AUDITION FOR LEXINGTON CHILDREN S THEATRE S 17 th Summer Family Musical! Who's Directing? Jeremy Kisling, LCT's Associate Artistic Director in Charge of Education, will direct the production and Esther Neel will act as Assistant Director. Harold Sherman will be the Musical Director. Choreographing the show will be Amie Dunn Kisling. Shawn Sherwood will be our vocal director. I ve got questions. Who s got answers? This document! The answers to 95% of your questions can be found below! Prior to auditions ask LCTs stage management team. Phone: 859-254-4546 ext. 224 Email: rsm@lctonstage.org During auditions ask anyone with a nametag. Audition dates Sunday, April 22 from 4:00-7:00 PM Monday, April 23 from 6:30-9:30 PM Friday, April 27 from 6:30-9:30 PM Saturday, April 28 from 3:30-6:30 PM Auditionees must attend for the entire three hour block of time. Where and when does the show perform? There are nine performances on LCT's Main Stage July 19th through July 29th, 2018 (Actors are onsite at least one and a half hours prior to curtain) The performances are: Thursday, July 19 at 7:30PM Friday, July 20 at 7:30 PM Saturday, July 21 at 2:00 PM Sunday, July 22 at 2:00 PM and 7:00pm Thursday, July 26 at 7:30 PM Friday, July 27 at 7:30 PM Saturday, July 28 at 2:00 PM Sunday, July 29 at 2:00 PM How old do I have to be to audition? All performers must turn 9 prior to May 1, 2018 to be eligible to audition. Students younger than 9 will be considered only if an older family member auditions with them. (There are no roles available for anyone under 8.) Please contact the stage manager at rsm@lctonstage.org with inquiries for students younger than 9. Do I have to have an appointment to audition? How do I arrange one? Yes. We must know the number to expect at each audition to divide you into groups and make sure the audition slots fill evenly. Please arrange your audition at least 48 hours in advance. To arrange an audition, please email the stage manager at rsm@lctonstage.org Tell us: Auditionee s name Auditionee s age The date you wish to audition Auditionee s phone number Name of parent/guardian (if performer is under 18) Phone number of a parent or guardian (if performer is under 18) Within 48 hours we will confirm your appointment and send you an audition packet. Please complete it and bring with you to the scheduled audition.
What does a director look for at auditions? We are looking for fun, kind, and interesting people with which to work. The goal of the Summer Family Musical is to cast as many family units as possible but it is not required that your entire family audition. We hope to see as many families at auditions as possible! With a musical, the directors are looking for performers who can dance, act, and sing. Even if you are not strong in all three areas there may be a role just perfect for you. Our job as directors is to match the characters with those who audition. We look for clear distinct characters, individuals who have good volume and diction, and have the ability to move. What role is perfect for me? If you want to know what role is perfect for you we recommend reading the PERUSAL SCRIPT available in the box office. But please keep in mind the role you think is perfect for you may not be the role the director chooses to challenge you with. How many people will be cast and what ages? The show requires a cast of approximately 28-36 members of varying ages. A complete cast list and their suggested ages are available below. What roles are available in the cast of characters? PLEASE NOTE: Characters, genders, and ages may be adjusted depending upon who auditions. Cast of Characters MATILDA TRUNCHBULL MRS. WORMWOOD MR. WORMWOOD MISS HONEY MICHAEL WORMWOOD MRS. PHELPS ACROBAT ESCAPOLOGIST ERIC TOMMY AMANDA BRUCE NIGEL LAVENDER ALICE HORTENSIA RUDOLPHO SERGIE COOK ADULT CHORUS BIG KIDS Female. Age 10-14. Mezzo-Soprano. A brave girl with telekinesis, who is willing to break the rules for the greater good. Adult male dressed as a female. Baritone. A bullying headmistress of the school, who uses her former discipline as an Olympic shot-put champion to terrorize her maggot students. Female. Age 20-40. Mezzo-Soprano. Obsessed with her amateur Ballroom dancing partner and her looks. She thinks little of Matilda s unique abilities and berates her. She is as loud in her makeup and dress sense as she is in her voice. Male. Age 20-40. Baritone. Matilda s cruel father who works as a scheming second hand car salesman. Female. Age 20-35. Mezzo-Soprano A mild, quiet person who never raises her voice and seldom seems to smile yes is adored by every small child under her care. Male. Age 10-14. The Wormwood s monosyllabic son. Needs good deadpan comedy and the ability to find a character during a lot of stage time with few words. Female. Age 20-50. no singing required. Warm and nurturing local librarian who encourages Matilda s love of reading Female. Age 16-30. Married to the Escapologist. Mezzo-Soprano Male. Age 16-35. Ensemble Baritone Male. Age 17-35. Tenor. Mrs. Wormwood s dance partner. Male, Ensemble, Baritone. A Russian Mafia Boss who is physically intimidating, with an accomplished Russian accent. Female, Ensemble, Mezzo-Soprano Ages 20-45. Doctor, Henchman, Dads, Moms, Child Entertainer Ages 13-18, children at Matilda s school 2
Matilda- Summary Matilda is the story of an extraordinary little girl with extraordinary powers. The daughter of abusive parents, Matilda finds refuge in library books, which she reads quickly and in creating her own stories. Things are no better at school, where Matilda also must face a tyrannical and cruel headmistress, Miss Trunchbull, who believes in Crunchem Hall s motto: Bambinatum est Magitum, or Children are Maggots. She finds companionship in her teacher, Miss Honey, though well-intentioned, is shy and fragile. Brave little Matilda knows she has to stand up against the adults in her world, and in doing so, discovers her own remarkable powers. Matilda s bravery teaches Miss Honey and her classmates an important lesson -- that even though life can be hard, nobody but me is gonna change my story so sometimes you have to be a little bit naughty. If I am cast what is the rehearsal schedule like? earsals will begin the week of May 8th. Most rehearsals are Monday through Thursday evenings and Saturday afternoons. Not every character will be called for every rehearsal, though central characters will attend almost every rehearsal. The number of rehearsals you attend depends on your role. A tentative rehearsal schedule is provided in your audition packet. nical rehearsals are July 9 through July 18 and all cast members must be present. NO absences are permitted on these days. What if I have conflicts with the rehearsal schedule? A tentative rehearsal calendar is provided in your audition packet so that you can list all activities that conflict with the rehearsal schedule, especially those which cannot be moved or missed. Directors do their best to honor scheduling conflicts IF THEY ARE LISTED on the tentative rehearsal calendar in your packet. It is very difficult to adjust for conflicts after the rehearsal schedule is set. Remember directors juggle the schedules of up to 30+ people. There may be occasions when you have to skip or reschedule something. Again, technical rehearsals are July 9 through July 18 and all cast members must be present and no absences are permitted on these days. Please be honest and forthcoming when listing conflicts. We promise that if your student is right for a certain part, that we will work around conflicts in order to cast them in the show. Conflicts are mainly used as a scheduling tool. It is dishonest and disrespectful to deliberately leave out conflicts on your audition calendar in hopes of getting a part. This makes our schedule revisions very difficult later on and can hurt the show. Check out the tentative rehearsal calendar on the last page of this document. What do I do before auditions? Once your appointment has been arranged you'll receive a link to an audition packet via email. Download, print out and complete the papers in your audition packet (in your best handwriting) and READ the information sheet. The information sheet contains as much specific information as can be determined prior to auditions... every possible rehearsal date available, parental commitment, costume requirements, our general policies, etc. How can I better prepare or get a leg up for auditions? There are a few practical things you may wish to do before your audition. A copy of the script is available in the LCT box office for you to peruse, though you must remain in the building while you read it. Stop by during office hours to read the script and become familiar with the characters and the storyline. Listen to the soundtrack. We do not suggest emulating what you hear; we are more interested in hearing your unique voice, but it is a good way to familiarize yourself with rhythms and pitches of songs that may be included in the auditions and callbacks. Bring a family member! The mission of the Summer Family Musical is to create an opportunity for families to participate together! Jeremy Kisling is very devoted to this mission and casts as many family units as possible. It is a great idea to bring your parent, sibling, or cousin to auditions! Practice your best British accent. Roald Dahl was British. All his characters are British. We hope to use British accents during the performance. How s your Cockney? or even The Queen s Received Pronunciation? The most important preparation you can do is to come ready to listen, use your loudest voice, and have fun! We want to get to know you and your personality! The best way to do that is to relax and enjoy the audition process, even though we know you might feel nervous 3
What do I wear to auditions? Wear comfortable clothing that allows you to move without risk of embarrassment, but does not mask the size and shape of your body. If you are called back it is a good idea to wear the same clothing you wore on the day of your audition. If you have jazz shoes, please bring them. If you do not have dance shoes, sneakers will be just fine. Sandals and flip flops are forbidden at LCT. What do I bring to auditions? ~Your completed audition form (front and back) ~Conflicts listed on the tentative rehearsal schedule ~$1.00 for a mandatory audition photo ~A parent (for the first 20 minutes) if you are an elementary through high school student What is on the audition form? The front has your vital statistics so we know how to get hold of you (and your parents), your availability for callbacks and rehearsals, a space for listing conflicts, a photo waiver, and LCT s participant contract for respect and inclusion. The back of the audition form is a place to list your theatre experiences, training and special talents. Resumes are encouraged but not required. Do not write below the indicated line. Do I need to have a resume and headshot? No. But if you're serious about this business and have been in several productions or taken several classes you should create a resume. We'll be glad to attach it to your audition form on the day. A headshot is not required because your photo will be taken that day by LCT staff. Having your photo taken when you arrive is mandatory, no substitutes. With the number of people coming through the door it is important that your picture is of you, in the clothes that you wore to the audition that day. You may provide a headshot, but the photo we take will more than suffice for our purposes. What will I do at auditions? When you arrive at the theatre go to the check-in desk. If you have not already you will receive an audition packet and be asked to fill it out. We'll collect your $1 photo fee and you'll have your picture taken, and turn in your forms. During the actual audition you'll participate in warm-ups and some improvisational games. You will be asked to read from the script, learn and sing a song from the show, and dance a combination taught by our choreographer. You do not need to prepare any other material; we will teach you everything you need to know the day of. It s best to think that you are auditioning at all times from the moment you walk in the door until you leave the building. We notice if you are on time, watch how you behave while waiting, while standing in line, while others are performing... all of these things tell us how you will behave during the rehearsal and performance process. What is a callback? It s a director s second look at you and your skills. Especially with the number of people that we will see at these auditions, it is often important to bring back some people for a second look. Just because you are not called back does not necessarily mean you were not cast. When are callbacks? Monday, Wednesday, and/or Thursday, April 30th, May 2nd and/or May 3rd. We'll start no earlier than 6:00 PM and end no later than 10:00 PM. The exact time(s) will be determined once we know the number of folks called back and how much time we need. Do I attend callbacks? We will send out an email to all of those who auditioned with the callback list. This list will include the date and time you should attend callbacks; please follow the email instructions. I didn't get called back; does that mean I'm not cast? Not necessarily. You may have been perfect for the role the director is using you for and consequently does not need a second look at you. Or if the director knows your skills very well (perhaps you were in a show with them previously) they may have chosen to see only people with whom they were less familiar. Everyone should check the cast list when it is announced, even if they did not attend callbacks. When will you announce the cast? The target announcement date and time is Friday, May 4th at 6pm. 4
How do I know if I am cast? Wait for an email from us to learn the cast. Please do not contact us on Friday at 6:01pm to ask where the email might be; sometimes we just need a little more time to get organized. If you do not receive an email by Saturday, do not hesitate to reach out to make sure you get the information. Typos and other mistakes may prevent you from getting the list. What are the next steps if I am cast? Accept the role as prompted by the cast list email. Shortly after the cast is announced we will contact cast members to alert you to the first rehearsal date and time and include a list of instructions to follow and paperwork to complete. If I am cast, what do I need to provide? Actors are required to provide appropriate shoes, socks, underwear, base garments such as leotards or athletic shorts, and all make-up supplies as determined by the costume designer. Pre assembled make-up kits run $15 to $30. Dress and dance shoes may run between $20 and $60 dollars. How are parents involved? Hopefully they are in the cast or working back stage in some close proximity to their child! It is the Summer FAMILY musical after all... ask us about possible opportunities at the first rehearsal! If not, it is the parents responsibility to ensure their child arrives and departs in a timely fashion from all scheduled activities. In addition, we ask parents to volunteer a minimum of six hours. These volunteers may help with cast crowd control, front door duty, make-up application, or ushering for performances - just to name just a few. We are searching for the right person to be our volunteer coordinator. Is it you? Be sure to mention your interest to the stage manager. nical Positions As part of our mission to train the next generation of theatre technicians LCT offers the following technical positions on Discovery productions. This is a great way for family members to get involved! Students must have turned 14 PRIOR to the audition dates for the production. To express your interest in a position please contact the stage management team at rsm@lctonstage.org. Send your name, contact info, the positions that interest you, and we'll arrange a conversation with the appropriate department head. Available Positions Costume Construction, Crafts and Make-up Work in the costume shop with the Costume Shop Manager to complete all costumes, hair and make-up for a production. Time schedules arranged individually. Wardrobe / Dressers This position assists with fast changes during performances, and laundry and maintenance. Must be available for technical rehearsals and performances. Spot Light and Light Board Operators Works with the SM during rehearsals/performances to execute light cues on the light board or operate a spot light from the grid. Must be available for all technical rehearsals and performances. Sound Board Operator Works with the Sound Designer during technical rehearsals. Runs board, sound cues/or microphones for a production as required. Must be available for all technical rehearsals and performances. Assistant Stage Managers and Deck Hands Works side by side with the Stage Managers to accomplish blocking notation, properties tracking, scenery shifts, line notes and all responsibilities associated with stage management. Specific duties will be determined and split among those who are interested and available. Must be available for all tech rehearsals and performances. When ARE the next auditions? What shows are they for? Ghosts of Pineville A Learning Stage Production Auditions late August A Charlie Brown Christmas A Discovery Production at the Opera House- Auditions mid September High School Musical Jr. A Learning Stage Production Auditions mid December Charlotte s Web A Discovery Production - Auditions late January 5
POTENTIAL REHEARSAL CALENDAR MAY SUN MON TUES WED THU FRI SAT 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 JUNE SUN MON TUES WED THU FRI SAT May 27 May 28 May 29 May 30 May 31 June 1 2 Memorial Day 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 JULY SUN MON TUES WED THU FRI SAT 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 / 15 16 1-6 22 (7pm) 29 10 / 17 Independence Day 18 / Preview 23 24 25 11 12 19 26 13 20 27 14 / Event 11-8pm 21 28 6