Thank you for your interest in the upcoming production of AUDITIONS Wednesday, August 21 – 6:00pm – 8:00pm Saturday, August 24 – 11:00am – 4:00pm* Monday, August 26 – 6:00pm – 8:00pm If you cannot make one of these dates, please email us at [email protected] to set up an audition. FREE Audition Workshop Monday, August 19 6:00 – 6:30, 7:00 – 7:30 pm – Learn the Dance 6:30 – 7:00, 7:30 – 8:00 pm – Learn the Song No registration needed for Audition workshop! Pre-registration for auditions is available at www.fhgov.com/youththeatre Audition Workshop and Auditions are held at Costick Center, 28600 W. Eleven Mile Rd, Farmington Hills 1 INFO Auditions for Big Fish are open to both beginners and experienced actors, residents and non-residents in grades 4th-12th. We will also be auditioning Elf Jr for performers in grades K-6. NOTE: We may cast a limited number of 7th and/or 8th graders in Elf Jr. If you are in 4th – 8th grade, you can be considered for both. If you choose both then we will cast you in the show that best suits your audition. There will not be any switching of productions once you are cast - rehearsals will take place at similar times. * FOR THOSE AUDITIONING FOR BOTH SHOWS: If a performer wants to audition for both productions, we ask that you review/learn materials for both shows. When you come to auditions, you will go to one room for Big Fish, then the other audition room for Elf Jr. NOTE: On Saturday from 11:00am – 12:00pm ONLY, we will have all the Directors in one room and performers will be able to audition for both productions in one room. You must be checked in by 11:30am to take advantage of this. There is no fee to audition. If you are cast in the show, there is a $180 Resident/ $190 non-resident fee, this includes cast t-shirt, cast photo, song sheets, most costume pieces and other production material costs. Show dates: Elf Jr: November 21 - 24 (2 Cast, 3 shows each) Big Fish: December 5 - 8 (2 Casts, 3 shows each) Everyone auditioning will be taught a short dance/movement sequence before entering the audition room. Be sure to review the character summary to learn more about each character! Please bring a recent picture! 2 CHARACTER SUMMARY Edward Bloom Plays both older father and younger man. Charming, charismatic, avid story teller, using jokes and stories to tell about his life – although it’s hard to know what is true and what is exaggerated (or totally fabricated). Loves his family! Needs to be both big character and serious! Middle school or higher. Sandra Bloom Patient, calm, sweet. As mother, tries to bring Edward and Will together, both whom she loves. She totally understands and gets her story-telling husband. Plays both young and older mother. Middle school or higher. Will Bloom Serious, thoughtful young man. He is very much a realist who wants to reconnect with his story-telling Dad, but has problems taking anything he says seriously. Middle school and higher. Young Will The younger version of Will, believes the stories he’s told, but misses his Dad when he’s gone on his many business trips. Karl A giant, one of Edward’s fantasy friends. Will probably need to walk on stilts during the production! Amos Callaway A werewolf, another one of Edward’s fantasy friends. Ringmaster of circus. Needs ability to be eccentric, quirky, humor. Witch One of Edward’s first imaginary acquaintances. Needs confidence and ability to tell a story! She’s the one who convinces Edward to live life without fear! Jenny Hill Edward’s first girlfriend. Plays character from young, cheerleader to older, disillusioned woman. Is honest and has dignity. Other Characters Includes Mayor of Ashton, Red Fang (WW II villain), high school friends, Dr. Bennett, towns people, Alabama Lambs, college students, circus folks, wedding guests NOTE: Performers are welcome to use any of the readings or songs. Edward Will thinks I talk too much -- but I would have loved to have a talkative father. My own daddy, he was a farmer. Lucky to get four words out of him. But one day--one day I heard him out in the field, just blathering at length. Said he couldn't get a word in between me and my mother, but the corn -- the corn was all ears. On the topic of fatherhood, I had an announcement. After careful consideration, I have decided to become a grandfather. Now, I'm sworn to secrecy, but I'm told my ambition may be fulfilled sooner than I dared hope. Will I know about Ashton, Dad. I know what you did. You saved a town and broke a girl’s heart. I get why you didn’t want Mom to know. I do. But what you did was … heroic. I made a list of your stories. There are thirty-six basic tales, with a lot of variations of course. Some are just jokes. Awful jokes, mostly. But take the rest and it’s like a myth. An epic tale about a farmer’s son from Alabama who wanted to see the world. You never did, though. I did. And I think that’s because of you. All this time, I thought you were trying to impress me. You were trying to inspire me. 3 Sandra Control your father? I could just as easily control the weather. (To Will) If you’re going to worry about anyone, worry about your poor mother. Abandoning me for a woman on television. Oh, you know I love Josephine. I do! We turn on the cable news sometimes just to watch her. She's smart and pretty and kind. But you’re my little Alabama lamb, all the way up there in New York. You want to practice one more time? Witch Boys, you have broken a sacred circle. You better have a good reason. You want your fortunes read? I can tell your future with uncanny accuracy. Your loves, your lives, your deaths. Dollar apiece. (Pockets money) You asked for it. Oh. Yes. The future is quite clear. You lead an unexceptional life, filled with minor triumphs and major disappointments…. and then you die. That's all the spirits see for you. Jenny Hill Can I ask you a question? Why did you come here today? If you found this, why didn't you just ask Eddie? Look, I don't know how much you want to know about any of this. You have one image of your father and it would be wrong of me to go and change it. Yes, we went to high school together in Ashton, but Ashton wasn't here. You do know what happened to the town, right? Oh honey. That's the only reason your father came back. The state was building a new reservoir -- the whole valley was gonna be flooded. In just a few hours, the town of Ashton would be 30 feet under water. Edward Bloom came back to take one last look at the town he left so long ago. Amos Yes, ladies and gentlemen. Any one of these acts could join the Calloway Circus! (A Juggler's ball falls at his feet) Except you! C'mere. If I was lookin' for a Miscellaneous Object Dropper, you'd be at the top of my list. But I'm not. Alabama lambs? Ladies, I'll tell you: That was terrific. But no one wants to see that in a circus. Teach those steps to an elephant, and then you'd have something. People want to see things beyond their imagination! Bigger than life! People want -- You! What's your name, Giant? You got a name? Doesn't matter if you don't. More exotic if you don't. 4 MUSIC (see following pages): Ensemble/Edward Be The Hero (measures 5-33) https://youtu.be/DNI5ZL61q7A 1:00-1:47 Witch I Know What You Want (measures 5-35) https://youtu.be/LE4etq5g8DA 0:00-0:46 Sandra/ Jenny/Josephine Two Men in My Life (measures 2-19) https://youtu.be/ZLUEOQcZC0A 0:13- 1:02 Will Stranger (measures 5-21) https://youtu.be/ZtPzPtHS6R4 0:00- 0:47 5 Be The Hero (measures 5-33) https://youtu.be/DNI5ZL61q7A (1:00-1:47) 6 7 Witch I Know What You Want (measures 5-35) https://youtu.be/LE4etq5g8DA (0:00-0:46) 8 9 Sandra/ Jenny/Josephine Two Men in My Life (measures 2-19) https://youtu.be/ZLUEOQcZC0A (0:13- 1:02) 10 Will Stranger (measures 5-21) https://youtu.be/ZtPzPtHS6R4 (0:00- 0:47) 11 .