Cast Sought for 'August: Osage County'

PinnWorth Productions of Kelsey Theater is seeking men to audition for their production of "August: Osage County."

Those interested in auditioning should prepare a 2-3-minute monologue reflecting the character for which they wish to audition.

Callbacks, which will double as auditions for these purposes, will occur at 7 p.m. September 16. The first rehearsal will be held at the same time the 28^th; the show will run Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays January 8-17.

Character breakdowns can be found at our earlier post here. For more information, or to schedule an appointment, contact august_osagecounty@yahoo.com. Kelsey Theater is located on the Mercer County Community College campus at 1200 Old Trenton Road, West Windsor.

Casting Call: 'Hair'

The audition schedule for "Hair" has been changed. The new schedule is as follows.

Auditions for "Hair" will be held at Kelsey Theater from 6 to 10:30 p.m. Jan. 29, from 6 to 10 p.m. Jan. 31, and from noon to 4 p.m. Feb. 1. Callbacks will be held during auditions. All callbacks will be recorded. Dance auditions will be held in the middle of each audition time period. Auditionees must be at least 18 years old.

"Hair" tells the story of the tribe, a group of politically active, long-haired hippies of the 'Age of Aquarius' living a bohemian life in New York City and fighting against conscription into the Vietnam War. Claude, his good friend Berger, their roommate Sheila and their friends struggle to balance their young lives, loves and the sexual revolution with their rebellion against the war and their conservative parents and society. Ultimately, Claude must decide whether to resist the draft as his friends have done, or to succumb to the pressures of his parents and conservative America to serve in Vietnam, compromising his pacifistic principles and risking his life.

Auditionees must prepare one song and one monologue, and wear clothes comfortable for dancing in. They can sign up for an audition time on the door of CM122 starting at noon Jan. 22. For the dance audition, choreography will be taught to be performed in a small group.

Rehearsals will be from 7 to 10:30 p.m. Mondays, Wednesdays and Thursdays from February 3-April 25, with more rehearsals during tech week.  There may also be pickup dance rehearsals. Performances will be at 8 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays and at 2 p.m. Sundays from April 25 to May 4.

Auditions will be held in CM122. For more information, contact personj@mccc.edu.

Casting Call: 'Shrek the Musical'

All audition slots for Kelsey Theater's "Shrek the Musical" are booked. Anyone 8-12 who wishes to audition is asked to put their name on a waiting list by sending an email to audition@mponstage.com. Would-be youth auditionees coming in without an appointment will not be permitted to audition.

Auditionees who are 13 and older may come in without an appointment, but are cautioned that it may be a long wait. To minimize the waiting period, auditionees should regularly check the audition website in case a time slot becomes open.

Auditions for those 8-12 will be held from 6-9 p.m. Jan. 23. Auditions for those 13 and older will be held from 10 a.m.-6 p.m. Jan. 25 and from noon-6 p.m. Jan. 26. All auditionees must register and create a profile in the MPO CastMe system.

Actors must register online to schedule an audition. Required information includes a resume, headshot and any other relevant information. Appointments are recommended. Audition packets are also available online.

Shrek (25-45, A2-G#4)	A big, green, terrifying ogre who lives alone in a swamp. He embarks on a journey to rid his swamp of fairytale creatures and, along the way, falls in love with Fiona. Begins as a grumpy hermit, but eventually becomes the hero.
Donkey (20-35, C3-B4)	A talking donkey who joins Shrek on the run from Farquaad's guards. Quite the chatterbox, he is not deterred by Shrek's looks and practically forces himself into his good graces. Easily frightened and pushy, but also an optimist with heart.
Lord Farquaad (25-40, B2-D5)	The comically short, ruthless ruler of Duloc. He is in search of a princes to marry so that he can become king. Has an intensely unfair bias against fairytale creatures that stems from a resentment of his father. Self-absorbed, lonely and cruel. The actor playing this role will execute all blocking and choreography on his knees.
Pinocchio (20-40, E3-F#4)	The leader of the fairytale creatures. He is an animated puppet whose nose grows every time he lies. Plenty of sass with a penchant for lying. There is a very specific character voice associated with this role.
Fiona (20-30, F3-G6)	The beautiful princess of Far Far Away, Fiona transforms into an ogress every night at sunset. She is rescued by Shrek and eventually falls in love with him. Quirky, blunt, and multitalented, she is not an ordinary princess. This role requires strong singing and dancing, including tap.
Dragon (25-45, F3-Eb5)	A dragon charged with guarding Princess Fiona in her isolated castle. She falls in love with Donkey and attempts to keep him there forever. Imposing and flirtatious, but tired of her job as the glorified babysitter. Since the role is sung offstage, the actor will need strong vocals and a very high belt. The singer most likely will double for other female roles in the show.
Gingy (Female, 15-40, B3-C#5)	A gingerbread man initially kidnapped by Lord Farquaad. His wit and resolution help him both avoid trouble and inspire the rest of the fairytale creatures. Gingy is a puppet that will be operated by the person playing the Sugar Plum Fairy. This role calls for a specific character voice and high soprano range.
Adult ensemble/ secondary roles (13+)	The ensemble will play roles such as Mama and Papa Ogre, King Harold, Queen Lillian, teenage Fiona, Big Bad Wolf, three little pigs, White Rabbit, Fairy Godmother, Peter Pan, Wicked Witch, Mama and Papa bears, Mad Hatter, elf, three blind mice, angry mob, guards, knights, pied piper, Thelonius, bishop and others. All adult secondary roles have dialogue and solo singing. The ensemble players in this show will be onstage constantly and are an integral part of the cast.
Child ensemble/ secondary roles (8-12)	Two boys and two girls will share the roles of Young Fiona, a featured soloist; Young Shrek, the ugly duckling, Baby Bear, dwarf and others.
Six featured dancers (13+)	The dance corp will perform various styles including light chorus, tap, jazz, and hip hop. Some partnering will be involved. Featured dancers also may be members of the adult ensemble.

The show will run from May 30 to June 8, with performances at 8 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays, and at 2 p.m. Saturdays and Sundays.

For more information, contact auditions@mponstage.com or call (609) 882-2292. Kelsey Theater is located at Mercer County Community College, 1200 Old Trenton Road, West Windsor.