Audition Notice for A Christmas Carol

It wouldn’t be the holidays without Charles Dickens’ A Christmas Carol at LTA!

This year’s production, adapted by Donna Ferragut, moves along at a brisk and continuous pace, and traditional Christmas carols are interspersed throughout the show. With the exception of Scrooge, most cast members will play multiple roles. Flexibility and creativity will be critical in creating diverse and believable characters.

AUDITION DATES AND TIMES: 

Saturday, September 22, 2018

2pm-5pm

CHILDREN ONLY (Ages 7-14)

Sunday, September 23, 2018

7pm-9pm

ADULTS ONLY (Ages 15-100)

All auditions will take place at LTA, 600 Wolfe Street, Alexandria, VA 22314.

AUDITION FORM AND REHEARSAL/PERFORMANCE CONFLICT SCHEDULE

Please print out the audition form and conflict calendar from the LTA website, complete it, and bring it with you. If you have a headshot and acting résumé, please bring them with you. All who audition will be asked to have their picture taken by the LTA photographer.

Please be ready to provide an accurate list of all tentative and known conflicts between September 25th and December 16th. There is a mandatory technical

rehearsal on Sunday, November 25th, and everyone who is cast must be available for all performances.

For more information, please contact mariabelle22@gmail.com

REHEARSALS

Rehearsals start in late September and are planned for Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday evenings (7:00 – 10:00 p.m.) and Saturday afternoons (1:00 p.m. –

5:00 p.m.), with some Sunday afternoons possible as we get closer to opening.

Not all actors will be called for every rehearsal.

Young actors (age 14 and younger) will rehearse from 7:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. weeknights in the early weeks, with an increasing time commitment as technical rehearsals commence.

WHAT TO EXPECT WHEN YOU AUDITION

Please prepare 16 bars of a Christmas song or traditional carol. Please bring sheet music as acapella auditions will not be permitted.  If you do not want to prepare your own song you will be asked to sing your choice of “Joy to the World” or “God Rest Ye Merry Gentleman” with the accompanist.  Auditions will consist of sides from the script, which will be available at the audition.

A Christmas Carol will be performed with British accents; however, it is not necessary to audition using a British accent.

CALLBACKS

Callbacks are Tuesday, September 25th, by invitation only.

CASTING NOTIFICATION

You will be notified by phone or e-mail if you are cast. Please don’t call the LTA office to ask about casting.

ROLES

Casting 8 men (ages 20s – 50s+), 6 women (teens to 40s+), and 10 children

(5 boys, 5 girls, ages 7 – 14). A Christmas Carol is an ensemble piece and actors (exception, actor playing Scrooge) may be asked to portray several characters. There will be no double casting and actors must be available for all performances. All roles are open.

Character Descriptions for Adult Actors (late teens and older)

Charles Dickens: (M, 40s+) an expert storyteller with a great sense of humor, must be comfortable addressing the audience directly, improvisational skills a plus

Ebenezer Scrooge: (M, 50s+) a bitter old miser

Gentleman 1: (M, 30s+) distinguished businessman

Gentleman 2: (M, 30s+) another distinguished businessman

Bob Cratchit: (M, 30s – 40s) Scrooge’s clerk, a hardworking family man and caring father

Fred: (M, 20s – 30s) Scrooge’s nephew, kind and fun-loving

Marley: (M, 30s+) a ghostly apparition and Scrooge’s old partner

Mr. Fezziwig: (M, 40s+) wise, jovial businessman and Scrooge’s old boss

Topper: (M, 20s – 30s) Fred’s friend, in love with the female population

Dick Wilkins: (M, 20s – 30s) a sincere, hard-working man and former boyhood friend of Scrooge’s

Skater: (M, 20s+) affable and friendly, athletic

Pawnbroker Joe: (M, 40s+) a buyer of stolen goods

Father: (M, 30s+) Belle’s husband, kind and sympathetic

Young Scrooge: (M, 20s) handsome but sometimes sullen

Ghost of Christmas Past: (male or female) magical and whimsical

Ghost of Christmas Present: (male or female) gregarious and knowledgeable

Ghost of Christmas Future: (male or female) shadowy and scary (non-speaking)

Mrs. Fezziwig: (F, 30 s- 40s) a warm, caring wife and mother, a great hostess

Mrs. Cratchit: (F, 30s – 40s) a strong woman who speaks her mind

Martha Cratchit: (F, late teens) a young lady who loves her family

Mrs. Pipchin: (F, 40s+) Scrooge’s housekeeper, nervous and energetic

Belle: (F, 20s) thoughtful and caring, Scrooge’s fiancée

Mrs. Dilber: (F, 30s – 40s) a calculating and shrewd charwoman

Mary, Fred’s Wife: (F, 20s – 30s) a charming, vivacious young woman deeply in love with her husband

Ruth: (F, 20s+) Mary’s sister, enjoys a party and a bit of fun

Caroline: (F, 20s+) Scrooge’s tenant, down on her luck

Caroline’s Husband: (M, 20s+) Scrooge’s tenant, down on his luck

Character Descriptions for Child Actors (ages 7 – 14)

There are other supporting roles not displayed that will be played by

child ensemble members.

Peter Cratchit: (M, 9 – 14) responsible and well meaning

Tiny Tim: (M, 7 – 8) small for his age, has some level of physical disability, and sweet natured

Boy Cratchit: (M, 7 – 9) happy and energetic

Boy Scrooge: (M, 7 – 10) a sad, lonely young boy

Turkey Boy: (M, 9 – 14) charming and has a great personality

Fan: (F, 7 – 10) loving and kind, Scrooge’s sister

Belinda Cratchit: (F, 8 – 12) a dutiful daughter

Girl Cratchit: (F, 7 – 8) wants to be grown up

To download an audition form, click HERE.

Audition Notice for The Fantasticks

By Tom Jones and Harvey Schmidt

Directed by Eleanore Tapscott

Music Direction by Paige Austin

Choreography by Jason Ellis

Produced by Sharon Field and Rance Willis

Performance Dates: January 12-February 2, 2019

Performance Times: Tuesday-Saturday evenings (8 pm); Sunday matinees (3 pm)

Audition Dates

Saturday, October 27, 2:00 pm-5:00 pm.

Sunday, October 28, 7:00 pm to 10:00 pm.

Callbacks

Tuesday, October 30 by invitation only. Candidates will be given a call time.

Rehearsals

Rehearsals will start immediately after casting and are planned for weeknights (7-10 pm), except Mondays, and Saturday afternoons (1-4 pm). The schedule will be finalized after the show is cast and actors’ conflicts have been accounted for. Tech rehearsals start Saturday, January 5. Double-tech is Sunday, January 6, and attendance is mandatory.

Show Summary

Hailed as the longest running musical in the world, The Fantasticks is a funny and romantic musical about a boy, a girl, and their two parents who try to keep them apart. The narrator, El Gallo, asks the audience to use their imagination and follow him into a world of moonlight and magic. The boy and the girl fall in love, grow apart and finally find their way back to each other after realizing the truth in El Gallo’s words that, “without a hurt, the heart is hollow.”

For the Audition  

For roles other than Henry, Mortimer, and the Mute: Please prepare a brief, appropriate song, 16-32 bars (standard, legit musical theatre; no pop/rock). Bring sheet music in the correct key; accompanist is provided but may not transpose. Please, no songs from The Fantasticks.

For all roles: Please prepare a 1-2-minute comedic (preferably classical) monologue and be prepared to do a short improv.

For the role of Mortimer: Please prepare a short “death” pantomime of your own creation.

For the Mute: Please prepare a short comic pantomime of your own creation.

We prefer you sign up for an audition slot in advance, however, walk-ins will be taken upon availability.
Please sign up to audition here: Sign Up Sheet

Print out the audition form on the LTA website, complete it, and bring it with you. If you have a headshot and acting resume, please bring them with you. All those auditioning will be asked to have their picture taken by the LTA photographer.

Please also wear clothes and shoes suitable for dance/movement and be ready to provide an accurate list of all tentative and known conflicts between November 1, 2018 and February 12, 2019. A conflict will not necessarily preclude you from being cast, as the director will work around actors’ conflicts to the best of her ability. Since there will be no double casting, conflicts during the last two weeks of rehearsal or during performances may affect casting decisions.

Role Summary

Casting 6 men (ages 20s-50s+), 3 women (ages late teens-40s+).  All ethnicities are welcome. Ages are approximate. Actors (particularly those playing Luisa and Matt) should be able to play these ages. Some ages may be altered, based on the actors who audition, at the discretion of the director.

Character Descriptions

The Narrator (El Gallo): A rakish, handsome, sophisticated bandit and narrator of the show. He is warm, cordial, and inviting to the audience, but has his own darker moments. He aids the performers in orchestrating the story. Must be able to move well. Male, 30-40, Baritone.

The Girl (Luisa): A button-maker’s young and pretty daughter, she is a romantic idealist who falls in love with Matt. She is naive, yet honest and tender. Dance ability a plus. Female, 18-20s. Soprano.

The Boy (Matt): An innocent, young man who is searching for love and adventure. A bright guy, but naive and even foolish at times, approaching situations with a false bravado. Ability to move well. Male, 18-20s. Baritenor.

The Boy’s Parent (Hucklebee): A former boisterous navy woman and meticulous gardener who fakes a fight with Bellomy in hopes of getting their children to fall in love. Traditionally male but being cast as female, 40s-50s. Mezzo.

The Girl’s Parent (Bellomy): A fastidious button-maker and also a picky gardener who fakes a fight with Hucklebee in hopes of getting their children together. Male, 40-50s. Baritone.

The Actor (Henry): An aging, over-the-top Thespian who specializes in reciting Shakespeare, he is a commedia clown; his world is the stage and he knows no other reality. Male, 50s-70s.

The Man Who Dies (Mortimer): Henry’s goofy sidekick and another former actor who specializes in stage deaths. Male, 30s-50. Physical comedy skills a plus. Must be able to move well.

The Mute: Speechless presence who watches, acts as the wall, and deals with props; the “invisible” stage assistant. Should be able to easily assist in the story or fade into the background unnoticed. Nonspeaking. Must be able to move extremely well. Male or Female, 20s-40s. Looking to cast two actors: 1 male and 1 female.

To download an audition form, click HERE.

Future Audition Dates

You Can’t Take It With You
December 8-9, 2018

The Savannah Disputation
March 2-3, 2019

Ken Ludwig’s A Fox on the Fairway
March 30-31, 2019

Audition notices will be posted as they become available.

Audition dates are subject to change. Check back for updates.