CASTING BRIEF – AND KOREA

Andrew Lloyd Webber’s Broadway and West End smash hit , is currently touring and Asia. School of Rock is auditioning for the SYDNEY and SOUTH KOREAN seasons.

Please read the information below carefully, as it provides important details for each season. Also note that for particular roles it is imperative to be able to match the musical/instrumental requirements of the roles.

AUDITION LOCATION AND DATES

SYDNEY ONLY

Saturday March 23 – Wednesday March 27, 2019. Candidates must be available for all days if required. Final auditions will be filmed and sent to the UK creative team and Producers.

AUDITION REQUIREMENTS

School of Rock is auditioning for child roles only.

All Non-instrumentalists auditioning must be from Sydney and meet the following requirements: 1. Must ordinarily reside within 90 minutes travel to The Capitol Theatre, Sydney 2. Must ordinarily reside within 110kms between their principle place of residence and The Capitol Theatre, Sydney (guide for checking time & distance please use Google maps).

Instrumentalist children from Sydney and other cities can apply. Interstate children may be invited to audition in Sydney on the dates above. If successfully cast, interstate children will be eligible for travel allowances as per the School of Rock Performers' Collective Agreement.

The candidate is solely responsible for any costs to attend the auditions.

SUBMISSIONS

All children must submit their application using the online audition form and requires the parent, guardian or agent to upload links to videos of the child playing instrument/s, and/or singing plus reading lines from the script. Instructions are on the online form that can be found at: https://www.gwbentertainment.com/production/school-of-rock-auditions-information-page/

The casting office will be in contact with all applicants regarding the progress of their application. Not all submissions will be guaranteed an audition.

DEADLINE FOR SUBMISSIONS – CLOSE OF BUSINESS, THURSDAY 28 FEBRUARY 2019

TOUR DATES

We are seeking Child Company Members for both the Sydney and the Korean seasons. You are required to express your interest in: - both the Korean season and the Sydney season, OR - the Sydney season only. All children cast will be required for a rehearsal period currently scheduled from April 22 - May 12, 2019.

SOUTH KOREA SEASON Full time rehearsals will take place between April 22 – May 12, 2019 in Sydney, with travel to Korea around May 13, 2019. The Korean Season is scheduled to conclude on or around September 14, 2019.

A parent/guardian would be required to travel with the child to Korea from May 13 until September 15, 2019. Travel and accommodation expenses for as well as the performer will be paid for by the Production.

SYDNEY SEASON In addition to the initial rehearsal period from April 22 – May 11, 2019 full time rehearsals would commence on or around Sept 30, 2019. The Sydney season is due to conclude on or around March 1, 2020.

TOURING INFORMATION – KOREA SEASON

All children must be accompanied by, and be the responsibility of a parent/s or guardian (over the age of 21) for the entire duration of the tour. Whilst on tour, accommodation will be provided for each child with their parent/guardian.

The relevant touring allowances (as stipulated within the School of Rock Performers Collective Agreement) will be paid to each child for cities other than their hometown. In addition, economy class flights, airport transfers and travel insurance will be provided for the child and one accompanying parent/guardian to and from the performing cities and home at the end of the tour.

EDUCATION

For the children cast for the Korean season it will be a requirement that they enroll in Distance Education. Those cast for the Sydney season will require an approved school exemption from their home school. School of Rock will engage a tutor to work with the children whilst an employee on the production. Should your child receive a formal offer in School of Rock the Musical the above educational requirements will need to be agreed to by the guardians and necessary paperwork completed before contracts can be finalised.

FILMING, PHOTOGRAPHY AND RECORDING OF AUDITIONS

The audition and rehearsal process for School of Rock will be filmed at various points throughout. By submitting this application to attend auditions you agree that the Producer may: Film, photograph and record my voice during auditions and rehearsals of the Production; Make copies of the any recordings or photographs so made; Use my name and likeness for the purposes of education, promotion or advertising of the Production; Broadcast any of the footage, photographs or recording taken via television, radio, digitally or online. Further to this, all recordings, footage and photographs remain the property of the Producer and that there will be no restrictions on the number of times that they may be used. No compensation is due and the Producer shall have complete ownership of any material produced. The Producer will have the right to use names, likeness and biographical material to publicise the Production and any broadcast of the footage, recordings or photographs. CAST BRIEF

School of Rock the Musical follows dropout Dewey Finn, a failed rock star forced to earn some extra cash by posing as a substitute teacher at a prestigious prep school. But Dewey isn’t going to teach his straight- laced students algebra or arithmetic. These kids are going to learn what it takes to become the most awesome rock ‘n’ roll band of all time. Now he just needs to get his students to the Battle of the Bands, dodging strict teachers and pushy parents on the way to teaching these pint-sized prodigies what it means to truly rock.

With a new score from , lyrics by three-time Tony nominee , book by ‘s Oscar winning , and all the original songs from the movie, School of Rock features an incredible cast of kids scorching riffs, pounding drums and rocking out live.

CASTING GUIDELINES

HEIGHT: ALL CHILDREN MUST BE UNDER 5’ (152cms) TALL. Your child will be measured on the day of their audition, so please ensure the height submitted on the application is accurate.

AGES: 9 – 12 years as at Sept 30, 2019 (13 years may apply but must be within height restrictions)

Children of all ethnicities and cultural backgrounds are encouraged to apply.

CHARACTER NOTES

Please refer to the character descriptions below for role requirements. You are welcome to submit for a particular character, however the audition team may request you audition for another role.

INSTRUMENTALISTS

ZACK - PLAYS GUITAR. A mixture of anger at his father’s indifference and passion for the music that is raging inside him. He knows he has more in him than he has ever been able to show. Pop/Rock Singer who moves well. Needs to seriously ‘shred’ on guitar, with exceptional solo skills.

LAWRENCE- PLAYS PIANO. A shy, awkward boy, under confident and gauche, but a genius on the keyboard, who needs a free spirit like Dewey to lead him out of the darkness. Pop/Rock Singer who moves well. Serious piano skills needed.

FREDDY- PLAYS DRUMS. A boy who is happy to be released. This is the kid who comes from a working class background and unlike many of his classmates – was not born with a silver spoon in his mouth, which his dad (who is NOT happy about his kid’s obsession with music) never lets him forget. KILLER DRUMMER with a LOT of personality. Pop/Rock Singer who moves well.

KATIE- PLAYS BASS GUITAR. She is distinguished by her talent for the bass. Pop/Rock Singer who moves well. Guitarists, cellists and violinists encouraged to apply.

NON-INSTRUMENTALISTS

TOMIKA A wonderful singer, she is a girl who is exasperated by her two fathers’ inability to see that she needs help. They think she’s perfect. She knows she’s drowning. This character is typically African American, however candidates of Asian / Islander ethnicities may apply. Tomika barely speaks until she finally summons the courage to open her mouth and sing out, so we have to be blown away by her sound. Pop/Rock Singer who moves well. KILLER VOICE.

SUMMER A princess. She has never had it any other way than her own, and she is confident things will continue in this fashion. She gives a new sense to the word entitlement. Pop/Rock Singer who moves well.

MARCY Clever and sassy girl. Back up singer with style. Pop/Rock Singer who moves well.

SHONELLE Clever girl. Back up singer with style. Pop/Rock Singer who moves well.

BILLY A boy with a marked artistic flair but wrestles with other challenges at home. Pop/Rock Singer who moves well.

MASON As eager as the others to enjoy school instead of dreading it. He is a whizz on the technical side. Pop/Rock Singer who moves well.

SOPHIE Pop/Rock Singer who moves well. May also understudy others.

JAMES Student at Horace Mann. Pop/Rock Singer who moves well. May also understudy others.

SWINGS/UNDERSTUDIES

OFF-STAGE GIRL SWING 1 Must play GUITAR/BASS. Pop/Rock Singer who moves well.

OFF-STAGE GIRL SWING 2 Does not need to play instruments. Should be a strong dancer and Pop/Rock singer.

OFF-STAGE BOY SWING 1 Must play some combination of Guitar and/or piano and/or drums. Pop/Rock Singer who moves well.

OFF-STAGE BOY SWING 2 Must play some combination of Guitar and/or piano and/or drums. Should be a strong dancer and Pop/Rock singer.

OTHER IMPORTANT INFORMATION

If offered a role, a child may not be able to be in the show if their education provider does not approve for periods as required. This approval will need to be sought by the parent with the support of the production prior to the child being contracted for the show. School of Rock The Musical works in partnership with the relevant State’s child authorities, who monitor child employment to ensure that statutory code of practices are followed, along with promotion of best practice.

Please note that the children’s roles in School of Rock The Musical have particular physical requirements including, but not limited to height and vocal requirements. Should a child cast in the show mature beyond the physical parameters of the role, they may no longer be able to remain in the production.