Farmers Alley Theatre, an Equity SPT (Small Professional Theatre, Tier 3) is seeking multi-talented performers for all roles (except where indicated) for its 2023/2024 Season.
Please prepare either two short contrasting songs (approx 1 minute in length), two contrasting monologues (1 minute in length) or one short song and one short monologue. You may perform your own materials or you may use the materials at the bottom of this page.
For The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee, please perform a song from the show.
Please send audition videos to submissions@farmersalleytheatre.com - NOTE: We will accept video submissions throughout the year so there is no deadline - submit videos at any time.
SALARY: $394/week AEA Equity SPT Tier 3 Actor Minimum ($414/week starting 1/1/2024) | Non-AEA: negotiable. Equity and non-Equity contracts available.
Rehearsals are usually Tues-Fri 4-9pm, Sat & Sun 12-5pm with Mondays off.
Performances are usually Thursday thru Sunday with occasional performances and sponsor shows on Tuesday evenings, Wednesday evenings, Saturday afternoons or Sunday evenings.
Housing and travel provided for out-of-town talent.
SCHOOL OF ROCK THE MUSICAL, Book by Julian Fellowes, Lyrics by Glenn Slater, New Music by Andrew Lloyd Webber; Rehearsals begin 6/24/24; runs 7/17/24 - 7/28/24
Seeking 13 actors, dancers, and musicians who look between the ages of 10-14 to be in Farmers Alley Theatre’s production of SCHOOL OF ROCK to be presented at Kalamazoo College July 17-28, 2024.
4 Musicians: Do you play the guitar, drums, bass, or piano like a pro? Do you also love to sing, dance and act? If so, we’re looking for you!
9 Actors/Singers/Dancers: Do you like to sing? Are you a dancer? Do you like to act? If so, we’re looking for you!
Information:
● Meet the Farmers Alley production team
● Learn about the musical’s themes & characters
● Learn about the rehearsal process, dates, and times
● Learn about the online preparation materials for
auditions
● Learn about in-person audition dates
● Learn about Compensation/comp tickets
The Audition Process:
● Learn a song for the show with music director, Chris
Gray
● Learn a short dance with choreographer Melissa
Sparks
● Questions?
● Distribution of the audition packet and audition sign up
information
To sign up for the School of Rock Youth Role Audition Workshop, please click here.
Dewey Finn: Male identifying, 25-35; A wannabe rock star with big dreams. Great comic chops with improv ability. True Rock Tenor. Must have some guitar skills or be ready to learn. Vocal Range: Rock Tenor B2-B4 (belted) and extension to A5 rock scream (like Steven Tyler).
Rosalie Mullins: Female identifying, 25-35; Proper and uptight headmistress of Horace Green School. She has a secret love of rock music. Soprano with a strong belt. Vocal Range: A3-D6. Any ethnicity.
Ned Schneebly: Male identifying, 25-35; Old friend of Dewey’s and former band mate. Still passionate about music but does anything Patty tells him. Vocal Range: Rock Baritone (C3-F#4). Any ethnicity.
Patty Di Marco: Female identifying, 25-35; Ned’s domineering girlfriend and she calls the shots. She doesn’t want Dewey in her life or Ned’s. Strong belt. Vocal Range: B3-E5. Any ethnicity.
Theo: All Genders, 25-35; Lead singer of Dewey’s Band “No Vacancy” - Too cool for school rocker. Strong rock voice. Plays other roles in ensemble. Vocal Range: Rock Tenor: G3-D5. Any ethnicity.
Summer Hathaway: Female identifying, must appear 9-13 years old; A Manhattan princess. Confident, outspoken, ambitious and clever. The future band manager. Must also be a very good singer, actor and dancer. Vocal Range: A3-D5. Any Ethnicity.
Zack Mooneyham: Male identifying, must appear 9-13 years old; Desperately wants to impress his father. Needs to seriously “shred” the guitar, live on stage. Must also be a very good singer, actor and dancer. Vocal Range: A3-D5. Any Ethnicity.
Lawrence: Supporting, Male identifying, must appear 9-13 years old; Lacking in confidence, he is hesitant to try something “cool”. Must play live rock keyboards on stage. Must also be a very good singer, actor and dancer. Vocal Range: A3-D#5. Any Ethnicity.
Katie: Supporting, Female identifying, must appear 9-13 years old; Quiet and serious, she switches from cello to play rock bass for the band. Must play live cello and electric bass on stage. Must also be a very good singer, actor and dancer. Vocal Range: A3-D#5. Any Ethnicity.
Freddie Hamilton: Male identifying, must appear 9-13 years old; Loves rowdiness and noise, making him the ideal drummer. Must play killer live rock drums on stage. Lots of personality. Must also be a very good singer, actor and dancer. Vocal Range: A3-D5. Any Ethnicity.
Youth Ensemble: male and female identifying performers, to appear 9-13 years old for the roles of Tomika, Marcy, Shonelle, Billy Sandford, Sophie, Mason Ward, James, Madison plus other roles, for chorus and for understudies. Ensemble must be very good singers, actors and dancers. Vocal Range: A3-D5. Any Ethnicity.
Adult Ensemble: seeking adults of all ages to play various teachers, parents, members of the band “No Vacancy” and other roles. Must be excellent actors, great singers of all vocal ranges, and good dancers. Any ethnicities.
SONDHEIM ON SONDHEIM, Music & Lyrics by Stephen Sondheim, Originally conceived and directed by James Lapine; Rehearsals begin: 4/1/24; runs 4/25/24 - 5/12/24
Seeking: 8 dynamic actors/singers who move well. Seeking 4 male identifying and 4 female identifying performers who are honest and engaging storytellers to bring the songs of Sondheim to life. Singers must have amazing vocal control, impeccable diction and excellent ear for hearing and holding intricate harmonies.
Male Identifying performer #1: (originally played by Matthew Scott): Age range: 18-29; Hopeful, ambitious; tenor with high A; his songs include: “Multitudes of Amys,” “Something’s Coming,” “Happiness,” and “Franklin Shepard Inc.” Any Ethnicity.
Male Identifying performer #2: (originally played by Euan Morton): age range: 28-49; Conflicted, complex, driven; tenor/baritone with high G#; his songs include: “The Gun Song,” “Beautiful” and “The Best Thing That Ever Happened.” Any Ethnicity.
Male Identifying performer #3: (originally played by Norm Lewis): age range: 35-59; Intelligent, confident, charming; tenor/baritone with low G and high G; songs include: “So Many People”, “Is This What You Call Love?”, and “Being Alive.” Any Ethnicity.
Male Identifying performer #4: (originally played by Tom Wopat): Mature, has a dark side, but also has humor; tenor/baritone with low G and high F, age range: 45-69; baritone with low G and high F; songs include: “Happily Ever After”, “Is This What You Call Love?” and “Finishing the Hat.” Any Ethnicity.
Female Identifying performer #1: (originally played by Erin Mackey): age range: 18-29; Ingenue, sweet, ambitious, confident; soprano with Ab; her songs include: "Do I Hear A Waltz," "The Wedding Is Off," and "Now You Know." Any Ethnicity.
Female Identifying performer #2: (originally played by Leslie Kritzer): age range: 28-49; Quirky, complex, headstrong, must move well; soprano/alto with low F; her songs include: "Wedding Is Off," and "Ah But Underneath." Any Ethnicity.
Female Identifying performer #3: (originally played by Vanessa Williams): age range: 35-59; Mature, sexy/smart, motherly; alto with low F3 to C5; her songs include: “Good Thing Going”, and “Losing My Mind”. Any Ethnicity.
Female Identifying performer #4: (originally played by Barbara Cook): age range: 45-69: Maternal, strong, wise, vulnerable, knowing, alto: Low A to D#5; songs include: “Loving You”, “In Buddy’s Eyes”, “Take Me to the World,” “Not A Day Goes By,” and “Send In the Clowns.” Any Ethnicity.
THE 25TH ANNUAL PUTNAM COUNTY SPELLING BEE, Music & Lyrics by William Finn; Book by Rachel Sheinkin; Rehearsals begin 5/21/24; runs 6/12/24 - 6/23/24
Chip Tolentino: Age range: 18-28 to play middle school aged character. Male-identifying, excellent actor, contemporary tenor, strong mover. The reigning spelling champion of Putnam County, he expects things to come easily to him. Lately he’s been going through some changes and feels that things are slipping out of his control. Tenor C2-B4; sings high a lot. Also plays “Jesus”. Any ethnicity.
Logainne Schwartzandgrubenierre (Schwartzy): Age range: 18-28 to play middle school aged character. Female identifying, excellent actor, contemporary mezzo-soprano, strong mover. Younger than most bee participants, she is driven by a desire to win to make her two fathers (from whom she takes her combined last name) proud. She lisps and is a little uncomfortable in her body, but still manages to strike a strong presence with her political awareness and keen sense of justice. Mezzo-soprano, A3-F5. Any ethnicity.
Leaf Coneybear: Age range: 18-28 to play middle school aged character. Male-identifying, excellent actor, contemporary baritone, strong mover. Homeschooled with his many siblings, Leaf may have Attention Deficit Disorder, but delights in his own wandering focus. He doesn’t expect to win, but everything about the spelling bee is an adventure for him, from meeting the other kids to showing off his homemade clothing. His mother has made him wear a protective helmet. Tenor, A2-A4 (Also plays “Carl's Dad”, Vocal Range: G2-D4). Any ethnicity.
William Barfee: Age range: 18-28 to play middle school aged character. Male-identifying, excellent actor, contemporary tenor, very strong mover. Tap dance skills a plus. Loud and combative as a defensive posture, William becomes a bully to avoid being picked on. He’s noticed on the spelling circuit for his remarkable technique: spelling words out on the floor with his foot. After being removed from the competition last year because of an ill-timed allergic reaction, he’s at the bee for vindication. Tenor G2-B4. Any ethnicity.
Marcy Park: Age range: 18-28 to play middle school aged character. Female-identifying, excellent actor, contemporary mezzo-soprano, strong mover. Dance, tumbling, piano, violin, and any other special skills a plus. The ultimate over-achiever, Marcy comes from a family where excellence is expected, and she always delivers. As a parochial school student, she assumes that God, too, expects perfection. She keeps her personal problems to herself. Mezzo soprano C3-E5. Ethnicity: Performer of AANHPI Descent preferred.
Olive Ostrovsky: Age range: 18-28 to play middle school aged character. Female-identifying, excellent actor, contemporary mezzo-soprano, strong mover. An only child with often absent parents, Olive spends most of her time alone. The words of her dictionary bring her comfort, and she is fascinated by the vastness of the world the book contains. She often peers into the audience to see if her father, who is delayed at work, has made it yet. Olive starts the bee enormously shy, and slowly comes out of her shell. Mezzo soprano B3-F5. Any ethnicity.
Mitch Mahoney (Also Plays Dan's Dad, and Olive's Dad): Age range: 25-55. Male-identifying, excellent actor, contemporary baritone with tenor extension, strong mover. With a bouncer’s demeanor, Mitch appears an odd choice to be the bee’s “comfort counselor,” but it’s part of his community service assignment. The outsider, he wonders about the wisdom of putting the kids through this at all. He has no idea how to offer comfort, but increasingly finds himself wishing he could find a way to make the kids feel better about losing. Vocal Range: E3-A4. Any ethnicity.
Rona Lisa Perretti (this role is cast) - The number-one realtor in Putnam County, a former Putnam County Spelling Bee Champion herself, and the returning moderator. She is a sweet woman who loves children, but she can be very stern when it comes to dealing with Vice Principal Panch and his feelings for her. Her interest in the competition is unflagging and drives it forward. Also plays Olive’s mom. Vocal Range: B3–F5.
Vice Principal Douglas Panch (this role is cast) The Vice Principle. Frustrated with his life, he finds the drive of the young spellers alien to him. After five years' absence from the Bee, Panch returns as judge. There was an "incident" at the Twentieth Annual Bee, but he claims to be in "a better place" now, thanks to a high-fiber diet and Jungian analysis. He is infatuated with Rona Lisa Peretti, but she does not return his affections; seeking good improv ability. Does not sing.
*NOTE: Farmers Alley Theatre is an equal opportunity employer. We will not discriminate and will take affirmative action measures to ensure against discrimination in employment, recruitment, advertisements for employment, compensation, termination, upgrading, promotions, and other conditions of employment against any employee or job applicant on the basis of race, color, gender, national origin, age, religion, creed, disability, veteran's status, sexual orientation, gender identity or gender expression.
If you have additional questions, please contact our Managing Artistic Director, Jeremy Koch at info@farmersalleytheatre.com
