ONCE - The Warner Stage Company Non Equity Auditions

Posted October 19, 2017
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ONCE - The Warner Stage Company

Auditions Announced for ONCE (The Musical)

Director/Choreographer: SHARON A. WILCOX | Music Director: DAN RINGUETTE

The Warner Stage Company will hold Open Auditions for a Main Stage Production of ONCE (The Musical) on

Monday, November 6th and Tuesday, November 7th

(by appointment)

The Warner Stage Company will hold auditions for a Main Stage Production of ONCE (The Musical) on Monday, November 6th and Tuesday, November 7th beginning at 7:00pm by appointment. The production is directed & choreographed by Sharon A. Wilcox with Dan Ringuette as music director. It will be presented at Torrington's historic Warner Theatre in February 2018.

All roles are open to audition. We are specifically seeking talented actor/musicians of ALL ethnicities, who can also act and sing, for this musical production (4-5 women; 7-8 men, 1 girl). This musical is based on the film ONCE.

Please sing a short folk/rock song (one minute or less) in the style of the show; and if you are able, please be prepared to accompany yourself on the instrument that you are most proficient in. There will be a keyboard in the room. Actors must bring any other instrument(s) they intend to play for the audition. If you play any of the other instruments listed below, please submit video links of you playing those as well. Please feel free to submit band reels and other promotional material for review!

Instruments needed in ONCE: Piano, guitar, violin, cello, double bass, electric bass, mandolin, ukulele, accordion, banjo, harmonica and drums/percussion.

Playing an instrument is not a requirement for the audition for this show. If you do not play an instrument, we will have an accompanist available. If you do not play an instrument, please come with sheet music clearly marked for the accompanist. This does not apply to Girl (who must play piano) and Guy (who must be an excellent guitar player).

Please note: The traditional orchestra stipend may apply to actors serving as musicians. There will be scheduled orchestra rehearsals outside the performer rehearsal schedule for all musicians (including actor/musicians) and therefore a stipend may be available to those performers doing double duty in the production.

Rehearsals will be held three nights per week on Sunday, Tuesday and Thursday evenings from 7:00-10:00pm beginning Tuesday, November 28, 2017. Tech week rehearsals will be Sunday throughThursday, January 28-February 1, 2018. We do ask that Friday, February 2, 2018 be held in case an additional tech week rehearsal is needed. The pickup rehearsal will be held on Thursday, February 8, 2018.

If you are unable to make the mandatory tech week rehearsals and/or pickup rehearsal, we will be unable to cast you in this production.

The Warner Stage Company is a regional community theatre company and does not offer compensation or housing for performers.

CALLBACKS: Thursday, November 9, 2017 at 7:00pm (if needed)

AUDITIONS BY APPOINTMENT ONLY

Please visit our website at
http://www.warnertheatre.org/auditions and fill out the on-line audition request form or send an email to
auditions@warnertheatre.org to schedule your appointment. An audition confirmation e-mail will be sent with full details on what will be expected at your audition.

Audition appointments requested on-line or by e-mail are preferred, but if you do not have access to e-mail call the Warner Theatre Audition Line at
860-489-7180 ext.151. Please be specific as to the date you would like to schedule your appointment.

PERFORMANCE DATES

Saturday, February 3, 2018 at 8:00pm

Sunday, February 4, 2018 at 2:00pm

Friday, February 9, 2018 at 8:00pm

Saturday, February 10, 2018 at 8:00pm

Sunday, February 11, 2018 at 2:00pm

ABOUT THE SHOW

You know the story: Guy meets Girl. But in ONCE, an unconventional and romantic musical based on the award-winning 2006 film, what follows is not a traditional love story. Guy, a heartbroken musician busking for coins on the streets of Dublin, meets Girl, a Czech immigrant with a complicated history and a broken vacuum cleaner. Despite their differences, Guy and Girl find common ground, a shared language, and genuine love in creating music together. With a cast of incredible actor-musicians who accompany themselves on the soaring, gut-wrenching folk-rock score, ONCE is a uniquely theatrical experience that will move you to laughter, to tears, and to a deep understanding of the particular joy of joining together in song.

Featuring all of the magical songs from the critically acclaimed film, including the Oscar-winning Falling Slowly, this achingly beautiful, joyously uplifting show strikes an unforgettable chord in audiences and speaks to the power of music to connect us all. A show like that only comes around ONCE.

CHARACTER LIST (ALL ROLES ARE OPEN)

PLEASE NOTE: If possible, all actors in the cast of ONCE may play at least one instrument. However, unlike most productions of this musical, the instrumentation in the Warner Stage Company production will be less specific to the character. For example, Andrej usually plays the double bass and Svec usually plays drums. This may be reversed in this production, depending on the actors. This does not apply to Girl (who must play piano) and Guy (who must be an excellent guitar player).

Instruments needed in ONCE: Piano, guitar, violin, cello, double bass, electric bass, mandolin, ukulele, accordion, banjo, harmonica and drums/percussion.

GIRL, Female, 20-35, mezzo soprano; direct, intelligent, no nonsense and witty. Should have something ‘other’ about her. Has had to work hard at life but doesn't think she deserves any sympathy. Must play the piano and sing extremely well. Should have a strong Czech (Eastern European) accent.

GUY, Male, 30-39, baritone; a busker who, after suffering a painful breakup has decided to give up on his music and has resigned himself to living a life as a vacuum machine repairman, and living along above his dad's shop; brooding and charismatic. Must play the guitar and sing extremely well. Should have a strong Irish accent.

BILLY, Male, 30-49, baritone; a large Irish man. Owner of the music store where Girl plays piano. Loud, funny and protective of Girl but also has a vulnerability. Must sing and play guitar well. Should have a strong Irish accent. (If following the original production casting, Billy also plays Ukelele, Cajon, Snare Drum)

REZA, Female, 25-29, Soprano; a sexy, funny, smart Czech girl. Often a bit larger then life. Must sing well and ability to play violin/fiddle is a bonus. Should have a strong Czech (Eastern European) accent.

?BARUSKA, Female, 45+, alto; mother of Girl. A cool but caring Czech mother who likes a full house and full stomachs. Not many inhibitions. Must sing and should play the accordion/piano well. Should have a strong Czech (Eastern European) accent. (If following the original production casting, Baruska plays piano, accordion, Tambourine, Melodica)

BANK MANAGER, Males & Females, 30-49, tenor/alto; seems quite prim and proper but has a secret passion for music. Must sing and play guitar & cello well. Should have a strong Irish (Cork) accent.

DA, Male, 50+, baritone; Guy's dad. A man of few words, but a lovely and caring father. Should play guitar, ukulele/mandolin well. Should have a strong Irish accent.

SVEC, Male, 20-39, baritone; a real odd ball. Loves television and coffee. Playing guitar & drum kit well is a plus. Should have a strong Czech (Eastern European) accent. (If following the original production casting, Svec plays Banjo, Guitar, Mandolin, Drum Set)

ANDREJ, Male, 20-29, baritone; earnest and kind. It works well if he has a slight build, made slighter by his oversized interview suit. An employee at a fast food chain, but has big dreams. Should play guitar & bass guitar extremely well. Should also have a strong Czech (Eastern European) accent. (If following the original production casting, Andrej plays Electric Bass, Ukelele, Tambourine, Cajon, Guitar)

EAMON, Male, 20-49, baritone; the music studio manager where Guy and Girl record their album. A tough nut to crack but eventually gives into the musician’s talents. Must sing well; playing guitar (& piano) well is a plus. (If following the original production casting, Eamon plays Guitar, Piano, Melodica and Harmonica). Should have a strong Irish accent.

EMCEE, Male, 20-49, baritone; the emcee at a bar. A good-natured ball buster. Must sing well, playing guitar (& piano) well is a plus. Should have a strong Irish accent.

EX-GIRLFRIEND, Female, 20-39, mezzo-soprano; Guy's ex-girlfriend who now lives in New York. Kind, lovely and likeable. Playing violin well is a plus. Should have a strong Irish accent.

IVANKA, Female. 7-10, mezzo-soprano; the sweet-natured daughter of Girl, should be comfortable on stage and have the ability to sing. Note: Should be between 40 and 45 inches tall.

About the Warner Theatre

Built by Warner Brothers Studios and opened in 1931 as a movie palace (1,772 seats), the Warner Theatre was described then as Connecticut's Most Beautiful Theatre. Damaged extensively in a flood, the Warner was slated for demolition in the early 1980s until the non-profit Northwest Connecticut Association for the Arts (NCAA) was founded and purchased the theatre. The Warner reopened as a performing arts center in 1983, and restoration of the main lobbies and auditorium was completed in November 2002. In 2008, the new 50,000 square foot Carole and Ray Neag Performing Arts Center, which houses a 300 seat studio theatre, 200 seat restaurant and expansive school for the arts, was completed. Today, the Warner is in operation year-round with more than 160 performances and 100,000 patrons passing through its doors each season. Over 10,000 students, pre K-adult, participate in arts education programs and classes. Together, with the support of the community, the Warner has raised close to $17 million to revitalize its facilities. NCAA's mission is to preserve the Warner Theatre as an historic landmark, enhance its reputation as a center of artistic excellence and a focal point of community involvement, and satisfy the diverse cultural needs of the region. To learn more about the Warner Theatre, visit our website:
www.warnertheatre.org

Warner Theatre | 68 Main Street Torrington, CT 06790 |
www.warnertheatre.org

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