Callboard
Auditions for the School of Theatre and Dance's main stage and student productions are open to any Kent State student.
Please use the drop down menu below to access information about specific productions.
If you are on campus, information about audition opportunities will also be available on the Theatre Callboard located outside of the E. Turner Stump Green Room or the Dance Callboard located outside Dance Studio D123.
Spring 2024 AUDITION INFORMATION
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Audition Notice: RENT
RENT
Directed and Choreographed by Amy Fritsche
Music Directed by Jonathan SwobodaAbout RENT
(Provided by MTI) Book, Music, and Lyrics by Jonathan LarsonBased loosely on Puccini's La Boheme, Jonathan Larson's RENT follows a year in the life of a group of impoverished young artists and musicians struggling to survive and create in New York's Lower East Side, under the shadow of HIV/AIDS. The physical and emotional complications of the disease pervade the lives of Roger, Mimi, Tom, and Angel. Maureen deals with her chronic infidelity through performance art; her partner, Joanne, wonders if their relationship is worth the trouble. Benny has sold out his Bohemian ideals in exchange for a hefty income and is on the outs with his former friends. Mark, an aspiring filmmaker, feels like an outsider to life in general. How these young bohemians negotiate their dreams, loves and conflicts provides the narrative thread to this groundbreaking musical.
Rehearsals
Tentative Music Rehearsals Nov 27-30, 2023
Before Semester Start:
Saturday, January 13, 2024 | 1-6 p.m.
Sunday, January 14, 2024 | 10 a.m.-6 p.m. (With an hour lunch break)Rehearsals continue Tuesday, January 16th following this weekly schedule:
Monday-Friday 6-10 p.m.
Saturday or Sunday 6-hour rehearsal blocksPerformances
February 16-25, 2024Preliminary Auditions
When:
November 13th (Starting At 6:00)
November 14th (Starting at 6:00)Where:
Black BoxCome Prepared With:
One late ’80s /early ’90s Rock song, in the style of the show, no longer than 32 bars. Please, NO Musical Theatre or Pop.Sign-Up:
Auditions will be scheduled in 5-minute slots.To sign up for an audition, you must first create a free account with www.myshowbuilder.com
1. Go to www.myshowbuilder.com. Click “Register” in the upper left corner of the site, and create an account using your Kent Email Address.
2. Once you’ve registered, you will be sent a confirmation email (this may go to the junk/spam folder if you don’t see it in your inbox).
3. Click on the link in that confirmation email and login.
4. “Next” through steps 1-3 (About ShowBuilder>Production Name>Production Logo) and fill out Your Profile with the information you feel comfortable sharing, but at minimum, name and easy contact phone number for stage management. You can also upload your headshot here as well.
5. “Next” through to completion. If you have any problems, please feel free to contact Tom Humes (thumes2@kent.edu).
6. Once you have completed setting this up you can follow these links to the different audition days to sign-up:
Callbacks
Will be Wednesday, Nov 15th starting at 6:00 PM. Anyone being called back should receive an email by noon on the 15th. There will be a group dance call.
Character Breakdown
We are intentionally opening up the racial breakdown or Rent please see the following
MARK COHEN Vocal Range: Tenor (C#3-G4) Ethnicity: Any ethnicity
Mark is an aspiring filmmaker who narrates the show as he films the lives of his friends. Mark never leaves home without a camera.
ROGER DAVIS Vocal Range: Rock Tenor (B2-A4) Ethnicity: Any ethnicity
Roger is a once successful, now struggling musician who discovered he had HIV/AIDS in a note his girlfriend left him before she took her own life. His main goal in life is to write one great song before he dies, but he has not been able to play his guitar in a year, fearing that he has lost his creative energy. Guitar skills are desired
MIMI MARQUEZ Vocal Range: Alto (F#3-E5) Ethnicity: Black / Indigenous / Multiracial / Person Of Color
Mimi Marquez works in a strip club and struggles with her addiction to heroin, which has resulted in her contracting of HIV/AIDS. She falls in love with Roger, who is unable to commit to a relationship with her.
BENNY COFFIN III Ethnicity: Black / Indigenous / Multiracial / Person Of Color
Benny used to be Mark and Roger’s roommate, but he married Alison Grey, who is from a rich family involved with real estate, and he is now Mark and Roger’s landlord.
MAUREEN JOHNSON Vocal Range: Soprano Belt (C4-F5) Ethnicity: any ethnicity
Maureen is a bisexual performing artist and Mark's ex-girlfriend. She left Mark to be with her new girlfriend, Joanne. She is sexy, flirtatious, sassy, and funny.
JOANNE JEFFERSON Vocal Range: Soprano Belt (Bb3-E5) Ethnicity: Black / Indigenous / Multiracial / Person Of Color
Joanne is a lesbian Ivy League-educated lawyer and activist. She struggles to not be jealous of Maureen’s flirtatious nature with others.
TOM COLLINS Vocal Range: Bass/Baritone (F#2 – A4) Ethnicity: Black / Indigenous / Multiracial / Person Of Color
Tom Collins is a gay computer genius, teacher, and anarchist who was recently expelled from MIT. Tom and Angel’s relationship is the heart of the show, as the genuine love and devotion they have for one another brings hope and inspiration to the entire group.
ANGEL SCHUNARD Vocal Range: Tenor with Falseto (C3-A4) Ethnicity: Black / Indigenous / Mulracial / Person Of Color
Angel is a young drag queen and street percussionist who meets and falls in love with Collins. Angel is the most generous and selfless character in the show. Though they are living with HIV/AIDS, they embrace life and live it to its fullest. People are naturally drawn to Angel, and their smile lights up the room.
Multiracial/Multiethnic Ensemble to play the following roles:
• Mark's Mother
• Pam
• Mrs. Jefferson
• Woman with Bags
• Coat Vendor
• Mimi's Mother
• Ali
• Seasons of Love Soloist Female Identifying
• Alexi Darling
• Roger's Mother
• Sue
• Mr. Jefferson
• Christmas Caroler
• Preacher
• Seasons of Love Soloist Male Identifying
• Gordon
• The Man
• Mr. Grey
• Steve
• Waiter
• Squeegee Man
• Paul
• Cop
• Vendor
Content Information
Rent contains adult content such as: adult language, sex, LGBTIA relationships, homophobia, suicide, self-harm, substance abuse, AIDS/HIV epidemic, and homelessness.
Intimacy Information
The actors playing Maureen and Joanne must be comfortable with same-sex physical intimacy. The actors playing Angle and Tom Collins must be comfortable with same-sex physical intimacy. Maureen and Mark have a moment of intimacy. The actors playing Mimi and Roger must be comfortable with physical intimacy. The actors playing Mimi and Benny must be comfortable with physical intimacy.
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Audition Notice: Everybody
Everybody
By Branden Jacobs-Jenkins
Directed by Paul Hurley (he, him, his)
Audition Information
(please read in its entirety)
Please read the play before you audition. A copy of the script can be found here:
ABOUT Everybody
This modern riff on the fifteenth-century morality play Everyman follows Everybody as they journey through life’s greatest mystery – the meaning of living.
The play vacillates between hilarious and heartbreaking (sometimes in the same moment), as the character of Everybody seeks to justify their life. The style of storytelling in this play is often metatheatrical, routinely breaking the fourth wall and drawing attention to the fact that the events are unfolding in a theater.
This play was written a few years before the Covid-19 pandemic. In light of the pandemic and our collective (and individual) experiences, this play resonates in a very different way for us at this particular moment in time. We’ve been faced with the very real dangers of the pandemic and have either been personally impacted by it or know those in our communities who have been. Additionally, over the past 3 ½ years (and for sure during lockdown) we’ve had the opportunity to re-examine our lives, and really wrestle with what is important to us and how we want to show up in the world.
Perhaps the final lines of the play best encapsulate the story we might be up to telling in this production: “Maybe let’s just all be a little better about recycling. Also really listening to each other, and maybe being less judgmental and more forgiving but, also, owning up to our mistakes and being open to changing our own minds. Lead with our Understanding. You know: just being nice to each other. For once. And I’m talking about Everybody.”
AUDITIONS
• Auditions are open to all Kent State University students.
• Auditions will be on Monday, November 13 from 6:30-10 p.m. and Tuesday, November 14 from 6-10 p.m. in room D302.
• In attendance during the audition with be: Director and faculty member Paul Hurley and Production Stage Manager Sage Brown.
• Please see below for instructions on signing up for a timeslot:
In order to sign up for an audition, you must first create a free account with www.myshowbuilder.com
1. Go to www.myshowbuilder.com. Click “Register” in the upper left corner of the site, and create an account using your Kent Email Address.
2. Once you’ve registered, you will be sent a confirmation email (this may go to the junk/spam folder if you don’t see it in your inbox).
3. Click on the link in that confirmation email and login.
4. “Next” through steps 1-3 (About ShowBuilder>Production Name>Production Logo) and fill out Your Profile with the information you feel comfortable sharing, but at minimum, name and easy contact phone number for stage management. You can also upload your headshot here as well.
5. “Next” through to completion. If you have any problems, please feel free to contact Tom Humes (thumes2@kent.edu).
6. Once you have completed setting this up you can follow these links or Q-R codes to the different audition days to sign-up:
Monday, November 13, 2023 6:30-10 p.m.
Tuesday, November 14, 2023 6-10 p.m.
WHAT TO PREPARE
• Perform a monologue that you love to do (ideally 90 seconds or less). If the monologue isn’t memorized, that’s fine, please audition anyway.
• If you don’t have a monologue, that’s also fine, please still audition anyway and tell a super funny/poignant/thrilling story (ideally 90 seconds or less).
CALLBACKS
Callbacks will be on Thursday, November 16 from 6– 10:30 p.m.
REHEARSALS
Rehearsals will begin on February 19.
Week 1 – Feb. 19
Monday, Tuesday, Thursday from 6-10 p.m.
Possible Saturday (4 hours)
Week 2 – Feb. 26
Monday, Wednesday, Thursday from 6-10 p.m.
Possible Saturday (4 hours)
Week 3 – March 4
Monday, Wednesday, Thursday from 6-10 p.m.
Possible Saturday (4 hours)
Week 4 – March 11
Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday from 6-10 p.m.
Possible Saturday (4 hours)
Week 5 – March 18
Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday from 6-10 p.m.
No Rehearsals during Spring Break – March 23 – 30 (note: there may be a rehearsal on Sunday, March 31)
Week 6 – April 1
Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday from 6-10 p.m.
Saturday or Sunday (4 hours)
Week 7 – April 8
Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday from 6-10 p.m.
Saturday 1:00-10:30 p.m.
Week 8 – April 15
Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday from 6-10:45 p.m.
PERFORMANCES
Friday, April 19 7:30 pm
Saturday, April 20 7:30 pm
Sunday, April 21 2:00 pm
Wednesday, April 24 10:00 a.m. and 7:30 p.m.
Thursday, April 25 7:30 p.m.
Friday, April 26 7:30 p.m.
Saturday, April 27 7:30 p.m.
Sunday, April 28 2:00 p.m.
CHARACTER BREAKDOWN
Except for the character of GIRL, all roles in the play are open to all Ethnic and Racial Identities, all Ages, all Gender Identities, and all Abilities.
The following roles will be played by one actor (with possible understudies/swings)
• Usher/God/Understanding
• Death
• Love
The following roles will be double cast (10 actors total):
• Everybody / Evil
• Friendship / Strength
• Kinship / Beauty
• Cousin / Mind
• Stuff / Senses
(NOTE: Each of these actors will learn two roles. What role the actor plays for any given performance will be decided on stage during the performance.)
The following role will be played by a young actor (a non-Kent student), and understudied/ swinged by a Kent student:
• Girl (9-13 years old/All Ethnic and Racial Identities/All Abilities, female-identifying or non-binary)
There will also be DANCERS in the production – this casting will be determined later.
CONTENT INFORMATION
• A child is present throughout the play.
• Strong language is used throughout the play from several characters (including both adults and children).
• Talk of death and dying.
INTIMACY INFORMATION
There may be moments of physical contact in the production. This will be designed and crafted around each actor’s individual boundaries.
The character of EVERYBODY is asked to undress by the character of LOVE. Please note that in this production there will be no nudity. During this moment, this actor playing of EVERYBODY will remove a few articles of clothing, however they will remain clothed. This moment will be staged within the boundaries of each actor playing this role.