AUDITIONS Philo s production of Rock of Ages will be performed at the Erindale Theatre from 3 rd 19 th March 2016. Date: Sat 26 th (AM) Sun 27 th (AM & PM) /Mon 28 th (AM & PM) September 2015 Where: Sat/Mon: Rehearsal Room, Philo Hut, 18 Collie St Fyshwick. Sunday: Function Room, Lewisham Building, Calvary Hospital Your auditions will be in groups of up to 8-10 people. Your audition will take place in 2 parts. The first section will involve your group learning a small choreographed routine. Please wear something comfortable that you can move in. The second will be you singing your selected song/s for the panel. The panel will evaluate your song selection on what we hear. We know what we are looking for, so don t be concerned if you are not required to sing an entire song. Please allocate at least 1 1/2 hour for your audition. TO BOOK: To book your audition, please use the form at www.philo.org.au/auditions
AUDITION REQUIREMENTS: Principal Roles: Drew, Sheree, Dennis, Lonny, Stacee Jaxx, Regina, Justice, Hertz, Franz, Mayor Singing: (Principals) Auditionees should prepare Two contrasting songs for their audition The songs should be in Rock style (80 s preferably, but not from Rock of Ages) and in a style that is consistent with the character you are auditioning for. This should be something that you are very comfortable with not something you learned the day before! If you are auditioning for Drew or Sheree one of your songs will need to be a rock ballad. It is important that you perform your song not just stand and deliver!! This is 80 s Rock!!! Ensemble: Please prepare ONE song of your choice of 80 s Rock style, not from Rock of Ages. There are many and varied smaller solos and cameo roles for the ensemble. It is important that you perform your song not just stand and delivery!! We want to see what you can do!!!! Dancing: There is a lot of dance/movement in Rock of Ages and everyone will be required to do a movement audition, this will be done in groups, so please wear something appropriate. Specialist dancers will be required for several numbers, these will also be part of the ensemble. To save time on the day, please bring a photo of yourself. Please bring sheet music (in the correct key). There will be an accompanist at the audition; however you may bring your own accompanist if you wish. Backing CDs are acceptable as long as they are exactly that...a backing CD. Please be aware that you may not get to sing all/and/or both of your song/s. We are expecting large numbers of people to audition, so if the Audition Panel feels they have heard enough to determine your vocal quality they may stop you mid note. This should not be taken as any indicator of whether you will or will not be cast!!
CHARACTER VOCAL RANGES DREW (Range: Bb3-D5) An appealing, good-guy rocker with great, easy comedic timing, a boyish charm, vulnerability and a very strong rock tenor voice. Drew works at the legendary Bourbon Room hoping and waiting for his dreams to come true. He finds an instant attraction to Sherrie, the beautiful new arrival from the Midwest, who encourages him to go after his dreams. SHERRIE - (Range: G3-F5) Caucasian female, an in-shape, pretty, fresh faced, innocent Midwestern girl stepping right off the bus into a new world to pursue her dreams of stardom. Strong comedic timing, strong rock belt, good movement ability. Should be comfortable in revealing/skimpy clothing. LONNY - (Range: D3-D5) The narrator of the piece, charming, mischievous, welcoming, vibrant personality, a guy who would be fun to spend one drunken night with. Strong, honest comedic timing/improv skills and strong rock vocals. DENNIS DUPREE - (Range: D3-G4) Classic stoner type guy who runs the famous Bourbon Room club. Torn about whether he should sell the club to Hertz, a German businessman. Very strong comedic timing. A laid back, easy going dude. Bari-tenor rock vocals. STACEE JAXX - (Range: C3-Eb5) A sexy rock star. Decided to leave his successful metal-rock band to try it solo. Self important, confident intriguing in all the wrong ways, the ultimate bad boy; he is all about sex, drugs and rock-n-roll. Great strong comedic timing and strong rock tenor voice. REGINA (Range: A3-Eb5) A fun, hippie type, in shape, earthy girl who fights against the attempted take over the Strip. Strong comedic timing, belt vocals and comfortable in revealing/skimpy clothing. JUSTICE - (Range: C3-Eb5) female, strong presence, an easy sensuality about her, once a performer, she now operates a strip club where Sherrie winds up working. Takes on the maternal role for the girls that work for her. Strong, soulful vocals and belt needed. HERTZ KLINEMANN (Range: F3-G#4) An attractive older German male. Uptight, cold, intimidating businessman trying to buy up the Strip to develop it. The bad guy of the piece. Strong comedic timing and baritone vocals. FRANZ KLINEMANN - (Range: F3-G#4) Hertz s son, young German male. Works for his father but not by choice. Pressured and intimidated by his father. Shy, gentle with a big heart. Strong vocals and comedic timing. MAYOR (Range: D3-B4) A strong character actor with good comedic timing, strong rock tenor. JA'KEITH (Range: D3-B4) A strong character actor with good comedic timing, strong rock tenor and strong dance/movement ability. JOEY PRIMO - A young male with the rocker sensibility, strong rock tenor and strong/dance/movement ability Minor Roles SHERRIE S MOTHER - (Range: C3-Eb5) SHERRIE S FATHER - (Range: C3-Eb5) FEMALE ENSEMBLE - Sexy female singer/dancers. Sassy, in shape, beautiful. Must be comfortable in very skimpy/sexy clothing. Strong dancers proficient in jazz and modern, comedic ability and strong rock vocals. MALE ENSEMBLE Singer/dancers proficient in jazz and modern, comedic ability and strong rock vocals. ** Please note that the minimum cast age requirement is 16 years by the start of rehearsals. However, the production team would prefer stage age of 18+ for principals and ensembles.
IMPORTANT INFORMATION FOR ALL AUDITIONEES Audition time is strictly limited so use your time to show the panel what you can do. No extra time will be available. The panel will be looking for vocal quality, range and pitch as well as dramatic and movement ability. Audition pieces should be well prepared. Remember, it is in your own interests to present yourself well. An accompanist will be provided but you may bring your own if you wish. Backing CDs are acceptable as long as they are exactly that...a backing CD Singing unaccompanied is not acceptable. All auditions are private and may only be attended by the panel and auditionees. Please don't apologise to the panel for the state of your health or your voice. We have heard (and tried!) all these excuses before! And most of all, enjoy it!! This is your moment to shine! Please note that Canberra Philharmonic Society reserves the right, at its sole and absolute discretion, to not cast any role from these auditions if, in the opinion of the Audition Panel, the right person for the role is not found. In this event the Society may pursue other means to fill a vacant role.
SYNOPSIS Act I In the late 1980s, an aspiring rocker, Drew, works as a busboy in the trademark Hollywood bar/club The Bourbon Room. He falls instantly for a cute girl, Sherrie, who arrives from Kansas hoping to make it big in acting. After being hired by the bar, Sherrie accepts Drew's invitation to have a picnic at a place overlooking Los Angeles. There, he mistakenly suggests that the two are just friends. Later, at the Bourbon Room, ladies' man and lead singer for his band Arsenal, Stacee Jaxx, will be playing that night and instantly hits it off with Sherrie and the two have sex in the bar's bathroom. Subsequently, Drew proves his musical ability in the club and is chosen to open for Stacee. A record producer in the club offers Drew a contract, which he accepts. Meanwhile, German city developers, Hertz and his son Franz, convince the city's mayor to abandon the "sex, drugs and rock-n-roll" lifestyle of the Sunset Strip to introduce "clean living" into the area. It is revealed that the club will be torn down in the process, much to the anger of the Mayor's city planner, Regina. Initially embarrassed when they meet on the street, Drew later tells Sherrie that he was angry that she left him for Stacee, but she did not think Drew liked her, since he said the two were just friends. After arguing in the street, Sherrie announces that she had actually liked Drew, but she is now over him. Sherrie becomes upset at Stacee's uncaring nature (he continually calls her "Rachel" for starters). Drew's rocker image has been changed to that of a boy band by his new record producer. An upset Sherrie meets "Mama", the owner of a nearby strip club (though she clearly prefers the term "gentleman's club"). She relates to Sherrie's story, saying that many of the small-town girls hoping to hit it big in LA end up making a living as strippers. Much to her dislike, she accepts Mama's offer to work in her club. Stacee arrives at the club and is pleased to see Sherrie there, though Sherrie is not happy to see Stacee. Drew arrives to admit his feelings to her, but become disheartened when he sees the two in a suggestive position. Mama later tells Drew that as soon as he left, Sherrie punched Stacee in the jaw. Regina continues her protest against the destruction of the Strip, but yields no success. She convinces Franz to stand up to his father if he does not believe in this cause. Franz admits he's had dreams of his own, namely to open a confectioner's store back home in Germany. He finally rebels against his father and admits his love for Regina. Finally, Sherrie and Drew let bygones be bygones and rekindle their love for each other. The Bourbon Room is spared demolition and washup Stacee Jaxx has since moved to Uruguay. His position in Arsenal is replaced with Joey Primo. Everyone celebrates SYNOPSIS Act II It s the tail end of the big, bad 1980s in Hollywood, and the party has been raging hard. Aqua Net, Lycra, lace and liquor flow freely at one of the Sunset Strips last legendary venues, a place where sex machine Stacee Jaxx takes the stage and scantily clad groupies line up to turn their fantasies into reality. Amidst the madness, aspiring rock star (and resident toilet cleaner) Drew longs to take the stage as the next big thing (and longs for small-town girl Sherri, fresh off the bus from Kansas with stars in her eyes). But the rock and roll fairy-tale is about to end when German developers sweep into town with plans to turn the fabled Strip into just another capitalist strip mall. Can Drew, Sherri and the gang save the strip and themselves before it's too late? Only the music of hit bands Styx, Journey, Bon Jovi, Whitesnake and more hold the answer.