AUDITION PACK. If you want to audition but cannot make these dates please let us know in advance and we may be able to help.

Transcription

1 AUDITION PACK Production details Our production of Singin in the Rain will take place at The Casino Theatre, 42 Rue de Carouge, Geneva. Production dates Saturday 14 th April 2018 at 2:30pm and 6:30pm Sunday 15 th April 2018 at 11:30am and 3:30pm Friday 20 th April 2018 at 7:30pm Saturday 21 st April 2018 at 2:30pm and 6:30pm Sunday 22 nd April 2018 at 11:30am and 3:30pm Want to audition? If you are aged between 8 and 18 you can book your audition time by signing up at Please note that it is NOT possible to be in both Singin in the Rain AND The Railway Children. If you wish to be considered for both productions, there is an option on the application form to inform us of this choice. You will need to take part in both auditions. Audition details Auditions for Singin in the Rain will take place on the 18th and 19th November 2017 at Simply Theatre Studios, Versoix. If you are selected for a RECALL, you will need to be available on the evening of Monday 20 th November. If you want to audition but cannot make these dates please let us know in advance and we may be able to help. Audition times are: Saturday 18 th November Sunday 19 th November Session 1: Session 6: Session 2: Session 7: Session 3: Session 8: Session 4: Session 9: 13:35 14:35 Session 5: Session 10: Session 11: Session 12: Please indicate which audition slot you would like when booking your time. 1

2 What will I be doing in the audition process? The audition will take the form of two parts. You will have a private/small group audition where you will be asked to perform one prepared monologue and song for the production team. The second part will be a group dance/movement audition with the choreographer. For the acting part, there are several monologues attached for you to choose from. This monologue should be memorised. When learning your scene, remember to think about where you think your character is at the time of this monologue who he may be talking to and what they are feeling. How can you get this information over to your audience (director) through your audition? You may feel free to choose any of the scenes for your audition, as no matter what you perform at audition you will still be considered for all parts. This said, if you are particularly keen on playing a specific part then it would be a good idea to prepare the appropriate one for audition. For the singing part, you will be required to sing one song of your choice. This can be a song you have learnt in class, a favorite song that you know or a new song that you learn for your audition. Think about a song that best shows off the range and style of your voice. Please speak to us if you have any questions about this as we may be able to help with song suggestions. You will need to bring the backing track along with you on an MP3 player, iphone or ipad for your audition. Unfortunately, you will not be able to use a CD. Please note that you may be stopped part way through your song. Please ensure that you wear comfortable clothing to the audition so that you can move freely. Please also bring a bottle of water with you. For more information on preparing for audition and the audition process, please see our guide towards the end of this pack. Please be aware that being involved in this production is a definite commitment. Each cast member must be present for ALL rehearsals when he is required. The only exception to this is if we have been notified of an absence at the time of audition. For your information and to help you decide if you can commit to this project there is a detailed conflict schedule as part of the application form at the end of this pack. Full scripts for the show will be provided following the completion of a successful audition. If you are successful and gain a part in the production, we ask each participant to pay a small fee to help towards production costs. The fee for Academy students enrolled on weekly Academy courses is a one off payment of 250chf. Students who are members of the Academy via weekend / summer workshops etc. but not weekly students will be asked to pay a fee of 600chf. 2

3 A SIMPLY THEATRE ACADEMY PRODUCTION SINGIN IN THE RAIN ABOUT THE SHOW Act One The year is The place is Hollywood, California. In front of Graumann's Chinese Theatre, everyone is celebrating Monumental Pictures' premiere of The Royal Rascal, starring two of Hollywood's most popular stars, Don Lockwood and Lina Lamont. Leading film columnist, Dora Bailey, gives an on-the-air report as everyone waits for Don and Lina. She interviews Cosmo Brown, Don's closest friend, and Roscoe Dexter, the film's director. Suddenly, there is a roar from the crowd as Don and Lina arrive. Dora asks them if the rumors about their upcoming marriage are true. Don deflects the question by talking about his upbringing. Although he makes it seem like he has a high-class background, the audience sees the true story of how he and Cosmo got started in vaudeville ("Fit as a Fiddle"). The film is premiered. It is a typical silent film just what the audience loves. Don and Lina come to the stage to take a bow. When they address the audience, every time Lina tries to speak, Don cuts her off. Outside of the theatre, Lina is furious that no one lets her talk. However, when we hear her high-pitched, nasal voice, it's obvious why Don was cutting her off; the public thinks her voice matches her elegant on-screen persona. Lina wants to marry Don, but he's not interested in her. Don convinces Cosmo to pretend to be him and get in his limo so that he can walk to the cast party by himself. As Don strolls down Hollywood Boulevard, several fans recognize him. He pretends to be an ordinary guy, claiming that he is with a woman who is sitting on a bench, waiting for a bus. The woman, Kathy Selden, is rather taken aback by these proceedings. Once the fans leave, Kathy calls a police officer thinking she recognizes Don from a wanted poster but the policeman knows that Don is a famous movie star. After the policeman leaves, Don apologizes to Kathy for frightening her. She apologizes in return for believing that he was a criminal, but claims not to be a fan of his work... or any silent movies. She is a real actress and she hopes to go to New York for a stage career. Don is surprised to be told that he is not a real actor, but he finds her spunk attractive. She is more wary of him ("You Stepped out of a Dream"). Don heads for the cast party, leaving Kathy perplexed, as fans grab at him for an autograph. The movie premiere party is in progress at the mansion of R.F. Simpson, the studio head. Don ignores those cheering his entrance and heads straight for Cosmo; he asks Cosmo if he thinks he is a real actor. Cosmo is a bit confused but assures Don that he is talented. Simpson has been waiting for Don to arrive so that he can share a surprise with the guests a talking movie clip! The guests meet this clip with bemusement. Simpson dismisses it as a fad the Warner Brothers will lose their shirts on their new talking picture, The Jazz Singer. As Lina continues to woo the uninterested Don, Simpson is happy to see his two studio stars standing arm and arm. He signals for a large cake to be wheeled on. Don cuts the cake, and Kathy Selden pops out in a showgirl outfit. Don bursts out laughing. Only hours ago, Kathy claimed that she was the next Ethel Barrymore; now she is here to perform with a bunch of other chorus girls ("All I Do Is Dream of You"). After Kathy finishes dancing and singing, Don teases her more. After one insult too many, Kathy takes a cream cake from a dessert table and hurls it at Don... who ducks, allowing the cake to hit Lina squarely in the face. She is so enraged that she runs after Kathy, who dashes out. Don tells Lina that it was an accident, but she'll hear nothing of it. Given that she's covered in whipped cream, Lina exits with as much dignity as possible, and Don runs out to find Kathy. Three weeks later, at Monumental Studios, production is starting on the next Lockwood-Lamont picture, The Dueling Cavalier. Meanwhile, Cosmo has read in Variety that The Jazz Singer was an all-time smash in its first week. Don enters, ready to start work. The film takes place during the French Revolution, and the plot is virtually the same as every other film that Don and Lina have ever made. When Cosmo reminds Don of this 3

4 fact, Don gets upset it reminds him of what Kathy said. Don can't get her out of his mind. Cosmo thinks it's only because she doesn't return his affection and does his best to cheer up his friend ("Make 'Em Laugh"). Lina enters. The very vision of beauty in an eighteenth century French costume, she confronts Don about why he wasn't at the party with her the other night. He admits that he was looking for Kathy, as he's worried about her since she lost her job after the cake incident. Lina tells Don that she actually arranged to have Kathy fired. Don is furious, but it is time to begin shooting the film. Although Don and Lina play the passionate love scene very convincingly with their facial expressions, they continue to fight. Simpson enters and tells the cameras to stop rolling The Jazz Singer is a hit. Monumental Pictures is shutting down for a few weeks to convert to sound and The Dueling Cavalier will be their first sound venture. Simpson puts Cosmo in charge of the new music department. After the transformation, Monumental is shooting its first move musical. Kathy Selden is one of the featured chorus girls in a lavish production number ("Beautiful Girls"). Cosmo, watching the shooting, recognizes Kathy and runs to find Don. Simpson notices her, too, but he is taken with her charm. Director, Sid Phillips, wants to feature Kathy in the part of the kid sister, and Simpson wants to audition her immediately. They call her back and ask Cosmo to play the piano ("You Are My Lucky Star"). As soon as Kathy finishes singing, Don enters, applauding wildly. Kathy runs off, convinced that she'll be fired when Simpson finds out that she's the cake girl. Instead, Don convinces Simpson to hire Kathy for the supporting role. Grateful, Kathy agrees to go to lunch with Don. As they make their way through a deserted soundstage to the studio commissary, Don assures Kathy that everything written about Lina and him in the fan magazines is just for publicity. She apologizes to him for all of the terrible things that she said to him on the first night that they met. Don creates a special mood with a variety of lighting, mist and wind machines at his disposal. With everything in place, he is finally able to tell Kathy just how he feels ("You Were Meant for Me"). Lina is desperately trying to improve her voice and is studying with Miss Dinsmore, the famous vocal coach. Miss Dinsmore tries very hard to work with her, but Lina doesn't improve. She doesn't realize how awful her speaking is. Don, on the other hand, has no trouble with his vocal coach; he conquers every tongue twister given to him. Cosmo watches the proceedings and joins Don and the teacher in a wild and frantic game of words ("Moses"). The Dueling Cavalier resumes production. Lina, however, forgets to talk into the microphone and moves around too much. Nevertheless, they all proceed because she is the star. At the first preview, the movie is a disaster. Much of the dialogue is out of sync, and the sound effects are terrible. Although these mistakes can be fixed in the studio, nothing can be done about Lina's awful voice. When the movie is finished, the audience laughs hysterically. Simpson is panicked the film is booked to open across the country in six weeks. Later that night, Don admits defeat, but Cosmo and Kathy won't let him give up that easily. Cosmo suggests that they make The Dueling Cavalier into a musical. Pretty soon, ideas are flying around, and Don is ready to take on the challenge; he then declares March 23rd as a historical day. Cosmo reminds him that, since it is now 1:30 in the morning, March 24th is the history-making day ("Good Morning"). This celebration stops cold when Don reminds everyone that, even though Lina is beautiful, her voice cannot be disguised. Cosmo suggests that they dub Kathy's voice and let Lina mouth the words. Don won't let Kathy think of it; she'd be throwing away her own career. Kathy assures him that it'll only be for one picture; she'd be happy to help. Don takes Kathy home in his white limo, through the pouring rain. At her door, he kisses her goodnight. Rather than run back to the limo, he dances and sings in the street because he is so in love ("Singin' in the Rain"). 4

5 Act Two The next day at the studio, Simpson is ecstatic. He loves the idea of making the movie into a musical. He is worried, however, that Lina doesn't like Kathy and won't be happy to hear her voice is being dubbed. They all agree that they must keep it secret and that the movie will be retitled to The Dancing Cavalier. To keep the secret, Kathy dubs all of Lina's scenes and songs late at night ("Would You"). Meanwhile, Don and Kathy's love grows. Don can't wait until the picture is finished so that he can let the whole world know whom he really loves. Just as Don and Kathy kiss, the door flies open and in bursts Lina and Zelda, another studio actress. Zelda has told Lina everything, and she is upset about Don proclaiming his love for Kathy. When Cosmo tells her that Kathy is going to get full screen credit for the dubbing, she becomes even more upset. Lina goes off to find Simpson. Don assures Kathy that there is nothing Lina can do. Out on the lot, Lina thanks Zelda for telling her about the situation. Lina is putting up a brave front. She doesn't understand what's wrong with her voice and why Don doesn't love her. She looks into her dressing room mirror and laments her situation ("What's Wrong with Me?"). In Simpson's office, the boss tells Cosmo how upset Lina is about everything. The studio's future depends on this picture; Simpson must make sure that it is a success! Cosmo calms Simpson by reminding him that he is the boss and whatever he says goes. Simpson realizes that the picture doesn't have a production number. Dexter reminds them that this is a period movie, but Cosmo suggests that they add a flash-forward section with tapping hoofers. Dexter and Simpson are confused, so Cosmo has them close their eyes and imagine how it might be ("Broadway Melody"). The Dancing Cavalier premieres at Graumann's Chinese Theatre, and the audience loves it. Rod enters, the newspapers in his hands announcing that Monumental Pictures is ecstatic about Lina's talents... while giving none of the credit to Kathy. Simpson is baffled; this is not the publicity campaign that he approved. Lina arrives and says that she gave every paper in town an exclusive story. It's in her contract that she controls publicity. Furthermore, she wants Kathy to continue dubbing for her rather than starring in her own films. Simpson says that he would never do that to Kathy, but Lina holds up her contract and reminds him that she is in charge. The film finishes, and the audience goes wild with applause. Backstage, the creative team celebrates. Don and Kathy kiss. Lina interrupts them to announce the decision that she has made with Simpson about Kathy continuing to dub her voice. When Kathy protests, Lina reminds her that she has a five-year contract with the studio. Meanwhile, the audience cries for a speech. Hearing this, Lina perks up and declares that she is going to make a speech. Don and Cosmo get an idea and encourage Lina to talk to the audience. Lina triumphantly dashes out on stage and speaks in her flat, nasal tone. The audience is baffled. Someone yells out that Lina should cut the small talk and just sing a song. Don, Simpson and Cosmo agree that she should do this, with Kathy singing live, from behind a curtain. Kathy is shocked that Don would let this happen; however, Don insists that Kathy sing. Kathy goes to the microphone, but not before she tells Don that she will never see him again on or off-screen. Lina mouths the song from the film while Kathy sings from behind the curtain ("Would You"). In the wings, Simpson, Don and Cosmo raise the curtain to reveal that it's Kathy singing. The audience laughs hysterically. Horribly embarrassed, Lina runs off of the stage. Kathy runs down the aisle, through the audience. Don runs on stage and declares that it is Kathy Selden who is the real star of the movie... it is her voice that the audience heard tonight! Kathy returns to the stage and everyone, except Lina, is happy ("You Are My Lucky Star"). They all celebrate in triumph as the curtain falls. 5

6 Characters Don Lockwood Hollywood s leading man in silent film. Charming and charismatic, Don has no shortage of female admirers. Don is smart and levelheaded; he likes being a famous Hollywood actor, but he doesn t let the celebrity hype go to his head. Strong tap needed. Gender: Male Vocal range top: Eb4 Vocal range bottom: Bb2 Kathy Selden Wants to become an actress. She takes her career as an artist seriously and is embarrassed that she has to take jobs like singing and popping out of a cake just to get by. A strong singer and actress who can easily portray an honest likability as well as a tough exterior. Strong tap needed Gender: Female Vocal range top: Eb5 Vocal range bottom: G3 Lina Lamont A glamorous star of Hollywood s silent films. She believes everything amazing she reads about herself in the gossip magazines, including that she and Don Lockwood are madly in love. You will have to work to accomplish the right amount of exasperating ditz to bring this character to life. A confident, comedic actress who is not afraid to take positive risks and can keep Lina s nasal, grating voice consistent throughout the entire show. Gender: Female Vocal range top: Db5 Vocal range bottom: Bb3 Cosmo Brown Serves as the comic relief in the show. Quick-witted and sure-footed, Cosmo is fast with a one-liner to lighten the mood. Cosmo is Don s right-hand man. Great comedic chops needed and a strong musical sense as he leads many numbers in the show. Gender: Male Vocal range top: Db5 Vocal range bottom: Bb2 R.F. Simpson The studio producer in charge of Lockwood-Lamont films. R.F. s first and foremost goal is to make money, and if that means doing a talkie film that s fine with him. A great nonsinging role for a physically smaller actor with a big voice. Gender: Male 6

7 Roscoe Dexter The studio s director for Lamont and Lockwood films. He s loud and blustery, and he s easily frustrated with his assistants and Lina. A perfect non-singing role for an actor with a big voice who can show his frustration as he works to complete his first talkie. Gender: Male Zelda Zanders Lina s right-hand gal, who informs her that Kathy s voice is being dubbed over hers. Zelda can be dramatic and over-the-top like Lina, but at her core, she cares about her friend. A fantastic featured role for a confident performer who is unafraid to make bold choices. Gender: Female Miss Dinsmore Lina's vocal coach. She is the "mother hen" type with caring affection for the younger performers. Gender: Female Rod An excitable film agent bordering on manic. He works for Simpson. Gender: Male Production Singer The lead tenor in Monumental Pictures' first movie musical. Gender: Male Age: 25 to 40 Vocal range top: Ab4 Vocal range bottom: Db3 Ensemble Movie Stars, Film Crew, Actors. Tap and acrobatic skills are a plus. 7

8 AUDITION EXTRACTS Don: (Making a speech to an adoring crowd.) Well, I've had one motto which I've always lived by: Dignity - always dignity. This was instilled in me by Mum and Dad from the very beginning. They sent me to the best dancing schools... Where I met my lifelong friend, Cosmo Brown. And with him, I used to perform for all Mum and Dad's society friends. They used to make such a fuss over me. Then, if I was very good, I was allowed to accompany Mum and Dad to the theatre. They brought me up on Shaw and Moliere. The finest of the classics. This stimulated my love for performing, and to this we added rigorous musical training at the conservatory. In a few years, Cosmo and I were ready to embark on a dance concert tour. We played the finest symphonic halls in the country. Kathy: Leave me alone. You re a criminal. I've seen that face someplace. You're a famous gangster. I've seen your pictures in the papers - or in the post office, with a lot of numbers on your chest. (Takes a closer look) Wait a minute Your Don Lockwood (hides excitement) Uh - Mr. Lockwood - I can't tell you how sorry I was about taking you for a criminal before - but it was understandable under the circumstances. I knew I'd seen you even though I don t watch your movies. Oh, no offense. But you see, I'm not interested in the movies. I guess it's entertaining enough for the masses, but the personalities on the screen don't impress me; I mean, they don't act - they just make a lot of dumb shows... Acting means great parts, wonderful lines speaking those glorious words...shakespeare, Ibsen...Well I am an actress. Lina: You won t do nothing R.F. You wouldn't want to call the papers and say Lina Lamont is a big fat liar! (Very pleased with herself) Ya see I gave an exclusive story - to every newspaper in town. You can t control me anymore. What do you think I am? Dumb or somethin'? I had my lawyers go over my contract. Yeah and you know what I found out I control my publicity - not you. Yeah! And the studio's responsible for every word printed about me. And if I don't like it, I can syoo! And if you tell the papers about Kathy Selden, it would be (Very grandly, like an elocution student) "Detrimental and deleterious to my career." I could syoo you for the whole studio. It says so right here. (Shows HIM) Contract dated June 8, paragraph thirty-four -subdivision letter A. Cosmo: (Talking to Don) What's this one about? A French Revolution story? (See s it in his head) I've got it. You're a French aristocrat - she's a simple girl of the people (Don doesn t react) Come on now, Don. Snap out of it! You can't let a little thing like this get you down. Why you're Don Lockwood, aren't you? And Don Lockwood's an actor, isn't he? What's the first thing an actor learns? The show must go on. Come rain, come shine, come sleet, come snow, the show must go on. So remember short people have long faces. Long people have short faces. Big people have little humor and little people have no humor at all! And in the words of that immortal bard, Samuel J. Snodgrass, as he was about to be led to the guillotine MAKE 'EM LAUGH. R.F.: 8

9 Don, Lina, come here. (to the crowd) Ok everybody save it! Go home! We're shutting down for a few weeks! (reacting to upset crowd) I know, I know but we have a problem, it's The Jazz Singer, It's a sensation. The public is screaming for more! More Talking pictures! I told you talking pictures were a menace, but no one would listen to me. we've got to put our best foot forward. We're going to make "The Dueling Cavalier" as a talking picture. Every studio is jumping on the bandwagon; all the theatres are putting in sound equipment. We don't want to be left out of it. Don't worry it should be simple, It's a picture! You do what you always did... You just add talking to it. It will be a sensation! (with a grand gesture)"lamont and Lockwood" - They talk! We're going to rush this thing through - shoot in three weeks - work day and night! Warner Brothers, watch out! Monumental Pictures will soon be making musical movies and motion picture history. SIMPLY THEATRE AUDITIONS HELP FOR AUDITIONEES AND PARENTS 9

10 We want to demystify the auditions process and help everyone, particularly those who are new to auditions or curious about the process, understand what happens and how decisions are made. Everyone auditions for things at various points in their lives, and we all have to face the highs of success or the lows of not getting what we want. However, it can be easier to deal with some of the frustration at not succeeding if one has a clearer, more realistic idea as to why this might be the case, hence this article. We also want to offer some practical advice as to how best to prepare for auditions as well as how to make the decision to apply in the first place. Again, there is often a fear that only those who have auditioned extensively in the past have any chance of getting a role, or that others have some sort of mystical, secret knowledge which means they get the roles. We hope to clear some of these issues up in this article. Finally, we are committed to making our auditions a rewarding and fair experience as best we can. (Ultimately, of course, there will only be one person who gets the role, and many more people will be rejected. This is the nature of the theatre, for there are always many more good actors than there are good roles.) Moreover, we firmly believe that auditions should not be about intimidating people, or making them feel judged, but instead a chance to try to see how they respond to a role, to share the material they have prepared freely and confidently, and to bring the very best out of them in the process. We want auditionees to leave an audition session feeling like they have worked hard, been given every reasonable opportunity to show what they can do, and that they could not have done any better. So this article is also intended to suggest to you how you can play your part in this. What can I expect at auditions? Audition formats vary widely: Some require the auditionee to present a monologue or song to a panel, with no-one else in the room. Here the director might just want to see whether, to their mind, you 'fit' the role or not, as well as how you work under pressure. Some will ask you to work with one other person as you present your speech or a piece of dialogue. This person might be another auditionee, or perhaps another actor, or a member of the panel. Here, they will be exploring both whether you fit the role, as well as how flexible and responsive you are when working with others. They may also be asking you to work with another actor that they have in mind for the role, to see if you look right together. For example, it is a sad reality that audiences may find it difficult to believe in a 5ft Romeo with a 6ft Juliet! Some will take the form of a workshop, where the emphasis is on asking you to do different things. Here they might be wanting to see how you work in an environment similar to the rehearsal room, they might be trying to give you a greater insight into the play so that you can make a stronger connection to the work. They also might be trying to see how you engage with others, for casting as well as for working purposes. They might also just find this way of auditioning suits their own skills and observational abilities better, giving them more time to watch you. How do I prepare for auditions? Here are some very simple tips: If you have to prepare some text and know it off by heart, do it thoroughly. In the audition you want to be focusing on the character and what they are saying and doing, rather than being the actor desperately trying to remember their words. The audition room will be different from your bedroom, so try performing your speech in different locations. The director will want to know that you are reliable if they are going to trust you with the responsibility of a role in the production. Engage imaginatively with what the character is saying and why they are saying it. Remember that they are speaking to someone else, so engage with what you want them to understand. Even if the character is speaking to themselves, they are still doing so for a reason, so try to engage with what you think that might be. Whispering the words to yourself often allows you to hear what you are saying in a very direct, honest way. Doing this might allow you to hear things in the speech that you hadn't noticed before. 10

11 To make sure you have learned it fully and deeply, do other activities whilst speaking the speech. The more you do this, the sturdier your learning of the speech. Also, quite often this will encourage you, unconsciously, to say it in different ways. This will be helpful in making you more confident, especially if a director is likely to ask you to do it differently. Finally, and vitally, the answers to many questions about the speech will be in the play itself. Find out ALL the simple facts about your character, and make sure you have an understanding of what has recently happened to them and what is happening to them at this point in the play. If you don't know, not only will it be very difficult to perform the speech with any sense of integrity or accuracy, but you will feel silly if a director asks you about the character you are playing and you can t answer. How do you cast a production? If you really want to understand the casting process, try doing it yourself. Think of a favourite character from a play, film, book, TV programme. For example, James Bond. We associate him with good looks, strength, tenacity, charm, suavity and ruthlessness. Imagine Daniel Craig, Pierce Brosnan, or an actor like Damien Lewis playing the role we find it very easy to believe he has those characteristics. Now imagine Ricky Gervais playing the role. He is a similar age to Daniel Craig, and a capable actor, but despite his best efforts it would be hard to believe that he is 007. Overall, a director is usually trying to find someone who is most immediately 'naturally' suited to the role. We say immediately because, although actors are often capable of great transformation, the reality of limited rehearsal time means that one is often looking for the actor who, in auditions, gets closest to the way the director understands the character. The simple truth about auditions is that most people are rejected because they are not the most 'right' person for the role. Other factors might be a lack of experience, a lack of security in performance, a sense that the auditionee hasn't shown enough of themselves despite opportunities, not responding clearly to direction, a sense that the auditionee might not have understood who their character is or why they are saying what they are saying, a lack of chemistry with other actors, a difficulty in processing instructions clearly... As you can see, it is therefore unlikely that the reason for rejection will be 'lack of talent' or 'lack of innate ability'. How do I know if I should audition or not? At Simply Theatre we would be putting ourselves in an invidious position if we began to suggest to particular individuals that they should audition. This would immediately create favouritism, false hopes and resentment. Moreover, we insist that we run an open door auditions process, and therefore invite anyone who believes they have the commitment, the energy, the passion and the determination to engage fully with a sustained and challenging rehearsal process, to audition for one of our productions. If you have a keen hunger and are prepared to put the work in, then go for it! Tips for the big day Be confident and try to enjoy the audition as much as possible- remember the team will be there to help and support you, not to judge you! Arrive with plenty of time to spare so that you do not add to your nerves. Warm yourself up in advance both physically and vocally using exercises you will have used in Academy classes to help warm up the voice and body. If you are short on time, you can easily do vocal warm-ups in the car on the way there! Good preparation in advance of your audition is key to helping you feel calm and confident on the day, giving you the best chance of showing yourself off to the best of your ability. It is advisable to learn the pieces of script if possible, again to be able to perform it fully and confidently. Arrive in comfortable clothing (no skirts as they hinder movement) that is easy to move around in for the dance audition. No jewellery please. Students with long hair should ensure they have their hair tied back. Try to enjoy the audition and use it as a fun, learning experience. 11

12 Do not make the mistake of believing that you have a part before you do! Building yourself up too much can lead to disappointment. Go into the audition with an open mind, looking at it as an opportunity and new experience from which you will learn. Do not worry if something goes wrong in the audition. The audition team is there to see the potential, not to see a finished, polished routine. Presentation is important. Ensure that even if you feel nervous and everything goes wrong, you smile, project your voice and try to come across as enthusiastically and confidently as possible. Good Luck! SINGIN IN THE RAIN AUDITION FORM (2 pages) To be completed and returned at your audition 12

13 Student s Name (as it should appear in the programme) Age at time of audition Course attended Gender Male / Female Student s Parent/Guardian s Details Full Name (for production notices) Home Phone Mobile Please detail any previous performance experience inlcluding tap and acrobatics(if any) Are you also auditioning for The Railway Children YES NO and wish to be considered for either production? Terms and Conditions All students must have the permission of a parent/guardian in order to audition and participate. If successful, on gaining a part, students must agree to pay the show fee of 250chf/600chf for non-members in full, in advance of the rehearsal start date. On accepting a role, each cast member agrees to attend all relevant rehearsals unless agreed AT THE TIME OF AUDITION with the production team. Simply Theatre Academy reserves the right to withdraw a cast member from the show if their behaviour is deemed detrimental to process, or if they miss too many rehearsals without permission. No refunds will be given once rehearsals have commenced. Photographs and videos may be taken of students during Simply Theatre Academy shows / rehearsals for promotional purposes. Simply Theatre Academy reserves the rights to use these photos in print, media and online. I agree to the terms and conditions above and give my permission. Signature of parent/guardian named above: Signature of student named above: Date: Date: SINGIN IN THE RAIN CONTINUED (page 2 of 2) CONFLICT SCHEDULE 13

14 We need to know your conflicts so we can set the final casting and rehearsal schedule. Please do understand that the more conflicts you have, the more difficult it will be to cast you. Month/Date Day Times YES, I can attend rehearsal February 10 Saturday 1pm - 6pm February 11 Sunday 10am-6pm February 24 Saturday 1pm - 6pm February 25 Sunday 10am - 6pm March 3 Saturday 1pm - 6pm March 4 Sunday 10am - 6pm March 10 Saturday 1pm - 6pm March 11 Sunday 10am-6pm March 17 Saturday 1pm - 6pm March 18 Sunday 10am-6pm March 24 Saturday 1pm - 6pm March 25 Sunday 10am-6pm April 7 Saturday 1pm - 6pm April 8 Sunday 10am-6pm April 9 Monday 5pm pm April 10 Tuesday 5pm pm April 11 Weds 5pm - 10pm April 12 Thursday 5pm 10pm April 13 Friday 5pm 10pm April 14 Call times TBC onwards NO, I cannot attend rehearsal REASON why I am not available Your Signature Guardian/Parent Signature PLEASE BRING TO YOUR AUDITION COMPLETED 14