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Breakdown
2016-17 SEASON
*We are predominantly searching for Elvis Presley, Jerry Lee Lewis, Carl Perkins and Johnny Cash in MILLION DOLLAR QUARTET, Julie Jordon in CAROUSEL as well as Landon Baines Johnson (LBJ) in ALL THE WAY.
MILLION DOLLAR QUARTET
Book & Lyrics by Colin Escott and Floyd Mutrux
Original Concept and Direction by Floyd Mutrux
Inspired by Elvis Presley, Johnny Cash, Jerry Lee lewis and Carl Perkins
October 19, 2016 – January 1, 2017
Director: David Arisco
Musical Director: TBD
ELVIS PRESLEY: 20s; male; actor/singer/guitar player to portray Elvis in his 20s at the beginning of his career. Must be familiar with his music and able to play guitar.
JERRY LEE LEWIS: 20s; male; actor/singer/pianist; he was rock & roll’s legendary piano prodigy and celebrated “Last Man Standing.” Must be a superb piano player, able to play like Jerry Lee Lewis; fun, energetic; comic skills a plus.
CARL PERKINS: mid 20s; male; actor/singer/guitar player (lead guitar); he was the American pioneer of rockabilly music and best known for his song “Blue Suede Shoes”; Must be an excellent lead guitarist.
JOHNNY CASH: mid 20s; male; actor/singer/guitar player to portray Johnny cash at the dawn of his epic career. Must be familiar with his music and able to play guitar
SAM PHILLIPS: mid 30s; male; excellent actor; “Father of Rock’n’Roll” and founder of Sun Records who discovered Elvis Presley, Johnny Cash, Jerry Lee Lewis, Carl Perkins, and many others including Roy Orbison and B.B. King. A towering and charismatic figure in American music.
DYANNE: mid 20s; female; excellent actor and singer; she was an aspiring singer and Elvis’s girlfriend; attractive; great singer with a wide range; sings solos and back-up throughout the show.
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CAROUSEL
Music by Richard Rodgers
Book & Lyrics by Oscar Hammerstein II
Based on the play LILIOM by Ferenc Molnar
As adapated by Benjamin F. Glazer
February 1 – 26, 2017
Director: David Arisco
Musical Director: TBD
*In Act II, most characters have aged 16 years.
BILLY BIGELOW: Baritone with a strong G, commanding presence. The very successful barker for the Mullin Carousel. Billy’s success is based in part on his attractiveness to a young woman who visits the Carousel. A bit of a rogue and ladies’ man, Billy is a tragic figure who is a good person at heart, but who has never learned to deal with anyone, especially those he loves, with anything other than violence. Age: 20’s & 30’s.
JULIE JORDAN: Soprano. A very shy but head strong young woman. She falls for Billy and recognizes that it will not come to a happy ending. Still she prefers Billy over any other suitors. Ages: 20’s.
CARRIE PIPPERIDGE: Alto/Mezzo Soprano. Carrie is Julie’s best friend and is a much more conventional young woman for her time. She marries Mr. Snow and is happy to be subservient to him. Ages: 20’s.
ENOCH SNOW: Tenor. Fisherman and future tycoon. Mr. Snow has his whole life planned out including his entire life with betrothed Carrie. Carrie is more of the idea of the wife that his ambition requires than a real person with needs, ideas, and desires of her own. Ages: Early 30’s OR Early 40’s.
MRS. MULLIN: She owns the Carousel in the local amusement park. She also thinks she owns Billy and is quite upset at his attraction to Julie. She fires Billy when he marries Julie but later tries to get Billy to leave Julie and come back. This is a non-singing role.
NETTIE FOWLER: Mezzo Soprano. Julie’s somewhat older and wiser cousin (maybe even kind of an Aunt). She runs the local “eating establishment”. She allows Julie and the unemployed Billy to live with her after their wedding. Nettie is a lead singer in “June is Busting out All Over” and “When You Walk through a Storm”. Ages: Late 30’s and up.
JIGGER CRAIGIN: Comic Baritone with a Dark Side. A good-for-nothing sailor off of a whaling ship. Every year in port, he latches on to some unwitting accomplice for his criminal endeavors. This year it is Billy and he leads Billy to his ruin. Jigger is the lead singer in “Blow High.
DAVID BASCOMBE: The very strict owner of the local mill where Julie and Carrie live and work. Age: 40’s
LOUISE: Strong Dancer. Billy and Julie’s 15 year old daughter. Louise is tormented by the rest of the kids in the town because of how Billy dies and is thus very unhappy and combative. This role is usually cast as a major dance role for the 6 minute ballet sequence.
HEAVENLY FRIEND: The “angel” who brings Billy to the Starkeeper and returns him to earth for his last visit. Very patient & sweet. Ages: 30’s – 40’s.
STARKEEPER/DR. SELDON: A heavenly figure. It is ambiguous as to whether the Starkeeper is God, or one of his angels. Dr. Seldon is the earthly version of the Starkeeper. Age: 50’s and up.
MARGARET SNOW: Enoch & Carrie’s eldest daughter. Very spoiled and can be a little mean to Louise, too.
CARNIVAL BOY: Strong Dancer. A boy who looks like Billy and is a member of a passing carnival. He dances with Louise during the ballet sequence. This is a dance role and will double as part of the ensemble.
ENSEMBLE: A graduating class of young adults, policeman, a ship captain, a school principal, carnival dancers, juggler, (maybe a stilt walker), the men, the women, and children of a small New England Coastal town.
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ALL THE WAY
By Robert Schenkkan
Dir: David Arisco
3/22 - 4/9/17
LYNDON BAINES JOHNSON (LBJ)
Male, 50-59, Caucasian. U.S. Pres, master politician. Brave, brutal, compassionate, cruel, intelligent, insensitive; uncanny instinct for jugular of allies & adversaries. Possessing marvelous, often crude sense of humor. Privately a font of extraordinary insecurity & vulnerability
MARTIN LUTHER KING, JR
Male, 30-35, African American. Trying hard to keep movement together thru impossible tradeoffs. Charismatic, insightful, conciliatory. Not a saint, but man of high ideals.
J. EDGAR HOOVER/BYRD/ENSEMBLE
Male, 60-69, Caucasian. Hoover: FBI Dir., whose paranoia & desire for power leads him to sanction massive corruption & illegal surveillance. Byrd: Senator from WVa; strongly opposed to integration.
HUBERT HUMPHREY/STROM THURMOND/ENSEMBLE
Male, 50-59, Caucasian. Humphrey: Sen. from MN; crusader for civil rights, charismatic speech-maker; leader of Senate liberals; affable, bright, decent. Thurmond: key member of So.Caucus; known for vitriolic racist language & extreme views on segregation
RALPH ABERNATHY/ENSEMBLE
Male, 45-49, African American. Abernathy reverend, civil rights leader; MLK's best friend; funny, compassionate, devoted
BOB MOSES/DAVID DENNIS/ENSEMBLE
Male, 30-35, African American. Moses: brilliant civil rights strategist (co-founder of SNCC); known for calming spiritual presence & total devotion to the movement. Dennis: young civil rights organizer; delivers emotional, galvanizing speech at funeral of a civil rights worker
ROY WILKINS/ENSEMBLE
Male, 60-65, African American. Wilkins: head of NAACP; expert at legislative strategy; dapper, urbane; very troubled by radical approaches; at times jealous as other civil rights leaders ascend
STOKELY CARMICHAEL/ENSEMBLE
Male, 20-29, African American. Carmichael: civil rights field organizer; bold; unimpressed by authority; strong advocate for increasingly more militant approach
ROBERT MCNAMARA/EASTLAND/ENSEMBLE
Male, 50-59, Caucasian. Mcnamara: Secy. of Defense; reputation as whiz kid; chief architect of American policy in Vietnam. Eastland: Senator (MI) & key roadblock to civil rights legislation; plantation owner, virulent racist
GEORGE WALLACE/WALTER REUTHER/ENSEMBLE
Male, 40-59, Caucasian. Wallace: racist, outspoken, brash, colorful, political opportunist and thorn in LBJ’s side. Reuther: plain-spoken union leader; ardent ally of civil rights movement
JUDGE SMITH/EVERETT DIRKSEN/ENSEMBLE
Male, 55-69, Caucasian. Smith: staunch segregationist, unscrupulous wheeler-dealer. Dirksen: famously pompous Senate Majority Leader from IL; likes sound of his own voice
RICHARD RUSSELL/ENSEMBLE
Male, 65-69, Caucasian. major southern leader in Senate; mentor/close friend to LBJ; ardent racist but known for polite & decorous manner & commitment to party unity
WALTER JENKINS/ENSEMBLE
Male, 40-49, Caucasian. Jenkins: LBJ’s long-suffering, loyal Chief of Staff; raised in TX, has been with LBJ from beginning; a surrogate son; deftly arranges tumult of calls and meetings
STANLEY LEVISON/SEYMORE TRAMMEL/ENSEMBLE
Male, 40-49, Caucasian. Levison: Jewish businessman, former Communist from NY; chief advisor to MLK; plain-spoken realist. Trammel: officially a campaign aide but in reality a bagman for Wallace; physically intimidating but definitely subordinate to Wallace
LADY BIRD JOHNSON/KATHERINE GRAHAM/ENSEMBLE
Female, 45-55, Caucasian. Lady Bird: First Lady; ideal political wife; committed to her husband’s political schedule, socializing & emotional needs; possessed of surprising spine when necessary. Graham: high-powered publisher of Washington Post; alleged to have had affair with LBJ
LURLEEN WALLACE/MURIEL HUMPRHEY/ENSEMBLE
Female, 35-45, Caucasian. Lurleen: dutiful homemaker; adores Wallace. Muriel Humphrey: very intelligent, able to strategize at high level with husband; marriage of soul mates
FANNIE LOU HAMER/CORETTA SCOTT KING/ENSEMBLE
Female, 30-39, African American. Hamer: former sharecropper turned civil rights leader; uneducated, irrepressible, inspiring. King: married to MLK; committed to him & the cause but troubled by his exhausting travel schedule & the infidelities she suspects
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IT SHOULDA BEEN YOU
Book/Lyrics: Brian Hargrove
Music: Barbara Anselmi
Add'l Lyrics: Michael Cooper, Will Randall Carla Rose Fisher, Ernie Lijoi & Jill Abramovitz
Based on concept by Barbara Anselmi
Dir: David Arisco
Musical Dir: TBD
5/17 - 6/11/17
Jenny Steinberg
Mezzo soprano with great belt & mix. Mid-late 30s. Co-maid of honor; bride's older sister. ‘Mice Jewish girl’; has ‘such an attractive face’. Parents have always pushed her into the background in favor of Rebecca. Appealing, though, but big-boned & overweight (but not obese). Loving, smart, has self-deprecating wit
Judy Steinberg
Mezzo. Female, Late 50s. Classic Jewish mother-of-the-bride. While overbearing, judgmental and controlling, genuinely loves her daughters. Has biting wit; sees world from only her point of view. Delicious role for a comedienne
Rebecca Steinberg:
Mezzo or soprano with high belt or fantastic mix at E (must also have a G below middle C). Female, 30. The bride. Apple of family's eye. Very attractive & appealing. Everything has always been done for her. Loves sister Jenny very much
Georgette Howard
Alto/mezzo. Female. Late 50s. Groom's mother. Wealthy, upper-class snob; eccentric, a bit vague. Condescending; feels she is superior to Steinberg family in every way. Has drinking problem but in public is model of the respectable matron. Another delicious role for a comedienne
Annie Sheps
Mezzo or soprano with great pop belt. Early 30s. African American. Rebecca's co-maid of honor. Smart; very attractive. Has wit & charm
Waiter # 2/Aunt Sheila/Others
Mezzo belter. Female. 30s. Track requires expert transformational comedienne. Waiter: Witty, easy with a put-down quip, thinks nothing about a wedding could surprise her. Sheila: Classic meddling Jewish aunt
Brian Howard
Baritone or tenor with low notes/baritenor. 30. The groom. Upscale trust-fund baby with classic all-American looks. Great guy; has none of His parents' prejudices. Has charm & winning personality. As eccentric as his mother is, he loves her very much
Murray Steinberg
Bass/baritone. Late 50s. Classic Jewish father. Loves his family dearly but clearly his wife Judy runs the show
Albert
Baritenor. Late 30s-early 50s. Ultimate omnipotent wedding planner. Materializes out of thin air just when you need (or don't need) him. Has superior air; wry sense of humor. Been there/done that in his profession --nothing surprises him. Delicious role for a style comedian
Marty Kaufman
Tenor with some low notes. Male. Early 30s. Nice Jewish boy; real mensch. Rebecca's ex-boyfriend; crashes wedding. Lovable, funny -who wouldn't want him in their family? Attractive; appealing looks
Greg Madison
Tenor with great pop sense. Early 30s. Best man. Something of a frat boy, but good-looking & charming
George Howard
Any vocal range. Late 50s. Brian's father. Wealthy, upper-class snob. Suspicious of everything about the Steinbergs & his son’s future. He & Brian have distant relationship which he tries rather foolishly to mend
Waiter # 1/Uncle Morty
Baritone. Male. 30s. Track requires expert transformational comic. Waiter: Witty, easy with a put-down quip and thinks nothing about a wedding could surprise him. Morty: The classic Jewish uncle
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FINDING MONA LISA
World Premiere Play
By: Michael McKeever
Dir: David Arisco
7/12 - 8/13/17
Four actors to play various roles, any ethnicity
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