NEXT TO NORMAL
Audition Announcement
CALL FOR ADULT MUSICAL THEATRE PERFORMERS!
Director: Sean Baldwin & Eleah Jayne Peal
Music Director: James Alexander
Steamer No. 10 Theatre and the production team are committed to building a diverse, authentic cast. Artists of any gender identity, ethnicity, and neurodiversity are encouraged to audition!
ABOUT THE SHOW
Dad’s an architect; Mom rushes to pack lunches and pour cereal; their daughter and son are bright, wise-cracking teens, appearing to be a typical American family. And yet their lives are anything but normal because the mother has been battling bipolar disorder for 16 years. Next to Normal is an emotional powerhouse that addresses such issues as grief, ethics in modern psychiatry, and suburban life; taking audiences into the minds and hearts of the characters in and near to this family, presenting their story with love, sympathy and heart.
AUDITION LOCATION
Steamer No. 10 Theatre
500 Western Ave., Albany, NY 12203
Street parking is available on Western and Madison, please do not park in the spots marked off for police vehicles. You may park within the Citizens Bank parking lot (Western Ave) after business hours, but please take care to avoid handicap/unauthorized spaces with signage.
AUDITION DATE/TIME
Wednesday, September 24th 2025 and Thursday, September 25th, 2025
WHAT TO PREPARE
Please come prepared with approximately 16—32 bars (measures) of music in the style of the show that showcases your unique talents.
We ask actors auditioning to come with sheet music printed and marked clearly for the accompanist.
We also ask actors auditioning to prepare a one minute contemporary monologue to be presented after their song cut.
AUDITION DETAILS
Auditions are scheduled by appointment, split into 10 minute slots between 7-9:30pm. Walk-ins are welcome and we will do our best to accommodate when time is open/available. Artists need to only attend one audition session.
Callbacks will be held by invite only on the evening of Monday, September 29th.
If you are not able to attend any of the audition dates/times slots available but would still like to be considered for a role for this production, please submit an audition form and a video audition (singing 16-32 measures of music with backing and performing a one-minute monologue) to either the google form below (purple button to the right) or email to eleahjayne@steamer10theatre.org.
All virtual submissions are due by September 25th at 9:00 p.m.
Audition forms can be filled out prior, and submitted anytime before at the start of your audition appointment (click the left button below to access the PDF).
To request an audition appointment or to submit a virtual audition, fill out the following google form by clicking the right button below.
PERFORMANCE LOCATION
Steamer No. 10 Theatre
500 Western Ave., Albany, NY 12203
Street parking is available on Western and Madison, please do not park in the spots marked off for police vehicles. You may park within the Citizens Bank parking lot (Western Ave) after business hours, but please take care to avoid handicap/unauthorized spaces with signage.
PERFORMANCE DATES
January 9-11, 2026, and January 16-18, 2026
Fridays and Saturdays at 7pm, Sundays at 3pm
REHEARSAL INFORMATION
Rehearsals will generally be held on Mondays, Wednesday & Friday evenings, and Sunday afternoons.
A full rehearsal schedule and breakdown will take all conflicts into account and be provided soon after the production is cast.
A read-thru will be held on Friday, October 3rd at 6:30 p.m. at the theater.
A cast photo and promo shoot day will be scheduled based on cast and crew availability.
Attendance is mandatory for Tech Sunday (January 3, 2026), Tech Week rehearsals (January 5-8, 2026) and all performances.
CHARACTER BREAKDOWN
Diana
Gender/Age: Female, 36-40.
Voice: Mezzo-Soprano. Strong mix to E5.
Delusional, bipolar, and depressed. The sexiness of her yesterdays has only recently begun to soften. She is determined to make her family perfect but is tortured by a death in the family.
Dan
Gender/Age: Male, 36-40.
Voice: Tenor.
Diana’s husband. He is handsome and genuine. Though a constant in Diana’s tumultuous life, he has grown tired and weary of her antics.
Natalie
Gender/Age: Female, 16.
Voice: Mezzo-Soprano. Strong mix to D5.
Diana & Dan’s troubled daughter. An accomplished pianist and hardworking student, her struggles are exacerbated by her mother’s behavior. She greatly admires Henry.
Gabe
Gender/Age: Male, 18.
Voice: Tenor
Diana & Dan’s son. Dashing, athletic, and bright. He is a playful man and everything a mother could imagine.
Henry
Gender/Age: Any gender, 16.
Voice: Tenor
Natalie’s classmate. The all-around musician, philosopher, and slacker. He has an intoxicating capacity for sympathy and romance.
Dr. Fine/Dr. Madden
Gender/Age: Any gender, any age.
Voice: Tenor
Diana’s handsome psychiatrist. Quite assured in his practice and considered somewhat of a rock star.