CHASING RAINBOWS: THE ROAD TO OZ - Flat Rock Playhouse Non Equity Auditions

Flat Rock Playhouse announced today that they are seeking youth performers for the upcoming world premiere of a new musical Chasing Rainbows: The Road to Oz. Conceived and produced by New York City based Tina Marie Casamento Libby, Chasing Rainbows: The Road to Oz chronicles the life of a young Judy Garland and explores the extraordinary journey to stardom that culminated in one of the most popular films of all time, The Wizard of Oz.

Chasing Rainbows: The Road to Oz will feature such songs as “Over the Rainbow,” “I Can't Give You Anything But Love” and “Broadway Rhythm” which have been reconceived by Musical Supervisor David Libby in a revelatory, contemporary sound. In addition to signature Garland songs, Chasing Rainbows: The Road to Oz incorporates songs from the MGM era culled from the Sony Feist/Robbins Catalog.

Chasing Rainbows: The Road to Oz is written by Marc Acito and will be directed by Jeff Whiting. Acito is the book writer of the musical Allegiance which opened November 2015 on Broadway. Allegiance won the Craig Noel Award for Outstanding New Musical for its run at the Old Globe in San Diego. Acito also won the Helen Hayes Award for Best New Play with his comedy Birds of a Feather, which has received six other productions. Recently he wrote the concert adaptation of Lerner & Loewe's 1951 classic Paint Your Wagon for City Center's Encores series in New York.

Recently acclaimed as a 'director with a joyous touch' by the New York Times, Jeff Whiting is a director and choreographer for theater, opera, television, special events and concerts around the world. On Broadway, he was the Associate Director for the Broadway productions of Bullets Over Broadway, Big Fish, The Scottsboro Boys, Hair, Young Frankenstein and Wicked (5th Anniversary). As a director, Whiting has helmed the national touring productions of Young Frankenstein, the upcoming Bullets Over Broadway and the Brazilian production of Hairspray.

?Whiting will be using twenty local youth in this production to act along side professional actors brought in from New York. The production team will also be utilizing youth who wish to learn more about the creative process as assistants to the production staff.

Auditions for Chasing Rainbows: The Road to Oz will take place at Flat Rock Playhouse Studio 52 on August 13 and 14. 1855 Little River Road, Flat Rock. Sign up begins at 6 PM. The last appointment will be seen at 9 PM. Callbacks will be held August 15.

For those interested in auditioning for Chasing Rainbows: The Road to Oz, Flat Rock Playhouse Studio 52 is conducting a one week long audition prep class from August 3rd - 7th. This is not mandatory but encouraged for those wishing to hone their audition skills. The cost of the class is $100 and is open to all ages. For more information on this class, please
www.flatrockplayhouse.org/education.

Chasing Rainbows: The Road to Oz will run from November 27th through December 19th.

Seeking the following roles:

SHIRLEY TEMPLE: (Age 5 – 10) A tiny girl with a big voice and big personality, and a very strong tap dancer to play Shirley Temple.

BABY FRANCES: (Age 5 – 10) A sweet girl with a big voice and extraordinary charisma to play young Judy Garland when she was known as Baby Frances Gumm.

FEMALE YOUTH ENSEMBLE: (Age 11 – 18)
The ensemble plays numerous roles throughout the early life of Judy Garland, including fellow school friends and Judy’s sister, Virginia, this energetic bunch must dance well and have very strong singing voices.

MALE YOUTH ENSEMBLE: (Age 11 – 18)
The ensemble plays numerous roles throughout the early life of Judy Garland, from students/peers of Mickey Rooney and Judy Garland to rising Hollywood actors, this energetic bunch must dance well and have very strong singing voices.

Girls should prepare either “Baby Song” or “Shirley Song.” Sheet music and vocal tracks can be downloaded from
www.flatrockplayhouse.org/news.

Boys should prepare their own song with music accompaniment.

All should be prepared to read from the sides which can also be downloaded from
www.flatrockplayhouse.org/news.

A dance combination will be taught at the audition.

In attendance will be:

Tina Marie Casamento Libby – Creator and Producer

Jeff Whiting – Director/Choreographer

David Libby – Musical Supervisor

Nicole Kastrinos – Executive Producer

Lisa K. Bryant – Artistic Director, Flat Rock Playhouse

FLAT ROCK PLAYHOUSE

In 1937, a group of struggling performers, led by Robroy Farquhar, organized themselves as the Vagabond Players. The Vagabonds worked in a variety of places over the course of three years, and in 1940 found themselves in the Blue Ridge region of Western North Carolina. The local and tourist community welcomed them with open arms when they presented their first summer season of plays in a 150-year-old grist mill they converted into The Old Mill Playhouse at Highland Lake. So successful was that summer, they returned in 1941. After WWII, the Vagabond Players reorganized, came back to the region and opened a playhouse in nearby Lake Summit. The Lake Summit Playhouse thrived during the post war years and soon the Vagabond Players were looking for a larger and permanent home. In 1952, the troupe of performers, and a newly formed board of directors, made an offer to buy an 8-acre lot in the Village of Flat Rock. This new home made the Vagabonds “locals” and a rented big top gave birth to Flat Rock Playhouse. As the beautiful Western Carolina region continued to grow, so did the Playhouse and in 1961, by Act of the North Carolina General Assembly, Flat Rock Playhouse was officially designated The State Theatre of North Carolina. What began as a few weeks of summer performances in 1940 is now a nine-month season of plays including Broadway musicals, comedy, drama, and theatre for young audiences. The Playhouse’s dual mission of producing the performing arts and providing education in the performing arts includes a professional series; a summer and fall college apprentice and intern program; performances and cabaret series by the Studio52: year-round classes and workshops for students from kindergarten through adults. Flat Rock Playhouse now hosts over 98,000 patrons annually and is a significant contributor to the local economy and the Arts in North Carolina.