AUDITIONS SEPTEMBER 14 & 15, by appointment

AUDITIONS SEPTEMBER 14 & 15, by appointment

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS HOW OLD DO I HAVE TO BE TO AUDITION? To audition for the full cast, you must be eight years old by the closing performance. If you have participated in five (5) or more IN PERFORMANCE classes, you may be eligible to audition for the full cast. YOUNGER THAN 8? Children ages 5-8, check out our IN PERFORMANCE: THE BEST CHRISTMAS PAGEANT EVER class beginning in October. While you may not having speaking lines, you will still have an opportunity to be in the production. WHEN ARE THE AUDITIONS? Auditions are September 14 & 15, by appointment. DO I HAVE TO MAKE AN APPOINTMENT TO AUDITION? Yes. Either schedule your audition online at www.nctcarts.org or call 860.666.NCTC (6282). Appointments will last between 5-10 minutes. Appointments begin at 4pm on both days. WHERE WILL THE AUDITIONS, REHEARSALS AND PERFORMANCES TAKE PLACE? NCTC Performing Arts Theatre located at 743 North Mountain Road in Newington. IʼVE NEVER DONE THIS BEFORE, CAN I STILL AUDITION? Yes! In each of our productions, we have both children who have had stage experience and children who have not. DO MY PARENTS/FRIENDS WATCH MY AUDITION? No. We ask that all family and friends wait in the lobby during your audition. You will audition for the director and stage manager. WHAT DO I NEED TO PREPARE FOR MY AUDITION? Please make sure to fill out the audition form completely, attach a recent picture of yourself (size of picture doesnʼt matter-as long as we can see your face) and bring with you to your audition appointment. Please select one (1) monologue to memorize from page 4 of this packet and one holiday song. *Please note that THE BEST CHRISTMAS PAGEANT is NOT a musical-but there will be singing in the show. ARE THERE CALLBACKS? No, there are no scheduled callbacks at this time. HOW MANY PEOPLE WILL BE CAST? WILL WE PERFORM IN ALL EIGHT (8) SHOWS? The cast will be between 20-25. If the show is double cast, most will only perform in four (4) shows. The decision to double cast will be made after auditions. WHEN ARE THE PERFORMANCES? Performances are December 2-11, 2016 (Fridays and Saturdays at 7pm and Saturdays and Sundays at 2pm). WHEN DO REHEARSALS BEGIN? Rehearsal will begin the week of September 26 (6-7:30) and run through December 1. Please review DATES (page 2). Make sure to write any conflicts/potential conflicts that you may have with any of the rehearsal/performances dates. Once the show has been cast, a finalized rehearsal scheduled will be disseminated. We will NOT rehearse every day listed. If your child misses two unexplained absences, their role will be recast. WHAT IF I HAVE A COUPLE OF CONFLICTS WITH THE REHEARSAL DAYS/ PERFORMANCES? No worries! Please make sure to list all of your conflict/potential conflicts on your audition form. Even if your child is unable to make a performance, since we will most likely be double casting the show, he/she may still be able to be involved. HOW MUCH DOES IT COST? There is NO COST TO AUDITION. If cast, there is a $275 participation fee. Payment plans are available. CONTACT INFO NCTC Performing Arts Theatre, 743 North Mountain Road, Newington,06111Phone 860.666.NCTC (6282) Website www.nctcarts.org Email programs@nctcarts.org Twitter @NCTC_Arts Facebook Newington Childrenʼs Theatre Company Instagram NCTCArts

DATES Please review you child s previous commitments and list any conflicts that your child has with the Rehearsal Period, Tech Week and/or Performances on their audition form. Rehearsal Period September 26 - December 1 Weeks one and two: One-two nights a week (6-7:30pm, days TBD), Saturday (times TDB) Weeks three - eight: Two nights a week (6-7:30pm, days TBD), Saturdays (times TDB) Week nine: Mon-Tues only, 6-7:30pm *Please note that there will be NO REHEARSAL November 23-27 Tech Week- WEEK 10 - NO CONFLICTS Monday, November 28 - Thursday, December 1, 6-8pm Three days of the four days (TBD) Performances* December 2-11, 2016 (Fridays & Saturdays at 7pm and Saturdays & Sundays at 2pm) *If you have a conflict with one or more of the performances, please note conflict on your audition form. Most likely the show will be double cast. ABOUT OUR PLAY THE BEST CHRISTMAS PAGEANT EVER By Barbara Park Directed by Claire Van Cott and Christina Lobel The Herdmans are the worst kids in the history of the world. They lie, steal, swear, and hit little kids. So no one is prepared when this outlaw family invades church one Sunday and decides to take over the annual Christmas pageant! Based on a the beloved children s book of the same name, The Best Christmas Pageant Ever will get us all in the holiday spirit!

MONOLOGUES Please select one monologue to memorize and perform at your audition. BETH: The Herdmans were the worst kids in the whole history of the world. They lied and stole and smoked cigars, even the girls, and talked dirty and cussed their teachers and took the name of the Lord in vain and set fire to Fred Shoemaker s old broken down tool house. There were six of them- Ralpoh, Imogene, Leroy, Claude, Ollie and Gladys-and they went through the Woodrow Wilson school like those South American fish that strip your bones clean! They went around town the same way- stealing things and tearing things up and whamming kids...so it was hard to get away from them. There was only one safe place... ALICE: I didn t raise my hand. Imogene would have killed me! She said, I m going to be Mary in this play, and if you open your mouth or raise your hand you ll wish you didn t! And I said, I m always Mary in the Christmas pageant. And she said go ahead then, and next spring when the pussywillows come out I ll stick a pussywillow so far down your ear that nobody can reach it...and it ll sprout there and grow and grow, and you ll spend the rest of your life with a pussywillow bush growing out of your ear! CHARLIE: Hey, Leroy! You think it s so great to steal my dessert everyday and you, you know what? I don t care if you steal my dessert. I ll give you my dessert. I get all the dessert I want in Sunday school! All kinds. Chocolate cake and candy bars and cookies and Twinkies and Big Wheels. We get refreshments all the time! All we want! FATHER: Well...actually, I didn t plan to go. You know how crowded it always is, they can use my seat. I ll just stay home, put on my bathrobe, relax. There s never anything different about the Christmas pageant. REVEREND HOPKINS: Well, I ve been on the telephone all day, and I can t make heads or tails of it. Some people say they set fire to the ladies room. Some people say they set fire to the kitchen. The whole church is in an uproar. I don t know...jesus said, Suffer the little children to come unto me, but I m not sure he meant the Herdmans. Grace, don t you think we should cancel the pageant?

SONGS Even though The Best Christmas Pageant Ever is not a musical, in our version we will have some group songs and solo songs in the production. Everyone auditioning please memorize a holiday song to perform at your audition. You may select one of the songs below or select a different holiday song. SILENT NIGHT AWAY IN A MANAGER JOY TO THE WOLRD WE WISH YOU A MERRY CHRISTMAS OH, HOLY NIGHT WHAT CHILD IS THIS? O LITTLE TOWN OF BETHLEHEM JINGLE BELLS HAVE YOURSELF A MERRY LITTLE CHRISTMAS IT S BEGINNING TO LOOK A LOT LIKE CHRISTMAS

THE BEST CHRISTMAS PAGEANT EVER ~ AUDITION FORM PLEASE MAKE SURE TO FILL OUT COMPLETELY, ATTACH A RECENT PICTURE AND BRING WITH YOU TO YOUR AUDITION. PLEASE MAKE SURE TO LIST ALL CONFLICTS/POTENTIAL CONFLICTS ON THE BOTTOM OF THIS FORM. WHILE THERE IS NO COST TO AUDITION, IF CAST, THERE IS A $275 PARTICIPATION FEE. NAME DOB AGE PHONE # EMAIL PARENT NAME STREET ADDRESS SCHOOL GRADE ************************* PLEASE LIST ANY CONFLICTS/POTENTIAL CONFLICTS (EXAMPLE: DANCE ON MONDAYS, 6-7PM; SOCCER ON SATURDAYS, 9:30AM-12PM; VACATION FROM 4.14-4.18) PLEASE LIST ANY PREVIOUS THEATRE OR RELATIVE EXPERIENCE (CHARACTER NAME, PLAY, LOCATION; USE THE BACK, IF NECESSARY) EXAMPLE: ELF MARIA, BABES IN TOYLAND, NCTC; FIVE YEARS OF TAP, MISS DONNAʼS; TWO YEARS PIANO, MRS. COLLETTE; SCHOOL TALENT SHOW, SINGER SPECIAL SKILLS (EXAMPLE: PLAY GUITAR, JUGGLING, HULA HOOPING, WHISTLING, BRITISH ACCENT)