WaterTower Announces Auditions for Chaplin The Musical

WaterTower Theatre invites local AEA and Non-AEA actors to audition for its production of CHAPLIN The Musical, the first show of the 2023-2024 Season. Open to both Equity and Non-Union. All roles are open to all ethnicities.

CHAPLIN: THE MUSICAL

Music and Lyrics By: Christopher Curtis

Book By: Christopher Curtis & Thomas Meehan

Rehearsals Monday-Saturday: 10/9/23-11/7/23

Sunday will be the Equity Day off except during tech (11/5) when the day off will move to Monday 11/6.

Performances Wednesday-Sunday: 11/8/23-11/19/23

CHAPLIN is based on the real-life story of Charlie Chaplin, the iconic film actor, writer, producer, and director. The new musical spans the comic’s entire career, from Chaplin’s first performance as a child in 19th-century London to his tearful acceptance of an honorary Academy Award in 1972. The show documents the beloved actor’s rise to fame and the people who shaped his life, including his mother Hannah, his older brother Sydney, his fourth wife Oona O’Neill and gossip columnist Hedda Hopper. The musical dramatizes the making of Chaplin’s legendary films, including The Kid, The Circus, Modern Times and The Great Dictator as well as his turbulent childhood, frenzied love life and political beliefs. Featuring an original score by Christopher Curtis, including “Look at All the People,” “Just Another Day in Hollywood” and “This Man,” CHAPLIN tells the touching story of the man who makes the world laugh as his legendary screen persona, the Tramp, but struggles to find happiness in his own life.

Contains adult themes.

WaterTower Theatre is dedicated to diversity and inclusion as a core value, and as such we strongly encourage actors of all ethnicities and gender identities to submit. In reference to the character descriptions below—most characters we encounter currently are on the binary and are written with he/him or she/her pronouns and you will see that in the following descriptions. But however limiting the descriptions are, our casting seeks to be as inclusive as possible and we invite gender non-conforming, genderqueer, transgender and non-binary actors to submit for the roles they most identify with. We will also list race/ethnicity when specific to the character but are otherwise seeking all races and ethnicities. Let us know if you have any questions, concerns, or if there are any accommodations we can provide (from language developed by Kevin Kantor and Emily Tarquin from the Actors Theatre of Louisville). LOCAL DFW ACTORS HIGHLY ENCOURAGED TO SUBMIT

All positions are paid. Both Equity (SPT 6 rate) & Non-Equity ($150 per week- EMC Points available) contracts are available.

WHO:

Director: Shane Peterman

Music Director: Vonda K. Bowling

Choreographer: Ann Nieman

Associate Producer & Covid Compliance Officer: Elizabeth Kensek

WHEN:

AUDITIONS: Sunday May 7, 2023 12pm-9pm (dinner break from 5-6pm)

Movement Callback: Monday May 8, 2023 6:30pm-9:30pm

Principal Callback: Monday May 15, 2023 6:30pm-10:30pm

WHERE:

WaterTower Theatre Addison Theatre Centre 15650 Addison Road Addison, TX 75001

SEEKING:

Note: Proper British dialects are requested for applicable characters.

Charlie Chaplin (bari-tenor) After surviving a poverty-stricken and difficult childhood he turned luck into skill and skill into unprecedented opportunity and success. He ages from late teens to late 40’s as a troubled artist with unmatched talent on the vaudeville stage, in Keystone pictures and as producer, director and star of his own film studio.

Hannah Chaplin (mezzo soprano) Charlie’s mother. She is the source of his first inspiration as well as his greatest humiliation.

Young Charlie (age 9-12, any gender) He sings, dances, and suffers great sorrow when he returns to his mother after getting out of the County Home to find she no longer recognizes him.

Young Sydney - (age 12-16) Charlies older brother who also suffers sorrow as a young man upon family issues and abuse. Acting role who will also sing in the chorus.

Sydney Chaplin (baritone) Charlie’s brother, performing partner, and business manager. He sticks by Charlie through thick and thin, through marriages and women far too young and through political upheavals and exile.

Alf Reeves (bari-tenor) Clever, intuitive, fields phone calls and starlet requests brilliantly - and knows Charlie sometimes better than Chaplin knows himself.

Mack Sennett (tenor) The master of his Keystone universe; the rather arrogant yet perfectly knowledgeable creator of a factory of short, slapstick films.

Hedda Hopper (mezzo/belter) A mediocre actress - turned notorious gossip columnist who has made it her personal mission to expose Charlie as a womanizing, cheating, communist foreigner who is making too much money on American shores.

Oona O’Neill (soprano) Young wannabe actress who meets Charlie when she turns up late for an audition. Shortly thereafter, she gives up her aspirations for a career in Hollywood and becomes the first woman to appreciate Charlie for who and not what he is.

Jackie Coogan (age 7-9, any gender)

Famous child actor who co-starred in “The Kid” with Chaplin and the Usher. This is an acting role but will also sing in chorus.

Featured Ensemble- seeking a diverse ensemble of strong singers who are comfortable with singing difficult ensemble music and move well (tumbling is a plus for select ensemble), who will also portray important supporting roles including Mr. Karno, Mildred Harris, & Joan Barry- in addition to playing Londoners, Music Hall Patrons, Ushers, Film Crew, Starlets, Reporters, and the Hollywood Elite.

Rehearsals begin October 10, 2023. Performances run November 8- November 19, 2023.

PREPARATION: Actors should come prepared with a 16-32 bar cut of music in the style of the show. Singing from the show is always acceptable.

Actors will be asked to stop if you go over this time limit. Actors must provide their own sheet music in the correct key. Actors should bring their book in case the creative team would like to hear more. Headshot and resume are required at the audition. AEA and Non-AEA roles are available. All roles are local hire. No housing or travel can be provided.

Please provide one of the following upon arrival at auditions with the attendant:

- Proof of full vaccination. “Fully vaccinated”, as defined by the CDC, is more than 14 calendar days following receipt of a final dose of an FDA or World Health Organization authorized or approved COVID vaccine. [OR] - Proof of a negative PCR test result taken no earlier than 48 hours prior to arrival [OR] - Proof of 2 negative antigen test results (e.g., the first taken the night before and the second taken no less than 2 hours) prior to arrival. Results of non-proctored at-home antigen tests will not be accepted. WTT will require COVID-19 vaccinations from all artists in the production group. This is a condition of employment. Team members will be required to submit a photo or scan of their vaccination card, including proof of booster.

Masks are required for auditions, except when actively auditioning.

TO SCHEDULE AN AUDITION: Sign up for an audition slot at: https://www.signupgenius.com/go/805084AACA62BAAFC1-chaplin

VIDEO SUBMISSIONS: Video submissions are being accepted for local actors unable to attend the audition in person. Your video should consist of one 16-32 bar cut of a song in the style of the show. Singing from the show is always acceptable. Videos are due by midnight on May 6, 2023. Please use the following form to submit video auditions: https://airtable.com/shrtYfut6e9zmToHx