Into the Woods Auditions at Near West Theatre

Come have some fun at Near West Theatre!

The Newest Episode of "STAGES: Stories from the BW Music Theatre Program"

Episode 19: A look at auditions for "Rent" and the learning opportunities that can happen for Music Theatre students, both in the audition room and in the classroom.

"Thank You...NEXT!"

Even though I've spent the last couple of years focusing on directing, there is nothing like the thrill of actually being on stage. But to do that of course you have to actually get your fat ass off the couch, or director's chair and audition. I think it's really important for director's to audition a lot anyway. I know for me it's great perspective to be on the other side of the audition table and I know it helps me a better director when people audition for me. Can't be a leader if you haven't been in the trenches yourself, right? And there's nothing that can put a director who may have developed an overinflated sense of importance (c'est moi?) in his place more than hearing the words "Thank you...NEXT!". What do you mean the entire universe isn't tuned in to my electrifying theater visions and just waiting for me to walk through the door? "Thank you....NEXT!"

I recently had the pleasure of auditioning for the annual open call of professional theaters here in Cleveland. Walking into a room with representatives from 12 or 15 pro theater groups was humbling, felt great and was energizing. We'll see what the future holds for productions next season! I also have had a series of on-camera auditions through my agency The Talent Group and excuse me, but there's nothing more horrifying than that up close image of yourself on camera...like I need to add 10 pounds? Talk about humbling! Fortunately my last audition ended up in a booking as a character in an industrial video, so that's cool...but the point of this is the audition process is so important to what we do that any practitioner of the art should examine it from every angel, practice it, love it, hate it, do it. For me it helps me become a better auditioner and director. Holla!

Musings from My City of Angels Auditions and Call-Backs

I've just finished up auditions for my upcoming production of the musical City of Angels. As challenging as the audition process can be (and yes - for those who have never been on the other side of the audition table, if you think standing up in front of people and singing or reading is tough, try casting a whole show) it's always a fascinating process and I try to learn a little more each time.

First let me say thank you to everyone who got off the couch and showed interest in this show. I really appreciate it. This time around I saw some amazing auditions, but it still amazes me sometimes how some auditioners continue to make classic audition mistakes. I realize we're talking about community theater, but I refuse to set the bar low because the production may be a "non-professional" one. There is nothing non-professional about the people that I have been fortunate to work with in the past and in order for this art form to grow and thrive we have to continue to challenge ourselves to produce the very best shows with the very best teams we can. Especially when ticket buyers' dollars are stretched so thin. Our customers should feel like they just saw a professional quality show for an amateur price - that's value and customers like good values. And like just about everything else in theater, it all starts with the audition.

I'm not going to get into a rant about audition tips and things like that. Far smarter and more qualified people have been there and done that (i.e. see Broadway Producer Ken Davenport's recent post or visit musicaltheateraudition.com). But I do have some observations from my recent round of try-outs.

Where are the men? Not to diminish the guys that did come to my auditions - they were great, but few. I know this is a common challenge for community theaters, but seriously, why don't men come to auditions? We know they do shows and love to perform, but they don't come to auditions. Is it because we have come to learn that we are in high demand and eventually the show will come to us? I think there is a bit of that unconscious awareness (can awareness be unconscious?) that the competition is much lower for quality male performers than it is for females. Personally, I like the audition process and don't mind going to auditions. Is it the show selection? Is one show considered more "macho" than another? City of Angels has fantastic and "macho" male roles and still the audition room was filled with women. I think it comes down to simple supply and demand. At the community theater (read "non-paid") level there are exponentially more women who are available and/or willing to participate in a show. So recruitment is essential and I continue using my network and searching outside it to add more great guys to what is already a phenomenal cast.

But obviously I did have a lot of great people show up and some...well, not so great. Actually, in many cases it wasn't so much that they weren't good performers, but the presentation (the audition) was off. They were either unprepared ("I really don't have a song ready, I just listened to this in the car on the way here..."), or unorganized (please make the accompanist's already tough job easier by having sheet music neatly organized in a binder! They can be your best friend or worst enemy!), or full of attitude - and not the good kind (I can't wait to spend 8 weeks of my life with someone who rolls their eyes at the slightest direction) or just plain full of excuses ("I'm really sick right now..."). Like it or not, directors can't afford to guess how an actor might perform under more perfect conditions. There are no "perfect" conditions in live theater. The audition is often your only shot to get it right. Indeed, to me a true professional and experienced performer (one I want in my show) is the one who can overcome adversities and unexpected moments and still put on a great show. Stopping the show because you hear a weird note from the pit is not an option. But when you are thrown off and flustered when the audition accompanist plunks unexpectedly, it says volumes about how you might perform come showtime. Many unexpected things can and usually do happen in live theater and how one reacts to these little unexpected audition moments can also say a lot about how an actor might react if a flat falls down or a costume rips. You have a cold at auditions? Good! Show me how you can sing through that and make me believe you're the healthiest person in the world right now. I can hear through a stuffy nose or a dry throat to get to the talent underneath. How many of us have gone on feeling an inch away from death? There's no guarantee those nasty little germs won't find you on opening night! You would never dream of going into a job interview and leading off the discussion by saying "I'm really not qualified for this job, but I like the building and thought it would be cool to work here"!!

But I also saw some amazing auditions from people who really put a lot of thought and effort into their presentation and I am always so grateful for that. From wardrobe, to hair, to general presentation, the little things make all the difference.

And I am grateful to everyone who came to auditions. And each one will get a phone call from me thanking them for their time and hoping that I will see them again in the near future, regardless of whether or not it will be for this project.

City of Angels Auditions!

Brecksville Theatre on the Square Announces Auditions for

CITY OF ANGELS

Visit the City of Angels Website!
(viewed best with Firefox or Safari web browsers)

Featuring a book by M*A*S*H TV series writer/producer Larry Gelbart and a swinging score by Cy Coleman with lyrics by David Zippel, City of Angels is a wonderful musical full of great roles - including over 15 singing roles - to challenge a large number of strong character actors and strong singers.

Directed by Geoffrey Short
Musical Direction by Georgiann Bodle

Audition Dates:
Sunday, December 7 starting at 2 p.m
Monday, December 8 starting at 7 p.m.
Call-Backs Wednesday, December 10 starting at 7 p.m.

Production Dates:
3 weeks; March 13 - March 29...Fridays and Saturdays at 8 p.m. and Sundays at 3 p.m.

Rehearsals to start on January 19th*

Auditions are held in the B.T.O.T.S. Administrative facility located at Blossom Hill at 4450 Oakes Road in Brecksville. Oakes Road can be accessed from Brecksville Road or Broadview Road. Upon entering the Blossom Hill facility, follow the driveway to the back parking lot. The main administrative office is located in Building 5, across from the main school building. Auditions are held in Building 5.
Performances are held at the Old Town Hall, 49 Public Square at the intersection of routes 82 and 21 in Brecksville.

Please prepare a musical theatre song selection and bring sheet music in the proper key....accompanist will be provided. Dress comfortably for movement.
Contact the Director, Geoffrey Short at geoffshort@sbcglobal.net to schedule an appointment.

CITY OF ANGELS is two shows in one. It is the interweaving of two plots, one dealing with the writing of a screenplay in the legendary Hollywood of the '40's; the other, the enactment of that screenplay. The show boasts two musical scores. One provides the cast with numbers to help reveal certain emotions or to celebrate particular moments in the way that only music can. The "other" score was written to emulate pure movie soundtrack music, 1940's vintage. It is entirely appropriate, then, that the final curtain comes down on two happy endings.

Roles are available for 13 men and 7 women
Among the main characters needed are:

Stine......male, fiction writer, 20's - 40's
Stone....male - Stine's creation...1940's style private eye - Humphrey Bogart/Sam Spade type...20's - 40's

MOST OTHER ROLES ARE TWO CHARACTERS PLAYED BY ONE ACTOR - one character in the "real" world and one in Stine's fictional "story within a story":
Male Roles
Buddy Fidler/Irwin S. Irving....Movie director/producer, mogul type...male....30's - 50's
Gerald Pierce/Peter Kingsley...male...non-singing; 20's-30's...an actor/Alaura's stepson...handsome, suave
Pancho Vargas/Lt. Munoz - an actor and a police detective...male...20's - 50's
Gene/Officer Pasco - an Assistant Director/Police Officer...male - 20's - 50's
Jimmy Powers - a movie crooner.....a la Sinatra...smooth and suave..strong singer 20's-50's
Werner Kriegler/Luther Kingsley...(non-singing) an actor/the feeble, rich husband of the much younger Femme Fatale Alaura mature male 40's-60's
Gilbert/Dr. Mandril...Buddy's barber/a religious leader; guru-type; Luther's caretaker...older male (non-singing role)...40's-50's

Female Roles
Oolie/Donna...female, a wisecracking, jaded secretary (Imogene Coca type) in both worlds, but also sensitive. (sings the classics "You Can Always Count on Me" and the duet "What You Don't Know About Women" with Gabby . 20's-40's
Gabby/Bobbi...Stine's wife/Stone's ex-wife...capable and confident writer, but also sexy and sultry lounge singer...20's - 30's
Alaura Kingsley/Carla Haywood - Femme fatale, beautiful - 20's-30's...sings the beautiful "With Every Breath I Take" and the duet "Tennis Song" with Stone.
Mallory Kingsley/Avril Raines - Alaura's stepdaughter/a starlet...sultry, young and sexy...sings the steamy "Lost and Found"...18 - 30
Margaret - a maid at the Kingsley's mansion (non-singing)...30'S-50's

Plus a number of other great ensemble/chorus roles (speaking and non-speaking)

This is a non-equity production.
*subject to change; detailed rehearsal schedule available on the Calendar page of the City of Angels website and will be available at auditions

Assassin Auditions!

Hey! Check out the little vid clip here with info on upcoming auditions for Assassins that I'm directing opening in October! Then go to the website at www.assassinsshow.8k.com!