Audition for Into the Woods
For Starkville Community Theatre's first show of its 2022-2023 season, we're going into the woods and we need your talent to chart the path! Auditions are coming soon, with lots of parts for all kinds of types and ages, big roles to small roles, heavy singing roles to ones that don't require solos.
SCT brings to the Playhouse stage the Tony Award-winning Stephen Sondheim classic musical nto the Woods. The story follows a Baker and his wife, who wish to have a child; Cinderella, who wishes to attend the King's Festival; and Jack, who wishes his cow would give milk. When the Baker and his wife learn that they cannot have a child because of a Witch's curse, the two set off on a journey to break the curse. Everyone's wish is granted, but the consequences of their actions return to haunt them later with disastrous results. Darkly comedic and deeply moving, the show dissects the notion of "fairytale endings" and explores what happens after "happily ever after."
This production will open SCT's new season, with 9 performances October 13 through 22, 2022. The director is Gabe Smith, with musical direction from Jordan Durham and choreography by Jonette Shurden.
Auditions will take place Tuesday and Wednesday, August 9 and 10, onstage at the Playhouse on Main, starting each night at 6 p.m.. Rehearsals will start in mid-August, the week after auditions.
To be considered for a role, anyone auditioning must be able to provide proof of full COVID-19 vaccination (like a vaccine card or a photo of a card), either at the audition or by the director's request before casting is decided and announced.
Auditions will consist of cold readings from the show script and a short musical audition. (Specific scenes may be posted here closer to auditions, and a perusal copy of a script is available by request if you send an email to exec@sct-online.org.)
For your singing audition, prepare a brief musical selection (no longer than one minute) that can show off your vocals. No acapella singing - a backing track of some kind is required, to help gauge ability to maintain tempo and stay on pitch. We will not be providing an on-site accompanist, though you are welcome to bring your own live backup or accompany yourself on your own instrument. For playing your backing music track (such as a karaoke track or an instrumental from YouTube or another streaming service), we will provide a Bluetooth speaker to connect to, and electric plug-ins will be available should you want to bring along a laptop or a CD player.
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Though many productions double-cast roles in the show (such as the same performer playing "Cinderella's Prince" and "Wolf"), this production will try to cast as many different people as possible in primary roles. If doubling does occur, it's likeliest in smaller roles, to help fill out the ensemble. "Granny", for instance, could double as the voice of "Giant". A lot depends on who comes to auditions.
The character breakdowns for casting are:
Narrator
Cinderella
A young, earnest maiden who is constantly mistreated by her stepmother and stepsisters.
Gender: Female
Age: Late teens to early 30s
Vocal range top: G5
Vocal range bottom: G3
Jack
The feckless Giant killer who is 'almost a man.' He is adventurous, naive, energetic, and bright-eyed.
Gender: Male
Age: Teens to 20s
Vocal range top: G4
Vocal range bottom: B2
Jack's Mother
Browbeating and weary, Jack's protective mother who is independent, bold, and strong-willed.
Gender: Female
Age: 40s to 60s
Vocal range top: Gb5
Vocal range bottom: Bb3
The Baker
A harried and insecure baker who is simple and loving, yet protective of his family. He wants his wife to be happy and is willing to do anything to ensure her happiness but refuses to let others fight his battles.
Gender: Male
Age: 30s to 40s
Vocal range top: G4
Vocal range bottom: Ab2
The Baker's Wife
Determined and bright woman who wishes to be a mother. She leads a simple, yet satisfying life and is very low-maintenance yet proactive in her endeavors.
Gender: Female
Age: 30s to 40s
Vocal range top: G5
Vocal range bottom: F3
Cinderella's Stepmother
The mean-spirited, demanding stepmother of Cinderella.
Gender: Female
Age: 40s to 50s
Vocal range top: F#5
Vocal range bottom: A3
Florinda And Lucinda
Cinderella's stepsisters who are black of heart. They follow in their mother's footsteps of abusing Cinderella.
Gender: Female
Age: Late teens to 30s
Vocal range top: Ab5
Vocal range bottom: C4
Little Red Riding Hood
A spoiled young girl who is strong-willed, quick-witted, fearless, yet youthful and naive.
Gender: Female
Age: Teens to 20
Vocal range top: F5
Vocal range bottom: Bb3
The Witch
Sarcastic, ugly-then-gorgeous, obsessive protector of Rapunzel who is straightforward and aggressive.
Gender: Female
Age: Late 30s to 60s
Vocal range top: G5
Vocal range bottom: F3
Cinderella's Mother
Deceased with her soul guarding and aiding her daughter from a tree.
Gender: Female
Age: 40s to 60s
Vocal range top: F4
Vocal range bottom: E4
Mysterious Man
A mischievous vagrant and nosy meddler. He is a good-natured protector and observer.
Gender: Male
Age: 50s and up
Vocal range top: Eb4
Vocal range bottom: G2
Wolf
Hungry and insatiable hunter who takes advantage of the weak by misleading and captivating his prey.
Gender: Male
Age: 30s to 40s
Vocal range top: Gb4
Vocal range bottom: Bb2
Rapunzel
A loopy-but-lovely maiden who is sheltered by the Witch and terribly lonely. She yearns to experience the world.
Gender: Female
Age: Late teens to early 30s
Vocal range top: A5
Vocal range bottom: B3
Cinderella's Prince
Vain and gorgeous, he is a disloyal lover who is currently searching for the next new, exciting thing.
Gender: Male
Age: 20s to early 40s
Vocal range top: F4
Vocal range bottom: B2
Rapunzel's Prince
Just as vain and gorgeous as his Prince brother, he is always chasing the newest, most exiting endeavor.
Gender: Male
Age: 20s to early 40s
Vocal range top: E4
Vocal range bottom: C#3
Giant
Voiceover. The Giant's wife is an angry and vengeful 'monster.' She is seeking restitution for her loss.
Gender: Female
Age: 30s and up
Granny
Bitter and vindictive, she is Little Red's feisty, savage, knife-wielding grandmother. No solo singing.
Gender: Female
Age: 50s and up
Steward
Accompanies the Prince on his missions. Surly and bureaucratic, full of self-importance. Open vocal range. No solo singing.
Gender: Male
Age: 20s to 40s
Cinderella's Father
A drinker, out of touch with his family but harmless and well-meaning. No solo singing.
Gender: Male
Age: 40s and up
Depending on turnout at auditions, we may also be casting the role of "Milky White" (Jack's beloved cow, any gender, no vocals) and two extremely-brief walk-on roles for actresses to play "Snow White" and "Sleeping Beauty" at the end of the show.
Into the Woods is presented through special arrangement with Music Theatre International (MTI). All authorized performance materials are also supplied by MTI. This production is supported in part by funding from the Mississippi Arts Commission, a state agency, and the National Endowment for the Arts, a federal agency.
We can't wait to get started on this sprawling musical adventure, and we'd love to have you and your talent on-board as part of our production! Get excited and start spreading the word!
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