The Brooklyn Music School announces auditions for its upcoming June original production of Alon Nechushtan's "Survival codes”, directed by James Martinelli.
Open call auditions will take place at The Brooklyn Music School, 126 St Felix Street, Brooklyn, NY 11201.
Dates:
Sunday, May 13th, 2018, 1pm
Rehearsals will begin immediately, with our first read-through of the play on The week of May 14th
ABOUT THE SHOW:
Bruno and Eliza, two Jewish musicians and childhood friends reunite in Bruno's apartment. Eliza has just returned from several quiet years in Berlin, where she had studied conducting. Although Bruno is secretly infatuated with Eliza for a long time they are conflicted on a core issues and end up in confrontation : Bruno feels that at these time of strong antisemitism, political witch-hunt and extreme oppression against Jews, it is time to strengthen ones' faith at all costs, while Eliza thinks it is adequate to mellow out the nationalism and adopt a more agile, flexible acceptance and desires to blend in with the young liberal cosmopolitan progressive society she is associated with.
He introduces his jewish friends and students Lenna and Fima to Eliza during her next visit to his apartment - hoping they will form the 'Fantastic four' - a secret Jewish cell of talents dedicated to study secret musical codes to help them survive and communicate in these dire straits, yet Eliza is hesitant to join and finds the whole idea amusing. Bruno is being followed and confronted in the Park by two KGB agents that warn him that they know about him and his secret Judaism meetings and activities they won't allow it , yes Bruno is adamant to move forward boldly by organizing a public demonstration to restore their rights as Jews and asks Eliza to join him the next day. Eliza is torn between her affection for Bruno and the notion that this act will have dire consequences. Later that night, she is haunted by the spirits of her dead parents that among other things, ask her not to go to this demonstration.
Bruno continues developing his secret codes and finds a way, by using Morse code to embed secret messages inside songs, he composes and hands Eliza a love song, after confessesing to her that he has feeling for her and asks her to go out with him, while he also composes a second secret song, expressing the distress the Jews are currently feeling calling for help - which he plan to send to his new accuaintance : activist Jane Fountain. Eliza, not sure what the nature of the relationship between Bruno and Jane, among other reasons, switches the letters just before he heads to mail it. Eliza joins Bruno at the demonstration and they are uprehanded by the authorities. Bruno gets sentenced to jail time and exile in Sybiria for five years. It is obvious to him that they will not be fulfilling their romantic connection and he is becoming Morose, gloomy and suicidal.
In his new location, in exile, Bruno learns that times are starting to change and the west is aware of the suffering and opression of the Jews of the Soviet Union and works to aid their needs by raising global public demonstrations. He learns also that his personal plea with Jane Fountain was successful and she was touched by his uncompromised faith. Jane secretly sends her American friend Sledge to help bring Bruno back from exile, in fact offering him a chance to leave the Soviet Union, in an elaborate secret political deal, which he chooses to accept.
A year has passed, Bruno returns to bid farewell from Eliza, knowing that she is not approved for leaving with him, yet seing to his surprise and that she is now getting more involved with the jewish community, by forming a community jewish choir among other leadership roles. he confesses again his feelings for her and asks her to join him to Israel. Eliza tells him that she has a lot more work to do and promises to think it over when and if her mission is ever accomplished.
CHARACTER BREAKDOWN:
*Bruno (Male 35-45) - composer, struggling to keep his faith at times of strong political witchunt.
*Elize (Female 35-45) a cabaret singer, choir director.
*Lena (Female 35-45) , an actor, dress style and age matching Bruno’s
*Fima (Male 35-45), an actor, dress style and age matching Bruno’s
*Sledge :(Male 35-55), an Afro American field agent, a ‘fixer’
*Jane : (female 35-55) an Afro American activist, elegantly dressed
*Stas :(Male 35-45) a junior communist party member, a bully
*Boris :(Male 45-65) Eliza’s dad, wears dusty old suit
*Bela: (female 45-65) Eliza’s mom, wears a traditional shawl
* all these are singing roles, casting music theatre with strong music reading skills
REHEARSAL & PROUDCTION DATES:
Generally, rehearsals are held Sunday afternoons.
with performances June 28th 8:00 p.m. (5pm call)
Further contact: alonech@msn.com
link to music selection to prepare for audition: www.musicalon.com/survival
Videos
