Come celebrate Up and Coming Theatre’s 20th Anniversary and AUDITION for:
Jesus Christ Superstar
Auditions will be held on Monday May 13th and Wednesday, May 15th from 7:00 – 10:00 p.m. at the Palatine Park District building at 250 E. Wood Street, Palatine, IL 60067. We will be located in rooms 1B and 1C. No appointment is necessary, but please arrive no later than 9:30 p.m.
Please prepare 32 bars of a song that shows your vocal ability. We are open to hearing unique and different voices like rock, country, vocal jazz, pop, musical theater, punk, and more! An accompanist will be provided so bring sheet music in the key you will be singing. A dance call will be part of your audition. Please dress comfortably, have appropriate footwear and be prepared to move. We are seeking people who dance different styles like breakdancing, jazz, tappers, belly dancers, pole dancing, and more. Also if you can pop lock, have a gymnastics back ground (tumblers), can rave dance with glow sticks or know how to juggle fire, or juggle period, ride a unicycle, and/or any other special talent, don't be shy, come and show us!
We are also looking for a Military Drill Sergeant who can do authentic military drills and calls.
Call backs will be invitation only, Thursday, May 16th from 7:00 p.m – 10:00 p.m. We are looking for men AND women to fill principal and ensemble roles.
Rehearsals for this production will be held in Rolling Meadows - Monday thru Thursday evenings, the end of May through August show dates. Performances will be held August 2, 3, and 4 (with the possibility of a one weekend extension) at Lake Zurich Performing Arts Center in Lake Zurich, IL. Produced by: Lindsey Weiss.
We are pleased to introduce our directors: Michael Gillis and Jorge Bermudez. We are thrilled to have such a talented duo.
MICHAEL GILLIS is thrilled to be returning to Up and Coming Theater where he made his start as an actor 17 years ago as Joseph in Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat. Since then he has travelled the world on National tours of: The Music of Andrew Lloyd Webber starring Michael Bolton, Pirates of Penzance as Frederick, and Phantom of the Opera as Raoul. He has also performed in the International tours of Jesus Christ Superstar as Jesus and Tony in West Side Story. Regionally, he has starred at Marriott Lincolnshire, George Street Playhouse, Lyric Theater of Oklahoma, and Gateway Playhouse. Mike is overjoyed to be taking on a different role in his second go-around with Up and Coming Theatre!
JORGE BERMUDEZ is a founding member of Up and Coming Theatre Company and is currently serving as the President. Over the past 20 years he has directed some of our most successful productions (including: A Chorus Line, West Side Story, Fiddler On The Roof, Disney's High School Musical, and Miss Saigon). His last effort with us was our 2009 production of Joseph and The Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat in which UAC earned the Illinois Theatre Association's Award of Excellence - Community Theatre Division. In addition to his work with Up and Coming, Jorge has worked with Footlighter's Youth Theatre Program, served on the Highland Park Players Board of Directors, as well as directed for numerous productions around the Chicagoland area. In 2010, he was given the "Outstanding Direction" Award by the American Association of Community Theatre Illinois State Festival Committee for a production of Disney's Alice In Wonderland Jr. Last summer, Jorge interned with Way Off Broadway, Inc., Iowa's only professional musical theatre company. There, he pulled double duty as he served as Assistant Director as well as performer for professional productions of The Music Man and also The Wizard of Oz where he played Oz. After 15 years of working as an HR professional, he has decided to pursue his passion and is currently an MFA Candidate in Theatre Pedagogy at Virginia Commonwealth University where he enjoys serving as an Adjunct Professor teaching courses in Acting and Speech.
We are also thrilled to welcome back Jennifer Cupani as this summer's choreographer! Jennifer is a dance educator, choreographer and director. She is excited to return to Up and Coming Theatre (UAC) for their 20th anniversary production! Previous productions with UAC Include: Miss Saigon (choreographer), The Producers (choreographer) and HAIRSPRAY (Director/Choreographer).Her 15 year career as a director and choreographer encompasses over 50 dance and theatre productions, music videos, and film. Other highlights include: 42nd Street (Choreographer) and Queen’s rock musical, We Will Rock You (Choreographer) . Jennifer has taught all ages and levels of dance, focusing on jazz, ballet, modern and contemporary dance. Her teaching career is highlighted by nine years at Saint Viator High School as dance teacher, musical choreographer and the Artistic Director of the Orchesis Dance Company. Currently, Jennifer teaches ballet, tap, lyrical and musical theatre jazz at Reverie Dance Academy in Buffalo Grove. Jennifer earned her B.A. in Public Relations and Spanish and attended the renowned Conservatory of Dance at Barat College on scholarship. At Barat, Jennifer studied choreography, composition and improvisation in addition to ballet with Rory Foster (American Ballet Theatre) and modern with Eileen Cropley (Paul Taylor Dance Co.). Jennifer is also a certified BeMoved Dance fitness instructor, trained by founder and creator Sherry Zunker (River North Dance Chicago).
Lastly, we are excited to welcome Chaz Williams-Ali to the Up and Coming family! Chaz will be music directing Jesus Christ Superstar this summer. Chaz’men Williams-Ali is a young tenor from St. Louis MO. He began singing as a child at Faith Miracle Temple church. There Chaz found early success being given the task of teaching the youth choir at a very young age. From there, Chaz attended Central Visual and Performing Arts High School and studied with two of St. Louis’ finest instructors, Dello Thedford, and Yvonne Crockett. While studying at Central, Chaz joined the Opera Theatre St. Louis Artist-in-Training program where he studied for two years. After high school, Chaz attended the University of Iowa and studied voice with Stephen Swanson and coached with the illustrious Shari Rhoads. While at the University of Iowa, Chaz starred in the leading roles of more than 6 operas. Those roles included Alfredo in Verdi's La Traviata , Nemorino in L’elisir d’amore and Romeo in Romeo et Juliette. During that time, he also played the role of Ferrando in Mozart’s Cosi fan tutte in Milano, Italy. Also at the University of Iowa Theatre Department, Chaz was called upon to be the musical director for the world premiere of the new musical Boy in Black alongside the composer of that musical Dan Roeder. Chaz made his professional opera debut in 2008 in Gilbert and Sullivan’s The Gondoliers with Cedar Rapids Opera Theatre. He has returned there to participate in Aida and Madama Butterfly. Chaz was named the Grand Prize division winner in the 2009 National Association of the Teachers of Singing (NATS) competition. Chaz also continued to find success in the realm of musical theatre working on musicals like The Wizard of Oz, Orphan Train, and Forever Plaid: Plaid Tidings. In the summer of 2012, Chaz was the assistant musical director for Way Off Broadway , Iowa's only professional musical theatre company.
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