Eastwood Uniting Church Musical Society Inc.

PO BOX 246 EASTWOOD NSW 2122 www.eucms.org.au

AUDITION NOTICE

Directed by KATHERINE SHARPHAM Musical Director IMOGEN COWARD Choreographer JENNY LYLE & RACHEL NELSON

Set Designer KATHERINE SHARPHAM Lighting Designer WAYNE CHEE Production Managers BARBARA SHARPHAM & MEGAN WILLIS

Auditions: Monday 24th and Tuesday 25th June 2013 (poss Friday 28th June) Performances: Opens Friday 25th October – Saturday 9th November 2013

EUCMS Inc. is a Foundation Member of

ABOUT THE SHOW

How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying is a musical by and book by , Jack Weinstock, and Willie Gilbert, based on Shepherd Mead's 1952 book of the same name.

The story concerns young, ambitious J. Pierrepont Finch who, with the help of the book How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying, rises from window washer to chairman of the board of the World Wide Wicket Company.

The musical, starring & Rudy Vallee, opened at the 46th Street Theatre on Broadway in October 1961, running for 1,417 performances. The show won seven Tony Awards, the New York Drama Critics Circle award, and the 1962 Pulitzer Prize for Drama. In 1967, a film based on the musical was released by United Artists, with many of the original cast recreating their roles. A 1995 revival was mounted at the same theatre as the original production (now named the Richard Rodgers Theatre) ran for 548 performances and starred and Megan Mullally. A 50th anniversary Broadway revival directed and choreographed by Rob Ashford and starring and John Larroquette opened on March 27, 2011, at the Al Hirschfeld Theatre and ran for 473 performances.

PRODUCTION DATES

TECH REHEARSALS TBA DRESS REHEARSALS Tues 15th, Fri 18th and Tues 22nd October PERFORMANCES October 25th to November 9th 2013

REHEARSALS

Our first rehearsal will be held on Friday 12th July 2013. Rehearsals will then be held every Tuesday and Friday evening following. Rehearsals (and performances) are held at EASTWOOD UNITING CHURCH HALL, LAKESIDE ROAD, EASTWOOD from 8.00pm and finishing at 11.00pm. Tuesday’s are generally for Principals and Friday’s for everyone, however this may vary. Please note on your audition form if you have any prior commitments that may conflict with rehearsals.

TO BOOK AN AUDITION

Please contact Production Manager Barbara Sharpham via email [email protected] or by phone 9817 2779 stating your preferred audition time and date. Let her know the role you wish to audition for and she will email you the appropriate music (where necessary).

AUDITIONS: Monday 24th June from 7.45pm @ Eastwood Uniting Church Hall, Lakeside Road, Eastwood Tuesday 25th June from 7.45pm @ Eastwood Uniting Church Hall, Lakeside Road, Eastwood Friday 28th June (if needed) from 7:45pm @ Eastwood Uniting Church Hall, Lakeside Road, Eastwood

Auditionees are required to book an audition time PRIOR to the day. Auditionees will be required to sing a set piece and perform a reading. We will ask that everyone book an audition time for vocals & dialogue. Music for the set pieces and relevant script sections will be distributed via email upon confirmation of your audition time. Please Note: You may not be required to perform the whole number. There will be an accompanist available on the day of auditions. Please no backing track or acapella auditions.

You will be required to complete an audition form. Please indicate on the form if you are not prepared to commit to an ensemble or other role. CAST OF CHARACTERS

BOOK VOICE The "voice" of the book How To Succeed In Business Without Really Trying which narrates the musical. Please note that this will be prerecorded and has already been cast.

J. PIERREPONT FINCH Our story's protagonist. An irrepressible, clear-eyed, almost puckish hero, he is a window washer who applies for a job at the World Wide Wicket Company and attempts to climb the 'ladder of success.' Male, 18-25 yrs old Range: C3 - G4 Audition song: Brotherhood of Man (complete) and Rosemary (letters B-G) Dialogue: Act 1 Sc 4 pg 18-20 “Pardon me ma’am” to “You’re Welcome Miss Jones” Act 1 Sc 14 pg 87-89 “that was a narrow squeak” to “Go ahead and print them right away”

ROSEMARY PILKINGTON A secretary at the company who is more interested in finding a man than advancing her career. She becomes Finch's love interest. Female, 20-30 yrs old Range: A3 - B4 Audition song: Happy to Keep His Dinner Warm (complete) and Paris Original (to letter P) Dialogue: Act 1 Sc 14 pg 90-91 Finch “Rosemary, I’ve got a surprise for you” to Rosemary “Wait a minute Rosemary, hello name painter?” Act 2 Sc 2 pg 101-103 “Ponty I’m back.” to “I keep thinking maybe you forgot”

J.B. BIGGLEY The stuffed-shirt, philandering President of World Wide Wicket. Beneath his ruthless exterior, he is a college lad at heart with a passion for knitting. Male, 50-65 yrs old Range: C3 - G4 Song: Grand Old Ivy (complete) and Love From a Heart of Gold Dialogue: Act 1 Sc 4 p22-23 “Yes, What do you want Miss Jones?” to “Thanks, aah” Act 2 Sc 9 pg 134-135 “Now, Wally, let me tell you before we go any further” to “You sure this isn’t one of your tricks?”

SMITTY A secretary with a painfully dry sense of humor. She is a cynical, working woman who is on the lookout for a man. Female, 30-40 yrs old Range: A#3 - G5 Audition Song: Cinderella Darling (complete) Dialogue: Act 2 Sc 1 pg 93-94 “There’s a lot of whispering going on today” to “I don’t mean to him, I mean to us!”

BUD FRUMP Biggely's nephew and scheming employee. He is an arrogant sycophant who tries to advance his career by exploiting his family connections. Male, 18-21 yrs old Range: C3 - F4 Audition Song: Company Way #6 (reprise) (complete) Dialogue: Act 1 Sc 1 Pg 9-10 Gatch’s “Say, Bud have you guys in the mailroom” to “That’s the democratic way”

MISS JONES J.B.'s stuffy secretary who is abrupt and tough, but soft and kind to those who are good to her. Female, 55-65 yrs old Range: Bb3 - Gb5 Audition Song: Brotherhood of Man (letter P to end) Dialogue: Act 1 Sc 4 Pg 18-19 “Pardon me Ma’am” to “You’re a very interesting young man”

MR. TWIMBLE He is a fussy, old-fashioned, yet loyal employee at the company. Supervisor of the mailroom, he believes his success is due to his lack of ambition and ability to remain unnoticed. Male, 60-75 yrs old Range: C#3 - E4 Audition Song: Company Way (to letter K) Dialogue: Act 1 Sc 4 pg 24-25 “Well Boys, It looks as if they are going to promote old Twimble” to song.

HEDY LaRUE A voluptuous, sexually-charged woman adored by all of the men. She may appear dim-witted, but she knows how to manipulate men to get what she wants. Female, 25-35 yrs old Range: C4 - Eb5 Audition song: Love From a Heart of Gold (letter E to end) Dialogue: Ac 1 Sc 7 pg 52-53 “Oh there you…” to “No” Act 1 Sc 6 pg 40-41 from Bud “Can I help you honey” to Bud “I won the pool”

WALLY WOMPER The company's Chief Executive Officer and a former window-washer. Traditionally played by the same actor as Twimble Male, 55-70 yrs old Range: D3 - E4 Audition song: Brotherhood of Man (letter M-O) Dialogue: Act 2, Sc 7 p136-137 “I was a window washer” to “I could understand a college man pulling a boner like this, but not no window washer”

MR BERT BRATT Personnel manager Male 40-60 Baritone Audition song: A Secretary is Not a Toy (to letter G) Dialogue: Act 1 Sc 5 “Well this is something” to “I appreciate it”

MISS KRUMHOLTZ A secretary of Mr. Gatch, then J. Pierrepont Finch. Female – 30-65 Mezzo Audition Song: A Secretary is Not a Toy (letter L to end) Dialogue: Act 2 Sc 1 p 93-94 “There’s a lot of whispering going on today” to “Aw, you got to”

MILTON GATCH A sleazy executive with a penchant for the ladies. Male, 40-60 yrs old Speaking Role Dialogue: Act 1 Sc 1 pg 2-3 “Say Joe” to “All right I’ll send out a memo”

MR BENJAMIN BURTON DANIEL OVINGTON Prospective head of the advertising department until Finch reveals that he has graduated from Biggley's college's archrival; he is often referred to in the show by his initials, "BBDO". Male: 35-65 Spoken Dialogue: Act 1 Sc 15 “Thanks boys and girls” to “I’d like to say” (third time)

OTHER MALE SPEAKING PARTS Jenkins, Johnson, Tackaberry, Matthew, Peterson, Toynbee, Policeman, Male: 25-65 Dialogue: Act 1 Sc 1 pg 2-3 “Say Joe” to “All right I’ll send out a memo”

ENSEMBLE SCRUBWOMEN; EXECUTIVES; SECRETARIES Male & Female – 19- 70 yrs

Please note character ages are acting ages and a guideline only.

COMMITMENT TO EASTWOOD UNITING CHURCH MUSICAL SOCIETY

Membership of EUCMS is compulsory and is set at $20 per year. This fee includes insurance and suppers. Cast may also be required to arrange the sewing of their costumes. If you have more than 3 unexplained absences from rehearsals you may be asked to leave the show.

OTHER CAST REQUIREMENTS

Ladies will be required to arrange the sewing of at least one costume.

MATERIALS

If you want to familiarize yourself with the show, you can find many clips from the recent Broadway revival with Daniel Radcliffe on YouTube. There are also several recordings and the 1967 film version. Details below.

Recordings 1961 Original Broadway Cast Recording 1995 Broadway Revival Cast Recording with Matthew Broderick and Megan Mullally 2011 Broadway Revival Cast Recording with Daniel Radcliffe and John Larroquette 2012 Nick Jonas cast recording

Film There is a 1967 film version starring original stars Robert Morse and Rudy Vallee. This differs slightly to the stage version and is missing some of the songs. However, this is great to get a feel for the show.

Book How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying – Shepherd Mead