Riverside Center for the Performing Arts announces auditions for La Cage aux Folles and The Color Purple
La Cage aux Folles
Music and Lyrics by: Jerry Herman
Book by: Harvey Fierstein
Based on the play, La Cage aux Folles by Jean Poiret
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Production Details
Production: La Cage Aux Folles
Producing Company: Riverside Center for the Performing Arts
95 Riverside Parkway
Fredericksburg, Virginia 22406
Rehearsal Dates To begin in late November 2018
Technical Rehearsal Dates: Monday, December 31 – Tuesday, January 8, 2019
Performance Dates: Wednesday, January 9 – Sunday, March 3, 2019
Patrick A’Hearn, Producing Artistic Director
Patti D’Beck, Director & Choreographer
Walter “Bobby” McCoy, Music Director
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The Color Purple
Music and Lyrics by: Brenda Russell, Allee Willis, and Stephen Bray
Book by: Marsha Norman
The Color Purple was produced on Broadway at the Broadway Theater by Oprah Winfrey, Scott Sanders, Roy Furman, and Quincy Jones.
The world premiere of The Color Purple was produced by the Alliance Theatre, Atlanta, Georgia
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Production Details
Production: The Color Purple
Producing Company: Riverside Center for the Performing Arts
95 Riverside Parkway
Fredericksburg, Virginia 22406
Rehearsal Dates To begin in late January 2019
Technical Rehearsal Dates: Monday, March 4 – Tuesday, March 12, 2019
Performance Dates: Wednesday, March 13 – Sunday, May 5, 2019
Patrick A’Hearn, Producing Artistic Director
Amy Jones, Director
Garrett Jones, Music Director
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Audition Detail
Date: Monday, October 1 & Tuesday, October 2, 2018
Time: 4pm – 10pm
Location: Riverside Center for the Performing Arts
95 Riverside Parkway
Fredericksburg, Virginia 22406
Callbacks will be scheduled if needed.
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Please prepare 32 bars of a musical theatre song from the show or in the style of the show. An accompanist will be provided. Be prepared to read from the script if asked. Please bring dance clothes and shoes (gentlemen, please bring heels in addition to your dance shoes) and be prepared to dance if asked. Please bring a headshot and a résumé. AEA Guest Artist contracts for some roles. All appointments will be scheduled via e-mail. Please contact the Production Manager via e-mail at productionmanager@riversidedt.com for appointments. If you are unable to attend auditions, video submissions are encouraged (with a headshot, résumé, and video link/s) to productionmanager@riversidedt.com.
Any questions or concerns, please contact Production Manager, James Davis via e-mail at productionmanager@riversidedt.com
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Descriptions
La Cage aux Folles
Jerry Herman's musical, based on the French play of the same name, is the story of a flamboyant gay couple who must pretend to be straight for one night — with one of the men in drag — to dupe the conservative political family of their son's fiancee.
The Color Purple
From Alice Walker’s Pulitzer Prize-winning bestseller and Steven Spielberg’s Oscar-nominated film comes a stage musical with a fresh, joyous score of jazz, ragtime, gospel and blues. This stirring family chronicle follows the inspirational Celie as she journeys from childhood through joy and despair, anguish and hope to discover the power of love and life.
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Roles – La Cage Aux Folles
ALBIN: Male 45-55 (Range: Baritone, A#2-G4)
A performer of star quality; mature; great powerhouse of a Broadway voice; fine comic actor
GEORGES: Male, 50’s (Range: G2-F4)
A star; mature and attractive; good singer; energetic, loving and caring; must move well
JEAN-MICHEL: Male, 20 (Range: Baritone, A#2-G4)
Handsome; brunette; masculine, well-mannered, educated; desperately in love with his fiancee, Anne; acts, sings, and moves well
JACOB: Male, Early 20’s (Range: Bb2-Ab4)
Black male butler/maid; brilliant comedian who sings and moves well
ANNE: Female, 18-21 (Range: Ensemble, Part Flexible)
Jean-Michel's fiancee; lovely to look at; spunky; a superb dancer who acts well
EDOUARD DINDON: Male, Early 50’s (Range:Bb2-Eb4)
Anne's father; right-wing radical politician; pompous; quirky; must sing, move well, and be a fine comedian
MARIE DINDON: Female, Late 40’s (Range: F4-A5)
Anne's mother; 48-52, shy, retiring, sexually repressed and sex-starved; good singer and actress who moves well; must look great in a leotard for the finale
JACQUELINE: Female, Middle Age (Range: B3-F5)
Mature, female friend of Georges and Albin; owns a chic restaurant; attractive, charming; very theatrical; not necessarily a singer
RENAUD: Male, Middle Age (Range: Ensemble, Part Flexible)
Mature, male friend of Georges and Albin; owns a small cafe; understudies both of the 2 leads
FRANCIS: Male, 40’s (Range: Ensemble, Part Flexible)
Male stage manager in Georges' club; strong actor/dancer
THE LES CAGELLES (Range: Ensemble, Parts Flexible)
Chantal, Monique, Dermah, Nicole, Hanna, Mercedes, Bitelle, Lo Singh, Odette, Angelique, Phaedra, Clo-Clo
TOWNSPEOPLE (Range: Ensemble, Parts Flexible)
Madame Renaud, Paulette, Hercule, Etienne, Babette, Colette, Tabarro, Pepe
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Roles – The Color Purple
CELIE (African-American, 20s-early 30s): Drives the story. Vulnerable, spirited, introverted, mischievous, seemingly passive but really not, has a deep, hard soul, believes that she is ugly, has a sense of humor which is sometimes wicked. She is an observer. Needs a great belt singing voice with lots of soul.
SHUG (African-American, 30s-40s): A popular singer, we meet her at death’s door. Attractive, confident, dynamic, powerful, irresistible, but has a frailty, like a wounded animal. Her vulnerability is shocking later on. She is loved by both Celie and Mister. Needs a knockout, Bessie Smith-style, bluesy singing voice.
MISTER (African-American, 30s-40s. Also known as ALBERT): Like Celie, a deep well. Handsome, big, masculine, strong presence, dominating, capable of brutal behavior but also a victim in his own way. Gets his power for free. Married to Celie, he abuses her. He is in love with Shug. He transforms to a kind man by the end of the story. Needs a great singing voice.
SOFIA (African-American, 30s): Powerful warrior woman. Physically bigger but beautiful. Comfortable being large, great sense of humor, touching, vulnerable. Married to Harpo, she does not let anyone mistreat her. Needs comic chops. Needs a great belt singing voice.
HARPO (African-American, 20s): Mister’s vulnerable, confused, good-hearted son. Represents the new generation. He marries the independent Sofia. He spends much time trying to get Sofia to obey him the way Celie obeys his father, but he is unsuccessful, as Sofia is considerably stronger than he is. Harpo eventually establishes a jukejoint in his first house and becomes Squeak’s lover. Later, he and Sofia reconcile. Through his love of Sofia, he learns how to love a woman. Needs a great tenor singing voice.
NETTIE (African-American, 20s): Celie’s younger sister. Attractive, adventuresome, feisty spirit, maternal, more educated and knowledgeable than Celie. She has a powerful bond with Celie. Forced by Mister to leave Celie, she starts a new life in Africa. Needs a great belt singing voice with African influence.
SQUEAK (African-American, 20s): Harpo’s lover after Sofia leaves him. Although she is mistreated, she eventually undergoes a transformation, demanding to be called by her actual name, Mary Agnes, and starting a new life. She is of mixed ancestry. Attractive, sassy, fiery, strong-willed, unafraid to take anybody on, has a caring heart. Needs comic chops. Needs a great singing voice with belt and soprano capability.
ADULT SINGERS: Males and females, 20s – 50s, African-American. All types and singing ranges. Need fantastic singing voices and dynamic personalities. To play various roles in the ensemble The ensemble includes a trio known as Church Ladies, busybody types who are featured throughout the show.
And CHILD SINGERS (One African-American male 9 – 12 years old and three African-American females 9 – 12 years old. Need strong singing voices and dynamic personalities).
ENSEMBLE ROLES: YOUNG NETTIE, MISTER’S DAUGHTER, YOUNG CELIE, YOUNG OLIVIA, HENRIETTA – CHURCH SOLOIST/CHURCH LADY, DORIS – CHURCH LADY, DARLENE – CHURCH LADY, JARENE, DAISY, PREACHER, PRISON GUARD, PA, YOUNG HARPO, YOUNG ADAM, SQUEAK, OL’ MISTER, BUSTER, CHIEF, GRADY, BOBBY, OLDER OLIVIA, OLDER ADAM
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