Kankakee Times

Kankakee Valley Theatre Association recently issued the following announcement.

When: Jun 30 at 9 AM to Jul 1 at 2 PM CDT

Where: Kankakee Valley Theatre Association

            1 Stuart Dr, Kankakee, Illinois 60901

Co-Directors: Paula Sutter & Courtney Casteel

Assistant Director: Gina O'Connor

Vocal Director: Misti Kohl

Co-Choreographers: Amy Morris & Veronica Kravat

Performance Dates: September 29-30 & October 6-7, 2018

Audition Information for NEWSIES

Audition ages to be considered for a newsie: Boys age 9 and up / Girls age 13 and up

PLEASE NOTE: Auditions and callbacks will be held at the KVTA Studios – 1 Stuart Drive, Kankakee

Audition Date: Saturday, June 30

Time Slot #1: 9-10 am for Men and Women / 10 am - 1 pm for Newsies and Katherine

Time Slot #2: 2-3 pm for Men and Women / 3 pm - 6 pm for Newsies and Katherine

Callback Date: Sunday, July 1

Time: Beginning at 2 pm

If you have a scheduling conflict with the audition times, please contact us as soon as possible at: kvtanewsies@gmail.com

All auditions will take place on Saturday, June 30 with callbacks on Sunday, July 1. Many characters in the show are only in one or two small scenes, so we anticipate that we will be double casting several parts as well as double casting some of the newsies. There are several character parts that are non-singing. The only characters that dance will be the newsies, Katherine, and the Bowery Beauties.

There will be a dance audition workshop on Friday, June 22, at the Paula Aubry Dance Studio 200 N Washington Ave Bradley, IL 60915. Anyone auditioning to be a newsie or Katherine is strongly encouraged to attend. There will be two time slots for the dance workshop from 6:00-7:30 pm and 7:30-9:00 pm. You should sign up below if you will be attending. In addition to the workshop, a dance audition video will be posted here in early June. We will not take time to teach the audition dance at auditions.

This will be an incredible show! However, we need actors who will be committed to showing up for rehearsals, promoting the show, working hard, and practicing to be the best they can be! This will be a heavy rehearsal schedule for at least half of the cast. When you download the conflict calendar to fill in your conflicts, you will notice the red R. These are tentative rehearsal dates. They are all subject to change. Our choreographers start back at their dance studio with classes in September, so we will be hitting the dancing hard in July and August. Please put ALL of your conflicts on the calendar and bring it with you to your audition.

The links to the audition form, conflict calendar, and audition material are on our website at: http://www.kvta.org/newsies-auditions

If you cannot download the PDF files, please contact us at kvtanewsies@gmail.com and we can email you the documents.

Sign Up Here for Audition & Dance Workshop: https://www.wejoinin.com/sheets/eoqvi

Audition Form & Conflict Calendar: https://www.kvta.org/newsies-auditions

CONFLICTS

We know there are many other shows happening this summer. Anyone that is another production this summer is welcome to audition for Newsies. However, due to our rehearsal schedule, anyone cast in Newsies CANNOT audition for the fall KVTA production of Junie B. Jones JR.

INITIAL AUDITION VOCAL AND READING SELECTIONS:

Please select one song and one reading for your initial audition. We would like everyone to sing!

Characters not listed can sing any of these songs.

Jack - Santa Fe

Medda - That's Rich

Pulitzer - The Bottom Line

Crutchie - Letter from the Refuge

Nuns - Carrying the Banner

#1 Newsies/General - Carrying the Banner

#2 Newsies/General - Seize the Day

Katherine - Watch What Happens

CALLBACK VOCAL SELECTIONS:

PLEASE NOTE: Anyone called back for Medda or Pulitzer may be asked to sing the initial audition song. If we call back someone for Crutchie that did not sing Letter from the Refuge at their initial audition they may be asked to sing that song as well as the song with Jack.

Jack and Crutchie - Santa Fe (Prologue)

Newsies - Seize the Day

Jack and Katherine - Something to Believe In

CALLBACK READING SELECTIONS:

Some of these readings may not be used, but if you are called back you should familiarize yourself with any of the readings for the character(s) you are called back for.

Jack/Davey/Les

Katherine/Jack

Pulitzer/Jack

Crutchie/Jack

Newsies 1

Newsies 2

Medda/Jack/Davey/Les

Pulitzer/Seitz/Hannah/Bunsen/Nunzio

Mayor/Pulitzer/Bunsen/Snyder

Roosevelt/Mayor/Jack/Bunsen

CALLBACK LIST AND CAST LIST

The callback list will be posted late on Saturday, June 30, after all auditions have been completed.

The cast list will be posted after the conclusion of all callbacks on Sunday, July 1.

We will post all callback and cast information both on our website and on our Facebook page: http://www.facebook.com/kankakeetheatre

Casting/Character Breakdown

The following characters will have MAJOR/HEAVY rehearsal time.

JACK KELLY – The charismatic leader of the Manhattan Newsies. We will be looking for someone with a strong tenor voice and a sense of physicality. The individual that is cast has to be committed to the heavy rehearsal schedule he will have. Vocal range top: A4 bottom: Bb2

CRUTCHIE - A dedicated Newsie with a bum leg. We will be looking for someone who can appear to have a bum leg and who can stay in character (including dancing) using the crutch the entire show. Vocal range: Top: A4, Bottom: C3

DAVEY - A new straight-laced, but bright newsie who starts selling newspapers to help his family earn a living. Davey is the brains of the resistance. Vocal range: Top: A4, Bottom: D3

LES – Davey’s younger brother. We’re looking for a younger boy who can sing, has enthusiasm and some dance ability. Someone who will grab the hearts of the audience, as he is a pint-sized charmer. Vocal range: Top Bb3, Bottom: Db3

NEWSIES – Hard working-kids of NYC that go on strike for a living wage. We will be looking for male or female individuals that can sing, dance, and can do a New York accent (and still be understood). Tap and acrobatic experience would be a plus, but not mandatory. Some newsies may be double cast. Actors must be committed to a heavy rehearsal schedule.

SPOT CONLON - The proud leader of the Brooklyn Newsies. Has a short solo in “Brooklyn’s Here.”

SCABS - Newsies who are hesitant to join the strike.

KATHERINE – Ambitious young reporter in a time when women weren’t taken seriously. The actor cast will have to have great diction, can belt a song and can tap (or is willing to learn). She has a brief dance solo in King of New York. Vocal Range: Top F5, Bottom A3

The following characters will have MODERATE rehearsal time:

JOSEPH PULITZER – A mature gentleman who can play a pompous business man who is concerned solely with the bottom line. Vocal range: Top: F4, Bottom: C3

MEDDA LARKIN – This vaudeville performer is a big-voiced singer with a big personality and a friend to the Newsies. Vocal range: Top: E5, Bottom: F3

SEITZ – Male - Editor, advises Pulitzer, but ultimately admires the kids’ newspaper

BUNSEN – Can be male or female - Pulitzer’s bookkeeper.

HANNAH - Pulitzer’s practical and insightful secretary.

WIESEL - Or “Weasel,” (Pulitzer’s disgruntled paper- pusher) runs the distribution window for the World.

OSCAR and MORRIS DELANCEY - Tough brothers who work at the distribution window and are known to use their fists to make a point.

DARCY and BILL – Can be male or one male and one female. The upper-class kids of a publisher who sides with the Newsies.

THE BOWERY BEAUTIES - Female performers at Medda’s theatre.

NUNS - The nuns offer breakfast to the hungry Newsies.

SNYDER – Can be Male or female - The Sinister warden of The Refuge.

GOONS - Assists the Delanceys in roughing up the Newsies.

NUNZIO - Pulitzer’s barber.

GUARD - The Guard removes the Newsies from Pulitzer’s building.

STAGE MANAGER - Can be male or female - Introduces Medda's act.

PHOTOGRAPHER - Can be male or female -Takes the triumphant photo of the Newsies at the end of “Seize the Day”.

A NEWSPAPER CUSTOMER - Male or female

MR. / MRS. JACOBI - Can be male or female - Allows the Newsies to congregate in his/her restaurant to plan their strike.

POLICEMEN – Will assist Snyder and turn against the Newsies in the fight that concludes Act One.

MAYOR -­ The Mayor of NYC who rebuffs Pulitzer’s attempts to shut down the Newsies strike.

GOVERNOR TEDDY ROOSEVELT – Governor of New York who inspires Jack to stand up to Pulitzer.

SHOWTIMES

Saturday, September 29, 2018 | 7:00 PM

Sunday, September 30, 2018 | 2:00 PM

Saturday, October 6, 2018 | 7:00 PM

Sunday, October 7, 2018 | 2:00 PM

Original source can be found here.

Source: Kankakee Valley Theatre Association