After more than a two-year hiatus from live performances, St. Albert Children’s Theatre returns to the stage with fairy tale fantasy The Wizard of Oz.
Several wonderful character roles — Dorothy, Tin Man, Lion, Scarecrow, the Wizard, Glinda the Good Witch, and the Wicked Witch of the West — are up for grabs. And let’s not forget Aunt Em, Uncle Henry, Miss Gulch, and the Munchkins.
Auditions will be held on the weekend of Aug. 6 and 7. Artistic director Janice Flower, who casts a 40-actor ensemble in the company’s winter productions, will be looking for energy, enthusiasm, and personality.
For the first time in the troupe's musical theatre history, Flower is putting out a call for adults as well as children older than eight years of age.
“We have been trying to expand our clientele for several years by offering adult programs, classes, and workshops. We want to provide access to the whole community. This is our first show post pandemic and it’s a good time to open the doors to the entire community,” said Flower.
Children ages eight to 12 interested in auditioning are required to sing a song. Aspiring actors from 13 years to adult are asked to memorize a monologue as well as sing a song.
In choosing a song, Flower encourages actors to stay away from singing any of the 50 numbers from Wizard.
“You do not want to do something from the show. It’s considered a faux pas. I suggest something character-driven, something from the heart, such as Part of Your World from The Little Mermaid — something that has a story arc.”
As the casting director, Flower also puts equal weight on both the delivery and execution of songs.
“You don’t have to have a great voice as long as you have a good delivery. We can always work on fixing a weaker voice during rehearsals.”
And as for the monologue, Flower encourages participants to memorize a paragraph from a book, or a work of fiction, whatever they are comfortable tackling.
“If you read off a paper, it probably ensures you won’t be cast. If you don’t have the ability to memorize a short monologue, then you probably can’t handle a play. And if your nose is in the paper, you can’t do your best job.”
Actors from eight to 12 years audition Aug. 6 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Auditions for 13 years to adult are held Aug. 7 from 10 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Both sets take place at City Arts Space, 105, 125 Carleton Dr.
Actors are expected to perform in 12 Wizard of Oz shows booked from Nov. 24 to Dec. 4 at the Arden Theatre.
Registration information and forms are available at the St. Albert Children’s Theatre website https://stalbert.ca/exp/sact/events/auditions/. Information is also available by email at [email protected].
