Article from Backstage Magazine: Dancers: Getting Cast in Today's Musicals On and Off Broadway
You have great dance technique, a strong singing voice, solid acting chops, and a burning desire to dance on Broadway. But is that enough to get you a job dancing in a musical today?
So many different kinds of musical theatre are being producted both on and off Broadway, it can be difficult to figure out exactly what kind of performer a show requires and which of your skills and qualities you should show off at an audition. You can't appraoch auditioning for "The Producers" in the same way you would audition for "The Phantom of the Opera." Are you even tall enough for "The Producers" or enough of a ballerina for "Phantom"? Are you old enough to perform in Chita Rivera: The Dancer's Life"? Earthy enough for "The Pirate Queen"?
To help dancers sort out what's going on in musical theatre dance today and develop strategies for being hired, Back Stage spoke with the choreographers (or those currently in charge of dancing) for 21 musicals now playing or soon to open in Broadway and Off-Broadway theatres. You'll find information about the specific dance needs of each show and details on exactly what performers are expected to do at each show's dance audition.
You'll also find out which shows have auditions currently scheduled. But check out all listings: Actors' Equity requires that all Broadway Musicals hold semiannual chorus calls and annual calls for principals. In addition, most shows maintain casting files and schedule auditions whenever replacements are needed. It's important to check Back Stage Regularly to find out who is casting what and when.
-- Lisa Jo Sagolla.
FROM PREVIOUS SEASONS: 14 SHOWS
The Phantom of the Opera
Broadway Opening: Jan 26, 1988
Auditions will be held in November for a sit-down Las Vegas production. Required Equity calls are held annually and additional replacement auditions are scheduled as needed. There is one national tour out.
"The most important requirement for dancers in 'The Phantom of the Opera' is that they all have wonderful classical ballet technique," says Denny Berry, the show's production dance supervisor. "All of the girls have to dance on pointe and everyone has to have an understanding of the line and style of the period -- that romantic, classical era of the late 1800s." Although the ballet lines of that period are markedly different -- much more rounded -- than the contemporary 21st-century look, "in this show's choreography [created by Gillian Lynne], we do try to meet teh aesthetics of today's line while reflecting upon the style of that foregone era," she explains. "We've learned a lot in ballet over the last century, particularly technically, and we want all of that to be contained in our dancing. So there's not an absolute sense of only the roundess of that period; there's length and angularity as well."
When casting the women for "Phantom," Berry looks for "small-sized performers, because they're playing a group of young dancers and if they're small, they tend to look younger from afar. We like to keep teh women below 5'6", but we like the gents to be around 6 feet."
All the dancers in this show need to sing well enough to be able to "contribute to the chorus," says Berry. But most importantly, she stresses, this show is a "hybrid" and both the singers and the dancers must be totally comfortable with classical technique, not just possessed of musical theatre abilities: "What we often end up with are performers who are making the transition from the classical world to musical theatre. It's very different doing eight shows a week on Broadway versus being in a ballet company. And this show is a great jumping-off point for those performers."
--LJS
Beauty and the Beast
Broadway opening: April 18, 1994
A required call will be held in early November. There is no tour out. Send photos and resumes to Jay Binder Casting, Attn: Beauty and the Beast, 321 West 44th St., Ste. 606, NYC 10036.
"We're looking for a wide range of physical types for this show, but everyone must be a really strong ballet-trained dancer," says the associate choreographer of "Beauty and the Beast," Kate Swan. "All the men have ballet-based specialties and the women have to be good ballet turners."
At dance auditions for the show (which was choreographed by Matt West), the first thing the women are asked to do is a series of pique turns -- and the first cut is based on their execution of those spins. "And the men have to be able to do ballet grand allegro steps," says Swan. There's one man who needs to do 13 coupe jetes in a cirlce and there's one man who is a tumbler. I would describe all the choreography in this show as ballet-baed theatre dancing. There's no tap or pointe work."
The dancers in "Beauty and the Beast" must all be able to sing very well. "The show was trimmed down by six cast members a few years ago," explains Swan, "so now everybody has to sing extremely well. Plus, many of the ensemble dancers also understudy leading roles."
When selecting dancers, Swan finds that all else being equal, she will choose the dancer who exudes the greatest "enjoyment level." "I want to hire people who are fun to watch on stage," she says,"performes who are having a good time otu there. In my auditions, taht'st he most important thing. I watch the the dancers' faces. I look for some kind of cahracter development and look to see what hey can bring to the table that will draw my eye to them on stage."
-- LJS.
Rent
Broadway Opening: April 19, 1996
Replacement auditions are held as needed. There is no national tour out.
Every so often, a show comes along i n which dancers ahve to make sure their training doesn't get in the way of performing choreography. It may sound strange, and dance captain Owen Johnston knows it can be difficult to hide technique, but "Rent" needs dancers who can properly execute the complicated choreography (by Marlies Yearby), yet make it appear "common in nature," as though anyone off the street could do it. "People with less training often get our steps better," he acknowledges.
"Rent" has become a legendary succes, with a nine-year run on Broadway and a movie due outshortly. Johnston says performers "come and go" with regularity, and the company is always looking for new faces. Selecting replacements from a list compiled at auditions is not always helpful, because those dancers may not fit the character being replaced at the moment. It's better to hold open calls. "Hundreds of people still show up," he says, "and every size, shape, and ethnicity are welcome." A strong voice is the primary requisite, followed by acting ability, as the characterizations are of utmost importance: "I come in after the performer has the passed the acting and singing to give the dance audition."
"Rent" is looking for performers with an edgy quality, youngish (between 20s and early 40s), with specific traits dictated by the script. "Marlies did not want the choreography to look like choreography," Johnston says. "Her vocabulary is modern and the choreography has a weighted, close-to-theground feel. It comes from a series of gestures relating to the lyrics, designed to look as though anyone off the street could do it. However, that's not entirely true," he assures us. "In reality, if you're in the wrong place at the wrong time, injuries can occur. This is why the training has to be there."
- Phyllis Goldman.
Chicago
Broadway opening: Nov. 14, 1996.
No auditions are currently scheduled, but an EPA will be held in early 2006. There is one nat ional tour out. Send pictures and resumes to Howard Cherpakov, National Artists Management Co., 165 West 46th St., Ste. 1202, NYC 10036.
" 'Chicago' has been a staple on Broadway for nine eyars," says dance captain Bernard Dotson. "National and itnernatioanl tours are always being structured and sent out. Shuffling dancers between eisting companies and Broadway is frequent. Despite the fact that this show has a backlog of cast members, and they often return and are welcomed back, new people are always needed." he advises dancers to consult Back Stage for audition dates and to definitely come in. Send a picture and resume to the casting office listed above; don't drop it off at the stage door, as it could be misplaced.
"We give excerpts from the 'All That Jazz' number to see if the dancer has his own take on it," Dobson says. "People think Chicago is all about sexuality. True, it is a sexy show, but it's about your own personal sexuality. Dance is a great form of language, and dancers have the privilege of using their bodies to say many things. They need to strip themselves of inhibitions and let their personalities come through in teh studio at the audition. This is qutie different from seeing someone who just gives back the choreography we teach."
Bob Fosse's technique is alla bout shapes, with legs turned in, knees bent, moving with the languid feeling you might get underwater. The dancers are dressed in black: "The girls wear what are essentially negligees, and the boys are in tight pants and shirts. Every inch of the body shows. The costumes are unforgiving."
"Our cast changes a great deal," Dotson notes, "and it's always nice to see people bringing something new and real to the choreography. Above all, we like our candidates to enjoy themselves at our audition."
--PG
The Lion King
Broadway opening: Nov. 13, 1997
A dance call will be held in Los Angeles in November. The next EPA for the Broadway and national touring companies will be held in late 2005. Auditions are held yearly in both New York and Los Angeles and, on occasion, in cities where a touring production is located. There are two U.S. touring companies out (the "Cheetah" company and the "Gazelle" company, both of which will continue until at least the end of 2009).
"It's very hard to find male dancers who have enough classical ballet training to perform in this show but who are also good tumblers. So if there are any men out there who can do real flips and aerial work and are classically trained, they should come and audition for 'The Lion King,'" says the show's associate producer, Aubrey Lyunch II, who was an original cast member as well as teh show's original dance captain and later dance supervisor. "And over time," he explains, "the show's choreographer, Garth Fagan, gave me the job of associate choreographer, which means that I had the ability to change the choreography, if needed, to suit replacement dancers of different sizes or whatever.
For "The Lion King," Lynch feels that the best kind of background includes a strong ballet foundation combined with modern-dance training and perhaps some experience with Katherine Dunham's Haitian dance style. Dance auditions for the show always begin with teh performers being given a combination that is technically ecclectic. "Their performance of this combination tells us immediately what kinds of training they have," he explains, "because what's important in 'Lion King' is that a dancer can move seamlessly through one kind of dance style ot another. We also look to see what sorts of energies they bring to the choreography, if they're intimidated by movements, and how they interact with one another."
Although the show's performers all need to be able to sing, Lynch advises dancers not to be discouraged from auditioning just because they feel they can't sing. "You don't need to sing like Whitney Houston," he says. "We just need the dancers to be able to sing on pitch and blend with an ensemble."
--LJS
The Producers
Broadway opening: April 19, 2001
Replacement auditions are held as needed. There is no national tour out. To be considered, send photos and resumes to Tara Rubin Casting, Attn: The Producers, 311 West 43rd St., 5th floor, NYC 10036.
"The women dancers in this show have to be 5'8" or taller and the men have to be at least 6 feet," says Courtney Young, resident choreographer of "The Producers," which was directed and choreographed by Susan Stroman. Ballet technique is required of all the show's dancers and everyone must tap as well. "But what's most important is acting," she explains, "because in this show the dancers play many different characters, and these characters must have full lives. Although there are a couple of technical tricks in the audition combinations we give, it's largely about personality. The dancers are really given a chance to show who they are during the auditions. If you're a brilliant technical dancer but there's nothing going on behind your eyes, then you won't be interesting to watch and you won't be hired."
A movie musical version of "The Producers" is coming out in December, and as it was directed and choreographed by Stroman, Young feels that performers interested in auditioning for the stage show would find the film well worth watching. "It gives you a real sense of the style and the time period of the show, and a lot of the choreography is exactly the same, while some if it is just similar."
Perhaps the most distinctive characteristic dancers must demonstrate in order to be cast in "The Producers" is humor. "This is a Mel Brooks comedy, after all," says Young. "And if you think of our show versus a show like '42nd Street,' in which the ensemble has that youthful, naive, eager, innocent energy, there's something a little more knowledgeable to the energy of the people we cast in 'The Producers.' I don't mean it's an older cast; it's just that the energy is a little more mature, more worldly, and more knowing."
-- LJS
Mamma Mia!
Broadway opening: Oct. 18, 2001
Auditions will be held in Los Angeles and Chicago in November. agent calls are held frequently in New York and replacement auditions are usually held at least twice a year in different cities throughout the country. There is one natioanl tour out and a sitdown production in Las Vegas. To be considered, send photos and resumes to Tara Rubin Casting, Attn: Mamma Mia! 311 West 43rd St., 5th floor, NYC 10036.
"It's not so much about techynical dance skill as it isa bout presence," says Janet Rothermel, the dance supervisor for "Mamma Mia!," choreographed by Anthony Van Laast. "We're looking for people wh ocan hold the stage by themselves and are an event on their own. Although this show has an ensemble, everyone in it covers one of the roles. I can probably teach anybody at all to do the dancing for this show, but what we really look for is an essence that sparks and is slightly edgy, not traditional musical theatre."
"Mamma Mia!" doesn't have the constraints that many shows have when casting replacement performers because, as Rothermel explains, "all of our costumes are made for the people we hire, so nobody has to fit into sobody else's costume. I can pick any performer who I think will bring something new and exciting to the production. No one has to replace the look of someone who's leaving."
At a dance audition for th show, the men are asked to do a combination based on 'street style" movement. "While there are the typical double pirouettes and slit jumps in it," she says, "other than that, it's not hugely technical. And its basically the same idea for the women. The combination I give them is pretty simply because I'm more interested in seeing what they can bring to it."
All the show's performers fall into one of two age categories: They are contemopraries of either the young female lead, age 19 to 20, or her mother. "But aside from meeting those age requirements, performers can be of any physical type whatosver," says Rothermel. "What we most want are performers who like real people -- not dancers, but hip, edgy street people."
-- LJS.
Hairspray
Broadway opening: Aug. 15, 2002
The next round of EPAs will take place in late fall. Auditions are coming up for a sit-down Las Vegas production (a projected four-year run). There is one national tour out.
At auditions for "Hairspray," choreographer Jerry mitchell looks for a youthful teenage presence, even though many of the show's current dancers are in their 20s: "I have a certain picture in my mind when I attend auditions. If the dancer firts into that picture, he is seriously considered. I need the energy of a 16-year-old who wants to do nothing but dance. Our leading lady, Tracy, dreams of being on 'The Corny Collins Show' on Baltimore TV. She's not a great dancer and she's not a beauty. But she moves with determination, aggressiveness, and has a great spirit. I want my dancers to have those qualities too."
Mitchell has put together a rpaid, high-steping romp based on the dance styles of the early '60s -- like the Chicken, the Pony, and the Twist -- and recommends that dancers review them; they will be part of the audition: "I want to generate on stage the impetus for the audience to stand in teh aisles and dance at the end. The dancers must show high energy, speed, accuracy, and control of the body, even though it may look like they're out of control.
"Before the Kennedy assassination, there was an innocence in teenagers," Mitchell reflects. "Integration was only a small thought. In 'Hairspray,' integration is part of the plot." The cast includes Caucasians, who dance with a style involving a bouncy upper torso, arms, and head, and African Americans, who employ a lower, into-the-hips style. Mitchell searches for both at auditions, but he cautions that dancers will be moving like crazy while also having to project the songs.
The boys and girls who surround the overweight Tracy should be thin and attractive, but height is not important.
-- PG
Wicked
Broadway Opening: Oct. 30, 2003
No auditions are currently scheduled. There is one national tour out and a sit-down company in Chicago.
All the action in "Wicked" is focused on the storytelling, says choreographer Wayne Cilento. Bsed on Gregory Maguire's prequel novel to "The Wizard of Oz," the show is filled with unusual characters, and the ability to flesh out those characters is something Cilento looks for at his auditions: Can this person fill the shoes of someone who has been wearing them for almost three years? But he doesn't have preconevived notions, he emphasizes: "The look of the show is all shapes and sizes -- heavyset women, tall men. This show doesn't call for a dance-ensemble look."
"I'll usually give them a section of the flyimg monkey choreography, which is very athletic. This tells me if they can jump, turn, and tumble. I never give a ballet combination because I don't feel it's a true test of whether they can do the show. Sometime I'll see them od a movement in the audition that impresses me in an unusual way, and it tells me they're strong dancers who can carry the demands of the show." One of those demands is flying, so if you're afraid of heights, look somewhere else.
"Wicked" is one of the few Broadway shows with dance track for four women and four men: They do the heavy dancing. The rest of the cast carries the singing and acting demands, though the dancers must sing reasonably well. If you're a feisty dancer, challenged by risks, and want a steady gig, auditioning for "Wicked" is worth a try. Cilento is a popular choreograopher and may well remember you for another of this shows.
-- PG
Altar Boyz
Off-Broadway opening: March 1, 2005
Auditions may be held in November or December for the production that will open in Des Moines, Iowa, in January 2006. This will be either a new production or performed by the company currently playing in Detroit.
"The dancing in this show is boy-band, hip-hop-esque choreography -- anything 'N Sync or the Backstreet Boys woudl do," says Christopher Gattelli, choreographer of "Altar Boyz." "If performers come with technique, that's terrific, but for the most part we adjust the chorography to suit them. For example, if they tumble, that's great, and we'll use it. There's no tap or ballet in this show, specifically because the dancing is largely hip-hop, but there is some tango -- sing this is musical theatre, we do liek to throw in some otehr styles."
There are five characters in "Altar Boyz" and "they're on stage for almost the whole 90 minutes," Gattelli explains, "playing an 'N Syunc - like Catholic boy band." While the show's choreography is firmly set in terms of the ensemble, each performer's solo dance can vary depending on who is playing the role. "Although they function as a group," he says, "at some point in teh show each actor has a solo and gets to take the stage as the lead vocal, and their dancing is based on wahtever they can do. For example, the character Luke does acrobatics and break dancing during his solo, but if the perormer we cast in that role can't do all of that kind of stuff, we'll retailor the choreography of the number for him."
Gattelli advises performers auditioning for the show to "be as specific as you can be when learning and dancing the combination. My philosophy with boy-band choreography is taht anyone can learn it. Most boy bands aren't technically trained. So as long as peple have the right feel, they'll do fine. But what will catch my eye are people who are very specific in how they do each move."
--LJS
Dirty Rotten Scoundrels
Broadway Opening: March 3, 2005.
Auditions for replacements and a Las Vegas sit-down production will be held this month. Auditions for an ational tour will be held in April 2006.
"Dirty Rotten Scoundrels" tells the story of clever con men who scam the million-dollar-necklace women at French Riviera casinos. The dancers need to have that Riviera style -- men and women who have been there and one that. "We need mature-looking dancers," says choreographer Jerry Mitchell. "Those who can projuect elegance, wealth and style, and can really sing the show's tough lyrics. bottom line: The dancers must appear 'full of themselves.' Otehrwise It's no fun to see them get ripped off."
In this production, members of the ensemble (six men, six women, and four swings) cover the principal roles, and auditioning dancers will be asked to do scenes, so good acting ability is an added essential.
Like most Broadway choreographers, Mitchell may gather a group of dancers he knows and trusts in a studio to work out the choreography before holding auditions, but they're not necessarily shoo-ins. He attends all auditions and keeps piles of photos and resumes. "Never forget that a choreographer is often working on other projects simultaneously," he says. Mitchell divides the photos according to the projects he is working on and often finds dancers he thinks may fit better into another show. He will also recommend a dancer to another choreographer. "Go to all calls," he advises. "lLeave your credentials. You never know." He cuations young dancers to be aware of the first impression they make. "If you show an amazing attitude, you are remembered."
At an audition for the show, Mitchell may give choreography from the number "The More We Dance," so seeing the show beforehand and being familiar with its music is always an asset. "Remember, I am only a part of the final decision. Everyone must pass the director and composer as well."
-- PG
Monty Python's Spamalot
Broadway Opening: March 17, 2005
Replacement auditions will be held as needed. A national tour will be going out in March 2006 and a sit-down production will open in Las Vegas in about a year. To be considered, send headshots and resumes to Tara Rubin Casting. Attn: Spamalot, 311 West 43rd St., 5th Floor, NYC 10036.
"This is definitely a big dance show, but it's fun dance and is more about the performer's personality than actual dance technique," says Casey Nicholaw, choreographer of "Monty Python's Spamalot." "To me, it's really about people who have a sense of humor, and in the end it all comes down to the acting. The tricky thing, you see, is that all of the six men in this show's ensemble must cover principal roles. So that knocks a lot of people out right away."
Nicholaw is very concerned, however, that perfromers interested in auditioning for "Spamalot" not be discouraged from doing so by the show's strict casting needs. "Because you never really know who's going to end up getting cast. I had two peple I know call me at the beginning of this project and ask me if they should audition for it," he explains. "I told them I didn't think they were really right for the show, but in the end they both wound up getting cast."
The dance auditions for the show's women begin with a "jazzy combination" and for the men with a tap combination. But, Nicholaw empahsizes, "I wouldn't want someone not to audition for us just because they're not strong tappers or jazz dancers. They might have a really special quality, a great energy, or something else very unique that will make us want to hire them. With six weeks of rehearsal, they can always be taught to tap." At the dance auditions, performers are also asked to do a "character combination" from the show's "Finland" number. "And it just needs to be playful," he says. "That's what the dancing in this show is all about -- being playful and buoyant and having a good time."
-- LJS
Chitty Chitty Bang Bang
Broadway opening: April 28, 2005
A required equity call will probably be held sometime within the next month. There is no tour out. Hedshot sand resumes can be mailed to Jim Carnahan Casting. Attn: Chitty Chitty Casting. 231 West 29th St., Ste. 1200, NYC 10018
"Get on the treadmill and sing! that would be a good preparation for auditioning for this show," says Joanne Manning, the dance cptain for "Chitty Chitty Bang Bang," which was chogreographed by Gillian Lynne. "The singing for the ensemble is just as demanding as the dancing, so everyone must be very strong vocally, but because you're singing while you're dancing, it's teh stamine that becomes most important. The dance numbers in this show are exhausting. You have to be in really good shape to do them."
The show contains several specialized dance roles, so getting cast can depend on which tracks the production is looking to replace at the time you audition. for example, one of the women dancers must be an acrobat and one of the men does a lot of partnering. "He must be big and strong and able to lift the ladies over his head," explains Manning.
At dance auditions, the men are typically asked to do a combination from "Me Ol' Bamboo," a highly aerobic number performed with bamboo sticks as props. Women are asked to perform a sequence from "The Bombie Samba," the show's fancy, stylized samba number.
When Lynne selects dancers, she typically looks first for technique and line. "If you've been taking ballet classes religiously, it will really help you here," says Manning, "so that you're on your center and you're strong. And high leg extensions are important for both men and women. There are a lot of high kicks in this show."
--LJS
Sweet Charity
Broadway opening: May 4, 2005
No auditions are currently scheduled. The next required EPA will be held sometiem in 2006. There is no tour out. Send photos and resumes to Jay Binder Casting. Attn: Sweet Charity, 321 West 44th St., Ste. 606, NYC 10036.
How do you step into an icon's shoes, creating a new show long associated with an award-winning choreographer and an acclaimed star, and make it work? That was the challenge facing choreographer Wayne Cilento in taking on the revival of "Sweet Charity" and auditioning dancers who may have never seen a Bob Fosse whow. Cilento, one of Fosse's dancers, was well aware of his responsibilities and had certain specifics in mind from the get-go: "I needed people who could pull of material with reverence to the original, yet deliver a new spirit to new steps."
Cilento is never interested in typecasting, he says. all sizes and shapes are considered. He prefers that each dancer display his or her own talent and personality. Catch his eye and he will work to include your specific skills and style in his choreography. Invariably, he says, he finds the good dancers without having to test their technique: "At the audition, we dive right into sections of 'Rich Man's Frug' and 'I'm a Brass Band.' Through watching them perform the material, I'll have uncovered the dancers with strong technique. Preliminary ballet combinations do not necessarily point out to me who can perform this sort of stylized choreography. Each one of my dance hall girls has her own story, her own character."
Cilento goes straight to the material because "Sweet Chairty" has characters to develop, a strong story line, and astyel all its own: "I give the steps; you do the rest. Let me see what you do with this material. Even if you make a mistake, something will come off the stage that's unique, and often I can build around it." If possible, auditionees should see the show and be familiar with the music, because everyone auditioning will have to sing.
-- PG
NEW THIS SEASON -- 5 Shows
Jersey Boys
Scheduled opening: Nov. 6, 2005
No auditions are currently scheduled. There is no tour out. to be considered, send headshots and resumes to Tara Rubin Casting, Attn: Jersey Boys, 311 West 43rd St., k5th Floor, NYC 10036.
Sergio Trujillo refers ot his choreography for "Jersey Boys" as "enhancing the story rather than the mainh ingredient." He does ahve three "real" dancers who carry most of the dance chores, but all the singer-actors must move extremely well because the musical staging is integral to teh story. "I challenged the dancers at the audition to see how far I could push them," he says. " That way, I knew what resources I had to work with and would not feel constricted. I could thorw in a new step without worrying they might fall apart.
"Because 'Jersey Boys' is a new show, we often rehearse a new number in the afternoon and perform it at night. Dancers must assimilate new material quickly. This ability has a high priority when I make decisions." Trujillo suggests that dancers go to class every chance they get, stud ya variety of styles and steps, adn see how well they can remember combinations from different teachers. For "Jersey Boys," knowledge of the dances of the period -- like the Mashed Potato, the Monkey, the Madison, and the Twist -- is vital. Trujillo has researched the period extensively, and dancers would be wise to do a little of the same before they're asked to eprform those moves at the auditions. Dancers will also have to sing and sing well in this show, which is based on the songs and story of Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons.
Trujillo believes in open calls: "I love discovering a new dancer with whom I can work and perhaps begin a new career. But I must stress, for me it's always about good training and solid technique. This permits a dancer to create a character and use abilities he may enver have sued before. I look to see if the dancer has the capacity to become a fine actor as well." -- PG
The Color Purple
Schedule Broadway Opening: Dec 1, 2005.
No auditions are currently scheduled. There is no tour out.
"I alwasy like to give talent a cahnce to show it," says Donald Byrd, who will be making his Broadway debut as a choreographer with "The Color Purple." I teach them two combinations from the show -- the juke joint number adn totally different style from the African scene. How will they handle black vernacular dance? Since those are the two dance driven numbers, if they can absorb them, it'a good bet they'll pass my criteria.
"When we came to the second part -- uncovering a quality in the AFrican scene -- the dancers had a bit more trouble." Byrd spoke reverently of the dancers Carol Haney and Eleanor d'Antonio, who both have that recognizaqble but indefinable qu8ality he can see instantly from his seat in a darkened theatre: "Neither had perfect technique, but they did hae that special something."
Byrd's long years of experience come from directing and choreographing for his own concert dance company. "Yes," he laughs, "I'm used to being the final word on which dancers I want. On Broadway, other people have a vote. Fortunately, our director leans a lot toward dance driving the story, and I do have a fine cast of superb dancers to do just that." He always expects to see a certain amount of ballet training, though he doesn't ask to see ballet at the audition. And as with virtually all Broadway show today, the dancers need to sing.
"The Color Purple" calls for intriguing personalities: big, hyandsome men, and tall women who have a softness in their hand gestures and defined articulation in their legs. There are also some gymnastic mometns for the men. "I watch the whole person, all these attributes that add up to one great theatrical personality," he says. "I give a very difficult aduition, but be sure you will have fun. My auditions are like a party." -- PG
Chita Rivera: The Dancer's Life
Scheduled Broadway opening: Dec. 11 2005.
Replacement Auditions if Needed.
"This is a heavy dance show. It stars Chita Rivera and everyone in the show dances, but you have to be 30 or older to be in our dancing ensemble," says Madeleine Kelly, the associate choreographer and dance captain of "Chita Rivera: The Dancer's Life." "The choregraphy in this show is real old-school jazz. I mean, we're talking Jack Cole, which of course requires strong ballet technique. There's a lot of partnering in this show, and some of the numbers have very fast footwork."
While directed and choreographed by Graciela Daniele, the show also features re-creations of Jerome Robbins' choreography from "West Side Story" (Restaged by Alan Johnson) and two numbers choreographed by Bob Fosse for "Chicago" (restaged by Tony STevens). There are parts for four men and four women in the dance ensemble, plus two children, aged 10 to 12, and a specialty male. "He does all the tangos with Chita and plays her father," kelly explains. In addition "and it's true tango, because that's Graciela's specialty. It's the real deal and is absolutely fabulous."
Kelly advises dancers interested in auditioning to remember that while ev eryone in the cast needs to be very physically fit, the show really calls for seasoned, mature dancers, "because the young dancers today don't really know those styles of dance taht the choreography demands. They're not learning that old musical-theatre style of jazz dance anymore, because nobody's teaching it. And for this show, you really need to have that pure jazz-dance training. We're not just doing tricks here. We're dancing. We're telling stories." -- LJS
The Seven
Scheduled Off-Broadway opening: Jan 17, 2006.
Auditions will probably be held in October or November. to be considered, send headshots adn resumes to Attn: The Seven Casting, New York Theatre Workshop, 79 East Fourth St., NYC 10003. No phone calls.
"I'm not interested in the MTV variety of hip-hop," says Bill T. Jones, choreographer of "The Seven," a hip-hop musical reteling of Aeschylus' "Seven Against Thebes" slated for New York Tehatre Workshop this season. "I'm looking for something else. The dancers we're looking to cast in this show should have some familiarity with hip hop dance, but hopefully, they'll also have some knowledge of my work and of modern dance or ballet. And some experience in martial arts wouldn't hurt."
There are absolutely no predetermined physical requierments for the dancers in "The Seven." "I simply want the most interesting and adventurous performers I can find," says Jones, "because I will ask them to actually work with me to create a lot of the choreographic material and a lot o fthe dancing will come directly out of them. The partnering work, for example, will probably be generated by the dancers, under my direction."
Jones is also looking for what he describes as "odd types, people who are unexpected as dancers, be it in terms of age or body type or whatever. I'm really open about all of that."
His advice to performers interested in auditioning for the show is to "step out adn take a chance. You may be surprised by how open we are about what the stage can look like for this show. Don't maek assumptions about what you can or can't do. If you don't have ballet or modern training, you should still come in and audition. And please ome and audition for us if you have any experience in physical theatre or any kind of avant-arde dance forms. Remember, what we're really looking for is the unexpected person."
The Pajama Game
Scheduled Broadway Opening: Feb. 23, 2006.
Equity open calls are finished. Callbacks will be held within the next month. Headshots and resumes can be mailed to Jim Carnahan Casting, Pajama Game Casting, 231 West 39th St., Ste. 1200, NYC 10018.
"The Pajama Game," due at Roundabout Theatre Company's American Airlines Theatre in early 2006, has not yet been cast, though Equity open calls are complete. The performers who received a callback will meet up with those from the invited call within the next few weeks. From that group, the ensemble will be cast.
"We happened to have ahd auditions before I created the chreography for the show," says Kathleen Marshall, who will also direct this revival. "So I made up about 10 phrases of 'Hernando's Hideaway' -- just enough to tell me if they can dance. I used the show music and gave them some story line to play with." Hernando's Hideaway is an after-hours club where the workers in the pajama factory go to relax. " 'Just knock three times,' which makes it kidn of private, a bit risque, a place where you have to be recognized, not unlike the downtown clubs of today," she says. From these few dance phrases, with some turns and jumps thrown in, Marshall was able to set an attitude for the dancers and find what she was looking for.
Final auditions will cover acting and singing - both are of utmost importance - with some technical combinations as well. Familiarizing yourself with the show's music -- by renting the film, for example - can be helpful. The classic "Steam Heat" number alone can give many clues as to tbe style of the show's choreography. Marshall advises dancers to have fun with the dance phrases and the story line. - PG
COMING NEXT SEASON - 2 Shows
Princesses
Scheduled Broadway opening: Spring 2006, or something during the 2006-07 season. An out-of-town tryout at Seattle's 5th Avenue Theatre closed on Aug. 28.
Auditions will be held in the future for swings, understudies, and replacements (if needed). To be considered, send photos and resumes to Tara Rubin Casting. Attn: Princesses, 311 West 43rd St., 5th Floor, NYC 10036.
"The great thing about this show is that it takes place in a high school full of young ladies of all different shapes, sizes, and everything else. And we like that. We encourage and want great physical diversity," says Rob Ashford, the choreographer of "Princesses." "The only requirement is that they be able to play high-school age."
"Princesses" is a musical retelling, set in a contemporary upstate New York girls' boarding school, of the Frances Hodgson Burnett tale "A Little Princess." The schoolgirls are putting on a musical based on Burnett's story, so "for the contemporary scenes," explains Ashford, "the choreography is very current, MTV-style dancing, and for the show-within-the-show the dancing is typical musical-theatre-style choreography. So you need to have a hip, contemporary sense of style, as well as the musical theatre chops to be able to pull of the ballet-based numbers in the 'Little Princess" story, in which we try to re-create a mid-19th-century sense of period."
All of the girls in the show lay specific personalities. "Every one of them has speaking lines," says Ashford, "and each one's character is unique." In addition to the girls, the show has a middle-aged female teacher and tow male characters: the leading man, a "Harrison Ford movie-star type of guy," and a young, up and coming star in his late teens. "And everyone in this show dances," he says, "although the older male character doesn't need to do any of the contemporary-style choreography."
When casting dancers, Ashford says he always looks first for some kind of basic technique and then for energy, commitment and excitement: "And I always look carefully at a performer's acting choices within the dancing -- particularly for this show, when what we're really looking for is not dancers, but actresses who can dance." -- LJS
The Pirate Queen
Scheduled Broadway Opening: Late 2006.
Auditions are currently ongoing. to be considered, send headshots and resumes to Tara Rubin Casting, Attn: The Pirate Queen, 311 West 43rd St., 5th Floor, NYC 10036.
"We're not looking for typical show-dance-looking people. You know, boys with streaked blond hair and girls with real long legs, false eyelashes, and high kicks. For this show, we want get-down dirty types who can dance in the mud and seem like people of the earth," says Mark Dendy, choreographer of "The Pirate Queen," the newest musical from the "Les Miserables" team of Alain Boublila nd Claude-Michel Schonberg. "We need real men and real women. They're living next to the sea in 16th-century Ireland and they're running a ship. They hoist sails and have huge fights with the British army. The dancing in this show i very athletic. There's floor work, multiple turns, and big jumps. But in addition to being the soldiers and the priates," heexplains, "the dancers also play various characters from the village and people of the court. So they wind up doing everything from English court dancing to real, physicalized, kick-ass modern dance."
Although the show is still in development, Dendy predicts it will contain between eight and 11 different dance numbers. There will also be lots of acrobatics, flying and fighting, as well as Iris hstep dancing, "But I reall ywant to make it clear," he says, "that the dancers in this show don't need to be steppers. We'll hire specialty dancers to do that."
Dendy invites eprformers who want to become familiar with his choreographic style to take the classes he teaches at Steps on Broadway: "I'm teaching phrases from 'The Priate Queen' in my classes there." But most emphatically, he advises dancers interested in auditioning for the show to really work on theri singing: "So many great dancers get tossed aside in musical theatre auditions nowadays because they're afraid of their voice. And it's the saddest thing in the world, because usually they're the best dancers I see." -- LJS
So many different kinds of musical theatre are being producted both on and off Broadway, it can be difficult to figure out exactly what kind of performer a show requires and which of your skills and qualities you should show off at an audition. You can't appraoch auditioning for "The Producers" in the same way you would audition for "The Phantom of the Opera." Are you even tall enough for "The Producers" or enough of a ballerina for "Phantom"? Are you old enough to perform in Chita Rivera: The Dancer's Life"? Earthy enough for "The Pirate Queen"?
To help dancers sort out what's going on in musical theatre dance today and develop strategies for being hired, Back Stage spoke with the choreographers (or those currently in charge of dancing) for 21 musicals now playing or soon to open in Broadway and Off-Broadway theatres. You'll find information about the specific dance needs of each show and details on exactly what performers are expected to do at each show's dance audition.
You'll also find out which shows have auditions currently scheduled. But check out all listings: Actors' Equity requires that all Broadway Musicals hold semiannual chorus calls and annual calls for principals. In addition, most shows maintain casting files and schedule auditions whenever replacements are needed. It's important to check Back Stage Regularly to find out who is casting what and when.
-- Lisa Jo Sagolla.
FROM PREVIOUS SEASONS: 14 SHOWS
The Phantom of the Opera
Broadway Opening: Jan 26, 1988
Auditions will be held in November for a sit-down Las Vegas production. Required Equity calls are held annually and additional replacement auditions are scheduled as needed. There is one national tour out.
"The most important requirement for dancers in 'The Phantom of the Opera' is that they all have wonderful classical ballet technique," says Denny Berry, the show's production dance supervisor. "All of the girls have to dance on pointe and everyone has to have an understanding of the line and style of the period -- that romantic, classical era of the late 1800s." Although the ballet lines of that period are markedly different -- much more rounded -- than the contemporary 21st-century look, "in this show's choreography [created by Gillian Lynne], we do try to meet teh aesthetics of today's line while reflecting upon the style of that foregone era," she explains. "We've learned a lot in ballet over the last century, particularly technically, and we want all of that to be contained in our dancing. So there's not an absolute sense of only the roundess of that period; there's length and angularity as well."
When casting the women for "Phantom," Berry looks for "small-sized performers, because they're playing a group of young dancers and if they're small, they tend to look younger from afar. We like to keep teh women below 5'6", but we like the gents to be around 6 feet."
All the dancers in this show need to sing well enough to be able to "contribute to the chorus," says Berry. But most importantly, she stresses, this show is a "hybrid" and both the singers and the dancers must be totally comfortable with classical technique, not just possessed of musical theatre abilities: "What we often end up with are performers who are making the transition from the classical world to musical theatre. It's very different doing eight shows a week on Broadway versus being in a ballet company. And this show is a great jumping-off point for those performers."
--LJS
Beauty and the Beast
Broadway opening: April 18, 1994
A required call will be held in early November. There is no tour out. Send photos and resumes to Jay Binder Casting, Attn: Beauty and the Beast, 321 West 44th St., Ste. 606, NYC 10036.
"We're looking for a wide range of physical types for this show, but everyone must be a really strong ballet-trained dancer," says the associate choreographer of "Beauty and the Beast," Kate Swan. "All the men have ballet-based specialties and the women have to be good ballet turners."
At dance auditions for the show (which was choreographed by Matt West), the first thing the women are asked to do is a series of pique turns -- and the first cut is based on their execution of those spins. "And the men have to be able to do ballet grand allegro steps," says Swan. There's one man who needs to do 13 coupe jetes in a cirlce and there's one man who is a tumbler. I would describe all the choreography in this show as ballet-baed theatre dancing. There's no tap or pointe work."
The dancers in "Beauty and the Beast" must all be able to sing very well. "The show was trimmed down by six cast members a few years ago," explains Swan, "so now everybody has to sing extremely well. Plus, many of the ensemble dancers also understudy leading roles."
When selecting dancers, Swan finds that all else being equal, she will choose the dancer who exudes the greatest "enjoyment level." "I want to hire people who are fun to watch on stage," she says,"performes who are having a good time otu there. In my auditions, taht'st he most important thing. I watch the the dancers' faces. I look for some kind of cahracter development and look to see what hey can bring to the table that will draw my eye to them on stage."
-- LJS.
Rent
Broadway Opening: April 19, 1996
Replacement auditions are held as needed. There is no national tour out.
Every so often, a show comes along i n which dancers ahve to make sure their training doesn't get in the way of performing choreography. It may sound strange, and dance captain Owen Johnston knows it can be difficult to hide technique, but "Rent" needs dancers who can properly execute the complicated choreography (by Marlies Yearby), yet make it appear "common in nature," as though anyone off the street could do it. "People with less training often get our steps better," he acknowledges.
"Rent" has become a legendary succes, with a nine-year run on Broadway and a movie due outshortly. Johnston says performers "come and go" with regularity, and the company is always looking for new faces. Selecting replacements from a list compiled at auditions is not always helpful, because those dancers may not fit the character being replaced at the moment. It's better to hold open calls. "Hundreds of people still show up," he says, "and every size, shape, and ethnicity are welcome." A strong voice is the primary requisite, followed by acting ability, as the characterizations are of utmost importance: "I come in after the performer has the passed the acting and singing to give the dance audition."
"Rent" is looking for performers with an edgy quality, youngish (between 20s and early 40s), with specific traits dictated by the script. "Marlies did not want the choreography to look like choreography," Johnston says. "Her vocabulary is modern and the choreography has a weighted, close-to-theground feel. It comes from a series of gestures relating to the lyrics, designed to look as though anyone off the street could do it. However, that's not entirely true," he assures us. "In reality, if you're in the wrong place at the wrong time, injuries can occur. This is why the training has to be there."
- Phyllis Goldman.
Chicago
Broadway opening: Nov. 14, 1996.
No auditions are currently scheduled, but an EPA will be held in early 2006. There is one nat ional tour out. Send pictures and resumes to Howard Cherpakov, National Artists Management Co., 165 West 46th St., Ste. 1202, NYC 10036.
" 'Chicago' has been a staple on Broadway for nine eyars," says dance captain Bernard Dotson. "National and itnernatioanl tours are always being structured and sent out. Shuffling dancers between eisting companies and Broadway is frequent. Despite the fact that this show has a backlog of cast members, and they often return and are welcomed back, new people are always needed." he advises dancers to consult Back Stage for audition dates and to definitely come in. Send a picture and resume to the casting office listed above; don't drop it off at the stage door, as it could be misplaced.
"We give excerpts from the 'All That Jazz' number to see if the dancer has his own take on it," Dobson says. "People think Chicago is all about sexuality. True, it is a sexy show, but it's about your own personal sexuality. Dance is a great form of language, and dancers have the privilege of using their bodies to say many things. They need to strip themselves of inhibitions and let their personalities come through in teh studio at the audition. This is qutie different from seeing someone who just gives back the choreography we teach."
Bob Fosse's technique is alla bout shapes, with legs turned in, knees bent, moving with the languid feeling you might get underwater. The dancers are dressed in black: "The girls wear what are essentially negligees, and the boys are in tight pants and shirts. Every inch of the body shows. The costumes are unforgiving."
"Our cast changes a great deal," Dotson notes, "and it's always nice to see people bringing something new and real to the choreography. Above all, we like our candidates to enjoy themselves at our audition."
--PG
The Lion King
Broadway opening: Nov. 13, 1997
A dance call will be held in Los Angeles in November. The next EPA for the Broadway and national touring companies will be held in late 2005. Auditions are held yearly in both New York and Los Angeles and, on occasion, in cities where a touring production is located. There are two U.S. touring companies out (the "Cheetah" company and the "Gazelle" company, both of which will continue until at least the end of 2009).
"It's very hard to find male dancers who have enough classical ballet training to perform in this show but who are also good tumblers. So if there are any men out there who can do real flips and aerial work and are classically trained, they should come and audition for 'The Lion King,'" says the show's associate producer, Aubrey Lyunch II, who was an original cast member as well as teh show's original dance captain and later dance supervisor. "And over time," he explains, "the show's choreographer, Garth Fagan, gave me the job of associate choreographer, which means that I had the ability to change the choreography, if needed, to suit replacement dancers of different sizes or whatever.
For "The Lion King," Lynch feels that the best kind of background includes a strong ballet foundation combined with modern-dance training and perhaps some experience with Katherine Dunham's Haitian dance style. Dance auditions for the show always begin with teh performers being given a combination that is technically ecclectic. "Their performance of this combination tells us immediately what kinds of training they have," he explains, "because what's important in 'Lion King' is that a dancer can move seamlessly through one kind of dance style ot another. We also look to see what sorts of energies they bring to the choreography, if they're intimidated by movements, and how they interact with one another."
Although the show's performers all need to be able to sing, Lynch advises dancers not to be discouraged from auditioning just because they feel they can't sing. "You don't need to sing like Whitney Houston," he says. "We just need the dancers to be able to sing on pitch and blend with an ensemble."
--LJS
The Producers
Broadway opening: April 19, 2001
Replacement auditions are held as needed. There is no national tour out. To be considered, send photos and resumes to Tara Rubin Casting, Attn: The Producers, 311 West 43rd St., 5th floor, NYC 10036.
"The women dancers in this show have to be 5'8" or taller and the men have to be at least 6 feet," says Courtney Young, resident choreographer of "The Producers," which was directed and choreographed by Susan Stroman. Ballet technique is required of all the show's dancers and everyone must tap as well. "But what's most important is acting," she explains, "because in this show the dancers play many different characters, and these characters must have full lives. Although there are a couple of technical tricks in the audition combinations we give, it's largely about personality. The dancers are really given a chance to show who they are during the auditions. If you're a brilliant technical dancer but there's nothing going on behind your eyes, then you won't be interesting to watch and you won't be hired."
A movie musical version of "The Producers" is coming out in December, and as it was directed and choreographed by Stroman, Young feels that performers interested in auditioning for the stage show would find the film well worth watching. "It gives you a real sense of the style and the time period of the show, and a lot of the choreography is exactly the same, while some if it is just similar."
Perhaps the most distinctive characteristic dancers must demonstrate in order to be cast in "The Producers" is humor. "This is a Mel Brooks comedy, after all," says Young. "And if you think of our show versus a show like '42nd Street,' in which the ensemble has that youthful, naive, eager, innocent energy, there's something a little more knowledgeable to the energy of the people we cast in 'The Producers.' I don't mean it's an older cast; it's just that the energy is a little more mature, more worldly, and more knowing."
-- LJS
Mamma Mia!
Broadway opening: Oct. 18, 2001
Auditions will be held in Los Angeles and Chicago in November. agent calls are held frequently in New York and replacement auditions are usually held at least twice a year in different cities throughout the country. There is one natioanl tour out and a sitdown production in Las Vegas. To be considered, send photos and resumes to Tara Rubin Casting, Attn: Mamma Mia! 311 West 43rd St., 5th floor, NYC 10036.
"It's not so much about techynical dance skill as it isa bout presence," says Janet Rothermel, the dance supervisor for "Mamma Mia!," choreographed by Anthony Van Laast. "We're looking for people wh ocan hold the stage by themselves and are an event on their own. Although this show has an ensemble, everyone in it covers one of the roles. I can probably teach anybody at all to do the dancing for this show, but what we really look for is an essence that sparks and is slightly edgy, not traditional musical theatre."
"Mamma Mia!" doesn't have the constraints that many shows have when casting replacement performers because, as Rothermel explains, "all of our costumes are made for the people we hire, so nobody has to fit into sobody else's costume. I can pick any performer who I think will bring something new and exciting to the production. No one has to replace the look of someone who's leaving."
At a dance audition for th show, the men are asked to do a combination based on 'street style" movement. "While there are the typical double pirouettes and slit jumps in it," she says, "other than that, it's not hugely technical. And its basically the same idea for the women. The combination I give them is pretty simply because I'm more interested in seeing what they can bring to it."
All the show's performers fall into one of two age categories: They are contemopraries of either the young female lead, age 19 to 20, or her mother. "But aside from meeting those age requirements, performers can be of any physical type whatosver," says Rothermel. "What we most want are performers who like real people -- not dancers, but hip, edgy street people."
-- LJS.
Hairspray
Broadway opening: Aug. 15, 2002
The next round of EPAs will take place in late fall. Auditions are coming up for a sit-down Las Vegas production (a projected four-year run). There is one national tour out.
At auditions for "Hairspray," choreographer Jerry mitchell looks for a youthful teenage presence, even though many of the show's current dancers are in their 20s: "I have a certain picture in my mind when I attend auditions. If the dancer firts into that picture, he is seriously considered. I need the energy of a 16-year-old who wants to do nothing but dance. Our leading lady, Tracy, dreams of being on 'The Corny Collins Show' on Baltimore TV. She's not a great dancer and she's not a beauty. But she moves with determination, aggressiveness, and has a great spirit. I want my dancers to have those qualities too."
Mitchell has put together a rpaid, high-steping romp based on the dance styles of the early '60s -- like the Chicken, the Pony, and the Twist -- and recommends that dancers review them; they will be part of the audition: "I want to generate on stage the impetus for the audience to stand in teh aisles and dance at the end. The dancers must show high energy, speed, accuracy, and control of the body, even though it may look like they're out of control.
"Before the Kennedy assassination, there was an innocence in teenagers," Mitchell reflects. "Integration was only a small thought. In 'Hairspray,' integration is part of the plot." The cast includes Caucasians, who dance with a style involving a bouncy upper torso, arms, and head, and African Americans, who employ a lower, into-the-hips style. Mitchell searches for both at auditions, but he cautions that dancers will be moving like crazy while also having to project the songs.
The boys and girls who surround the overweight Tracy should be thin and attractive, but height is not important.
-- PG
Wicked
Broadway Opening: Oct. 30, 2003
No auditions are currently scheduled. There is one national tour out and a sit-down company in Chicago.
All the action in "Wicked" is focused on the storytelling, says choreographer Wayne Cilento. Bsed on Gregory Maguire's prequel novel to "The Wizard of Oz," the show is filled with unusual characters, and the ability to flesh out those characters is something Cilento looks for at his auditions: Can this person fill the shoes of someone who has been wearing them for almost three years? But he doesn't have preconevived notions, he emphasizes: "The look of the show is all shapes and sizes -- heavyset women, tall men. This show doesn't call for a dance-ensemble look."
"I'll usually give them a section of the flyimg monkey choreography, which is very athletic. This tells me if they can jump, turn, and tumble. I never give a ballet combination because I don't feel it's a true test of whether they can do the show. Sometime I'll see them od a movement in the audition that impresses me in an unusual way, and it tells me they're strong dancers who can carry the demands of the show." One of those demands is flying, so if you're afraid of heights, look somewhere else.
"Wicked" is one of the few Broadway shows with dance track for four women and four men: They do the heavy dancing. The rest of the cast carries the singing and acting demands, though the dancers must sing reasonably well. If you're a feisty dancer, challenged by risks, and want a steady gig, auditioning for "Wicked" is worth a try. Cilento is a popular choreograopher and may well remember you for another of this shows.
-- PG
Altar Boyz
Off-Broadway opening: March 1, 2005
Auditions may be held in November or December for the production that will open in Des Moines, Iowa, in January 2006. This will be either a new production or performed by the company currently playing in Detroit.
"The dancing in this show is boy-band, hip-hop-esque choreography -- anything 'N Sync or the Backstreet Boys woudl do," says Christopher Gattelli, choreographer of "Altar Boyz." "If performers come with technique, that's terrific, but for the most part we adjust the chorography to suit them. For example, if they tumble, that's great, and we'll use it. There's no tap or ballet in this show, specifically because the dancing is largely hip-hop, but there is some tango -- sing this is musical theatre, we do liek to throw in some otehr styles."
There are five characters in "Altar Boyz" and "they're on stage for almost the whole 90 minutes," Gattelli explains, "playing an 'N Syunc - like Catholic boy band." While the show's choreography is firmly set in terms of the ensemble, each performer's solo dance can vary depending on who is playing the role. "Although they function as a group," he says, "at some point in teh show each actor has a solo and gets to take the stage as the lead vocal, and their dancing is based on wahtever they can do. For example, the character Luke does acrobatics and break dancing during his solo, but if the perormer we cast in that role can't do all of that kind of stuff, we'll retailor the choreography of the number for him."
Gattelli advises performers auditioning for the show to "be as specific as you can be when learning and dancing the combination. My philosophy with boy-band choreography is taht anyone can learn it. Most boy bands aren't technically trained. So as long as peple have the right feel, they'll do fine. But what will catch my eye are people who are very specific in how they do each move."
--LJS
Dirty Rotten Scoundrels
Broadway Opening: March 3, 2005.
Auditions for replacements and a Las Vegas sit-down production will be held this month. Auditions for an ational tour will be held in April 2006.
"Dirty Rotten Scoundrels" tells the story of clever con men who scam the million-dollar-necklace women at French Riviera casinos. The dancers need to have that Riviera style -- men and women who have been there and one that. "We need mature-looking dancers," says choreographer Jerry Mitchell. "Those who can projuect elegance, wealth and style, and can really sing the show's tough lyrics. bottom line: The dancers must appear 'full of themselves.' Otehrwise It's no fun to see them get ripped off."
In this production, members of the ensemble (six men, six women, and four swings) cover the principal roles, and auditioning dancers will be asked to do scenes, so good acting ability is an added essential.
Like most Broadway choreographers, Mitchell may gather a group of dancers he knows and trusts in a studio to work out the choreography before holding auditions, but they're not necessarily shoo-ins. He attends all auditions and keeps piles of photos and resumes. "Never forget that a choreographer is often working on other projects simultaneously," he says. Mitchell divides the photos according to the projects he is working on and often finds dancers he thinks may fit better into another show. He will also recommend a dancer to another choreographer. "Go to all calls," he advises. "lLeave your credentials. You never know." He cuations young dancers to be aware of the first impression they make. "If you show an amazing attitude, you are remembered."
At an audition for the show, Mitchell may give choreography from the number "The More We Dance," so seeing the show beforehand and being familiar with its music is always an asset. "Remember, I am only a part of the final decision. Everyone must pass the director and composer as well."
-- PG
Monty Python's Spamalot
Broadway Opening: March 17, 2005
Replacement auditions will be held as needed. A national tour will be going out in March 2006 and a sit-down production will open in Las Vegas in about a year. To be considered, send headshots and resumes to Tara Rubin Casting. Attn: Spamalot, 311 West 43rd St., 5th Floor, NYC 10036.
"This is definitely a big dance show, but it's fun dance and is more about the performer's personality than actual dance technique," says Casey Nicholaw, choreographer of "Monty Python's Spamalot." "To me, it's really about people who have a sense of humor, and in the end it all comes down to the acting. The tricky thing, you see, is that all of the six men in this show's ensemble must cover principal roles. So that knocks a lot of people out right away."
Nicholaw is very concerned, however, that perfromers interested in auditioning for "Spamalot" not be discouraged from doing so by the show's strict casting needs. "Because you never really know who's going to end up getting cast. I had two peple I know call me at the beginning of this project and ask me if they should audition for it," he explains. "I told them I didn't think they were really right for the show, but in the end they both wound up getting cast."
The dance auditions for the show's women begin with a "jazzy combination" and for the men with a tap combination. But, Nicholaw empahsizes, "I wouldn't want someone not to audition for us just because they're not strong tappers or jazz dancers. They might have a really special quality, a great energy, or something else very unique that will make us want to hire them. With six weeks of rehearsal, they can always be taught to tap." At the dance auditions, performers are also asked to do a "character combination" from the show's "Finland" number. "And it just needs to be playful," he says. "That's what the dancing in this show is all about -- being playful and buoyant and having a good time."
-- LJS
Chitty Chitty Bang Bang
Broadway opening: April 28, 2005
A required equity call will probably be held sometime within the next month. There is no tour out. Hedshot sand resumes can be mailed to Jim Carnahan Casting. Attn: Chitty Chitty Casting. 231 West 29th St., Ste. 1200, NYC 10018
"Get on the treadmill and sing! that would be a good preparation for auditioning for this show," says Joanne Manning, the dance cptain for "Chitty Chitty Bang Bang," which was chogreographed by Gillian Lynne. "The singing for the ensemble is just as demanding as the dancing, so everyone must be very strong vocally, but because you're singing while you're dancing, it's teh stamine that becomes most important. The dance numbers in this show are exhausting. You have to be in really good shape to do them."
The show contains several specialized dance roles, so getting cast can depend on which tracks the production is looking to replace at the time you audition. for example, one of the women dancers must be an acrobat and one of the men does a lot of partnering. "He must be big and strong and able to lift the ladies over his head," explains Manning.
At dance auditions, the men are typically asked to do a combination from "Me Ol' Bamboo," a highly aerobic number performed with bamboo sticks as props. Women are asked to perform a sequence from "The Bombie Samba," the show's fancy, stylized samba number.
When Lynne selects dancers, she typically looks first for technique and line. "If you've been taking ballet classes religiously, it will really help you here," says Manning, "so that you're on your center and you're strong. And high leg extensions are important for both men and women. There are a lot of high kicks in this show."
--LJS
Sweet Charity
Broadway opening: May 4, 2005
No auditions are currently scheduled. The next required EPA will be held sometiem in 2006. There is no tour out. Send photos and resumes to Jay Binder Casting. Attn: Sweet Charity, 321 West 44th St., Ste. 606, NYC 10036.
How do you step into an icon's shoes, creating a new show long associated with an award-winning choreographer and an acclaimed star, and make it work? That was the challenge facing choreographer Wayne Cilento in taking on the revival of "Sweet Charity" and auditioning dancers who may have never seen a Bob Fosse whow. Cilento, one of Fosse's dancers, was well aware of his responsibilities and had certain specifics in mind from the get-go: "I needed people who could pull of material with reverence to the original, yet deliver a new spirit to new steps."
Cilento is never interested in typecasting, he says. all sizes and shapes are considered. He prefers that each dancer display his or her own talent and personality. Catch his eye and he will work to include your specific skills and style in his choreography. Invariably, he says, he finds the good dancers without having to test their technique: "At the audition, we dive right into sections of 'Rich Man's Frug' and 'I'm a Brass Band.' Through watching them perform the material, I'll have uncovered the dancers with strong technique. Preliminary ballet combinations do not necessarily point out to me who can perform this sort of stylized choreography. Each one of my dance hall girls has her own story, her own character."
Cilento goes straight to the material because "Sweet Chairty" has characters to develop, a strong story line, and astyel all its own: "I give the steps; you do the rest. Let me see what you do with this material. Even if you make a mistake, something will come off the stage that's unique, and often I can build around it." If possible, auditionees should see the show and be familiar with the music, because everyone auditioning will have to sing.
-- PG
NEW THIS SEASON -- 5 Shows
Jersey Boys
Scheduled opening: Nov. 6, 2005
No auditions are currently scheduled. There is no tour out. to be considered, send headshots and resumes to Tara Rubin Casting, Attn: Jersey Boys, 311 West 43rd St., k5th Floor, NYC 10036.
Sergio Trujillo refers ot his choreography for "Jersey Boys" as "enhancing the story rather than the mainh ingredient." He does ahve three "real" dancers who carry most of the dance chores, but all the singer-actors must move extremely well because the musical staging is integral to teh story. "I challenged the dancers at the audition to see how far I could push them," he says. " That way, I knew what resources I had to work with and would not feel constricted. I could thorw in a new step without worrying they might fall apart.
"Because 'Jersey Boys' is a new show, we often rehearse a new number in the afternoon and perform it at night. Dancers must assimilate new material quickly. This ability has a high priority when I make decisions." Trujillo suggests that dancers go to class every chance they get, stud ya variety of styles and steps, adn see how well they can remember combinations from different teachers. For "Jersey Boys," knowledge of the dances of the period -- like the Mashed Potato, the Monkey, the Madison, and the Twist -- is vital. Trujillo has researched the period extensively, and dancers would be wise to do a little of the same before they're asked to eprform those moves at the auditions. Dancers will also have to sing and sing well in this show, which is based on the songs and story of Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons.
Trujillo believes in open calls: "I love discovering a new dancer with whom I can work and perhaps begin a new career. But I must stress, for me it's always about good training and solid technique. This permits a dancer to create a character and use abilities he may enver have sued before. I look to see if the dancer has the capacity to become a fine actor as well." -- PG
The Color Purple
Schedule Broadway Opening: Dec 1, 2005.
No auditions are currently scheduled. There is no tour out.
"I alwasy like to give talent a cahnce to show it," says Donald Byrd, who will be making his Broadway debut as a choreographer with "The Color Purple." I teach them two combinations from the show -- the juke joint number adn totally different style from the African scene. How will they handle black vernacular dance? Since those are the two dance driven numbers, if they can absorb them, it'a good bet they'll pass my criteria.
"When we came to the second part -- uncovering a quality in the AFrican scene -- the dancers had a bit more trouble." Byrd spoke reverently of the dancers Carol Haney and Eleanor d'Antonio, who both have that recognizaqble but indefinable qu8ality he can see instantly from his seat in a darkened theatre: "Neither had perfect technique, but they did hae that special something."
Byrd's long years of experience come from directing and choreographing for his own concert dance company. "Yes," he laughs, "I'm used to being the final word on which dancers I want. On Broadway, other people have a vote. Fortunately, our director leans a lot toward dance driving the story, and I do have a fine cast of superb dancers to do just that." He always expects to see a certain amount of ballet training, though he doesn't ask to see ballet at the audition. And as with virtually all Broadway show today, the dancers need to sing.
"The Color Purple" calls for intriguing personalities: big, hyandsome men, and tall women who have a softness in their hand gestures and defined articulation in their legs. There are also some gymnastic mometns for the men. "I watch the whole person, all these attributes that add up to one great theatrical personality," he says. "I give a very difficult aduition, but be sure you will have fun. My auditions are like a party." -- PG
Chita Rivera: The Dancer's Life
Scheduled Broadway opening: Dec. 11 2005.
Replacement Auditions if Needed.
"This is a heavy dance show. It stars Chita Rivera and everyone in the show dances, but you have to be 30 or older to be in our dancing ensemble," says Madeleine Kelly, the associate choreographer and dance captain of "Chita Rivera: The Dancer's Life." "The choregraphy in this show is real old-school jazz. I mean, we're talking Jack Cole, which of course requires strong ballet technique. There's a lot of partnering in this show, and some of the numbers have very fast footwork."
While directed and choreographed by Graciela Daniele, the show also features re-creations of Jerome Robbins' choreography from "West Side Story" (Restaged by Alan Johnson) and two numbers choreographed by Bob Fosse for "Chicago" (restaged by Tony STevens). There are parts for four men and four women in the dance ensemble, plus two children, aged 10 to 12, and a specialty male. "He does all the tangos with Chita and plays her father," kelly explains. In addition "and it's true tango, because that's Graciela's specialty. It's the real deal and is absolutely fabulous."
Kelly advises dancers interested in auditioning to remember that while ev eryone in the cast needs to be very physically fit, the show really calls for seasoned, mature dancers, "because the young dancers today don't really know those styles of dance taht the choreography demands. They're not learning that old musical-theatre style of jazz dance anymore, because nobody's teaching it. And for this show, you really need to have that pure jazz-dance training. We're not just doing tricks here. We're dancing. We're telling stories." -- LJS
The Seven
Scheduled Off-Broadway opening: Jan 17, 2006.
Auditions will probably be held in October or November. to be considered, send headshots adn resumes to Attn: The Seven Casting, New York Theatre Workshop, 79 East Fourth St., NYC 10003. No phone calls.
"I'm not interested in the MTV variety of hip-hop," says Bill T. Jones, choreographer of "The Seven," a hip-hop musical reteling of Aeschylus' "Seven Against Thebes" slated for New York Tehatre Workshop this season. "I'm looking for something else. The dancers we're looking to cast in this show should have some familiarity with hip hop dance, but hopefully, they'll also have some knowledge of my work and of modern dance or ballet. And some experience in martial arts wouldn't hurt."
There are absolutely no predetermined physical requierments for the dancers in "The Seven." "I simply want the most interesting and adventurous performers I can find," says Jones, "because I will ask them to actually work with me to create a lot of the choreographic material and a lot o fthe dancing will come directly out of them. The partnering work, for example, will probably be generated by the dancers, under my direction."
Jones is also looking for what he describes as "odd types, people who are unexpected as dancers, be it in terms of age or body type or whatever. I'm really open about all of that."
His advice to performers interested in auditioning for the show is to "step out adn take a chance. You may be surprised by how open we are about what the stage can look like for this show. Don't maek assumptions about what you can or can't do. If you don't have ballet or modern training, you should still come in and audition. And please ome and audition for us if you have any experience in physical theatre or any kind of avant-arde dance forms. Remember, what we're really looking for is the unexpected person."
The Pajama Game
Scheduled Broadway Opening: Feb. 23, 2006.
Equity open calls are finished. Callbacks will be held within the next month. Headshots and resumes can be mailed to Jim Carnahan Casting, Pajama Game Casting, 231 West 39th St., Ste. 1200, NYC 10018.
"The Pajama Game," due at Roundabout Theatre Company's American Airlines Theatre in early 2006, has not yet been cast, though Equity open calls are complete. The performers who received a callback will meet up with those from the invited call within the next few weeks. From that group, the ensemble will be cast.
"We happened to have ahd auditions before I created the chreography for the show," says Kathleen Marshall, who will also direct this revival. "So I made up about 10 phrases of 'Hernando's Hideaway' -- just enough to tell me if they can dance. I used the show music and gave them some story line to play with." Hernando's Hideaway is an after-hours club where the workers in the pajama factory go to relax. " 'Just knock three times,' which makes it kidn of private, a bit risque, a place where you have to be recognized, not unlike the downtown clubs of today," she says. From these few dance phrases, with some turns and jumps thrown in, Marshall was able to set an attitude for the dancers and find what she was looking for.
Final auditions will cover acting and singing - both are of utmost importance - with some technical combinations as well. Familiarizing yourself with the show's music -- by renting the film, for example - can be helpful. The classic "Steam Heat" number alone can give many clues as to tbe style of the show's choreography. Marshall advises dancers to have fun with the dance phrases and the story line. - PG
COMING NEXT SEASON - 2 Shows
Princesses
Scheduled Broadway opening: Spring 2006, or something during the 2006-07 season. An out-of-town tryout at Seattle's 5th Avenue Theatre closed on Aug. 28.
Auditions will be held in the future for swings, understudies, and replacements (if needed). To be considered, send photos and resumes to Tara Rubin Casting. Attn: Princesses, 311 West 43rd St., 5th Floor, NYC 10036.
"The great thing about this show is that it takes place in a high school full of young ladies of all different shapes, sizes, and everything else. And we like that. We encourage and want great physical diversity," says Rob Ashford, the choreographer of "Princesses." "The only requirement is that they be able to play high-school age."
"Princesses" is a musical retelling, set in a contemporary upstate New York girls' boarding school, of the Frances Hodgson Burnett tale "A Little Princess." The schoolgirls are putting on a musical based on Burnett's story, so "for the contemporary scenes," explains Ashford, "the choreography is very current, MTV-style dancing, and for the show-within-the-show the dancing is typical musical-theatre-style choreography. So you need to have a hip, contemporary sense of style, as well as the musical theatre chops to be able to pull of the ballet-based numbers in the 'Little Princess" story, in which we try to re-create a mid-19th-century sense of period."
All of the girls in the show lay specific personalities. "Every one of them has speaking lines," says Ashford, "and each one's character is unique." In addition to the girls, the show has a middle-aged female teacher and tow male characters: the leading man, a "Harrison Ford movie-star type of guy," and a young, up and coming star in his late teens. "And everyone in this show dances," he says, "although the older male character doesn't need to do any of the contemporary-style choreography."
When casting dancers, Ashford says he always looks first for some kind of basic technique and then for energy, commitment and excitement: "And I always look carefully at a performer's acting choices within the dancing -- particularly for this show, when what we're really looking for is not dancers, but actresses who can dance." -- LJS
The Pirate Queen
Scheduled Broadway Opening: Late 2006.
Auditions are currently ongoing. to be considered, send headshots and resumes to Tara Rubin Casting, Attn: The Pirate Queen, 311 West 43rd St., 5th Floor, NYC 10036.
"We're not looking for typical show-dance-looking people. You know, boys with streaked blond hair and girls with real long legs, false eyelashes, and high kicks. For this show, we want get-down dirty types who can dance in the mud and seem like people of the earth," says Mark Dendy, choreographer of "The Pirate Queen," the newest musical from the "Les Miserables" team of Alain Boublila nd Claude-Michel Schonberg. "We need real men and real women. They're living next to the sea in 16th-century Ireland and they're running a ship. They hoist sails and have huge fights with the British army. The dancing in this show i very athletic. There's floor work, multiple turns, and big jumps. But in addition to being the soldiers and the priates," heexplains, "the dancers also play various characters from the village and people of the court. So they wind up doing everything from English court dancing to real, physicalized, kick-ass modern dance."
Although the show is still in development, Dendy predicts it will contain between eight and 11 different dance numbers. There will also be lots of acrobatics, flying and fighting, as well as Iris hstep dancing, "But I reall ywant to make it clear," he says, "that the dancers in this show don't need to be steppers. We'll hire specialty dancers to do that."
Dendy invites eprformers who want to become familiar with his choreographic style to take the classes he teaches at Steps on Broadway: "I'm teaching phrases from 'The Priate Queen' in my classes there." But most emphatically, he advises dancers interested in auditioning for the show to really work on theri singing: "So many great dancers get tossed aside in musical theatre auditions nowadays because they're afraid of their voice. And it's the saddest thing in the world, because usually they're the best dancers I see." -- LJS
posted by Evie @ 1:14 PM
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