Lyric Opera of Chicago to Hold Male Dancer Auditions for THE KING AND I, 1/28/16

CHICAGO - Lyric Opera of Chicago will hold auditions by invitation in New York City for male dancers for the 2015-16 season production of Rodgers and Hammerstein's The King and I. This new-to-Chicago production is part of the company's American Musical Theater Initiative and features an internationally acclaimed creative team, including director Lee Blakeley, conductor David Chase, and choreographer Peggy Hickey.

Weekly rates for ensemble performers and solo dancers are subject to the collective bargaining agreement with The American Guild of Musical Artists (AGMA) and are set at $1,102/week in the 2015-16 season. The rehearsal and performance period for The King and I is Monday, April 4 through Sunday, May 22, 2016. There is a possibility of a short extension of the performance period.

The artists cast from these auditions will portray members of the 19thcentury court of the King of Siam. Applicants of Asian and Pacific Islander descent are particularly encouraged to apply.

Applicants must be classically trained, preferably with a background in musical theater and modern dance; only highly qualified, male dancers with strong technique will be considered. Candidates must display flexible hands, feet, and wrists. Thai dance background a plus but not necessary. Male dancers who can power tumble are particularly encouraged to apply.

The schedule for this call is as follows:

Thursday, January 28, 2016	10:30am 11:00am-2:00pm	Check-in Audition

Auditionees should prepare to dance barefoot or in ballet slippers if preferred. Please be sure to wear clothes appropriate for dancing, and arrive warmed up and ready to dance.

All dancers will need to be prepared to sing 16 bars of a Rodgers and Hammerstein song or repertoire similar in style. Please choose a piece that showcases vocal line and your technical abilities. Please also bring your audition book consisting of contrasting musical theater pieces. Come prepared to sing; there will not be space for you to warm up.

For more information about this production, and to apply for an audition, please email your comprehensive dance résumé and headshot toballetaud@lyricopera.org; Auditions are by invitation only and will be awarded based on the vetting of complete materials submitted. Materials must be submitted by January 22, 2015.

Auditions will be held at The Baryshnikov Arts Center, 450 W. 37th St, New York, NY 10018.

Walk-ins will not be seen.

Artists at Lyric Opera of Chicago are represented by the American Guild of Musical Artists. Should you be hired for The King and I you will be required to join this union, if you are not already a member.

About Lyric

Founded in 1954, Lyric Opera of Chicago's mission is to express and promote the life-changing, transformational, revelatory power of great opera. Lyric exists to provide a broad, deep, and relevant cultural service to Chicago and the nation, and to advance the development of the art form.

Lyric is dedicated to producing and performing consistently thrilling, entertaining, and thought-provoking opera with a balanced repertoire of core classics, lesser-known masterpieces, and new works; to creating an innovative and wide-ranging program of community engagement and educational activities; and to developing exceptional emerging operatic talent.

Under the leadership of general director Anthony Freud, music director Sir Andrew Davis, and creative consultant Renée Fleming, Lyric strives to become The Great North American Opera Company for the 21st century: a globally significant arts organization embodying the core values of excellence, relevance, and fiscal responsibility.

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