MERRILY WE ROLL ALONG
Music & Lyrics by Stephen Sondheim
Book by George Furth
Based on the Original Play by George S. Kaufman & Moss Hart
Director: Gary Hoffmann
Music Director: Emily Rose
Producer: Julie Phillips
Audition Dates:
· Monday, December 6th and Wednesday, December 8th at 7pm. Sign in begins at 6:30pm
· You only need to attend one of these sessions.
· If needed, callbacks will be held on Thursday, December 9th (invitation only)
Location:
Schenectady Light Opera Company Education Building
418 Liberty Street, Schenectady, NY 12305
Free parking is available in the city owned parking lot across the street
Performance Dates:
March 18-27, 2022 (Thursday, Fridays and Saturdays at 8pm, Sundays at 2pm)
SLOC Mainstage, 427 Franklin Street, Schenectady, NY 12305
What to Prepare:
· Please prepare 16 to 32 bars of music from a Broadway show – ideally in a style similar to the show or from the show itself.
· Please bring your own sheet music in the correct key; an accompanist will be provided.
· Readings from the script will be provided.
· Please bring a calendar with all your conflicts to the audition as well.
· A fillable pdf copy of the audition form is available on our website if you would like to complete it and bring it with you to auditions. Copies will also be available at the event.
Rehearsals
· Rehearsals will be held on Monday, Wednesday and Friday evenings, and on Sunday afternoons. This is subject to change based on cast/crew availability.
· Rehearsals will begin on Sunday, December 12th
· Attendance is mandatory for Tech Week (March 12-17, 2022) and all performances.
Commitment to COVID Safety:
The health and safety of our artists, staff, and audience members are our first priority. Please review our full COVID Health & Safety Guidelines. All actors, staff and crew will be expected to follow these guidelines including wearing a mask at all times while on the SLOC campus.
*All actors, staff, and crew will need to show proof that they are fully vaccinated by the time rehearsal begins*
About the Show:
Merrily We Roll Along begins in the present and moves backwards, tracing the lives of wealthy, jaded composer, Franklin Shepard, and his two estranged friends through each milestone of their personal and professional lives (good and bad). The show ends with a touch of rueful irony, as the three best friends at the start of their careers face a bright future: young, talented and enthusiastic about the worlds waiting to be conquered.
Characters:
*Ages are suggestions, we encourage anyone 18 years of age or older to audition!
Franklin Shepard (Age: 25 to 40, Vocal range: A2 – Bb4)
His character ranges from an influential songwriter and film producer to an innocent, bright-eyed optimist in NYC. Talented and handsome but misled, tragic, and tormented.
Charley Kringas (Age: 25 to 40, Vocal range: A#2 – G#4)
A stubborn, intense man with average looks. He ranges from a successful lyricist and Frank’s long-time friend to a bright-eyed optimist creating his own opportunities in NYC.
Mary Flynn (Age: 25 to 45, Vocal range: G3 – Gb5)
A middle-aged theatre critic. Her character arcs to the youthful, gorgeous 20-something living in NYC with best friend Frank. Sardonic, bitter, and witty.
Meg Kincaid (Age: 18 to 25, Vocal range: D4 – Gb5)
Starry-eyed starlet who is naive and ambitious. At the start of the show, she is Frank’s newest fling.
Gussie Carnegie (Age: 25 to 35, Vocal range: G3 – C5)
The flamboyant, self-invented actress. Her character begins at the end of her relationship with Frank, but throughout the show we see her grow more and more helplessly in love with him. Greedy and seductive.
Joe Josephson (Age: 35 to 50, Vocal range: A2 – F#4)
Big-talking Broadway producer and husband to Gussie. He later becomes pathetic and poor.
Beth (Age: 25 to 35, Vocal range: A3 – G5)
A naive and insecure middle-American who is the mother of Frank’s son. She arcs from a down-trodden housewife at her wits end to a hopeless romantic at the beginning of her engagement to the man of her dreams.
Ensemble
Party Guests; Artists; Students
Schenectady Light Opera Company pledges to continue advocating for and aiming to build a diverse cast reflective of the Schenectady community. Any and all ethnicities, BIPOC actors and actors of all gender identities are encouraged to audition for all roles. Whether or not you’ve been part of past SLOC productions, we welcome you to audition!
If you have any questions, please contact the Producer Julie Phillips (julescphillips@gmail.com), or the Director Gary Hoffmann (ghoffma1@nycap.rr.com). Thank you!