The Gateway 2018 Season - NYC EPA
The Gateway
**Revised Breakdown**
AUDITION DATE
Tue, Feb 13, 2018
10:00 am - 6:00 pm (EST)
Lunch 1 to 2
CONTRACT
LOA ref. to COST; $522/week min. Housing provided
SEEKING
Equity actor/singers for various roles in the upcoming 2018 Season. See breakdown.
PREPARATION
Please prepare a song in the style of one of our season productions that best shows range and ability. Candidates may be asked to sing a second selection. Bring picture and resume.
LOCATION
Ripley-Grier Studios (520)
520 8th Ave
New York, NY 10018-6507
Holding Room: Studio 17D, Audition Room: Studio 17A
PERSONNEL
Executive Artistic Director: Paul Allan
Casting Director: Michael Baker
Casting Assistisant: Rachel Colson
OTHER
www.thegateway.org
EPA Procedures are in effect for this audition.
An Equity monitor will be provided.
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
A CHORUS LINE
Rehearsal: April 24-May 9
Performance: May 9- May 26
Director: Mitzi Hamilton
Choreographer: TBD
A Chorus Line examines one day in the lives of seventeen dancers, all vying for a spot in the “chorus line” of a Broadway musical. After the first round of cuts, Zach, the director and choreographer, asks each dancer to speak about themselves. Discomfort opens into revelation, confession leads to redemption, and within the bright, outwardly homogenous chorus, the audience begins to see each dancer’s individuality. Based on real Broadway dancers’ stories, as told to fellow dancer and choreographer Michael Bennett, A Chorus Line is funny, heartbreaking, and refreshingly honest.
A Chorus Line examines one day in the lives of seventeen dancers, all vying for a spot in the “chorus line” of a Broadway musical. After the first round of cuts, Zach, the director and choreographer, asks each dancer to speak about themselves. Discomfort opens into revelation, confession leads to redemption, and within the bright, outwardly homogenous chorus, the audience begins to see each dancer’s individuality. Based on real Broadway dancers’ stories, as told to fellow dancer and choreographer Michael Bennett, A Chorus Line is funny, heartbreaking, and refreshingly honest.
ZACH: Male. The director and choreographer of the show for which the dancers are auditioning. He is a stage veteran and thus can be curt and harsh, but he is revealed to be a caring and empathetic man who truly grows to care about these dancers. Non-singing, but should have movement ability, as he demonstrates a few dance moves. Should read 40+.
LARRY: Male. Tenor. Zach’s assistant who teaches and demonstrates the audition dances. Needs to be an incredible dancer, as he is the standard to which all of the auditioning dancers are held. Should read 25+.
AL DELUCA: Male. Baritone. From the Bronx. Street tough, macho, and newly married to Kristine; very protective. Seeking a strong singer, as he is the contrast to the non-singing Kristine in “Sing.” Should read 25+.
BEBE BENZENHEIMER: Female. Mezzo. Very insecure about her looks and tries to be funny to cover her insecurities. Feels a little excluded but just wants to be liked. She is quiet, vulnerable and kind. Sings the middle harmony in “At the Ballet.” Should read 18-25.
BOBBY MILLS: Male. Baritone. Flamboyant, funny, bitchy, and witty. Very sharp tongued. Covers everything over with a joke; had a very hard childhood. From upstate New York. Should read 25+.
CASSIE FERGUSON: Female. Mezzo belt. Returning to the chorus after years of being a featured performer. She is having to humble herself to audition for the chorus again with younger and less experienced dancers. Previously had a relationship with Zach and it did not end well. Seeking a true triple threat performer, as she sings the iconic “The Music and the Mirror.” Should read 30-35.
CONNIE WONG: Female. Alto. Experienced dancer. Married. Petite. A bit of a mother hen with a great sense of humor. Born in Chinatown, New York. Should believably play 4’10’’.
DIANA MORALES: Female. Mezzo belt. A streetwise Latina who is a little bit tough, and eternal optimist. A determined and athletic dancer from the Bronx. Sings “Nothing,” in which she reveals herself to be funny, charming, and vulnerable. Should read 22-30.
DON KERR: Male. Baritone. Ladies’ man, married, and into cars, money, and women. Very sure of himself. All American guy. Cocky because he has worked with Zach before. From Kansas City.
GREGORY GARDENER: Male. Baritone. Sassy, Jewish, gay man. Quite a smart-alec and has worked with Zach before. Very East Side New York. Should read 25+.
JUDY TURNER: Female. Mezzo. Funny, gawky, nervous. Warm and hopeful. Very awkward except when dancing. Ideally seeking a taller dancer.
KRISTINE URICH: Female. Al’s scatter-brained wife who can’t sing. She is awkward, anxious and hilarious. She “speaks” the song “Sing,” but does sing in the ensemble numbers of the show. Should read 18-25.
MAGGIE WINSLOW: Female. Mezzo. A sweetheart, little sister type. Dreamer. Fairly experienced dancer from California. Seeking an incredibly warm singer with a mix belt up to E natural for the soaring climax of “At the Ballet.”
MARK ANTHONY: Male. Tenor. Optimistic; first-timer; naïve but charming. Great dancer and All-American kid. Obsessed with sex. Should read 18.
MIKE COSTA: Male. Tenor. Quite aggressive, determined, cocky, sure of himself, but likeable. Tap dancer who worked with Zach before. Experienced; flirtatious. From New Jersey. Must be able to tap. Should read 20-25.
PAUL SAN MARCO: Male. Baritone. Introverted and slightly insecure but loves performing; only now starting to feel comfortable about being gay and accepted by his parents. From Spanish Harlem, New York. Friends with Diana. Delivers a beautiful, raw and vulnerable monologue about coming out to his parents.
RICHIE WALTERS: Male. Tenor. From Missouri. African-American; strong dancer, enthusiastic, cool and very funny. Likeable and laid back.
SHEILA BRYANT: Female. Alto. Oldest dancer on the line. Confident, brassy, sexy, bitchy, and sophisticated. One of the more popular dancers; humorous. Sings the low harmony in “At the Ballet.” Should read 30.
VAL CLARK: Female. Mezzo belt. Sexy, sassy, funny. A foul-mouthed but excellent dancer who couldn’t get performing jobs because of her looks until she had plastic surgery. A brazen, direct, attention-seeker from Vermont. Sings the infamous “Dance 10, Looks 3.”
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NUNSENSE
Rehearsal: May22-June 6
Performance: June 6-June 27
Director: TBD
Choreographer: TBD
Nunsense is a hilarious spoof about five nuns and their adventures as they plan and manage a fundraiser after, sadly, the rest of the convent has died from botulism.
SISTER MARY REGINA (Mother Superior): The head of the convent, she is respected greatly by the sisters. While she is strict, she has a hard time keeping the craziness of the convent at bay. She keeps her guard up in front of the nuns, but has an extroverted side. Part requires some very physical humor. The character is may be played with an Irish accent. Voice part: mezzo/belter.
SISTER MARY HUBERT: Hubert is in charge of novices, but fancies herself a Mother Superior and is constant competition with Mary Regina. She exudes maternal wisdom to novices, but also likes to let loose. Voice part: Mezzo/belter.
SISTER ROBERT ANNE: Once a child delinquent herself, this rough tough nun is a jokester and constantly challenging authority. She speaks with a thick Brooklyn accent and constantly displays her lack of refinement. Vocal part: Mezzo/belter
SISTER MARY AMNESIA: As the name suggests, she has lost her memory and does not know who she is except that she is a nun. She is spacey and incoherent, often slipping into displays inappropriate for a nun. Must be able to sing in classical and country styles. Vocal part: Soprano AND belter
SISTER MARY LEO: Leo is the novice nun, still learning the way and coming to terms with her decision to give up civilian life. She is a ballerina and displays her talents through much of the show. She is also easily swayed to join in mischief. Vocal part: mezzo/belter
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MEMPHIS
Rehearsal: July 19- July 5
Performance: July 5-July 21
Director: TBD
Choreographer: TBD
Memphis is loosely based on the story of Dewey Phillips, a Memphis DJ based who was one of the first play black music on the air in the 1950’s.
HUEY: Caucasian, 20-35. Our frenzied, bombastic, motor-mouthed hero who talks his way into becoming a DJ at a local white radio station, ignores race barriers and eventually falls in love with Felicia, a talented black singer, which causes a whole new set of problems for him in segregated Memphis. (Vocal range: tenor with a great feel for pop/rock/r&b styles, C3-B4)
FELICIA: African-American, 20-35. Beautiful, wide-eyed, and a fiercely gifted singer, follows her heart and falls in love with Huey, despite knowing deep down that a relationship between a white man and a black woman in prejudiced Memphis is doomed. (Vocal range: high R&B belt voice, G3-A5)
DELRAY: African-American, 35-45. Felicia’s older brother who owns the club on Beale Street where she sings, realistic, cautious, protective, and aware of the realities of the segregation that exists in Memphis and the world beyond. (Vocal range: baritenor with a great pop/rock/R&B voice, Bb2-Bb4)
GLADYS: Caucasian, 45-65. Excellent actor with comic skills, Huey’s stern, traditional blue-collar, southern mother who has worked her entire life to be able to support herself and her son, whom she loves, but about whom she constantly worries. (Vocal range: strong singer with alto-belt mix, B3-A5)
GATOR: African-American, 35-45 works as a bartender at Delray’s, hasn’t spoken since age 5, when he saw his father killed, as the story progresses, he finds his voice again, must be an excellent actor and singer and move well, comic timing a plus. (Vocal Range: great R&B baritenor, F#3-A4)
BOBBY: African-American, 20-35, the janitor at Mr. Simmons’s radio station, full of personality and heart, role requires an actor who must dance well, as the character has a dance break in his show-stopping number “Big Love,” comic skills a plus. (Vocal range: great gospel voice, G3-C5)
MR. SIMMONS: Caucasian, 40-60, the conservative owner of the radio station where Huey gets his start, a strong, southern, commanding businessman who is willing to take a chance on Huey when he realizes the audience Huey reaches and the money he can command. (Great actor who is comfortable singing.)
WAILIN JOE: African-American, 20-40, Wailin’ Joe sings Scratch My Itch and is featured in both Act 1 and Act 2, must also dance very well; covers the principal roles of Delray and Bobby. (Vocal Range: excellent tenor voice, Eb3-Gb5)
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CABARET
Rehearsal: July 17- August 1
Performance: August 1- August 18
Director: TBD
Choreographer: TBD
Cabaret is centered on several characters and the Kit Kat Club, and takes place from 1929-1930 during the post World War 1 depression in Berlin, Germany.
EMCEE: 30’s-40’s, Master of Ceremonies at the Kit Kat Klub - presented as a gender-questionable character comfortable with being close to both men and women and is comedic and loveable. Requires agile stage movement and dance. Age range and appearance flexible. Speaks with a German Accent. Tenor.
SALLY BOWLES: 20s-30s, female, charismatic, enchanting, troubled performer at the Kit Kat Club, a 1930s German nightclub. British dialect. Mezzo-Soprano.
CLIFF BRADSHAW: 20s-30s, male, idealistic observer. A bit naïve but loyal to a fault. Baritone/Tenor.
ERNST: 20s-30s, male, a charming and warm genlteman, but with a darker side and questionable associates. Baritone/Tenor.
FRAULEIN SCHNEIDER: 50s-60s, female, runs a boarding house in Berlin, stern but with a soft side. Alto.
HERR SCHULTZ: 50+, one of Fraulein Schneider’s roomers and the proprietor of a Fruit Shop. Speaks with a German accent. Must be comfortable with stage movement and light dance. Tenor.
FRAULEIN KOST: 30s-40s female, another of Fraulein Schneider’s roomers. She is a likeable prostitute who also doubles as a Kit Kat Club dancer. She earns money by offering favors to sailors – presentation of the character should exhibit a strong sexual comfort and commanding nature. Comfortable with stage movement. Speaks with a German accent. Mezzo-Soprano.
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FLASHDANCE
Rehearsal: August 14- August 29
Performance: August 29-September 15
Director: TBD
Choreographer: TBD
Dance like you’ve never danced before! FLASHDANCE-THE MUSICAL tells the inspiring and unforgettable story of 18 year old Alex, a welder by day and ‘flashdancer’ by night, who dreams of going to the prestigious Shipley Dance Academy and becoming a professional dancer. When a romance complicates her ambitions, she harnesses it to drive her dream. Based on the Paramount Pictures film (Screenplay by Tom Hedley and Joe Eszterhas, story by Tom Hedley) Flashdance is an inspiring musical about the power of holding onto your dreams and love against all the odds.
HARRY: 40s – early 60s. Worn-down, gruff, curmudgeonly (but truly warm-hearted) owner of the bar in which Alex and her friends dance. Working-class Pittsburgh man trying to stay afloat in a tough economy. Baritone.
ALEX OWENS: Woman, 19. Fiery, proud. Wry sense of humor. Deeply loyal to her friends and emotionally guarded with men (despite being sexually in command). Tough and has a temper, but also capable of great vulnerability. Steelworker by day and self-styled dancer at night, with a secret dream of something greater. Alex’s energy drives the show. Must be excellent dancer (Jazz, Contemporary Jazz, Hip-Hop a plus), dance improvisational skills must be strong. Strong belt voice (solid Bb below middle C, belt to high D, good pop sensibility, needs a smooth transition from pop mix to belt).
HANNAH: 70s. Seasoned show business veteran with a tremendous sense of humor and a down-to-earth, take-no-prisoners point of view. Physically in decline, but her spirit, warmth and passion for dancing (and what it means to be a dancer) are undimmed. Should have a background in dance or be a very strong mover. Traditional music theatre character belt, B below middle to C.
NICK HURLEY: Man, 30. Confident, intelligent, playful and brash. Heir to a steel dynasty, with a winning swagger that belies a genuine desire to help his workers. Has plans that may be too ambitious to ever be realized. He is also capable — somewhat to his surprise — of falling deeply in love. Strong singer, with good pop sensibility. High baritone with solid Gs, able to float a mixed/head-voice A.
C. C.: Late 30s-40s. Slick, morally bankrupt businessman and bar owner with a talent for exploiting vulnerable young women. Also from a working-class background, but happy to use his growing (but corrupt) success to present a slicker, quicker version of himself to the world. Strong baritone with attitude – good pop sensibility, Bb below low C to strong high F.
KIKI: African American woman, 20s-30s. Funny, quick-witted, sexy and confident dancer at Harry’s and a close friend to Alex. Must be excellent dancer (Jazz, Contemporary Jazz, Hip-Hop a plus). Strong belt with good pop/R&B instincts; must be able to riff; must belt to high D. Range: Bb below middle C to belted high D.
TESS: 30s-40s. Sexy dancer at Harry’s who has a long and unhappy history trying to find a man who will take care of her (and support her champagne tastes). Coming to an age where gold-digging is increasingly hard to pull off. She is wry, with a tough veneer, but there is a clear wistfulness and sadness beneath. Must be excellent dancer (Jazz and hip-hop a plus) and strong belt singer – more of a rock sensibility. Range: Bb below middle C to C above middle C.
GLORIA: 20s. Alex’s closest friend, a petite, waif-like dancer. Mercurial and sometimes scattered, with a palpable vulnerability that she (barely) covers with a quick wit as she harbors dreams of stardom. Despite working at Harry’s and being around very savvy women, she maintains an innocence that only heightens her ability to be taken advantage of. Must be a good dancer with powerful belt. Needs very good pop sensibility, with strong low chest voice (Bb below middle C) to high Db. Straight tone, seamless transition from mix to belt a must.
JIMMY: 20s. Aspiring stand-up comic, marking time working at Harry’s while waiting for the big break. His comedy is eager and endearing, but he uses a Catskills technique which is old-fashioned and makes his chances of success slim. Full of energy and drive. Strong singer – think a young Billy Joel. High bari-tenor; must have solid pop Gs, but also strong low register (low Bb).
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TBD- Holiday
Rehearsal: November 27- December 12
Performance: December 12- December 29
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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