NIKOLAI AND THE OTHERS Equity Principal Auditions - Lincoln Center Theatre Auditions

NIKOLAI AND THE OTHERS

– Equity Principal Auditions

Lincoln Center Theater LORT Currently $765/week minimum.

Writer: Richard Nelson

Dir: David Cromer

Casting: Daniel Swee

1st reh: 2/28/13. Runs 4/4-6/16 at the Mitzi E. Newhouse Theater.

Equity Principal Auditions:

October 2, 2012 Actors' Equity Association Audition Center

9:30 AM - 5:30 PM 165 West 46th Street, 2nd Floor

Lunch from 1 - 2. New York City

Sides will be provided at the audition. Please bring a photo and resume, stapled back-to-back.

The play takes place over a weekend on a farm outside Westport, Connecticut, in the spring of 1948.

Seeking (all roles are available):

The Men:

Nikolai “Nicky” Nabokov:

40s. A once-respected Russian émigré composer. From a wealthy pre-revolution family; grew up rich, lost all during the revolution. As a talented musician in his 20s, composed ballet music for the Ballet Russes, where he rubbed shoulders with Stravinsky, Balanchine and others. Settled in America, served in WWII. In America, he has taught music, and now works for the US Information Agency (run by the CIA), supporting the works of other Russian émigré artists. A generous, supportive man, blind to his own compromises and to the fact that he has stopped serious composing. A man seeking what he has lost.

George Balanchine:

44. Russian émigré choreographer. Left Russia in his teens to dance and choreograph in the West. Supported by Lincoln Kirstein and others in the US; artistic director of a small ballet company that will become theNew York City Ballet. Successful Broadway musical choreographer. A sensual man, who falls in love and marries – or at least sleeps with – his female dancers. Art and life for him are entwined and inseparable. He has “learned no other languages” so he won’t have to understand what he is being told to do. He survives, driven by his passion for dance, and his belief in the utter importance (nearly religious) of art. Handsome, charismatic; some think ruthless.

Igor Stravinsky:

66. World-famous Russian émigré composer known for his radical music, with its roots in his Russian homeland. He has settled with his wife in Hollywood. He has weathered the war in the US, though with much loss. His son has been arrested in Paris by the Free French for talking about his father’s music on the Occupied radio station during the war. Before the war, he had attempted to befriend Mussolini. Like Balanchine, a man whose life is Art. A small man, wiry and wound up. A large ego, well deserved. Also generous. And like Balanchine, and artists everyone, he loves to gossip.

Sergey Sudeikin:

66. A once-successful stage-set designer and painter. Ex-husband of Stravinsky’s wife, Vera. (The Russian émigré community, like all such communities, is an incestuous one.) Sudeikin’s time in the sun has passed; and he has been living in a small apartment in Manhattan, barely making ends meet. And now – he is dying. His time in the sun was glorious – both in Moscow before the revolution, and in Paris with Diaghilev after. Full of gossip and memories – he is the “camp fire” the other émigrés have gathered around for the weekend of the play. His dying is their excuse to come together as a group – to forget the present world and America and their lives, and live for a moment in the past, or in an imagined nostalgic past. His physical appearance is upsetting to those who have not seen him recently, and reflects not only what has happened to him, but what they all have lost. He is given a “present” of having the attractive dancer Nicholas sleep in his bedroom, so Sergey can watch something everyone knows he’ll find beautiful.

Kolya Sudeikin:

30s. Sergey’s nephew. Balanchine’s rehearsal pianist. Russian émigré. Left after the revolution. Is most protective of the artists he serves – Balanchine and his uncle. He doesn’t trust in countries, he doesn’t believe in the goodwill of governments – he has devoted his life to serving ART and those real artists who make it. He knows he isn’t that kind of artist. Note: It would be good to find an actor who plays piano well for this role, but not necessary.

Aleksi Karpov:

64. Russian émigré. Piano teacher, based most recently and throughout the war in Los Angeles. Has achieved little in his life; others look at him as a bit of a fool. He is always around the food. Among great artists he is a small figure indeed. Recently engaged to Nikolai’s former wife, Natasha. He is a decent man, a kind of innocent. Though Natasha should be seen as clearly just “settling” by marrying him.

Vladimir Sokoloff:

50s. Russian émigré. Respected film and stage actor. He has been in New York these past months in a production of “Crime and Punishment” on Broadway, with John Gielgud. An ironic sensibility – he has long accepted – though can make fun of – how he is invariably cast in “accent” roles. He is the “foreigner” in American films. Doesn’t matter what sort of foreigner, he plays them all. A friend of Stravinsky’s; he is married to Lisa, who is Stravinsky’s wife’s best friend. A man who makes an impression. He’s compromised, but has had no choice; he’s survived.

Serge Koussevitsky:

72. Russian émigré. Conductor of the Boston Symphony, and so the artistic director of Tanglewood. He wears his scars of exile well, having long ago adjusted to getting along. Clever, even devious – he holds great power over Russian émigré musicians because of his position. An older generation than the others – except for Sudeikin. For years he lived off his wife’s money, and swallowed her antisemitism (he is Jewish). She is now dead. An elegant man, used to asking rich people for money.

Charles “Chip” Bohlen:

44. American. A sense of entitlement and American WASP upper class. Lived in Moscow for some years, when he worked there for the US Embassy. Loves all things Russian. Happy to help Russians. And he does so via his job overseeing projects/funding for the US Information Agency. He works either directly or indirectly with the CIA. And so helping Russians is also part of a larger political agenda. Incredibly connected – he was Roosevelt’s translator at the Yalta Conference. Very polite, unless pushed. Something dark inside.

Nicholas Magallanes:

26. American. One of Balanchine’s major dancers. He will dance Orpheus in Balanchine’s new ballet of that name. Handsome, great body, great ballet dancer. Performer in this role must be able to dance Balanchine’s choreography.

The Women:

Vera Stravinsky:

60. Igor’s wife, and ex-wife of the dying Sudeikin. Russian émigré. Former costume designer; elegant, refined. Has lived in the artistic circles of Moscow, Paris and now in the circle of Igor Stravinsky. A woman with a rich past and who has seen much. A warm woman who “humanizes” Stravinsky. Generous and caring.

Lucia Davidova:

40s. Owns the house in Westport where the weekend takes place. Russian émigré who is not in the dance world. Didn’t meet Balanchine until the ‘30s, in America. Her money probably comes from an ex-husband. She is Balanchine’s best and closest “platonic” woman friend, though the “platonic” is no doubt his choice, not hers. Intelligent. Adores Balanchine and would do anything for him.

Natasha Nabokov:

40s. Nikolai’s first wife; they have been divorced for years. Russian minor nobility; before the Revolution, she had been a “Princess”. Balanchine’s other great platonic woman-friend; his confidante and go-between with his love affairs. She is now engaged to Karpov, someone well below her status. She is desperately settling.

Anna:

18. The only character in the play not based upon a real person. Lucia’s niece, who wants to be a dancer. Flirtatious, but also young and innocent. Thinks she knows much more than she does. Thinks she can “swim”in these circles. Can’t take her eyes off of Balanchine. Lovely, beautiful.

Evgenia:

39. Russian émigré. Runs Balanchine’s School of Ballet. Like Natasha, from minor Russian nobility. She is Lincoln Kirstein’s “eyes and ears” at the School which Kirstein financially supports. Very organized; a bit distant or protective. Sort of Kirstein’s spy.

Natalia:

35. Russian émigré. Works for Evgenia at the school. Nice, friendly, helpful. Not terribly bright.

Lisa Sokoloff:

50s. Russian émigré. Has lived in America a long time with her husband Vladimir, mostly in Los Angeles. She is Vera’s best friend – they see each other all the time in Hollywood. They are close.

Lisa hasn’t seen Vera for some time as she (Lisa) has been in New York with her husband, who has been doing a Broadway show (that has just closed). A supportive wife; aware of everything that is going on, but keeps her place.

Maria Tallchief:

23. American ballet dancer of Native American background (father was Native American, mother was Caucasian). Recent wife of Balanchine. Now a leading ballet dancer in the company. She will play Eurydice in the new ballet. Beautiful, poised. Performer in this role must be able to dance Balanchine’s choreography.

CD states, “Performers of all ethnic and racial backgrounds are encouraged to attend.”