Footlighters Theater in Berwyn, PA is excited to announce open auditions for Disaster!, a new musical straight from Broadway, featuring some of the most unforgettable songs of the '70s. "Knock on Wood," "Hooked on a Feeling," "Sky High," "I Am Woman" and "Hot Stuff" are just a few of the scintillating hits in this hilarious musical comedy with a book by three-time Emmy Award nominee and SiriusXM Broadway host, Seth Rudetsky, and Jack Plotnick.
It's 1979, and New York's hottest A-listers are lining up for the opening of a floating casino and
discotheque. Also attending is a faded disco star, a sexy nightclub singer with her eleven-year-old twins, a disaster expert, a feminist reporter, an older couple with a secret, a pair of young guys who are looking for ladies, an untrustworthy businessman and a nun with a gambling addiction. What begins as a night of boogie fever quickly changes to panic as the ship succumbs to multiple disasters, such as earthquakes, tidal waves and infernos. As the night turns into day, everyone struggles to survive and, quite possibly, repair the love that they've lost... or at least escape the killer rats!
Production Staff:
Director: John D. DiFerdinando
Music Director: Fred Spaziani
Choreographer: Samantha Roche
Stage Manager: Helena VanNatter
Technical Director: Hugh Abbott
Producers: Bill Gilbertson, Danielle Lachall, Sue Scott
Auditions:
We will be holding in-person auditions on the night of Monday, January 23rd and Thursday January 26th from 7:00 pm-10:00 pm. The auditions will be held at Footlighters Theater - 58 Main Ave, Berwyn, PA 19312. Callbacks (by invitation only) will be on Saturday, January 28th starting at 10:00 am.
To sign up please send an email to FOOTLIGHTERSDISASTER@GMAIL.COM and we will send you a time slot. All roles are 18+ except for one role designed for a child/young adult.
Audition requirements:
All auditioners are asked to prepare a short song selection (about 1 minute in length) in the style or either 70’s disco or comedic uptempo. Songs from the show are encouraged but not required. If not singing from the show, sheet music MUST be provided.
Callback materials will be provided with your invitation to the callbacks. These may included songs and scenes from the show. A dance call will be included with the callbacks.
Production Details:
Rehearsals will be primarily Mondays, Thursdays, and Sundays until March 26th, and then switching to Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Sundays. Due to the smaller cast size for this show, all conflicts must be listed at auditions and very few will be accepted afterwards. A complete rehearsals schedule will be provided at auditions. Footlighter’s version will be pared down with a smaller ensemble which will require every single cast member to be the ensemble in the songs they are not in. Expect to be call to most of the rehearsals.
The show will run for 8 performances May 12th – May 21st. Rehearsals and performances will be at Footlighters Theater - 58 Main Ave, Berwyn, PA.
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.
Character Descriptions:
All roles are open and Footlighters strongly encourages all performers to submit for ANY role with which they identify, regardless of type, gender, ability, race, ethnicity, sexuality, neurodiversity, and similarity to the source material or original Broadway cast.
Chad
He is handsome and winning. Pretends to be a player, but is really still heartbroken over the loss of his first love. Tenor with a great rock and pop voice.
Vocal range top: B4
Ted
He is a disaster expert. Non-emotional. Dry. A serious, professorial type. Great comedic actor.
Vocal range top: G4
Marianne
She is an attractive and focused journalist. Insecure underneath it all. Great, high pop belt.
Vocal range top: F#5
Tony
He is a very unscrupulous but attractive and (sometimes) charming middle-aged schemer.
Vocal range top: Ab4
Jackie
A single mother, sexy showgirl, and now lounge singer. Dumb but honest. Goldie Hawn-esque.
Vocal range top: D5
Ben/Lisa
Smart boy and girl twins played by the same actor. Honest and direct. Jackie’s son and daughter.
Amazing pop voice. A young Michael Jackson/Andrea McArdle.
Vocal range top: D5
Sister Mary Downey
Awkward, judgmental nun with a gambling addiction. Great high pop belt. Great comedic actor.
Vocal range top: B5
Shirley
She a lovable and jolly Jewish with a secret. Maury’s wife. Dancing a plus. Great comedic actor.
Vocal range top: B4
Maury
Lovable and jolly. Shirley’s dedicated husband.
Vocal range top: G4
Levora Verona
A flamboyant and glamorous faded disco diva. Pushy and sassy but in love with her sweet dog. Great pop belt.
Age: 30 to 50
Vocal range top: E5
4 Ensemble Members
Strong comedic actors able to play an assortment of characters that constantly change. Big personalities who can move well.
* 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.
AUDITION REQUIREMENTS:
All auditioners are asked to prepare two 32 bar song selections. One should be in the style of
the show, while the other should be a contrast in either style or character. Songs from the show
are encouraged, but not required. Auditioners should also prepare a short comedic monologue,
1-2 minutes in length. This can also be from the show, or from any theatrical play. Please no
monologues from films. If possible, songs and monologues should be memorized. You must
provide music for the accompanist, even if singing from the show.
If necessary, call backs will be via invitation on Tuesday, December 20 at 7 pm. Call back materials 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.
PRODUCTION DETAILS:
Rehearsals will be held three times per week starting January 8, 2023. Due to the small cast size, all
conflicts must be listed on the audition form and no additional conflicts will be accepted once
casting is complete. Rehearsals will primarily be Sunday, Tuesday, and Wednesday evenings
(Sunday afternoons in January). A complete rehearsal schedule will be distributed at auditions. The
show will run for 8 performances March 24 - April 2, 2023. Rehearsals and performances will be at
Footlighters Theater - 58 Main Ave, Berwyn, PA.
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.