)
Lunch 1 to 2
CONTRACT
Off Broadway Tier 2; $610/week
SEEKING
An ensemble of strong actor-singers with experience in and enthusiasm for the development process of new musicals.
PREPARATION
Actors should come prepared to sing a brief contemporary musical theater selection from their repertoire. Bring picture and resume.
LOCATION
Actors' Equity New York Audition Center
165 W 46th St
16th Fl
New York, NY 10036
PERSONNEL
Bookwriter / Lyricist / Composer: Timothy Huang
Director / Choreographer: Marlo Hunter
Producing Artistic Director / Casting Contact: Cara Reichel
Managing Director / Producer Contact: Melissa Huber
Present at EPA Audition: Cara Reichel & Peter Mills
OTHER DATES
Rehearsals will begin April 22, 2019 at 520 8th Avenue, ARTNY Studios in midtown Manhattan.
Performances will take place May 8 - 19, 2019 at the ARTNY Mezzanine Theatre (502 West 53rd St., NYC).
OTHER
EPA Procedures are in effect for audition.
An Equity monitor will be provided.
Equity’s contracts prohibit discrimination. Equity is committed to diversity and encourages all its employers to engage in a policy of equal employment opportunity designed to promote a positive model of inclusion. As such, Equity encourages performers of all ethnicities, gender identities, and ages, as well as performers with disabilities, to attend every audition.
Always bring your Equity Membership card to auditions.
BREAKDOWN
Project Overview / Synopsis:
Prospect Theater Company seeks actors to participate in a staged workshop production of Timothy Huang’s original musical, American Morning (previously titled Costs of Living).
Inspired by a true incident that was reported in a 2009 New York Times article, American Morning tells the story of two Chinese immigrant NYC taxi drivers, Chin and Eng, who share opposite shifts off the same cab medallion.
While Eng slowly climbs the ladder of success by day, his partner Chin falls short by night, suffering disappointment after unforeseen disappointment. Forced competition drives a wedge between the two men, and their story culminates in a single, desperate act – leaving one dead and the other brutalized.
This tragedy is investigated by Mike, an ambitious journalist who interviews various New Yorkers whose paths crossed with the cabbies during the time they drove together. As Mike deciphers what went wrong and why, he gains a new understanding of the stakes of the “American Dream,” and his own complicity in the events which took place.
SEEKING: An ensemble of strong actor-singers with experience in and enthusiasm for the development process of new musicals, to play:
ENG – Male, late 20s – late 30s. Baritenor to F, with some R&B falsetto riffing to G/A. Chinese. An immigrant NYC cab driver who works the day shift. Eng has a big heart and positive attitude. He is well-meaning, but sometimes careless. He is able to bring his wife, Grace, to the US. Must speak fluent English but also be able to speak in a Chinese accent.
CHIN – Male, late 20s – late 30s. Tenor to A. Chinese. An immigrant NYC cab driver who works the night shift. Chin is super confident, but a tortured soul. Quick on his feet, he loves Sherlock Holmes. Doesn’t need validation from anyone. His girlfriend and child remain in China. Must speak fluent English but also be able to speak in a Chinese accent.
MIKE – Male, 20s - 30s. Tenor to G. Chinese American. A John Cho type. Mike is a privileged, ambitious journalist who goes to great lengths to pursue a deeper understanding of Eng and Chin’s tragic story. His investigation leads to a confession of his own complicity in the events that occurred, and a new understanding of the “American Dream.”
TAK & OTHERS – Male, mid-20s. Tenor. Asian / Asian American. Tak is a Chinese immigrant who arrived in the US around the same time as Eng, works in a restaurant, and is now Eng’s roommate and close friend. Funny/quirky/nerdy with a big heart. Not at all bothered with being the punchline of any joke.
MS. LOPEZ & OTHERS – Female, 30s-40s. Soprano. Latinx. Ms. Lopez is an immigration worker. This track will encompass a broad spectrum of characters from no-nonsense to sloppy drunk comedy. Bold sense of humor and strong character acting ability with a variety of accents is required.
GRACE & OTHERS – Female, 25-35. Mezzo-Soprano. Asian / Asian American. This actor portrays both Grace, Eng’s determined, charming and hopeful wife who immigrates from China, as well as a variety of other characters in NYC. Strong character acting with ability to do a Queens accent is a plus. Role also requires a standard American accent and English fluency.
WILSON & OTHERS – Male, 30s – 50s. Tenor. Caucasian. Strong character actor with a flair for comedy, as well as grounded drama. This actor plays a variety of roles including an Eastern European immigrant, a “Bridge and Tunnel” type, and a desperate immigration bureaucrat.
UNCLE LO & OTHERS – Male, 40s-60s. Baritone. Asian / Asian American. Uncle Lo is Chin’s extremely proud uncle, who previously immigrated to the US. This actor portrays a broad spectrum of characters from bold and authoritative, to sloppy drunk comedy. Role requires a Chinese accent, a “New York Italian” accent, and English fluency.
Equity’s contracts prohibit discrimination. Equity is committed to diversity and encourages all its employers to engage in a policy of equal employment opportunity designed to promote a positive model of inclusion. As such, Equity encourages performers of all ethnicities, gender identities, and ages, as well as performers with disabilities, to audition.
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