Auditions - 'The Musical of Musicals'

In From October 28th to November 1st 2014 we will be staging 'The Musical of Musicals - The Musical' at the 124-seat Watford Pump House Theatre & Arts Centre so auditions will commence in June 2014. We are seeking singers, dancers, actors and backstage crew for this superb musical. If you've ever fancied getting on stage and showing off what you've got then give us a call.

It consists of five mini-musicals each in the style of a famous Broadway composition team.
The teams (and styles) are:

Rodgers & Hammerstein
Stephen Sondheim
Jerry Herman
Andrew Lloyd Webber
Kander & Ebb
(with a dash of Marvin Hamlisch to end proceedings)

The key phrase is ‘in the style of’ as the actual melodies are original but very similar to those the above teams are known for.
There is one story told five ways and that is a simple melodrama theme – the young girl who can’t pay the rent, her boyfriend, an older woman/mentor and the evil landlord. Of course when MofM was written the musical RENT was still playing to sell-out audiences in New York. Each mini-musical sets the ‘Rent’ scenario in the style of those writers.

Each of the five needs a young woman (20s), a middle-aged woman (35-50), a young man (20-30) and an older man (35-50).

Audition details in June 2014 are being held at Carpenders Park Community Hall, Gibbs Couch, Carpenders Park. WD19 5EZ. Adjacent to Carpenders Park overground Station and with easy free car parking for drivers. A map appears below.

DATE MUSIC (SONGS) VENUE TIME REQUIRED

Tue 10/6 Script Readings with CD Carpenders 8.00 All interested

Thur 12/6 Auditions Music Carpenders 8.00 ditto

Tue 17/6 Auditions 1 Carpenders 8.00 ditto

Thu 19/6 Auditions 2 Carpenders 8.00 ditto

Audition Pieces:

In broad terms the ‘Billy’ group of characters are tenors, the ‘Abbys’ mezzo/contralto, the ‘Jitters’ baritones and the ‘Junes’ sopranos.

Not all of the four roles will be auditioned for each scene but if going for a part not listed in a scene you will be asked to sing one of the other numbers for that character group.

There is minimal spoken dialogue required for the audition and most of the below excerpts contain some dialogue within the songs.

CORN! (in the style of Rodgers & Hammerstein)

Character

Audition Music/Dialogue - page numbers from score

Big Willy
No 1 Oh, What Beautiful Corn (bars 1-49) one verse and chorus & 134 to 140 for ‘F’

June
No 2 I couldn’t Keer Less About You (whole song)

Aunt Abby
No 4 Follow Your Dream (bars 1-12 & 29-45)

A LITTLE COMPLEX (in the style of Stephen Sondheim)

Billy
No 16 A Melody? (whole song)

Jeune
No 13 I Have Little Birds (bar 10 - end) & No 17 Jeune’s Patter Song (whole song)

Jitter
No 12 Jitter’s Oath (whole song)

Abby
No 18 We’re All Gonna Die (bar17 to end)

AUNT ABBY (in the style of Jerry Herman)

William
No 22 A Show Tune! (start to bar 17, end of page)

Abby
No 21 Take My Advice (start to bar 34 – key change) – this can be sung an octave lower

ASPECTS OF JUANITA (in the style of Andrew Lloyd Webber)

Bill
No 25 Aspects of Juanita (start to bar 20)

Juanita
No 25 Aspects of Juanita (bars 32 to 51)

Phantom Jitter
No 26 Opera Scena (bars 18 – 37)

Abigail
No 30 Over The Top (bars 14 – 46)

SPEAKEASY (in the style of Kander & Ebb)

Villy
No 34 Color Me Gay (whole song)

Juny
No 33 Juny With A “J” (whole song)

Jutter
No 32 Lola! Aloha! Hello! (start to bar 47)

Fr. Abby
No 36 An Easy Mark (start to Bar 39)

Audition Method:
After the script read-through call and audition music call there are two audition nights set aside.
Once we know the names and availability of potential auditionees a timed schedule by character will be circulated.
Naturally if someone isn’t available the night that character is planned for they can be slotted in the other night.

Auditions will be in front of the production team (perhaps 4 or 5, including director, choreographer, MD and producer - possibly one other)
They will select a cast and submit it for approval to the main committee.
It is anticipated that auditionees will learn their ‘fate’ within 48 hours.

If you can learn the audition part rather than reading it that is fine but not essential.
If you feel you haven’t done yourself justice then you can ask to start again.
The panel may ask to hear certain notes or suggest interpretations they would like to see.

It’ll be as free and relaxed as these things can ever be – we’ve all been there and know the pressures.

Rehearsals for our shows take place Tuesday and Thursday evenings and some Sunday mornings and are normally at Carpenders Park Community Hall with the occasional one at The Pump House nearer the show time There are always opportunities for you to get involved behind the scenes too or front of house and other aspects of the group and whether in the show or not you are encouraged to play your full part in creating the magic of theatre with us.

To arrange to attend the read-through or the rehearsal sessions or for any other information please call 07917 324179 or email membership@belmonttheatre.co.uk

For more information visit http://www.belmonttheatre.co.uk/casting-informations-musical-of-musicals.html