Sharon L. Morse Performing Arts Center (aka The Studio Theatre) 2024-25 Season - Chicago OPEN CALL
Significant Productions, Inc. | The Villages, FL
Notice: Audition Call Type: Open Call
Saturday, April 20, 2024
10:00 AM - 5:00 PM (C)
Lunch 1:00 PM - 2:00 PM
To schedule an audition appointment please sign up at:
https://auditionsmanager.com/registration.php?AU=vCtY931120 .
OAT
$493 weekly minimum (Cat. 4)
Equity actors for roles in Sharon L. Morse Performing Arts Center's (aka The Studio Theatre Tierra Del Sol) 2024-25 Season (See breakdown).
At The Studio we practice Non-Traditional Casting. Non-Traditional Casting is a method designed to increase artistic options by expanding casting opportunities for women, actors of color, seniors and actors with disabilities in roles where race, gender, age or the presence or absence of a disability are not germane. To that end we encourage all actors to audition.
Please prepare a 90-second monologue and a 16-bar cut musical theatre song in style of shows. Have a second contrasting monologue ready if requested, bring your book, you may be asked to sing another selection. To be considered for the plays only please come prepared with two contrasting 90-second monologues.
Theater Wit
1229 W Belmont
Chicago, IL 60657
Please check-in with the (Non-Equity) audition monitor in the front lobby.
Artistic Director- Whitney Morse
Associate Artistic Director- Angel Creeks
Literary & Casting Associate- Jordan Gregson
Production Manager- Leslie Becker
Production Manager- Mark Kirschenbaum
See breakdown for production specific personnel.
See breakdown for production specific dates.
OTHER
An Equity Monitor will not be provided. The producer will run all aspects of this audition.
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.
Sharon L. Morse Performing Arts Center (aka The Studio Theatre) 2024-25 Season
Written by Bernardo Cubria
Directed by Joshian Morales
Rehearsals Start: Tuesday, September 3rd, 2024
Opening: Friday, September 27th, 2024
Closing: Saturday, October 19th, 2024
PAOLA AGUILAR (late 30s, female-identifying, Mexican, disabled or nondisabled) A Doctor of Latinx Studies who teaches at the University of Central Florida. She wants to be a mom, but life hasn’t made that available yet. Hyper intelligent and empathetic to a fault. Has regrets and the boundaries to match.
NICOLA RAMIREZ (30s, female-identifying, White, disabled or nondisabled) White with a Cuban father. A not so closet nerd. She is – upon further investigation – way more neurotic than you could ever imagine. Has yet to come out as Latina. According to her Instagram she’s doing just fine.
BERNARD ROBINSON (30s, male-identifying, Black, disabled or nondisabled) Grew up with money in Texas. Went to SMU. Has far too often been someone’s “black friend.” He is obsessed with early Garth Brooks. Wants to be president one day.
REBECCA FELDMAN (late 20s, female-identifying, Jew-”ish”, disabled or nondisabled) Grew up in New York City, Speaks Spanish fluently and can’t wait to tell you how she “estudiar en Venezuela.” Got one question wrong on her SAT and she knows which one. Fancies herself a human right’s activist AND a centrist. She is so proud to call herself an “ally.”
KAJ LUTKEN (30s, male-identifying, White, disabled or nondisabled) The kind of person who didn’t get that Wolf of Wall Street was a satire. Is hyper concerned with cancel culture and is currently working on a Op-Ed about the whole thing. He is the epitome of ambition and trust me he sleeps waaaaay less than you do.
TRACK 1 (any gender, Hispanic/Latino/Latina/Latinx/Latine, disabled or nondisabled) Will play various people throughout the play. They and we are not a monolith. And they get to have fun in acting out various examples of a diaspora. Awesome to be around. Clowning experience preferred.
Written by Sarah Treem
Directed by Celine Rosenthal
Rehearsals Start: Tuesday, October 22nd, 2024
Opening: Friday, November 15th, 2024
Closing: Saturday, December 14th, 2024
AGNES (50s, female-identifying, any race/ethnicity, disabled or nondisabled) Owner of the bed and breakfast that is also a refuge to women in need. Tough-loving, maternal, devoted. Her main priorities are to her daughter and the women who pass through her home. A no nonsense woman, unshakable, and resolute. Deeply loving but extremely private; the sacrifices she has made in her personal life are at the core of her wisdom.
PENNY (17, female-identifying, any race/ethnicity, disabled or nondisabled) Agnes’ daughter, angst ridden and self-important, like most teenagers. Eager to flee the nest and the small town she grew up in. Intelligent, ambitious, but with a sense of humor. Still coming into herself, yet quite mature for her young age. Having grown up in her mother’s house, Penny knows what heartbreak and abuse can do to a woman. She yearns to experience love at times in her life when it isn’t realistic.
MARY ANNE (20s, female-identifying, any race/ethnicity, disabled or nondisabled) A runaway fleeing her abusive marriage. Born and raised on an army base, her street smarts become a means of survival. Although lacking a formal education, she is naturally intuitive. The inner conflict she has is real, though Mary Anne is not a victim. Fragile but brave. Sometimes self-destructive though easily evokes sympathy from others. Apologetic for the havoc she wreaks, yet her manipulative personality makes the people who care about her drift away. Intimacy required.
PAUL (30s-40s, male-identifying, any race/ethnicity, disabled or nondisabled) A drifter searching for a place to belong. Uncomfortable with all things bohemian, he can’t shake off his mid-western conventionality. Agreeable, polite, considerate. A skilled guitarist but lacks the poetic soul of a true musician. Determined to find his niche in the world and disappointed when he can’t. Always out of step with the explosive times of the era. Sympathetic and vulnerable, though underneath his nice persona lies weariness and resentment. Guitar playing and singing. Intimacy required.
HANNAH (30s, female-identifying, any race/ethnicity, disabled or nondisabled) A lesbian separatist en route to join her sister community. Feisty, androgynous looking, sexy in an earth mother way. Harsh and unabashedly outspoken about her womanhood. Her sense of humor about life makes it easy to forgive the outlandish behavior she exhibits. Highly intuitive, street smart, wise. Concerned for Agnes and the well-fare of her home, she assumes the role of protector. Her ability to read people can be abrasive or welcoming.
Book by Roger O. Hirson
Music and Lyrics by Stephen Schwartz
Directed by Nathaniel Niemi
Music Direction by Bert Rodriguez
Choreography by Angel Creeks
Rehearsals Start: Thursday, December 26th, 2024
Opening: Friday, January 24th, 2025
Closing: Saturday, March 1st, 2025
Please note: It is our intention to represent the diversity of gender expression in our ensemble of players and welcome performers of all expressions/identities. Performers should have strong dance/movement ability. Choreography will utilize the Fosse style.
PIPPIN (20s, male-identifying, any race/ethnicity, disabled or nondisabled) Our story's young and confused protagonist. He is longing to find his purpose in life. Naive, innocent, and discontent. Eventually finds love, and meaning in life, with Catherine and Theo. Vocal Range: G2 - Ab4
LEADING PLAYER (20s-50s, any gender, any race/ethnicity, disabled or nondisabled) The ultimate 'ring leader.' Masterfully charming and manipulative, the Leading Player is a chameleon of sorts. Guides Pippin through his own story and tries to intervene at the end. Excellent mover. Obsessed with putting on a great show for the audience. Has a strong sense of physicality and movement. Vocal Range: Db3 - Ab4
BERTHE (50s-70s, female-identifying, any race/ethnicity, disabled or nondisabled) Pippin's saucy grandmother. A brassy woman full of wisdom, grace, and sass. She tries to help Pippin and encourages him to live his life to the fullest. Vocal Range: E3 - C5
CATHERINE (30s-40s, female-identifying, any race/ethnicity, disabled or nondisabled) A widow and mother. She is a beautiful and a hopeless romantic, who possesses graceful elegance. Encounters Pippin at his lowest point and eventually falls in love with him. Vocal Range: F#3 - Db5
FASTRADA (30s-40s, female-identifying, any race/ethnicity, disabled or nondisabled) Pippin's conniving stepmother, she is both beautiful and smart. Devious, crafty, cunning, untrustworthy. Dedicated to gaining the throne for her darling son, Lewis. Vocal Range: A3 - F5
CHARLEMAGNE (50s-70s, male-identifying, any race/ethnicity, disabled or nondisabled) Pippin's demanding father. As the King of the Holy Roman Empire, Charlemagne is more comfortable wielding a sword than breaking bread. He wears his years with great pride. Vocal Range: G2 - E4
LEWIS (20s, male-identifying, any race/ethnicity, disabled or nondisabled) Charlemagne and Fastrada’s son. Strong and not bright. Pippin’s half-brother and after Pippin, heir to the throne. Addicted to the physical, Lewis loves weightlifting, Lewis loves wrestling, but most of all, Lewis loves Lewis. Physically strong. Vocal Range: Open
THEO (male-identifying, any race/ethnicity, disabled or nondisabled) Catherine’s son. Vocal Range: Open
PLAYERS (young performer, any gender, any race/ethnicity, disabled or nondisabled) Heavily featured throughout. Ensemble “Players” play many other roles; they represent the influences and voices in Pippin’s head. Strong Movers. Vocal Range: Open.
Written by Ashleigh Ann Gardner
Directed by Sara Oliva
Rehearsals Start: Tuesday, March 11th, 2025
Opening: Friday, April 4th, 2025
Closing: Saturday, April 26th, 2025
ALEX (30s, female-presenting, any race/ethnicity, disabled or nondisabled) Focused, driven, and intelligent; sometimes anxiety-ridden; not used to dealing with people anymore; afraid of the outside world. Has a heart arrhythmia that requires medication. Into yoga, crochet, and science fiction novels. Former ER nurse; daughter of two mothers – one, an over-prepared doomsday believer and robotics/AI professor (Leda) and the other a brain surgeon (Gaelen). Performers of the global majority are encouraged to audition.
DOMINIC (male-presenting, any race/ethnicity, disabled or nondisabled) An advanced AI computer program., Personality and maturity level of a playful thirty-something. Plucky, accommodating, intelligent, and amicable. Is capable of hearing and seeing all actions inside the bunker via microphone and camera systems. His emotional capabilities were a secret project. The absence of a body is the only thing that separates him from the rest of humanity. (Exists via god mic.) Performers of the global majority are encouraged to audition. Please note: The actor playing Dom should voice him as he would a regular human, not a computer, with a full emotional range including, but not limited to, sarcasm. This character requires a British dialect. Standard RP is fine.
SETH (30s, male-identifying, any race/ethnicity, disabled or nondisabled) Resourceful, friendly, and a little bit of a cowboy and a jokester. Genuine when he is serious. Although he was previously a robotics and AI scientist, he has since rejected this path. A man from the outside who once knew Alex and her family. Scruffy from the years of living outdoors. Performers of the global majority are encouraged to audition.
Book and Lyrics by Joe DiPietro
Music by Jimmy Roberts
Directed by Nathaniel Niemi
Rehearsals Start: Tuesday, April 29th, 2025
Opening: Friday, May 30th, 2025
Closing: Saturday, June 28th, 2025
WOMAN #1 (20s-40s, female-identifying, any race/ethnicity, disabled or nondisabled) Various roles throughout the show. Strong vocalist. Vocal Range: A3-Bb5
WOMAN #2 (20s-40s, female-identifying, any race/ethnicity, disabled or nondisabled) Various roles throughout the show. Strong vocalist. Vocal Range: F#3-Db5
MAN #1 (20s-40s, male-identifying, any race/ethnicity, disabled or nondisabled) Various roles throughout the show. Strong vocalist. Vocal Range: C3-G#4
MAN #2 (20s-40s, male-identifying, any race/ethnicity, disabled or nondisabled) Various roles throughout the show. Strong vocalist. Vocal Range: Db3-Gb4
Written by Michael McKeever
Directed by Trevin Cooper
Rehearsals Start: Tuesday, July 8th, 2025
Opening: Friday, August 1st, 2025
Closing: Saturday, August 23rd, 2025
Please note: Familiarity with movies and performance styles of the 1930s and early 40s will be strongly beneficial in understanding the characters in this play. Potential performers are encouraged to examine such works as the screwball comedies of artists like Katherine Hepburn, Cary Grant, John Barrymore, and Carole Lombard, among many others. In addition, the ability to create the clipped, mid-Atlantic diction, common for actors of the time will also be an asset.
BERNARD S. DUNLAP (40s-60s, male-identifying, any race/ethnicity, disabled or nondisabled) The general manager of the Palm Beach Royale Hotel & Spa. An austere and dignified gentleman who insists on everything running smoothly – and becomes a screaming hysteric when it doesn’t.
CLAUDIA MCFADDEN (40s-50s, female-identifying, any race/ethnicity, disabled or nondisabled) America’s beloved matron of song. An impressive singing star, every gesture she makes is larger than life. She moves into a room with the force of an elegantly dressed tornado. Singing.
ATHENA SINCLAIR (40s-50s, female-identifying, any race/ethnicity, disabled or nondisabled) A great star of stage and screen. Stylish and elegant, she is every inch the diva that Claudia McFadden is. A one-time screen siren, she exudes the confidence of being Hollywood royalty. Singing.
MURPHY STEVENS (20s-30s, female-identifying, any race/ethnicity, disabled or nondisabled) Athena’s personal secretary. Former fiancée to Francis, she dreamed of being a big star herself, before becoming a secretary for one instead. Intimacy required.
MR. PIPPET (30s-50s, male-identifying, any race/ethnicity, disabled or nondisabled) Claudia’s personal secretary. He’s resigned to the fact that his main lot in life is to be yelled at. Often panics at any surprises.
DORA DEL RIO (20s-30s, female-identifying, any race/ethnicity, disabled or nondisabled) A gossip columnist. Rather snoopy with a flair for the dramatic, she will try anything to dig up a juicy story.
MRS. EVERETT P. OSGOOD (50s-60s, female-identifying, any race/ethnicity, disabled or nondisabled) A society matron and president of the Palm Beach Ladies for Unity. An old money eccentric with dotty innocence, she is stylish and accustomed to getting anything she wants.
FRANCIS (20s-30s, male-identifying, any race/ethnicity, disabled or nondisabled) A bellhop. Former fiancé of Murphy, he quit show business to join the army but is now hiding out as a bellhop after the army wouldn’t take him. He and Otis are a comedic pair ala Laurel and Hardy. Intimacy required. Possible piano playing.
OTIS (20s-30s, male-identifying any race/ethnicity, disabled or nondisabled) A bellhop. A diligent and happy man who tends to be in the wrong place at the wrong time. He and Francis are a comedic pair ala Laurel and Hardy.
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