Don T Say No to the U

Poquessing Musical 2015: Don’t Say No to the U.S.O Performance dates: February 18, 19th, 20th, 21st Audition Dates (3-5pm in the auditorium): Tues: Dec. 16th, 6th and 7th Grade Girls Wed, Dec 17th: ALL BOYS and 8th Grade Girls Thurs. Dec 18: Call Backs (Cast list will be posted Dec 22)

AUDITION HINTS:

 Be Prepared!!! Memorize your lines and know the song.  Project your speaking voice and singing voice. There will be NO MICROPHONES during auditions.  Exaggerate the expression in your voice, face and movements. Bigger is better in most cases!  Become the character!  Ask yourself, “Why is my character saying or doing this?”  Be flexible. The directors want to know that you can follow directions when asked to do so.  Be a leader to those around you. LEADS are called that because they must LEAD the rest of the cast in rehearsals and performances

If you want to audition for a role, prepare the dialogue and song for the character you feel most comfortable with. (You may be asked to read for multiple roles, so become familiar with several characters. Bring your audition materials with you.) You may not get the role you audition for: we are trying to make the best use of EVERYONE’s skills to produce the most successful show, so you may be placed a role that is better suited to you than the one you most want. EVERY ROLE IS IMPORTANT FOR THE SUCCESS OF THE SHOW!

If want to be a company member-only (you do not want a role) you do not have to audition. Just turn in a Performer Application to Mrs. Flick and come to the first Company rehearsal on January 6.

Your Performer Application must be turned in by Dec. 18th in order to earn a role in the show.

AND MOST IMPORTANTLY: HAVE FUN!!!!! Page 1 Incredibly Important Dates:

REHEARSALS ALL Rehearse on Wednesdays and Thursdays 3-5pm and Saturday Mornings 9am-noon The First ALL rehearsal is Jan. 6 3-5pm

LEADS Rehearse Monday, Tuesday, Friday 3-5pm First LEAD Rehearsal Dec. 22, 3-5pm (no rehearsal Dec. 23) LEADS also attend ALL rehearsals

Parent Meeting PARENT MEETING JANUARY 13, 2014 7pm in the auditorium Find out about costumes, ticket orders and opportunities to be part of this year’s production Get answers to any other questions you might have about the musical

Dress Rehearsals ***Attendance at Dress rehearsals is MANDATORY***

Wednesday Feb 11, Thursday Feb 12, Friday Feb 13 3-6pm Tues. Feb 17* 5:30- 9pm (pizza will be provided) (*there is no school Feb 17. Please make sure you are available!)

Performances February 18 and 19-am in-school performances February 18, 19, 20 7pm curtain time February 21 1pm curtain time

Cast Party Immediately following the performance on Feb 21

 Put this paper on your refrigerator so you can see the dates and not schedule anything else for those days  Page 2 Don’t Say No to the U.S.O. GIRLS’ AUDITION MATERIAL

RUTH: SING: “Together We Must Stand”

RUTH: (Looks at clipboard and reads into the microphone) Hello moms, dads, brothers and sisters. This is U.S.O. volunteer Ruth Taylor coming to you on the Star Spangled Network, from the U.S.O club on Flatbush Avenue in New York, U.S.A. (to ensemble) Do we have anyone in the club tonight from Brooklyn? ALL: Yes! RUTH: Anyone from Massachusetts? ALL: Yes! RUTH: Anyone from Texas? ALL: Ya-hoo! RUTH: (continues to read from clipboard) Radio friends, we have a wonderful show lined up for you tonight. Those riveting riveters, Gladys, Valerie and Melba. (applause) That fabulous hypnotist, Professor Milton Sullivan! (applause) and the incomparable Miss Kitty Evans! And as usual, our weekly hello from all the G.I. Joes and Jills here at the club…

ANGIE : SING: “Spies”

RUTH: Better order more doughnuts, Angie ANGIE: (writes) More doughnuts. RUTH: See if you can get any more with shredded coconut. ANGIE: We’ll have to take what we can get, Miss Taylor. There’s a war on. RUTH: I’m not likely to forget. ANGIE: Ham for sandwiches. I suppose beef for hamburger patties is out of the question. See if you can get someone to donate paper napkins. Stationery, too. The boys write a lot of letters.

GLADYS, MELBA, VALERIE: SING: “Rat-a-tat tat that Rivet”. READ: (all three audition with Gladys’ lines)

GLADYS: (Sees guys approaching) Oh, oh. Hold this (She passes her lunch pail to Valerie and fusses with her bandana) How do I look? VALERIE: Same as always. GLADYS: Thanks for nothing. (Smiles, waves. KILROY stops, shyly) Hi, Private Kilroy. Remember me? Gladys Brooks. We met when I asked you what you were doing drawing a picture in wet cement. KILROY: Sure, I remember. Say, Gladys, you didn’t tell anyone what I was doing, did you? I could get in trouble. GLADYS: Perish the thought.

EDITH, HAZEL, JUDY, EVE: SING: “Don’t Say No to the USO” READ: All four should read EDITH’S lines to audition

EDITH: Here’s another one. ANGIE: Another what? EDITH: A crazy cartoon. Funny-looking character with a big nose, looking over a wall. I find them everywhere. ANGIE: Hmmm. Interesting EDITH: (to Ruth) I’ve used the last of the floor wax. Could we have Angie scare up some more?

HERMIONE: SING: “Spies”

HERMIONE: Extra! Extra! Extra edition of The Brooklyn Eagle! Read all about it! Axis submarines sink six thousand tons of Allied shipping! Axis U-boat force operating off the New England coast! Extra! Extra! (as Hermione yells out the depressing news, three female shipyards workers enter) HERMIONE: Read all about it! Axis submarines sink six thousand tons of allied shipping. MELBA: What awful news! Let me have a paper, Hermione. HERMIONE: Let me have three cents. (Melba hands her three cents) HERMIONE: Here. (Hands over the paper)

JUNE, RONA, GRETCHEN: SING: “Spies” READ: (All read RONA’S lines)

ELLIOT: Some hostesses are pretending to be you. RONA/JUNE/GRETCHEN: (gasp) Spies! ELLIOT: Could be. Give Private Joe Kilroy your special attention. Don’t let him out of your sight. RONA: But an MP took him away. ELLIOT: (Reacts) What MP? RONA: How should we know? He was arrested for damaging government property. He drew a picture in wet cement.

MRS. KING, no singing needed MRS. KING: Wonderful news, everyone. Wonderful! For those of you who don’t know me, I’m Mrs. Cornelius King. I’m the volunteer U.S.O supervisor in this area. OTHERS: Hi, Mrs. King. MRS. KING: Delighted to meet you all. This is Pamela Skipworth and Vida Curtis. They’re going to write about this club for LIFE magazine! OTHERS: (ad lib excited responses.) MRS. KING: To show their appreciation to all you wonderful boys and girls, LIFE magazine is donating aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa. (Pause) OTHERS: aaaaaaaaaaaaa what? MRS. KING: Jukebox! Page 4 KITTY EVANS: no singing, but must be able to tap dance at audition.

KITTY: Hi, fellas! GUYS: Hi, Kitty! KITTY: (makes several tapping clicks with one shoe, smiles) When I do taps, I don’t mean lights out (Laughter) Get ready. Get set (She strikes a pose, takes a breath and gets ready to perform) a one and a two and away we go! (Sound of air raid siren—everyone reacts) ALL: Air raid!

BOYS AUDITIONS

KILROY: SING: “Kilroy was Here” PROFESSOR: SING: “SPIES”

(The professor moves closer to Kilroy, who is tied to a chair) KILROY: What’s up, doc? PROFESSOR: You have a weak mind. You are easily manipulated. You are susceptible to suggestion. Your will to resist a stronger personality is extremely limited. KILROY: I like you, too. PROFESSOR: A young man who could believe he is a chicken is rare. KILROY: I’m no rare chicken. (Worried) What are you going to do? PROFESSOR: When this is over, you won’t remember a thing. KILROY: (Leaning away from the professor) When what’s over? PROFESSOR: Relax, chickenboy. (To others) Absolute quiet. Please. (Leans towards Kilroy) I ask you to concentrate. KILROY: No. Get away. PROFESSOR: Think of nothing but my voice…Empty your head of all thoughts. Concentrate on my voice…my voice…my voice. You are getting sleepy, sleepy….sleepy. ****** (Kilroy is hypnotized) KILROY: (making chicken sounds) Peep-peep-peep. cheep-cheep-cheep HAZEL: It’s private Kilroy KILROY: (Jumps up, completely under spell, clucking and cheeping insanely.)

CARL, LEO: SING: “Kilroy was Here”

READ: Both read Carl’s lines. GIRLS: Pleased to meet you. CARL: Likewise. GLADYS: I’ve seen you guys on guard duty over at the Navy yard. CARL: Temporary. Until we get a permanent assignment oversees. GLADYS: I feel sorry for you guys. You must be soooooooooo lonely. CARL: Are you kidding? We’ve got the U.S.O. Our home away from home.

JACK, FRED: No singing needed READ: Both read Jack’s lines, but Fred meows instead of woofing.

JACK: Ah, you couldn’t hypnotize me. PROFESSOR: Want to bet? JACK: You’re on. (PROFESSOR goes through hypnosis routine.) PROFESSOR: I don’t believe you are a marine. I believe you are a puppy dog. Let me hear you bark. JACK: Woof, woof. PROFESSOR: Louder, please JACK: Woof, woof.

MILITARY POLICE/WESTERN UNION MESSENGER: no singing needed READ: Both read M.P. lines.

M.P: Hey, you, soldier. You’re name Kilroy? KILROY: Private Joe Kilroy, yeah. M.P: You’re under arrest. OTHERS: Arrest? M.P: Come on. Let’s go. OTHERS: What’s Kilroy done M.P.: Damaged government property. OTHERS: What?! M.P.: He drew a picture and wrote a name in wet government cement. OTHERS: Kilroy was here! M.P: Not anymore.

MR. WILCOX: No singing needed

(An air raid siren wails loudly. We hear someone blowing a whistle from offstage. He enters, wearing a helmet and carrying a large flashlight.) ELLIOT: We’d like to talk to Miss Taylor in private. WILCOX: I don’t have to hang around here. I’ve got plenty to do. I don’t want to see a sliver of light coming from any windows on my patrol. I’m authorized to issue citations, you know. (Lights dim) That’s better. A spot of light could direct enemy planes. ELLIOT: (Trying to get rid of him) You’re a credit to Civilian Defense WILCOX: Why thank you, I appreciate that. I’m only doing what any other red-blooded American citizen would do in times of trouble. I think of our boys at Bunker Hill, the Battle of Lexington, the Boston Tea Party- ELLIOT: Mr. Wilcox. WILCOX: (Comes to attention, salutes) At your service ELLIOT: Get lost. (Wilcox is insulted, but realizes he’d better leave and exits)

HORACE, ELLIOT: SING: “Spies”

READ: Both read ELLIOT’S lines. (The government men meet with RUTH about spy activity in the club) ELLIOT: Listen carefully. Too many ships leaving from the Brooklyn Navy Yard never reach their destination. Despite all precautions, enemy submarines know their location. Orders are sealed until the ships are on their way. Not even the captains know where they’re going. The orders arrive via special code and only a military cryptographer, a code-breaker is authorized to decipher the orders. He sails with the ship. RUTH: I can’t understand what you’re saying. ELLIOT: We know that three different cryptographers visited this U.S.O club the night before they sailed. Each ship they sailed on was torpedoed. Sank. Only one of the three survived and he swears he never told anyone what he deciphered. We believe those men met someone here at this club. And, somehow, that someone was able to get the information. We believe this U.S.O club could be the nerve center for a group of dangerous enemy agents.