Four Men – Four Women plus Small Ensemble All Roles Open
The Providence Players of Fairfax (PPF) is a non-profit community theater troupe. All participation is on a volunteer non-compensated basis.
Location:
James Lee Community Center Theater
2855 Annandale Rd
Falls Church VA 22031
Dates:
Tuesday, July 9, 7pm to 9:45pm (Open)
Saturday, July 13, 10:30am to 12:30pm (Open)
Saturday, July 13, 1:15pm to 4pm (Open)
Wednesday, July 17, 7pm to 9:45pm (Open)
Please plan on attending just one of the initial audition times but plan on staying for all or most of the audition period – we will likely have you up and down on stage more than once. Please RSVP to providenceplayers@cox.net and let us know all of the initial audition dates you could attend and which, if any, you prefer. Depending on turnout, we may need to juggle which date we see you. We appreciate flexibility!
Call Backs – Saturday, July 20, 10:30 am to 3:30 pm (By Invitation Only)
We are asking auditioners to bring piano music and be prepared to sing between 16 and 32 bars of an up tempo song, preferably in the style of Little Shop (50s/60s rock, r&b, doo-wop), read from the script, and learn and perform a brief dance/movement routine. If you would like, you may sing one of the up tempo songs from Little Shop. We want to hear people sing with piano accompaniment so please, no a cappella or recorded music.
Performance Dates (11) And Times
Thursday, Friday and Saturday 7:30 p.m. October 4, 5, 10, 11, 12, 17, 18, & 19 Saturday & Sunday Matinees 2:00pm October 6, 12 & 13
Musical rehearsals will begin the first two weeks of August based on actor and musical director availability. Character work, table readings and off-stage rehearsals will begin the last two weeks of August and will be scheduled based on actor availability. Formal stage rehearsals will begin immediately after Labor Day. The full production schedule is posted here with the final audition announcement.
Character Information:
SEYMOUR KRELBOURNE:
Vocal – Tenor Low Bb to Top A.
Playing Age mid 20’s – mid-30’s
Lead
East Side Flower Shop clerk in skid row. He is a somewhat insecure, a little naïve, somewhat put-upon orphan florist’s clerk, plant aficionado – and our hero. He’s sweet and well-meaning, somewhat shy, awkward; lacking in social skills. Seymour becomes the owner of the carnivorous plant, Audrey II. He has a whole lot of insecurity going on, but as the show progresses and the plant grows more powerful, so does his confidence. Probable accent – just a tinge of New York. Comic timing a must. Some dance but not a lot.
AUDREY:
Vocal – Low A to Belted D.
Playing Age 20’s – early 30’s
Lead
The bleached-blond, Billie-Dawn-like, secret love of Seymore’s life. she is honest and attractive, has very low self-esteem, dresses a little trashy, attracts the wrong guys, has big dreams, and is self-sacrificing. Another clerk in Mushnik’s flower shop. Lacking in education and self-esteem, she suffers from feelings of hopelessness at her situation in life (in a cheery sort of way), including her abusive relationship with her boyfriend, Orin Scrivello. Seymour names the plant after her. Probable accent – more than a tinge of New York. Less dance than Seymour.
CRYSTAL, RONNETTE AND CHIFFON:
Vocal – Low Alto to High Belt
Playing Age – 20s/30s
Supporting Roles
Three female street urchins, probably early 20s to early 30s who function both as participants in the action and as a Greek Chorus outside it. They’re young, wise-cracking, street-smart, hip, smart, and soulful and the only characters who know what’s going on. Together, they are a top notch 50s/60s girl group (Chiffons, Ronnettes, Dixie Cups, Supremes, Blossoms, Crystals). They are our story tellers and very much drive the action. The most dance and movement in the show.
MR. MUSHNIK:
Vocal – Baritone Low Ab to Top F.
Playing Age: Late 40s to early 60s
Owner of the flower shop; the boss. A failure of a lower East Side florist. About to throw in the towel. Grouchy. Opportunistic but with some ethics. His accent, if he has one, is middle class New York Jewish. He seldom smiles but often sweats. He is a failure of a florist. Cares about Audrey and Seymour in a cranky, impatient, contemptuous sort of way. Some comic dance. Should be able to give Seymour a brief piggy-back ride.
ORIN SCRIVELLO:
Vocal – Baritone Low A to Top F
Playing Age 30s – to early 40s
Supporting Role
A dark, handsome, sadistic, laughing gas inhaling, dentist with a motorcycle, and black leather jacket. Think of Orin as an egotistical pretty-boy, indulged by his mother and all got up like a greaser but thinking like an insurance salesman and talking like a radio announcer.
(The actor may perform other roles – Wino #2, Customer, Mr. Berstein, Mrs. Luce, Skip Snip, and Patrick Martin and sing with ensemble).
MALE VOICE OF AUDREY II – THE PLANT:
Vocal – Booming Bass/Baritone and Funky
The voice of Audrey is performed by an actor on an offstage microphone. Will also appear onstage as a wino in opening scene and sing with ensemble. Audrey II is conniving, manipulative, blood thirsty, funky and has a maniacal laugh. The sound is often described as a cross between Otis Redding, Barry White, and Wolfman Jack. Think of The Voice as that of a street-smart, funky, conniving villain — Rhythm and Blues’ answer to Richard the Third. The actor cast in this role must be able to communicate complex emotion and personality through voice only with the puppet plant providing visual personality.
ENSEMBLE
We may be looking for a small ensemble of strong singers/actors to appear in 2 (or perhaps) 3 numbers in the show to boost the vocal and visual impact of the production. The minor roles of CUSTOMER, RADIO ANNOUNCER, MR BERNSETIN, MRS LUCE, SKIP SNIP and PATRICK MARTIN are usually all played by the actor playing ORIN but it is possible we may allocate some of these roles to the ensemble. At initial auditions, we may or may not have actors read these various parts.
Please remember to RSVP to providenceplayers@cox.net and let us know all of the initial audition dates you could attend and which, if any, you prefer.