AUDITION INFORMATION PACK
ACADEMY OF MARY IMMACULATE
PROUDLY PRESENTS
MAY - JUNE 2017
DIRECTOR: MR DE CATA
MUSICAL DIRECTOR: MR POWER
Auditions: Tuesday 29th November in DILLON ROOM 3.2
Call backs: Wednesday 30th November in DILLON ROOM 3.2
(Please note: not all roles will be called back)
SHORT SYNOPSIS:
In a magical kingdom fathoms below, the beautiful young mermaid Ariel longs to leave her ocean home to live in the world above. But first, she'll have to defy her father King Triton, make a deal with the evil sea witch Ursula, and convince Prince Eric that she’s the girl with the enchanting voice.
Adapted from Disney’s 2008 Broadway production, Disney's THE LITTLE MERMAID JR. features the hit songs "Part of Your World," "She’s in Love," and the Oscar-winning "Under the Sea."
THE CHARACTERS:
There are a wide range of lead, cameo and ensemble roles in the show. We need singers, dancers and actors! There are roles for all levels of ability. We are looking for performers who listen well, take instruction and “light up” on stage.
All roles will be performed in American accents. The exceptions to this are the roles of SEBASTIAN, CHEF LOUIE and GRIMSBY.
ARIEL: Ariel, the heroine of our story, is a little mermaid who longs to be human. We would like to cast a strong singer and dynamic performer in this role. Ariel has some beautiful solos but she must be able to convey meaning through gesture once she loses her voice.
CARLOTTA: Carlotta is the headmistress in Prince Eric’s palace and Ariel’s greatest human ally. This non-singing role needs to be warm and maternal to make Ariel feel welcome.
CHEF LOUIS: Chef Louis is the over-the-top head chef in the palace. He is always wild and frenetic. This is an excellent featured role for a comedic performer. Outrageous French accent required.
CHEFS: The Chefs are Chef Louis’s assistants. Chefs may also double as members of the Sea Chorus.
FLOTSAM & JETSAM: Flotsam and Jetsam are Ursula’s slippery spies. These electric eels are sinister and sneaky, so we are looking for performers who can be underhanded and devious with great stage presence.
FLOUNDER: Flounder is Ariel’s sincere and sensitive best friend who is loyal to the end. This spunky fish also has a show-stopping solo in “She’s in Love.” This is a wonderful role for a younger performer.
GRIMSBY: Grimsby is Prince Eric’s prim and proper valet. He is rigid in personality and constantly trying to guide Prince Eric towards the throne. While Grimsby does have some singing to do, strong acting trumps singing ability for this role. English accent required.
GULLS: The Gulls are Scuttle’s flock of zany “back-up singers” who help explain human stuff to Ariel.
KING TRITON: King Triton rules the sea and is a force to be reckoned with. This non-singer needs to command the stage as a strong leader but also shows the tenderness of a parent.
LAGOON ANIMALS: The Lagoon Animals try to convince Prince Eric to kiss Ariel. This ensemble may double as the Sea Creatures.
MERSISTERS: The Mersisters (Aquata, Andrina, Arista, Atina, Adella, Allana) are Ariel’s siblings and full of personality and sass. These are great roles to showcase talented singers and dancers who can create and play six distinctive characters.
PILOT: The Pilot is the head sailor on Prince Eric’s ship. This nautical expert who entertains the sailors with wild tales of the sea presents an opportunity to highlight a developing performer. The Pilot has a few speaking lines, but his or her singing voice is most important.
PRINCE ERIC: Prince Eric is the adventurous prince who captures Ariel’s heart. We are looking for a charming performer with a sensitive nature. Prince Eric has a few small solos, but it is more important that we cast a strong actor in this role.
PRINCESSES: The six Princesses try everything they can to win the heart of Prince Eric. Since none of them possesses the voice Prince Eric is searching for, we will cast actresses who can create an exaggerated and comedic personality through song. The six Princesses may double as the six Mersisters.
SAILORS: The Sailors are the crew of Prince Eric’s ship. They are eager for adventure and ready to tackle a storm. The sailors must be good with movement, and in our production some will be carrying and “being” part of the ship.
SCUTTLE: Scuttle is the know-it-all seagull who serves as Ariel’s expert on humans. He or she is funny, off-beat and will sing “Human Stuff.” We are looking for a performer with good comedic timing who is willing to have fun with Scuttle’s eccentricities.
SEA CHORUS: The Sea Chorus is responsible for creating each world within the show. We will look for performers who can move gracefully and are capable of being part of a scene without drawing focus. This will also be an opportunity to showcase some of our more skilled dancers. The Sea Chorus can double as Merfolk, Sea Creatures and Lagoon Animals.
SEA CREATURES: The Sea Creatures are the ensemble under water animals in King Triton’s court. There are several moments to showcase both dancers and singers in “Under the Sea.”
SEAHORSE: The Seahorse is the court herald for King Triton. This non-singing part is a good role for a young performer with a clear speaking voice.
SEBASTIAN: Sebastian is the meticulous and anxious crab who tries to keep Ariel safe while getting to lead some of the most memorable songs in the show! We will look for a strong singer who can also handle Sebastian’s emotional range. Jamaican accent required.
URSULA: Ursula is the manipulative sea witch who tries to overthrow King Triton. She is cunning and devious and will stop at nothing to get what she wants. We are looking for a talented performer who can bring out this villain’s humor while finding texture in Ursula’s complexity. Ursula’s songs can be challenging, so we are looking for a singer who will feel comfortable with these solos.
AUDITION REQUIREMENTS:
You will need to see Mr. De Cata to book an audition time.
Each audition will go for approximately 5 -10 minutes, during which you will be required to sing and read selected scenes from the script. You will only be required to read from the script if you are auditioning for a speaking role.
Singing
Please prepare one of the following song selections below. You will be singing with CD accompaniment. Be familiar with all of the songs as you may be asked to perform another selection of the directors’ choosing.
If you are auditioning for a specific part, please prepare the song that corresponds to the character you are auditioning for.
If you are trying out for any other roles/ensemble, please prepare either ‘Under the Sea’ or ‘Part of Your World’.
The audition songs are as follows:
· Ariel, Mersisters/Princesses: #12 - Part of Your World (bar. 30 - 52)
· Sebastian, Flounder, Scuttle: #13 - Under the Sea (beginning - bar. 40)
· Prince Eric: #30 - One Step Closer (bar. 7 - 27)
· Ursula, Jetsam, Flotsam: #24 - Poor Unfortunate Souls (bar. 72 - end)
All song selections can be found within this information pack. Song tracks and accompaniment tracks for The Little Mermaid (Jr.) can be found on SIMON under the link ‘The Little Mermaid Jr’. Alternatively, you can access these on www.youtube.com/littlemermaidjrmusic to help you prepare for your audition.
Acting
If you are trying out for a role that has dialogue, it is strongly advised that you prepare all of the acting scenes found in this audition pack. These scenes do not need to be memorized.
If you are auditioning for one of the main roles, you can expect that you will be asked to read for the character you are auditioning for. Otherwise, the director will choose the scene and character you will be reading.
Dancing
At this stage, there will be no dance audition. Once the show has been cast and rehearsals commence, we will choreograph the relevant musical numbers based on the abilities of cast members.
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At the very end of this audition pack is an Audition Form. Please fill it out completely, print it and hand it to the audition panel before your audition.
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SONG SELECTIONS
Ariel, Mersisters/Princesses: #12 - Part of Your World (bar. 30 - 52)
Sebastian, Flounder, Scuttle: #13 - Under the Sea (beginning - bar. 40)
Prince Eric: #30 - One Step Closer (bar. 7 - 27)
Ursula, Jetsam, Flotsam: #24 - Poor Unfortunate Souls (bar. 72 - end)
ACTING SCENES
Scene 1: Flotsam, Jetsam, Ariel and Ursula
Scene 2: Mersisters
Scene 3: Prince Eric and Grimsby
Scene 4: Flounder, Sebastian and Scuttle
Scene 5: Ariel and King Triton
GENERAL INFORMATION
Cast list:
All students will be notified of the cast list via email, once it has been finalised. A copy will also be posted on the noticeboard outside the Dillon Building. This will most likely be on the Friday 2nd December. All successful cast members will be also required to sign a contract indicating their commitment to the production.
Rehearsals:
· Rehearsals are COMPULSORY and will be held every Monday from 3:30PM – 5:30PM in the HALL and/or DRAMA STUDIO, commencing on Monday 1st of February.
· There will be two full day rehearsals during the Term 1 holidays – these days are yet to be finalised.
· From the beginning of Term 2, there will also be rehearsals on every Sunday from 10:00AM - 4:00PM.
Tech and Dress Rehearsals:
· Full Dress rehearsal – Sunday 28th May
· Full Dress rehearsal – Monday 29th May
· Tech and Full Dress Rehearsal – Tuesday 30th May
Performances:
· Matinee Preview Performance – Wednesday 31st May
· Opening Night (7:30PM) – Wednesday 31st May
· Evening Performance (7:30PM) – Thursday 1st June
· Evening Performance (7:30PM) – Friday 2nd June
· Matinee Performance (2:00PM) – Saturday 3rd June
· Evening Performance (7:30PM) – Saturday 3rd June
AUDITION FORM
NAME: _______________________________________ YEAR LEVEL (2017):______
SCHOOL EMAIL ADDRESS:
AUDITIONING FOR:
List the roles you would like to be considered for in order of preference. If you would like to audition for the ensemble ONLY, please write ‘ensemble’
1. _______________________________________________________________
2. _______________________________________________________________
3. _______________________________________________________________
Would you accept another role? (please circle) YES NO
Would you accept ensemble? (please circle) YES NO
TRAINING:
List any training you have received in Acting, Voice or Dance. (Please continue on the back if you require more space)
THEATRICAL EXPERIENCE:
List any theatre or performance experience you have (Please continue on the back if you require more space)
SPECIAL TALENTS:
List any special talents you may have (i.e. gymnastics, juggling etc.)
_____________________________________________________________________________________________
Student signature: _________________________ Parent signature: _____________________