Season auditions
Have you ever dreamed of being on stage? Now is your chance! The Department of Theatre and Dance will be holding auditions for three theatre productions this Spring - Alice by Heart by Steven Sater, Jessie Nelson and Duncan Sheik; The Stinky Cheeseman and Other Fairly Stupid Tales by John Glore and Shoeless Joe: A Musical Cabaret - and you're invited to be a part of them.
Alice By Heart
General auditions for Alice by Heart will be held on Monday, November 30, 6 pm - 9 pm in Miller Theatre, located in the Climenhaga Fine Arts Building. Callbacks will be held on Wednesday, December 2, time TBD. An audition sign-up sheet and character descriptions will be posted starting November 9 on the callboard in the theatre hallway of lower-level Climenhaga.
AUDITION Requirements
Those planning to audition should prepare the following.
- Prepare a 1 minute dramatic monologue utilizing a British accent.
- Prepare a 32 bar song from a musical that is similar in style to Alice By Heart. Students should bring sheet music that has the appropriate starting and stopping points marked and ready to hand off to the accompanist.
Stinky Cheeseman and Other Fairly Stupid Tales
General auditions for The Stinky Cheeseman will be held on Monday, November 30, 6 pm - 9 pm in Pollock Dance Studio, located in the Climenhaga Fine Arts Building. Callbacks will be held on Wednesday, December 2, time TBD. An audition sign-up sheet and character descriptions will be posted starting November 9 on the callboard in the theatre hallway of lower-level Climenhaga.
AUDITION Requirements
Those planning to audition should prepare the following.
- Prepare a 1-2 minute monologue from any Theatre for Young Audience comedy.
Shoeless Joe: A Musical Cabaret
General auditions for Shoeless Joe will be held on Tuesday, December 1, 6 pm - 9 pm in Miller Theatre, located in the Climenhaga Fine Arts Building. Callbacks will be held on Wednesday, December 2, time TBD.
AUDITION Requirements
Those planning to audition should prepare the following.
- Prepare 2 songs, 16 bar cuts each, one comedic, one serious. We are looking for a range of styles
Alice By Heart
Directed by Daniel Inouye
Miller Theater
April 8-10, 14 at 8 p.m.; April 10 & 11 at 3 p.m.
April 13, 10:00 a.m. special school performance
Set in a London Underground tube station during the WWII Blitz, this contemporary musical follows Alice Spencer as she escapes into Alice's Adventures in Wonderland with her dying friend Alfred. The production explores grief, first love, and the transformative power of imagination in the harshest circumstances.
Shoeless Joe: A Musical Cabaret
Directed by Susan Hurley
January 29 & 30 at 8 p.m. & January 30 at 3 p.m.
Poorman Blackbox Theater
A new cabaret every time! Uniquely built for each new cast!
Stinky Cheeseman and Other Fairly Stupid Tales
Written by John Glore
Directed by Ed Cohn
Traveling Theatre for Young Audience Production
Feb 25-27 at 7:30 p.m.; Feb 28 13 at 3 p.m.
Elementary school tour: March 1-5
This hilarious, fast-paced production deconstructs classic fairy tales with wit, absurdity, and meta-theatrical playfulness. Based on the beloved children's book by Jon Scieszka and Lane Smith, the play follows Jack (from the Beanstalk) as he tries to escape a Giant by retelling fractured fairy tales, only to be constantly interrupted by memorable characters including the notorious Stinky Cheeseman.
Casting is open to all members of the academic community. Occasionally, guest actors will be employed. Any Messiah University student enrolled and in good academic standing as defined by the statement on satisfactory academic process in the student handbook is encouraged to audition.
The Department of Theatre & Dance follows an Inclusive Casting Policy which means that casting is open to all actors regardless of race, ethnicity, gender, disability, or age. Exceptions to the Inclusive Casting Policy may be taken when specified by the director's production concept. An exception to the Inclusive Casting Policy must be made when the dramatist's stage directions regarding race, ethnicity, gender, disability, or age are both explicit and protected by the license to produce the play.
Theatre majors who have declared the acting emphasis are required to audition for all department productions. Specific details about semester auditions are posted in the Climenhaga Building Theatre Hallway on the call board.
Production Crew Opportunities~
If you're interested in being part of the behind-the-scenes magic of our theatre productions, we want to hear from you! We’re looking for dedicated students to join our production teams in a variety of technical and crew roles. Opportunities are available in stage management, costumes, scenic construction and painting, props, lighting, and sound. No matter your experience level, there's a place for you to get involved and grow your skills.
To learn more or to express interest, contact Professor Daniel Inouye at dinouye@Messiah.edu. Come be a part of the creative energy that brings our shows to life!