Calendar Girls

    Audition Notice for Calendar Girls

Performance dates:-

6^th 7^th 8^th 9^th. / 13^th 14^th 15^th 16^th March 2013 at The Norbury Theatre Droitwich.

20^th 21^st 22^nd 23^rd March at The Conquest Theatre Bromyard.

Audition dates  Tuesday 9^th and Thursday 11^th October 2012 at 7.30pm

Written by Tim Firth the play is based on the true story of eleven WI members who posed nude for a calendear to raise money for the Lukaemia Research fund. The play has beome the fastest selling play in British theatre history and is being released to amateurs for one year only.

For this play more than any it is essential that the “girls” bond well together. The audtions are taking place early to ensure we get the right mix. We may not for a week or two.

The Characters:-

Chris 50 ish. You want Chris at your party. She will talk to people she doesn’t know, find things to say to fill silences and generate laughter. She is at home in crowds loves being the centre of attention. Without Chris in her life Annie would be better behaved. The two of them are like naughty school girls. Ideal car?... who cares as long as it’s a cabriolet.

Ideal holiday- Algarve

Annie 50ish. Annie will join in mischief but is at heart more conformist and less confrontational than Chris. The mischeivousness Chris elicits saves Annie from being a saint. She has enough edge to be interesting and enough salt not to be too sweet. Ideal car? Who cares as long as it’s reliable. Ideal holiday- walking in the English countryside.

Cora 40ish. Cora’s past is the most eclectic, having been to college!. This caused a tectonic shift with her more parochial parents. She came back to them pregnant; she is resilient and not at all downtrodden.She is the joker in the pack but never the fool. Her wit is deadpan. Her relationship with her daughter is more akin to that between Annie and Chris. She needs to sing well enough to start the show singing Jerusalem, a piano player would be an advantage but not necessary. Ideal car? who cares as long as the sound system is loud. Ideal holiday- New York

                                                                                                                                                    

Jessie 60s/70s. Get on the right side of Jessie as a teacher and she’ll be the teacher you’ll remember for life. Get on the wrong side and you will regret every waking hour! Her elixir of life is bravery, she goes on rollercoasters. Her husband is rarely surprised by her actions, she cares about grammar and the use of the apostrophe. Ideal car? Strange looking European thing long since manufactured. Holidays- Walking in Switzerland or Angkor Wat.

Celia age 35-50ish. The fact that Celia is in the WI is the greatest justification to its existence. More at home in the best department store than a church hall she always feels as if she has drifted in from a different world. She has a rebelliousness about her which endears her to Jessie. Ideal car? A Porche, which she has. Ideal Holiday- Maldives, where she often goes.

Ruth 40ish Ruth’s journey is from the false self-confidence of the emotionally abused to the genuine self-confidence of the woman happy in her own skin. Eager to please but not a rag doll she wants to keep everyone happy, she is protected by the group, they sense there is something better in Ruth than she is letting out. Ideal car? At the start anything that Eddie wants at the end whatever she wants. Ideal holiday-at the start wherever Eddie is, at the end wherever he isn’t.

Marie 50ish.Marie has gradually built the current “Marie” around her as a defence mechanism. She went to Cheshire and found Cheshire didn’t want her! She came back scorched. The WI is a trophy which justifies her entire existence. There is a lingering part of Marie that would love to be on that calendar (she never is). Ideal car? Something German and well-valeted. Ideal holiday-a quasi-academic tour of Persia advertised in the Sunday Supplement.

John Annie’s Husband 50ish. John is a human sunflower. Not a saint. Not a hero. When he dies it feels like someone has turned off a light.

Rod Chris’s husband 50ish. He gives as good as he gets from Chris, he has a deadpan sense of humour. Likes a drink, works hard.

Lawrence, late 20ish. Shy, hesitant but not nerdy! Had the courage to turn up in the first place. The photographer.

Lady Cavendish, 60ish.The president of the WI She doesn’t mean to be patronizing…but she is. Not a tweed wearer she dresses elegantly and glides like a galleon.

Elaine, 20ish. The beautician. Another patronizing woman who thinks beauty just for the young.

Liam, Late 20’s ish!! Would rather be directing other things than photoshoots for washing powder! There is a resigned patience to his actions.

You notice the ages are all “ish” these are real people and the age is almost immaterial.

The team:

Director                       Anne Lane      01905 775083 07885626958

Stage Manager            Kathryn Hooper.

Prompt                                    Jen Cox

The set build will be in the capable hands of Brian Hooper.

There will another chance to read through the play on Friday 14^th September 7.30 in the Green Room. Although this will not be an audition, please let Anne know if there is a part you would particularly like to read.

Just a reminder that all cast must pay their subs on or before the first rehearsal and a show levy of £15.00 will be charged.

A Murder is Announced

The play will now be directed by Matt Jeffery and Andy Brown. Details below.
Audition Dates – Sunday 27 May 2012 at 10.30 am and Tuesday 29 May 2012 at 7.30pm

“A Murder is Announced”

By

Agatha Christie

Adapted for the Stage by Leslie Darbon

The “announcement” is in the local paper, stating time and place of a murder to occur in Miss Blackstock’s early Victorian house. However, the victim is not one of the several occupants, temporary and permanent, but an unexpected and unknown visitor. What follows is a classic Christie puzzle of missed motives, concealed identities, a second death, a determined Inspector grimly following the twists and turns, with Miss Marple on hand to provide the final solution – at some risk to herself – in a dramatic confrontation scene just before the final curtain.

Details and Information

Director – The play will now be directed by Matt Jeffrey and Andy Brown – Matt mobile – 07971220671 – email – matthew-jeffrey@hotmail.co.uk
Andy mobile – 07854644857 – email – andrewbrown133@yahoo.co.uk

Show Dates – 5-8 September 2012

Rehearsals – Tuesday and Thursday

.Audition Dates – Sunday 27 May 2012 at 10.30 am and Tuesday 29 May 2012 at 7.30pm
– Sunday 20 May 2012 at 11.00am and Tuesday 22 May 2012 at 7.30pm

If cast you will need to be a member of the theatre or complete an application form and pay the necessary fee at the time of the first rehearsal. All members of the cast are required to pay the £15.00 show levy. This levy will be collected during the first 'get together'/rehearsal.

This show will start the Norbury’s 50^th year and I’m really looking forward to putting it on. I’m not that worried about the character descriptions and ages because, as long as it looks right to me, I’m happy to cast according to our strengths and availability.

Obviously, rehearsals will take place over the summer months and people will have holiday commitments but as long as I have details of these at the start, I’ll make every effort to work around them. Also, there will be some Sunday rehearsals towards the end of the rehearsal process but I’ll try to let you know about these with as much notice as possible. Please come along and audition – I know how nervous auditions make people so will try to keep them as relaxed as possible!

Cast of Characters

Julia Simmons – Niece to Letitia Blacklock aged 25/26

Letitia Blacklock – A woman beyond middle age but still very attractive and has looked after figure and features

Dora Bunner – A mature lady of a similar age to Letitia or could be slightly older

Patrick Simmons – Julia’s brother, a very handsome young man aged approximately 30

Mitzi – A small woman in her mid 20s from mid-Europe with an explosive temperament

Miss Marple – An elderly lady with an over inquisitive mind that gets her into a lot of trouble

Phillipa Haymes – A tall, elegant blonde aged 26 with a touch of real class about her and a serious turn of mind

Mrs Sweetenham – A woman in her late 50s and Mother to Edmund

Edmund Sweetenham – A very serious young man in his mid to late 20s who has pretentions of being a writer. Although English, looks foreign

Rudi Scherz – A young Swiss national – a very small part

Inspector Craddock – A man of authority aged about 50

Sergeant Mellors – Craddock’s subordinated, aged about 40 and a very good foil to Craddock

Norbury Theatre Pantomime 2013 - Jack and the Beanstalk

Audition Notice

Dear all,

            We are going to stage a pantomime, “Jack and the Beanstalk”, to run over 3 weeks in January 2013. The run will comprise of 14 performances including Saturday and Sunday matinees. The show dates are:

Thursday 10^th – Sunday 13^th January inclusive

Thursday 17^th – Sunday 20^th January inclusive

Thursday 24^th – Saturday 26^th January inclusive

The Cast

Dame Hilda Trot	Downtrodden Dame who keeps getting up
Jack Trot	Handsome son and heir of Hilda (Principal Boy)
Timmy Trot	Not quite so handsome & very simple brother of Jack
Squire Knackweasel	Mean and Ruthless squire of Piddlington
Jill	Beautiful niece of the squire (Principal Girl)
Daisy	Hilda’s faithful old cow
Sergeant Spit	Bumbling head of Piddlington Army
Corporal Polish	His dim but loyal assistant
Ferdinand Fleshcreep	The Giants very naughty and disliked sidekick
Fairy Meer	“Simples”
Beryl Blackheart	The Giants most unfriendly wife
Giant Blackheart	Has a penchant for making baps out of “Englishmen”
Booming Beatrice	Town crier who is never without a bell in her hand
Chorus	Villagers of Piddlington, servants, guards, etc

Auditions will take place on Sunday 29^th July from 11:00am.

Rehearsals will take place on Tuesday and Thursday evenings. Dates to be confirmed once the show is cast. Please check your commitments, especially if you are in other productions, before you audition.

Whichever part you are auditioning for you will be required to perform a song of your own choice. You will not be required to learn something from the production. It does not matter whether the song is accompanied or not. If you have accompaniment please bring it along on a CD, if not, don’t worry.

We will be having a read-thru/sing/chat on Friday 29^th June at 7:30pm. This is open to all and will provide an opportunity to have any questions answered. There will be no obligation to audition. Just turn up and have some fun!

The Team

Director – Mike Matthews

Assistant Director – Mel Jeffrey

Musical Director – Ben Thompson

Choreographer – Kirsty Purvis, in association with the Kirsty Purvis School of Dance

Stage Manager – Brian Hooper

Moira Hilton – Continuity

Please note – if cast you will need to become a member of the theatre (if not already) by completing an application form and paying the necessary fee at the time of first rehearsal. All members of the cast are required to pay a £15.00 show levy, which will be collected during the first rehearsal.

Many thanks,

Mike Matthews – 07919 576321

Guys and Dolls

*AUDITION NOTICE*    Guys and Dolls

This amateur production is presented by arrangement with Josef Weinberger Ltd. on behalf of Music Theatre International of New York.

A musical fable of Broadway based on the story and characters of Damon Runyon.

Music and lyrics by Frank Loesser     Book by Jo Swerling and Abe Burrows

All the hot gamblers are in town, and they're all depending on Nathan Detroit to set up the week's incarnation of "The Oldest Established Permanent Floating Crap Game in New York"; the only problem is, he needs $1000 to get the place. Throw in Sarah Brown, who's short on sinners at the mission she runs; Sky Masterson, who accepts Nathan's $1000 bet that he can't get Sarah Brown to go with him to Havana; Miss Adelaide, who wants Nathan to marry her; Police Lieutenant Brannigan, who always seems to appear at the wrong time; and the music/lyrics of Frank Loesser, and you've got quite a musical.

Includes the songs: "Luck Be a Lady", "Sit Down, You're Rocking the Boat”, “Guy & Dolls”.

PRODUCTION DATES

October 2012, 18^th, 19^th, 20^th, 23^rd, 24^th, 25^th, 26^th, 27^th (9 performances)

AUDITIONS FOR ALL PERFORMERS (actors/singers/dancers)

Saturday, May 12th ~ 2:00PM - 5:00PM

Thursday, May 17th ~ 7.00PM - 10:00PM

AUDITION REQUIREMENTS

Please come prepared to sing a song from Guys and Dolls, a song of your choice and come prepared to do a short dance sequence.  

REHEARSALS

Rehearsals will be on a Monday and Wednesday evenings commencing on Monday 6th July 2012.

Please note you must be 16 years or older to take part in this production.

If cast you will need to be a member of the theatre or complete an application form and pay the necessary fee at the time of the first rehearsal. All members cast are required to pay the £15 show levy. This levy will be collected during the first ‘get together’/rehearsal.

For further information please contact Director Maggie Bishton:

Phone: 07919505764          Email: drama50@hotmail.co.uk

Character Descriptions

Sarah Brown — Prim Salvation Army officer. Vocal: Soprano

Sky Masterson — A handsome, wealthy gambler who will bet on anything. Vocal: Baritone

Miss Adelaide — A dancer at the ‘Hot Box’ club with a perpetual psychosomatic cold. She’s been engaged to Nathan Detroit for 14 years and desperately wants to get married. Vocal: Mezzo

Nathan Detroit — Reckless and adorable gambler; Adelaide’s would-be better half. Vocal:  Baritone

Arvide Abernathy — Sarah’s grandfather, a gentle soul. Vocal: Baritone

Nicely-Nicely Johnson — A never-give-up gambler. Vocal: Tenor

Angie the Ox - A gambler and thug. Vocal: Choral

Big Jule - A big tough gangster from Chicago. Vocal: Choral

General Matilda B. Cartwright — The salvation Army matron. Vocal: Mezzo

Harry the Horse - A hoodlum out of Brooklyn. Tough guy. Vocal: Choral

Lt. Branigan - New York policeman taking charge on his beat. Vocal: Choral

Benny Southstreet — Small-time gambler with big ideas. Vocal: Baritone

Rusty Charley — Hangs out with Nicely and Benny, another small-time gambler. Vocal: Baritone

LOTS for both singing and dancing chorus in this show!

-          Gamblers and gangsters

-          Hot Box Girls - Adelaide’s dance troop.

-          City Folk - Adding colour to New York City.

-          Mission Band members

When Damon Runyon wrote his “Broadway Stories” that would later become Guys and Dolls he was able to capture perfectly the variety of characters that inhabited a fast paced, hand to mouth, rough and tumble New York City. The characters in this play are hip, wise, funny and above all individuals. These people have been there and done that. Looking for actors who really light up the stage, have great articulation and projection. We want a variety of ages. Comic timing is everything. Be bold! Stage-Age is how old you can look not how old you actually are.

Midsummer Nights Dream

 A Midsummer Night’s Dream by William Shakespeare

Production to be stage in July 2012. Venues to include the theatre plus a outside venues.

Director: Martin Davis

Assistant director: Mel Jeffery

Lysander loves Hermia, and Hermia loves Lysander. Helena loves Demetrius; Demetrius used to love Helena but now loves Hermia. Egeus, Hermia's father, prefers Demetrius as a suitor, and enlists the aid of Theseus, the Duke of Athens, to enforce his wishes upon his daughter.

In the forest. Oberon and Titania, King and Queen of Fairies, are locked in a dispute over a boy whom Titania has adopted. Oberon instructs his servant Puck to bring him magic love drops, which Oberon will sprinkle on the Queen's eyelids as she sleeps, whereupon Titania will fall in love with the first creature she sees upon awakening. Oberon also tells Puck to place the magic drops upon the eyelids of Demetrius, so that Demetrius may fall in love with Helena. Puck, however, makes the mistake of putting the drops on the eyelids of Lysander instead. Helena stumbles over Lysander in the forest, and the spell is cast; Lysander now desires Helena and renounces a stunned Hermia.

In the midst of this chaos, a group of craftsmen are rehearsing for a production of "Pyramus and Thisbe," and Puck impishly casts a spell on Bottom to give him the head of a donkey. Bottom, as luck would have it, is the first thing Titania sees when she awakens; hence, Bottom ends up being lavishly kept by the Queen.

Come and join in the fun that is A Midsummer Night’s Dream!

List of Characters:

Puck - Also known as Robin Goodfellow, Puck is Oberon’s jester, a mischievous fairy who delights in playing pranks on mortals. Puck is the closest thing the play has to a protagonist. His enchanting, mischievous spirit pervades the atmosphere, and his antics are responsible for many of the complications that propel the other main plots.

Oberon – The king of the fairies, Oberon is initially at odds with his wife, Titania, because she refuses to relinquish control of a young Indian prince whom he wants for a knight. Oberon’s desire for revenge on Titania leads him to send Puck to obtain the love-potion flower that creates so much of the play’s confusion and farce.

Titania - The beautiful queen of the fairies, Titania resists the attempts of her husband, Oberon, to make a knight of the young Indian prince that she has been given. Titania has a brief, potion-induced love for Nick Bottom, whose head Puck has transformed into that of an ass.

Lysander - A young man of Athens, in love with Hermia. When Lysander and Hermia run away into the forest, Lysander becomes the victim of misapplied magic and wakes up in love with Helena.

Demetrius - A young man of Athens, initially in love with Hermia and ultimately in love with Helena.

Hermia - Egeus’s daughter, a young woman of Athens. Hermia is in love with Lysander and is a childhood friend of Helena. As a result of the fairies’ mischief with Oberon’s love potion, both Lysander and Demetrius suddenly fall in love with Helena. Self-conscious about her short stature, Hermia suspects that Helena has wooed the men with her height.

Helena - A young woman of Athens, in love with Demetrius. Demetrius and Helena were once betrothed, but when Demetrius met Helena’s friend Hermia, he fell in love with her and abandoned Helena.

Egeus - Hermia’s father, who brings a complaint against his daughter to Theseus

Theseus - The heroic duke of Athens, engaged to Hippolyta. Theseus represents power and order throughout the play. He appears only at the beginning and end of the story, removed from the dreamlike events of the forest.

Hippolyta - The legendary queen of the Amazons, engaged to Theseus. Like Theseus, she symbolizes order.

Nick Bottom - The overconfident weaver chosen to play Pyramus in the craftsmen’s play for Theseus’s marriage celebration. Bottom is full of advice and self-confidence but frequently makes silly mistakes and misuses language.

Peter Quince - A carpenter and the nominal leader of the craftsmen’s attempt to put on a play for Theseus’s marriage celebration. Quince is often shoved aside by the abundantly confident Bottom.

Francis Flute - The bellows-mender chosen to play Thisbe in the craftsmen’s play for Theseus’s marriage celebration. Forced to play a young girl in love, the bearded craftsman determines to speak his lines in a high, squeaky voice.

Robin Starveling - The tailor chosen to play Thisbe’s mother in the craftsmen’s play for Theseus’s marriage celebration. He ends up playing the part of Moonshine.

Tom Snout - The tinker chosen to play Pyramus’s father in the craftsmen’s play for Theseus’s marriage celebration. He ends up playing the part of Wall, dividing the two lovers.

Snug - The joiner chosen to play the lion in the craftsmen’s play for Theseus’s marriage celebration. Snug worries that his roaring will frighten the ladies in the audience.

Philostrate - Theseus’s Master of the Revels, responsible for organizing the entertainment for the duke’s marriage celebration.

Peaseblossom, Cobweb, Moth, and Mustardseed - The fairies ordered by Titania to attend to Bottom after she falls in love with him.

Auditions Sunday 18^th March 10.00am

Rehearsals will be on Thursday evenings and Sunday mornings

If cast you will need to be a member of the theatre or complete an application form and pay the necessary fee at the time of the first rehearsal.  All members of the cast are required to pay the £15.00 show levy.  This levy will be collected during the first get together / rehearsal.

South Pacific

“SOUTH PACIFIC”

This classic Rodgers & Hammerstein piece will be the Norbury’s Summer Musical.

Performance dates are: 13^th June 2012 -16^th June 2012

                                             20^th June 2012-23^rd June2012

                                             There will also be matinees on the 16^th & 23^rd

Brief Synopsis

Set in an island paradise during World War ll, two parallel love stories are threatened by the dangers of prejudice and war.  Nellie, a nurse from Arkansas, falls in love with a mature French planter, Emile.  Nellie learns that the mother of his children was an island native and, unable to turn her back on the prejudices with which she was raised, refuses Emile’s proposal of marriage.

Meanwhile, the strapping Lt Joe Cable denies himself the fulfilment of a future with native girl Liat, with whom he’s fallen in love, out of the same fears that haunt Nellie.

When Emile is recruited to accompany Joe on a dangerous mission that claims Joe’s life, Nellie realizes that life is too short not to seize her chance for happiness, thus confronting and conquering her prejudices.

This show magically brings to life the atmosphere of the South Pacific, and the combination of an extremely good story and a wonderful score, results in one of the best-loved musicals ever written.

Besides the following principal roles, there are many supporting/cameo roles for a vibrant Male and Female chorus.

Character Breakdown

Nellie Forbush-         Age Range:25-30.                  Vocal Part: Mezzo.

A feisty but somewhat naive young nurse from Arkansas.  Something of a tomboy with an optimistic outlook.    

Emile de Becque       Age Range: 40-50.                 Vocal Part:  Baritone.

A mature, sophisticated, wealthy French planter.  Good French accent required.

LT. Joseph Cable       Age Range: 20-25.                 Vocal Part:  Tenor.

Young and intelligent lieutenant.  Will be required to take shirt off, so get down the Gym lads.

Bloody Mary  Age Range: 40-55.                 Vocal Part:  Mezzo.

A shrewd merchant native to the island, who makes a fortune from the sailors.

Luther Billis               Age Range: 30-45.                 Vocal Part:  Baritone.

A loveable character who provides his fellow marines with much needed comic relief.

Ngana                         Age Range: 8-11                    Vocal Part:  Child

Emile’s Daughter.  French accent required.

Jerome                       Age Range      8-11                Vocal Part:  Child

Emile’s Son.  French accent required.

Liat                  Age Range: 16-20                              Non Singing

Bloody Mary’s beautiful Polynesian daughter.

George Brackett       Age Range: 50-60                  Non Singing

Commanding officer of the island.

William Harbison      Age Range: 25-40                  Non singing

Brackett’s right hand man.

Henry                         Age Range: 25-40                  Non Singing

Emile’s native servant.  French accent required-speaks French.

AUDITIONS

These will take place on the following dates:

Sunday 22/01/2012 between 2pm and 5pm

Monday 23/01/2012 between 7.30pm and 10pm

There will also be a get together on Monday 16/01/2012 at 7.30pm for all those who may be interested, when vocal audition parts will be played.

Rehearsals will be on a Monday and Wednesday evenings commencing on Monday 6th February 2012.

If cast you will need to be a member of the theatre or complete an application form and pay the necessary fee at the time of the first rehearsal. All members cast are required to pay the £15 show levy. This levy will be collected during the first ‘get together’/rehearsal.

For further information, if required, please contact myself Tony Boardman on the following:-

Phone:            01527 528991

Email:             tonyboardma@hotmail.co.uk