AUDITIONS FOR OUR 2023-2024 SEASON

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Footlighters Theater in Berwyn, PA is excited to announce open auditions for ONCE UPON A MATTRESS

Auditions:

In-person auditions will be held on Tuesday, August 22 and Thursday, August 24 from 7pm-10pm with callbacks by invitation on Monday, August 28. The initial auditions will be held on the Second Floor of 15 Waterloo Ave, Berwyn, PA 19312. Please note that the initial auditions will NOT be held at the theater. To sign up, please send an email to footlightersauditions@gmail.com and we will send you a time slot. Please list the role(s) you are submitting for as well as your date and time preference in your email. Performers of all ages and abilities are encouraged to audition for this production.

Audition requirements:

All auditioners are asked to prepare one 32 bar selection from a Golden Age Musical. A song from the show is allowed, but not required. You must provide music for the accompanist, even if singing from the show. Please make sure the music is clearly marked and in a three ring binder. Additionally, we would like all auditioners to tell us a favorite joke or short, funny story.

If necessary, call backs will be via invitation on Monday August 28. Call back materials and info will be sent with your invitation and may include song and scene selections from the show. You should also be prepared to do cold readings, a dance call, and learn additional musical material from the show at the call back.

Production Details:

Rehearsals will be held three times per week starting Tuesday, September 19. All conflicts must be listed on the audition form (which you will fill out at the audition) and no additional conflicts will be accepted once casting is complete. Rehearsals will primarily be Tuesday and Thursday evenings and Sunday afternoons. A complete rehearsal schedule will be distributed at auditions. The show will run for eight performances December 8-17. Rehearsals and performances will be held at Footlighters Theater - 58 Main Ave, Berwyn, PA.

Bill Gilbertson, Director

Nathan Kendrick, Music Director

Performances:

December 8, 2023 7:30 pm

December 9, 2023 2:00 pm and 7:30 pm

December 10, 2023 2:00 pm

December 15, 2023 7:30 pm

December 16, 2023 2:00 pm and 7:30 pm

December 17, 2023 2:00 pm

Footlighters of Berwyn is a volunteer, membership based organization, all roles are open and non-paid. If cast in this production, you must be willing to become a member of Footlighters Theater (due: $25.00 adult/ $15.00 senior\child\student). Membership Benefits Include voting rights in the annual Board elections. Cast members are also expected to contribute to other aspects of production, including but not limited to, building and painting sets, soliciting for ads and donations, and sourcing costumes and props. Cast members may be responsible for providing their own footwear for the production that aligns with the Costume Designer and Director’s vision.

Character Descriptions:

All roles are open and Footlighters strongly encourages all performers to submit for ANY role with which they identify, regardless of type, age, gender, ability, race, ethnicity, sexuality, neurodiversity, and similarity to the source material or broadway casts.

Princess Winnifred - (18+) Mezzo Belter, an outspoken tomboy, not sophisticated (from the swamps) but highly intelligent, a breath of rough-around-the-edges fresh air, comedic powerhouse.

Prince Dauntless - (18+) Baritone, a sweet and naive young prince, who has been kept under his mother's wing (and thumb) his entire life, he yearns to be married, but is prevented by his mother's strict and unfair tests.

Queen Aggravain - (Mature) Alto, every bit the overbearing mother figure to both her son Dauntless and her kingdom. Queen Aggravain isn't going to let just any princess up and take her son away from her. She is loud and sly.

King Sextimus - (Mature) The kind and gentle ruler of the kingdom, rendered mute by a witch's curse, a lovable man with an eye for the ladies of the castle, communicates through gesture/mime. This is a non-singing role.

Lady Larken - (18+) Soprano, traditional lady in waiting, romantic, idealistic, but resourceful. She has strict ideas about courtly behavior and is in love with Sir Harry, but unable to marry him due to Aggravain's decree.

Sir Harry - (18+) Tenor, a dashing young knight, honorable to a fault and a little full of himself. He is in love with Lady Larken, every inch the picture of a courtly knight, to the extreme.

Minstrel - (18+) Tenor, traveling minstrel who is the storyteller both inside and out of the story, falls for Larken and does everything he can to help her out - forms a trio with the King and the Jester.

Jester - (18+) Tenor, the King's right-hand man and comic relief, dancer with strong physical comedy skills.

Wizard - (Mature) Baritone, the Queen's confidant and the person behind the impossible tests she gives to each Princess, has a history in show business, does some magic tricks/sleight of hand.

Featured Ensemble - Princess Number 12, Lady Rowena, Lady Merrill, Lady Lucille, Sir Luce, Sir Studley, Kitchen Wench, Lady Mabelle, Nightingale of Samarkand, and Emily the Chambermaid

Ensemble - Ladies, Lords, Knights and Townspeople. All ages and voice parts.

* ALL THOSE INTERESTED IN AUDITIONING: ACKNOWLEDGE THE CONTAGIOUS NATURE OF THE CORONAVIRUS COVID-19 AND THE INHERENT RISK OF EXPOSURE THAT EXISTS IN ANY PUBLIC PLACE WHERE PEOPLE ARE PRESENT; AGREE TO COMPLY WITH ANY AND ALL PROTOCOLS OF FOOTLIGHTERS, CDC, STATE, AND LOCAL ENTITIES DESIGNED TO MITIGATE THE RISKS OF INFECTION BY COVID-19; VOLUNTARILY ASSUME ANY AND ALL RISKS OF EXPOSURE TO OR INFECTION BY COVID-19 AS A RESULT OF ATTENDING AND PARTICIPATING IN THE AUDITION AND REHEARSAL PROCESS AS WELL AS PERFORMANCES; AND RELEASE, HOLD HARMLESS AND INDEMNIFY FOOTLIGHTERS (AND ITS GOVERNORS, MEMBERS AND VOLUNTEERS) FOR ANY AND ALL CLAIMS ARISING OUT OF OR RELATING TO EXPOSURE TO OR INFECTION BY COVID-19 OR SIMILAR DISEASE WHICH MAY OCCUR IN CONNECTION WITH PARTICIPATION IN THE AUDITION AND REHEARSAL PROCESS AND PERFORMANCES.

Producer: Janet Abbott

Co-Director: Daniel K. Williams

Co-Director: Danielle Lachall

Music Director: Pat D'Amato

Choreographer: Karen Dixon

Technical Director: Hugh Abbott Jr