PAPER MILL PLAYHOUSE ANNOUNCES
CHILDREN’S AUDITIONS FOR HOLIDAY PRODUCTION OF A Christmas Story
Open auditions will take place in New York City on Saturday, October 3
Paper Mill Playhouse (Mark S. Hoebee- Producing Artistic Director, Todd Schmidt- Managing Director) announces non-union children’s auditions for the acclaimed theater’s production of A Christmas Story: The Musical on Saturday, October 3, 2015, at Pearl Studios, 500 8th Ave, NYC. A Christmas Story will run at the Millburn theater fromNovember 25 through January 3, 2016. Rehearsals begin on Sunday, October 25.
Paper Mill Playhouse seeks boys and girls who look ages 9 to 13 and sing well with some tap dancing experience. Open call will begin at 10am and sign-in will start at 9am. All children will be taught a section of a song from the show and then will sing it for their initial audition. All members of the children’s ensemble will likely tap dance in this production. Some children will do more basic tap and some will do more advanced tap. Callback in the afternoon will be a dance call, so please bring tap shoes and jazz shoes. Bring a picture and resume stapled together and bring your book with a song of your own; an accompanist will be provided.
Pearl Studios is located at 500 8th Ave. (between 35th & 36th Streets) and auditions will take place on the 4th floor.
“Students who have appeared on the Paper Mill Playhouse stage have gone on to have major careers on stage, in movies and on television,” commented Mark S. Hoebee, Paper Mill Playhouse’s Producing Artistic Director. “This is a wonderful opportunity for young people to be a part of a professional production and perform on the legendary Paper Mill stage.”
A Christmas Story: The Musical
November 25, 2015, through January 3, 2016
Music and Lyrics by
Benj Pasek and Justin Paul
Book by Joseph Robinette
Director: Brandon Ivie
Choreographer: Mara Newbery Greer
Music Director: Ben Whiteley
Casting: Telsey + Company / Rachel Hoffman
Straight from Broadway, this holiday musical is based on the classic 1983 movie. Ralphie wants only one thing for Christmas: An Official Red Ryder® Carbine-Action 200-shot Range Model Air Rifle. A Christmas Story: The Musical is the hilarious account of Ralphie’s desperate quest to ensure that this most perfect of gifts ends up under his tree this Christmas. It’s funny, heartfelt, and captures holiday wonder with such deliciously wicked wit that it is sure to delight children and grown-ups alike. Bring the whole family, again and again.
**The entire CHILDREN’S ENSEMBLE is made up of non-AEA performers. The roles of RALPHIE, RALPHIE ALTERNATE, and RANDY will be on AEA contracts.
SEEKING:
FLICK / NON-AEA MALE CHILD ENSEMBLE: Boy, any ethnicity, to play 10–13. Children’s chorus with chorus part of Flick. He’s the kid who gets his tongue stuck to the pole. In this version, he will sing a song with his tongue “stuck” to a flag pole. Must also carry one or two production numbers. Tough on the outside but a little boy on the inside. He should be funny – has a lot of laugh lines – and he sings a lot. VOICE: Belter (unchanged voice) low B to high C#. Tap skills a plus. NON-AEA ENSEMBLE
SCHWARTZ / NON-AEA MALE CHILD ENSEMBLE: Boy, any ethnicity, to play 10–13. Children’s chorus with chorus part of Schwartz. Seeking a young kid who is comfortable on stage but still real. He’s the kid who “double dog dares” Flick to stick his tongue to the flag pole. Tough on the outside but a little boy on the inside. He should be funny – has a lot of laugh lines – and he sings a lot. VOICE: Belter (unchanged voice) low B to high C#. Tap skills a plus. NON-AEA ENSEMBLE
GROVER DILL / NON-AEA MALE CHILD ENSEMBLE: Boy, any ethnicity, to play 10–12. Children’s chorus with chorus part of Grover. Farcus’s sidekick. He is smaller than Scut and has a Napoleon Complex. He compensates for his shortcomings with extreme meanness. Like Farcus, a bad egg. VOICE: Belter (unchanged voice) low B to high C#. Must be able to tap. NON-AEA ENSEMBLE
MARY BETH / NON-AEA FEMALE CHILD ENSEMBLE: Girl, any ethnicity to play 9–12. Children’s chorus. Must be a high belter. Sings from a low B to high D#. Must be a strong/engaging performer. Must be able to tap. NON-AEA ENSEMBLE
ESTHER JANE / NON-AEA FEMALE CHILD ENSEMBLE: Girl, any ethnicity, to play 9–12. Children’s chorus. Must be a high belter. Sings from a low B to high D#. Must be a strong/engaging performer. Must be able to tap. NON-AEA ENSEMBLE
NON-AEA CHILD ENSEMBLE GIRLS: Females, all ethnicities, to play 9–12. Children’s chorus. Great voices, engaging performers. Must be able to tap. NON-AEA ENSEMBLE
NON-AEA CHILD ENSEMBLE BOYS: Males, all ethnicities, to play 9–12. Children’s chorus. Must have an unchanged voices; engaging performers. Must be able to tap. NON-AEA ENSEMBLE
RALPHIE: Male, to play 9, going on 10 years old. His voice must be UNCHANGED. Possibly a bit pudgy; a regular kid – cute but not handsome, winsome but not precious. He wouldn’t be lost in a crowd, but he wouldn’t stand out either. Bright, but not precocious; a kid you wouldn’t mind living next door to. Must be an excellent singer and able to carry a show. VOICE: Boy’s unchanged voice. High belter, low F# to high D. Tap skills a plus but NOT required. PRINCIPAL
RANDY: Male, to play 8–9 years old. Ralphie’s younger brother. Smaller than Ralphie; adorable. Can be a bit awkward and offbeat; admires his big brother, Ralphie but won’t admit it. Seeking a young kid who is comfortable on stage but real. VOICE: Boy’s unchanged voice. High belter, low F# to high C#. Tap skills a plus but NOT required. PRINCIPAL
PAPER MILL PLAYHOUSE, a not-for-profit arts organization, is one of the country's leading regional theaters. Paper Mill Playhouse programs are made possible, in part, by funds from the New Jersey State Council on the Arts/Department of State, A Partner Agency of the National Endowment for the Arts. Paper Mill Playhouse is a member of the National Alliance for Musical Theatre, the Council of Stock Theatres, and the New Jersey Theatre Alliance.
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