Dickens Fair casting for the return of "Pirates of Penzance"
Co-directors Cat Taylor & Robert Young are holding auditions for selected roles in the revival of their widely acclaimed 60-minute production of Gilbert & Sullivan’s "Pirates of Penzance" performed last at the Dickens Christmas Fair in 2002. Originally adapted by Cat Taylor and John Cole for the 1987 Dickens Christmas Fair, the production will be performed once a day on the Victoria & Albert Music Hall stage, each day of the fair. The Great Dickens Fair will be open 11:00AM - 7:00PM every weekend day between Thanksgiving and Christmas (November 24th - December 23rd), plus the special opening day, Friday November 23rd.
This production is a largely volunteer effort for everyone involved and we will be asking the performers involved to help out as much as possible with costuming. We are currently checking to see what costumes, props and scenery pieces are available from the 2002 production, but will certainly need help on some items. Pirates costumes can be adapted from Renaissance Faire costumes and much of the remaining we will be creating ourselves or finding it wherever we are able to do so. If you are not cast in the production but would like to help out, we will be extremely pleased to have your help in costume production, set construction and in other behind-the-scenes capacities.
The available roles are:
Mabel, soprano. She knows what she wants (Frederic) and how to go about getting it. Considering there is much musical parody of Verdi’s Violetta (in La Traviata) -- especially Mabel’s Act I cadenzas -- she must have excellent coloratura and power, a soaring lyric soprano. There are numerous high B-flats throughout the score.
Edith, soprano. She has a couple of short but important solos and a bit of dialogue in Act I. Requires a strong soprano voice. Also a member of the chorus.
Kate, mezzo. Has one short solo and a bit of dialogue. Also a member of the chorus.
Isabel. No solo singing, but a few lines of dialogue. Also a member of the chorus.
Female Chorus are all wards of Major General Stanley, unattached young ladies.
Male Chorus all sing Act I as members of the pirate band. In Act II, the tenors continue as pirates, while the basses become police!
Rehearsal & Performance Pianist for Pirates and the other shows on the Victoria and Albert Music Hall stage. Must be able to play Gilbert & Sullivan music as well as improvisatory melodrama style. Compensation TBA.
If you are auditioning for the chorus, prepare one verse of a song, which displays your range, projection, diction, and ability to sing on pitch. It can be from G&S (preferred) or something similar, or even your favorite national anthem -- anything simple and straight forward which will give us a chance to compare your voice with others we hear.
If you are auditioning for a principal role, prepare a solo number for the character in Pirates you hope to play, or a solo from any opera or light opera for a character which requires a similar voice. Please bring sheet music for your pieces. You will also be asked to read some dialogue from Pirates.
Auditions will be held in San Francisco on Wednesday September 26th, starting at 7:00. The 15 minute auditions will be by appointment only, audition location will be given at the time of scheduling (it's in a private home)
Please contact Cat Taylor at cat@redbarnproductions.org to schedule an audition.
For more information on the Great Dickens Christmas Fair, please see www.dickensfair.com
Co-directors Cat Taylor & Robert Young are holding auditions for selected roles in the revival of their widely acclaimed 60-minute production of Gilbert & Sullivan’s "Pirates of Penzance" performed last at the Dickens Christmas Fair in 2002. Originally adapted by Cat Taylor and John Cole for the 1987 Dickens Christmas Fair, the production will be performed once a day on the Victoria & Albert Music Hall stage, each day of the fair. The Great Dickens Fair will be open 11:00AM - 7:00PM every weekend day between Thanksgiving and Christmas (November 24th - December 23rd), plus the special opening day, Friday November 23rd.
This production is a largely volunteer effort for everyone involved and we will be asking the performers involved to help out as much as possible with costuming. We are currently checking to see what costumes, props and scenery pieces are available from the 2002 production, but will certainly need help on some items. Pirates costumes can be adapted from Renaissance Faire costumes and much of the remaining we will be creating ourselves or finding it wherever we are able to do so. If you are not cast in the production but would like to help out, we will be extremely pleased to have your help in costume production, set construction and in other behind-the-scenes capacities.
The available roles are:
Mabel, soprano. She knows what she wants (Frederic) and how to go about getting it. Considering there is much musical parody of Verdi’s Violetta (in La Traviata) -- especially Mabel’s Act I cadenzas -- she must have excellent coloratura and power, a soaring lyric soprano. There are numerous high B-flats throughout the score.
Edith, soprano. She has a couple of short but important solos and a bit of dialogue in Act I. Requires a strong soprano voice. Also a member of the chorus.
Kate, mezzo. Has one short solo and a bit of dialogue. Also a member of the chorus.
Isabel. No solo singing, but a few lines of dialogue. Also a member of the chorus.
Female Chorus are all wards of Major General Stanley, unattached young ladies.
Male Chorus all sing Act I as members of the pirate band. In Act II, the tenors continue as pirates, while the basses become police!
Rehearsal & Performance Pianist for Pirates and the other shows on the Victoria and Albert Music Hall stage. Must be able to play Gilbert & Sullivan music as well as improvisatory melodrama style. Compensation TBA.
If you are auditioning for the chorus, prepare one verse of a song, which displays your range, projection, diction, and ability to sing on pitch. It can be from G&S (preferred) or something similar, or even your favorite national anthem -- anything simple and straight forward which will give us a chance to compare your voice with others we hear.
If you are auditioning for a principal role, prepare a solo number for the character in Pirates you hope to play, or a solo from any opera or light opera for a character which requires a similar voice. Please bring sheet music for your pieces. You will also be asked to read some dialogue from Pirates.
Auditions will be held in San Francisco on Wednesday September 26th, starting at 7:00. The 15 minute auditions will be by appointment only, audition location will be given at the time of scheduling (it's in a private home)
Please contact Cat Taylor at cat@redbarnproductions.org to schedule an audition.
For more information on the Great Dickens Christmas Fair, please see www.dickensfair.com
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