Casting Call: 'Fantastic Mr. Fox'

Hedgehog and Feather Theatre Co. is holding auditions in March for a most fantastic production of a play based on a Roald Dahl book.

Auditions for "Fantastic Mr. Fox" will be held March 3, at Holy Trinity Catholic Church Parish Center, 315 First St., Westfield . Auditions for young actors will run from 3-4:30 p.m., followed by auditions for adults from 4-6 p.m. Entrance to Parish Center is on Westfield Avenue through the glass doors.

Wear casual dress, and be prepared for some pantomime movement. Sides will be available on the theater web site before the audition day.

Roles considered Animal Chorus appear only at the final scene, called "The Great Feast." Animal Chorus actors will have slightly fewer rehearsals than principal characters. Some mime or pantomime will be needed, and some basic choreography will be involved.

Show will have six performances, May 9-17.

The following parts are being cast:

Men's roles
Mr. Fox	The actor must be able to play dynamic, upbeat, cheery, determined, bold, courageous, brave, active, healthy, happy, full of confidence and positive self-esteem. Being skilled in acrobatics, modern dance and martial arts is a bonus. Brief singing.
Mr. Badger	Mr. Badger is just as cheery and upbeat as Mr. Fox, but more practical. Actor must have excellent comic and pantomime ability and provide a larger-than-life innocence and loving fatherly type to Little Badger. Brief singing.
Farmer Bean	Devilish, intelligent, conniving, evil and cruel, and always scheming, The actor playing Farmer Bean must be able to convey those characteristics. An actor with excellent comic timing and larger-than-life character ability is needed.
Farmer Boggis	Actor must be able to burp on cue as this character has the nasty habbit of burping and the kids in the audience have to react. An actor with comic timing and larger-than-life character ability is needed.
Farmer Bunce	Bunce is a duck and goose farmer, a pot-bellied dwarf so short his chin would be under water in the shallow end of any swimming pool. An actor with comic timing and larger-than-life character ability is needed.
Mr. Rabbit	Role is considered Animal Chorus, and appears at the final scene, called "The Great Feast." Some basic choreography will be involved. Animal Chorus actors will have slightly fewer rehearsals than principal characters. Some mime or pantomime will be needed. Looking for grades 8-12.
The Rat	The actor must be able to play French, brooding, moody, determined, bold, envious, and a bit dangerous. Actor should somewhat be skilled in acrobatics. Modern dance and martial arts would be bonuses but not required. The Rat does have a fight scene with Mr. Fox.
Women's roles
Mrs. Fox	Mrs. Fox is the heart and soul of the show and the touchstone for the parents. The actor playing her must be strong, upright, all-knowing, graceful, elegant, intelligent, and caring, especially towards her two young foxes. A great mom! Must compliment Mr. Fox most excellently. Some dance or mime will be a bonus as movement like an animal is required.
Mrs. Bean	Mrs. Bean is the matriarch of the Valley. She has a ruthless streak and is not nice to anyone. Think Jessica Lange as an old Southern belle.
Mabel	Slightly reminiscent of a Charles Dickens character. Goofy and offbeat but with a real strong tough side, like an ingnorantly cheerful Miss Trunchbull from Roald Dahl's "Matilda." Comic timing and outlandishly garish, over-the-top characterizations will come in handy.
Mrs. Rabbit	Role is considered Animal Chorus. Brief singing. Mrs. Rabbit is the mother of the rabbit herd.
Mrs. Badger	Role is considered Animal Chorus. Brief singing. Mrs. Badger typifies the wonderful motherly type of character.
Children's roles
Fox Junior	Fox Junior is just as brave, bold, and courageous as his father is already, but he's still a little unsure of his confidence level. Actor will need some dance or mime to act like an animal. Brief singing. Looking for a boy in seventh through ninth grade.
Little Fox	The smallest of the Fox family. Actor will need some dance or mime to act like an animal. Brief singing. Looking for a girl in fourth through sixth grade.
Little Badger	The smallest of the Badger family, Little Badger is kind of shy. Actor will need some dance or mime to act like an animal. Brief singing. Looking for a boy in fourth through sixth grades.
Child of the Valley (3)	The three children begin the show with singing a rhyme about the three nasty farmers and proceed to each describe a farmer. These three actors will double as one of the young animal characters and appear in the large group dance celebration scene at the end, so some dancing will be required. Brief singing.
Miss Mole	Role is considered Animal Chorus. Miss Mole gets along well with all the other young animals of the valley. Looking for a girl in sixth through ninth grade. Small stature is important.
Little Rabbit (3)	Role is considered Animal Chorus. Brief singing. Looking for children in fourth through eighth grades.