SpeakEasy Stage Company 2018-19 Season Musicals - Boston MA EPA - Musicals
SpeakEasy Stage Company
AUDITION DATE
Tue, May 08, 2018
10:00 am - 6:00 pm (EDT)
Lunch 1 to 2
APPOINTMENTS
To request an audition, please email auditions@speakeasystage.com with your Equity status, contact information, and the hour you would like to be seen. AEA members without appointments seen as time permits.
CONTRACT
NEAT Cat. 6; $425.00/week
SEEKING
Equity actors for various roles in the three musicals in SpeakEasy Stage Company's 2018-2019 Season: FUN HOME, ONCE, and THE VIEW UPSTAIRS. See breakdown.
Actors of color are strongly encouraged to audition, and all roles are open to inclusive casting.
PREPARATION
Auditions will be in 5-minute slots. Performers may audition with material from one or more of the season's shows. Performers may also prepare a brief song of their choice. SpeakEasy Stage Company suggests two 16-bar selections -one up-tempo and one ballad. Accompanist and readers provided.
At this EPA, no nudity or any form of sexual contact will be required as part of an actor’s audition. We will not ask prospective participants to perform violence or sexual contact as part of an audition without disclosing this expectation in the audition notice or invitation.
LOCATION
Calderwood Pavilion - Boston Center for the Arts
527 Tremont St
Boston, MA 02116-6306
Roberts Studio Theater
PERSONNEL
Joseph Juknievich, Artistic Fellow
Paul Daigneault (Producing Artistic Director), Paul Melone (Production & General Manager), and Joe Juknievich (Artistic Fellow) will be in attendance
OTHER
SpeakEasy Stage Company has adopted the Chicago Theatre Standards, which seeks to foster an environment of communication, safety, respect, accountability, and the health, safety, and well-being of institutions and its participants
An Equity Monitor will not be provided. The producer will run all aspects of this audition.
Equity’s contracts prohibit discrimination. Equity is committed to diversity and encourages all its employers to engage in a policy of equal employment opportunity designed to promote a positive model of inclusion. As such, Equity encourages performers of all ethnicities, gender identities, and ages, as well as performers with disabilities, to attend every audition.
Always bring your Equity Membership card to auditions.
BREAKDOWN
FUN HOME
Music by Jeanine Tesori, Book & Lyrics by Lisa Kron, Based on the Graphic Novel by Alison Bechdel
Directed by Paul Daigneault
Rehearsals begin September 24, 2018; Performances run Oct. 19 - Nov. 24, 2018
ALISON:
Female. 37-44. Vocal Range: Low E to Light Belt C-Sharp. Any ethnicity.
The narrator of this story. Now a self-aware adult, she is able to reflect insightfully on her own life and her relationship with her father before his tragic death. Must be a strong singer who can move seamlessly in vocal quality from speech to song.
BRUCE:
Male. 40-49. Vocal Range: B to G. Any ethnicity.
Alison's father. A high school English teacher and funeral home director who spends his spare time on the historic restoration of his home. A complex man with a hot temper because of years of repression. He can be caring and attentive to his children but is also quick to anger. Must be a strong singer who can move seamlessly in vocal quality from speech to song. Disclaimer: This character engages in sexual content.
HELEN:
Female. 40-49. Vocal Range: A Flat to Strong Mixed E. Any ethnicity.
Alison's mother. Frustrated and exhausted by her tumultuous marriage. She has spent her life trying to be a good mother and wife while turning a blind eye to the irreverent activities of her husband. Must be a strong singer who can move seamlessly in vocal quality from speech to song.
MEDIUM ALISON:
Female. Adult actor 18+ to play age 19. Vocal Range: Strong mix-belt to C and effortless mix to E. Any ethnicity.
Alison Bechdel as a freshman at Oberlin College, discovering her sexuality. For an incredibly well-read, hyper-intelligent teenager, her uncertainty about who she is makes her socially awkward at times. Must be a strong singer who can move seamlessly in vocal quality from speech to song. Disclaimer: This character appears in underwear for one scene and engages in sexual content.
JOAN:
Female. Adult actor 18+ to play 19. Some harmony singing (Alto). Any ethnicity.
A student at Oberlin College. She exudes a confident, sexual energy, with a dry sense of humor. Unlike Alison, Joan is very comfortable in her skin and openly identifies as a lesbian. Disclaimer: This character engages in sexual content.
ROY/PETE/MARK/BOBBY JEREMY:
Male, 20-24. 70s pop sound to a B. Any ethnicity.
Seeking one actor to play all roles. Roy: a young man Bruce hires to do yard work. Pete: a mourner who visits the funeral home. Mark: a high school junior. Bobby Jeremy: the lead singer of a band in Alison's imagination. Seeking a singer with a strong, clean, 70s pop sound to a B. Disclaimer: This character engages in sexual content.
SMALL ALISON:
Female. 9-11. Vocal Range: B to B. Any ethnicity.
Alison Bechdel as a child. Precocious and opinionated. On the cusp of finding herself and forming her own views on how a girl her age should behave and dress. Seeking an actress who is confident and intelligent. Must be a strong singer who can move seamlessly in vocal quality from speech to song, natural sound. Range: B to B.
CHRISTIAN BECHDEL:
Male. 10-12. Any ethnicity.
Alison's older brother. As the oldest of the three children, he strives to be the leader, but is sometimes overshadowed by Alison's strong personality. Seeking a singer with a natural sound, good sense of harmony, and pitch.
JOHN BECHDEL:
Male. 7-9. Any ethnicity.
Alison's younger brother. Like most boys his age, he is full of energy with a quirky imagination. Looks up to his siblings. Seeking a singer with a natural sound, good sense of harmony, and pitch.
ALSO SEEKING OFF-STAGE UNDERSTUDY
Any gender. 10-12. Any ethnicity. To cover: SMALL ALISON, CHRISTIAN BECHDEL, and JOHN BECHDEL.
_____________________
ONCE
Book by Enda Walsh, Music and Lyrics by Glen Hansard & Marketa Irglova, Based on the Motion Picture by John Carney
Directed by Paul Melone
Rehearsals begin February 4, 2019; Performances run Mar. 1 - Mar. 30, 2019 (Possible Extension to April 6, 2019)
ALL ARTISTS MUST SING AND PLAY MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS IN THE SHOW. The score consists of parts for: guitar, piano, ukulele, mandolin, cello, melodica, violin, banjo, bass guitar, accordion, and drums/percussion.
GUY:
Male. 25-35. Vocal Range: G2 to C#5. Any ethnicity.
Irish-born. A struggling musician who works with his father in a vacuum repair shop. He is brooding but charismatic with extreme appeal. Bari-Tenor with a rock/folk voice. Speaks with an Irish accent. Must play guitar. Disclaimer: Character engages in costume change in view of audience.
GIRL:
Female. 25-35. Vocal Range: C4 to G3. Any ethnicity.
Czech-born. Direct, intelligent, and witty with a no-nonsense attitude. Doesn't want sympathy from others. Mezzo-soprano with a rock/folk voice. Speaks with a Czech accent. Must play the piano.
REZA:
Female. 25-35. Vocal Range: C4 to A5. Any ethnicity.
Czech-born. Seductive, funny, and smart with a larger than life attitude. Soprano with a rock/folk voice. Speaks with a Czech accent. Violin/fiddle a plus.
EAMON:
Male. 20-49. Vocal Range: G2 to G#4. Any ethnicity.
Irish-born. Music manager at the studio where Guy and Girl record their album. A tough nut to crack. Baritone with rock/folk voice. Speaks with an Irish accent. Guitar, piano, melodica, cajon, and castanets a plus.
DA:
Male. 50-69. Vocal Range: Baritone. Any ethnicity.
Irish-born. Guy's father who runs a vacuum repair shop. A man of few words but caring and warm. Baritone with rock/folk voice. Speaks with an Irish accent. Mandolin a plus.
BARUSKA:
Female. 50-69. Vocal Range: G3 to C5. Any ethnicity.
Czech. Girl’s mother. A caring woman with few inhibitions. Alto with rock/folk voice. Speaks with a Czech accent. Accordion and e concertina a plus.
BANK MANAGER:
Male. 35-45. Vocal Range: G3 to B4. Any ethnicity.
Irish-born. Prim and proper bank businessman with a secret passion for music. Tenor with a rock/folk voice. Speaks with an Irish (Cork) accent. Must play guitar or cello or both.
ANDREJ:
Male. 20-35. Vocal Range: C2 to G#4. Any ethnicity.
Czech-born. An employee at a fast food chain with big dreams. Earnest and kind with a gangly, slight stature. Baritone with a rock/folk voice. Speaks dialogue with a Czech accent. Must play electric bass. Ukulele and guitar a plus.
SVEC:
Male. 25-39. Vocal Range: B2 to G#4. Any ethnicity.
Czech-born. An eccentric guy who spends most of his time watching television and drinking coffee. Baritone with a rock/folk voice. Speaks with a Czech accent. Must play drums. Banjo, mandolin, and guitar a plus. Disclaimer: Character removes trousers on stage.
EX-GIRLFRIEND:
Female. 25-35. Vocal Range: Mezzo-soprano. Any ethnicity.
Irish-born. Guy's ex-girlfriend who now lives in New York. Sensual & charismatic. Mezzo-soprano with a rock folk voice. Speaks with an Irish accent. Violin and cajon a plus.
EMCEE:
Male. 30-49. Vocal Range: G2 to G#4. Any ethnicity
Irish-born. A good-natured ball buster who works at the local bar. Baritone with a rock/folk voice. Speaks with an Irish accent. Guitar a plus.
BILLY:
Male. 30-49. Vocal Range: G2 to G#4. Any ethnicity.
Irish-born and has one parent from Spain. Owner of the music store where Girl plays piano. Large, loud, and funny but also protective. Baritone with a rock/folk voice. Speaks with an Irish accent. Must play guitar. Cajon, ukulele, and cymbals a plus.
IVANKA:
Female. Can play 6-10 years old. Any ethnicity.
Czech-born. Girl’s daughter. Has a sweet-natured temperament. Must be comfortable performing on stage. Singing or playing instrument a plus, but not required.
____________________
THE VIEW UPSTAIRS
Music, lyrics, and book by Max Vernon
Directed by: Paul Daigneault
Rehearsals begin May 6, 2019; Performances May 31-June 22, 2019 (Possible Extension to June 29, 2018)
WES:
Male. Mid-late 20's. Vocal Range: Pop Tenor/Bari-tenor. Any ethnicity.
20-something fashion designer from the current day. Self-consciously hip, prematurely jaded, and perpetually anxious. Wes wears a fabulous facade, but deep-down harbors real insecurities and dissatisfaction with his life. Has never experienced real tragedy or love. Disclaimer: Character engages in simulated drug use and sexual content.
PATRICK:
Male. Early 20's. Vocal Range: Tenor with a pop sound. Any ethnicity.
Young, runaway hustler who projects innocence and fragility, but is a lot tougher than he appears. Patrick creates fantastic, imaginative stories to distract from the harsher realities of his life. Has the ability to see a vulnerability and sweetness in Wes. Disclaimer: Character engages in sexual content.
BUDDY:
Male. 50's. Vocal Range: Tenor/Bari-tenor. Any ethnicity.
The resident piano player of the UpStairs Lounge. Charismatic, but also very temperamental and somewhat bitter. Loves the attention he commands within the community, but also resents being stuck in it. Dreams of one day being a big star but knows it will never happen. Closeted, with a wife. Must play piano. Disclaimer: Character engages in violent content.
WILLIE:
Male. 40's-60's. Vocal Range: Tenor. Black.
Holdover from another era of gay life with a more camp sensibility. Might know all the secrets of the universe, might be in the early stages of dementia.
HENRI:
Female. 30's-40's. Vocal Range: Strong R&B, belt to E. Any ethnicity.
Tough as nails, no-nonsense, old school butch. Henri is the bartender of the UpStairs Lounge and runs a tight ship. Although she comes across as a bit severe, she cares very deeply for the community within the bar.
FREDDY:
Male. 20's-30's. Vocal Range: High tenor or belt with falsetto. Latino/Hispanic.
A construction worker by day, Freddy also doubles as the drag queen Aurora Whorealis by night. Big personality, energetic, and bright. A close friend to Willie and on good terms with everyone else in the bar. Disclaimer: Character engages in sexual content with possible brief nudity.
INEZ/REALTOR:
Female. Late 40's-60's. Vocal Range: Soprano. Latina/Hispanic.
Inez is Freddy's mother and also occasionally a mother to the other men in the UpStairs Lounge. Born in Puerto Rico, she moved her family to America when Freddy was still young. Lovable, warm, and supportive, Inez assists with her son's drag performances. As realtor, she is smarmy, fake, smiles too much, etc.
RICHARD/RITA-MAE:
Any gender. 40's. Any ethnicity.
Priest of the Metropolitan Community Church. Perhaps more conservative than other patrons in the bar, but level-headed and warm.
DALE:
Male. 30's-40's. Any ethnicity.
Sensitive and more radical in his sexual politics. A raw nerve and someone who's experienced a good deal of hardship at society's hand. Disclaimer: Character engages in violent content.
COP:
Male. 30's-40's. Any ethnicity.
In the past the cop is corrupt, homophobic, and violent. In the present, the cop is still stern, but has a sense of humor, and seems to be in service of justice.
Equity’s contracts prohibit discrimination. Equity is committed to diversity and encourages all its employers to engage in a policy of equal employment opportunity designed to promote a positive model of inclusion. As such, Equity encourages performers of all ethnicities, gender identities, and ages, as well as performers with disabilities, to audition.
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