Loveland High School. Audition Packet!

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1 Audition Packet WELCOME Thank you for your interest in the Loveland High fall musical production This year s production of Seussical the Musical promises to be tons of fun. Performances will be November 13th, 14th, and 15th at 7:00 pm and two shows on the 15th (2pm & 7pm). We will also have an Industry Night performance on Wednesday, November 12th at 7pm. A list of important dates is included in this packet and a complete rehearsal schedule will be available prior to summer vacation. This packet is meant to serve as a guide as you prepare for your audition. Please don t hesitate to see me if you are confused or need some help. The Show We are doing the Broadway production of Seussical the Musical. Here s a brief synopsis of the show: Tony winners Lynn Ahrens and Stephen Flaherty (LUCKY STIFF, MY FAVORITE YEAR, ONCE ON THIS ISLAND, and RAGTIME) have lovingly brought to life all of our favorite Dr. Seuss characters, including Horton the Elephant, The Cat in the Hat, Gertrude McFuzz, lazy Mayzie, and a little boy with a big imagination--jojo. The colorful characters transport us from the Jungle of Nool to the Circus McGurkus to the invisible world of the Whos. The Cat in the Hat tells the story of Horton, an elephant who discovers a speck of dust containing Whos, including Jojo, a Who child sent off to military school for thinking too many "thinks." Horton faces a double challenge--not only must he protect the Whos from a world of naysayers and dangers, but he must guard an abandoned egg, left to his care by the irresponsible Mayzie La Bird. Although Horton faces ridicule, danger, kidnapping, and a trial, the intrepid Gertrude McFuzz never loses faith in him. Ultimately, the powers of friendship, loyalty, family, and community are challenged and emerge triumphant. Visit for more information.

2 The Characters I ve included a list of the characters in the show and a brief description. The ensemble roles are included in the list below: Main Cast: GERTRUDE MCFUZZ Horton's one-feathered-tail bird neighbor. Gertrude is sweet and timid. Though kind and loyal, she is also self-conscious of her shortfalls. Female, years old Range: F3-F5 HORTON THE ELEPHANT Our story's main character, he is a compassionate and gentle elephant. Commonly misunderstood because of his larger size. He is protective and loving of all creatures in the jungle. Male, years old Range: A2-F4 JOJO MAYZIE LABIRD The Mayor s son, he is a Who that is always finding trouble. Bright, creative, and inadvertently mischievous. Possesses a wildly expansive imagination and finds solace in his friendship with Horton. Female, 8-12 years old Range: Ab3-C5 The most beautiful bird in all of the jungle. Oblivious to her selfcentered ways, she relies on her talent of manipulation, and intoxicating beauty, to navigate her way through life. Female, years old Range: G3-Eb5 THE CAT IN THE HAT Our story's omniscient narrator, he is fun loving and enjoys rhyming. Pops up throughout the story to help the audience. Wise and attentive. Male or Female, Any Age Range: F2-F4 or G3-C5 THE SOUR KANGAROO The 'leader' of the jungle. She is loud, brassy, and stubbornly set in her ways. A caring mother, but unabashedly sassy and soulful. Female, years old Range: F#3-F5

3 GENERAL GENGUS KHAN SCHMITZ THE WICKERSHAM BROTHERS General Schmitz is burting with pride at the military academy he runs and the boys he turns out. He is not sadistic, mean or abusive. He is proud He is doing the right thing for his boys He is making the world a better place This makes him a comic character, because it s clear he s so misguided. Please don t play him as a villain or bully. By the end of the show, he s discovered that making war may not be the right thing to do, and that adults can learn from children as well. These are not bad guys They re simply a lot like kids who tease, play pranks and get a kick out of making mischief, although often at others expense. They enjoy hanging out with one another, making music together on the street corner, and playing off one another. Encourage each of your actors to find his own Wickersham persona. MR. MAYOR/MRS. MAYOR BIRD GIRLS YERTLE THE TURTLE VLAD VLADIKOFF They re a lot like you and me only so small as to be invisible. Don t think of them as cute midgets or weird little aliens. They should be played for their inherent humanity. Mr. and Mrs. Mayor are parents trying hard to raise a difficult child in a difficult world. They may get aggravated with JoJo, but they love him dearly and try to do the right thing, even if it turns out to be a mistake. The three Bird Girls are a flamboyant girl group. Individually, each is a gorgeous, tropically decked-out, hot jungle bird. As a trio, they live to sing, dance and perform. They live in the moment, embodying the mood and feel of their environment at any given time. Because they have a heightened awareness of the external world and themselves in it, they are less internally aware and are not introspective or contemplative. On the whole, they reflect the world around them, enjoy a good time and do not have a strong moral compass. Because of this, they are swayed by the crowd and by those in power, and easily adopt the prevailing belief. The Bird Girls serve as back-up performers to the exquisite talents of Mayzie La Bird, and through their affiliation with her are lifted to the upper echelons of the jungle hierarchy. They enjoy being appreciated for their beauty and performing talents and flirt with the powerful Wickersham Brothers. Yertle believes he has been endowed with some superior gifts not shared by the other animals and deserves a higher stature. He has a sense of entitlement and has a need for order. He likes to be the one who is looked to for decision-making and setting things right. Vlad Vladikoff does the Wickershams dirty work. In his full glory, with his large imposing wing spread, he is scary and formidable.

4 THE GRINCH The Grinch is a green beastie who lives in Whoville. He is a happy member of the Who community, but this wasn t always the case. He once lived angrily apart and wished to disrupt the pleasantry of the Whos. His story and change of heart are all part of Who culture now, and happily retold every Christmas. Ensemble: Jungle Animals, Who Citizens, Circus McGurkus Performers, General Schmitz Cadets Auditions Auditions for the show will be held on Monday, April 28th from 3:30-7:30 p.m. Those interested in auditioning will sign up for an individual audition slot. THESE WILL BE CLOSED AUDITIONS. Incoming 9th graders, please Mrs. Batlle to sign up for an audition time. Callback auditions will be held on Tuesday, May 13th from 3:30-7:30 p.m. A callback list will be posted at on Friday, May 2nd. Please clear your schedule for Tuesday, May 13th in the event that you are needed for callbacks. These will be open callbacks and will consist of a dance call, sides from the script, and songs from the show. If you are being considered for ANY role in the show, you will be expected to attend at least the dance call for callbacks The cast list will be posted on Friday, May 16th at 3:00 p.m. This will be posted at the main entrance of the auditorium. THERE WILL BE A MANDATORY FULL CAST READ THROUGH ON MONDAY, MAY 21ST at 3:30 PM. You will receive your libretto and schedule at this rehearsal. What To Prepare Every performer needs to prepare the following: 1-minute monologue (dramatic or comedic) 32-bars of a musical theatre selection in the style of the show PLEASE DO NOT PERFORM MONOLOGUES OR MUSIC SELECTIONS FROM THE SHOW An accompanist will be provided for you. Be sure that your music is in the correct key. NO A CAPPELLA OR RECORDED ACCOMPANIMENTS AT AUDITIONS PLEASE. Please bring your music with you to the audition and be sure that it is clearly marked for the accompanist. Please bring a current headshot and resume with you to your audition. Examples of Appropriate Audition Selections Here are some examples of monologue sources: Classic/Contemporary plays Contemporary musicals

5 Here are some examples of shows/composers who write music in the style of the show: Andrew Lloyd Webber Alan Menken You re A Good Man, Charlie Brown The Little Mermaid Beauty and the Beast Shrek The Lion King Newsies Spamalot Dear Edwina What To Wear Please be sure that you dress to impress. Business casual is a safe bet for audition attire. Men should wear dress slacks, dress shirt, dress shoes, ties are optional. Ladies should wear either dress pants or skirt with a dress shirts or a dress. Heels should be no more than 3 high. No skirts or dresses above the knee Arriving at Your Audition Hair should be styled neatly and out of your face. Ladies, don t go crazy with make up. Please arrive 15 minutes prior to your audition time. We might be running early or have a noshow. Plus, it s best to be able to relax before your audition. There will also be a short audition form that you will need to fill out PRIOR TO YOUR AUDITION. Please be sure to list ALL POSSIBLE REHEARSAL CONFLICTS on your audition sheet. Once the show is cast, you will not be allowed to miss any scheduled rehearsals that were not included on your audition form. The only exceptions to this rule are absences due to illness, serious family emergency, or college auditions. In the case of a college audition, you will be expected to communicate with your director no later than two weeks prior to the rehearsal(s) you will be missing. What To Bring Please make sure that you bring the following items to your audition: Headshot Resume Sheet music Water During Your Audition 1) Our stage manager will come to get you when the audition panel is ready for you. 2) Hand the stage manager your headshot and resume (if you have it) and your completed audition form. 3) Walk into the room, greet everyone and hand your music to the accompanist. 4) Go over tempos with the accompanist and any cuts or places that are unique.

6 5) X marks the spot Please stand on this marking when you begin. You can feel free to move once you begin your audition selections. 6) Introduce yourself and the selections you will be performing (your slate). 7) Perform and have fun 8) THANK THE ACCOMPANIST AND THE AUDITION PANEL. People You May See at Your Audition: Mrs. Batlle, Mr. Saccardi, Mr. Freesen, Ms. Van Orden, Ms. Haldeman, Miss Ritchard, Miss Schultz, Mr. Batlle, Mr. Roberts What To Expect at Callbacks We will be holding callbacks in order to see specific people in specific roles. The callback list will be posted at on Friday, May 2nd. The list will also be posted on the bulletin board outside the choir room. The character(s) that you are called back for will be listed. If you are being considered for ANY role in the show, you will be expected to attend the dance call Our callbacks will consist of a short dance combination. You will learn the combo as a large group and then be broken into smaller groups so we can evaluate your movement. You will be performing cold reads of various sides (scenes) from the show. There is also a chance that we will ask you to sing a selection from one of the musical numbers. The best advice for callbacks is to do your research about the show and the characters NOW The entire script is available online. The entire movie is available on YouTube. The songs can be found on YouTube/Spotify/Etc. or you can download the original cast recording on itunes. There s a chance that after cold reads, we might let some people go. PLEASE DON T PANIC. This does not mean that you are not cast. It simply means that we ve seen what we needed from you and don t want to waste your time sitting around. Tentative Rehearsal Schedule/Rehearsal Attendance These are some important dates to know in advance of auditions: May 21st: Full Cast Read Through, 3:30-5:30 pm Week of September 1st: Rehearsals begin on 9/2/14, 3:30-5:30 pm October 23rd: Run Act I, 3:30-7:00 pm October 24th: Run Act II, 3:30-7:00 pm Week of October 27th: Run throughs begin, 3:30-6:30 pm November 3rd: Act I Sitzprobe, 3:30-6:30 pm November 4th: Act II Sitzprobe, 3:30-6:30 pm November 5th, 6th, & 7th: Full Cast Run Through, 3:30-7:30 pm November 10th: Tech rehearsal/light Costume Run, Set Walk-Thru/Spacing at 3:30 pm, call time is 5:15 pm, sound check at 5:45 pm, curtain at 6:30 pm November 11th: Full Dress rehearsal, call time is 4:45 pm, sound check at 5:45 pm, curtain at 6:30 pm November 12th: Final Dress rehearsal, call time is 4:45 pm, sound check at 5:45 pm, curtain at 6:30 pm (INDUSTRY NIGHT/PREVIEW PERFORMANCE)

7 November 13th: Opening Night Call at 4:45 pm, dinner at 5:00 pm, sound check at 5:45 pm, curtain at 7:00 pm November 14th: Call at 4:45 pm, dinner at 5:00 pm, sound check at 5:45 pm, curtain at 7:00 pm November 15th: TWO SHOW DAY Call at 12:00 pm, sound check at 12:45 pm, curtain at 2:00 pm. Dinner at 5:00 pm, sound check at 5:45 pm, curtain at 7:00 pm Cast party following the show. November 16th: STRIKE from 2 pm until we re done FULL CAST REQUIRED Your consistent and timely attendance at all required rehearsals is of the utmost importance All rehearsal conflicts MUST be submitted IN WRITING at least TWO WEEKS PRIOR TO THE DATE OF ABSENCE. The following are the only examples of what will be considered an excused absence: Family Emergency (with note from parent/guardian) Illness (with doctor s note) College auditions Every cast member will be allowed 3 unexcused absences. 6 unexcused tardies will equate to 3 unexcused absences. Once that limit is reached, your part will be re-cast NO EXCEPTIONS Technical Theatre Hours Students who are cast in the musical are REQUIRED to volunteer for at least two hours within an area that is considered technical theatre by the time the show opens. STRIKE DOES NOT COUNT AS VOLUNTEER HOURS It is CRITICAL that you as a performer are as well-rounded as possible. Having experience with technical theatre not only makes you more marketable and valuable, it also makes you appreciate the magnitude of this type of production. Volunteer options are as follows: Building/painting the set Obtaining/Organizing properties Designing/Sewing/Obtaining/Organizing costumes Designing/Organizing marketing and publicity Organizing/Implementing ticketing Designing/Implementing lighting Designing/Implementing sound If you have other ideas that are not listed here, please see me and I would be happy to see if it fits into the goal of this requirement. Students who do not complete their hours are jeopardizing their role in the show as well as future casting decisions. Parent/Guardian Volunteers Our musical productions rely tremendously on the help of parent/guardian volunteers. The magnitude of this type of project is immense and no job is too small Every family is asked to help with at least one area and is encouraged to help with more if you are able to. I will be sending home a volunteer form after casting decisions have been made. Please give some thought as to what your

8 special skills or talents are as all skill sets are useful for this type of production. Thank you in advance for your consideration and cooperation Final Thoughts The cast size for this show is between approximately people. With that in mind, there is a very good chance that you will not receive the part you are specifically auditioning for. It is also a possibility that you will not be cast at all in this production. Please remember that all casting decisions are not personal The main goal when casting a show is to create the best possible endproduct for EVERYONE involved. You should consider every audition as a learning opportunity to evaluate what you did well and what you can improve, regardless of the outcome. The best thing you can do for yourself is to be prepared and have fun Please see me if you have any questions or need some help. Break a leg Mrs. Batlle

9 Please return this page to Mrs. Batlle at your audition Students without a signed form will not be allowed to audition for the production. Student/Parent Agreement regarding Seussical the Musical Audition Packet 1. We have read through the Seussical the Musical Audition Packet. 2. We understand and agree to abide by and support the following (Student/Parent Initial EACH statement): The Show/The Characters Auditions Audition Preparation/During Your Audition Tentative Schedule/Rehearsal Attendance Required Technical Theatre Hours Parent/Guardian Volunteers Final Thoughts Student Name (printed) Student Signature Date Parent Name (printed) Parent Signature Date Parent Daytime Phone Parent If you have any questions or concerns, please contact: Erin Batlle erin.batlle@thompsonschools.org

10 PERSONAL INFORMATION Musical Audition Form Name Age Grade Gender (circle one) Male Female Height Shoe Size Hair color Eye Color Parent(s) Name(s) Home Phone Number Address EXPERIENCE Do you have any previous singing training/experience? (Please list below/attach resume) Do you have any previous acting training/experience? (Please list below/attach resume) Do you have any previous dance training/experience? (Please list below/attach resume) Are there any other special skills you have? (ex. Gymnastics, riding a unicycle, etc.) ***PLEASE FILL IN THE INFORMATION ON THE BACK AT THIS TIME***

11 SCHEDULING Please fill in ALL of your after-school activities (music lessons, sports, etc.) Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Based on casting decisions, would you be willing to miss or reschedule your other activities? Yes Please list your top 3 choices for parts you would like to be considered for: No Are you willing to accept any role? Yes No If you are not cast in the show, would you be willing to be on the tech crew? Yes If you answered yes, please list your top 3 choices for which crews you would like to be considered for: DIRECTOR S USE ONLY Callback? YES NO Character(s) Assigned: No