CPH

2010 - 11: 54th Season - AUDITIONS

SYLVIA

Auditions for SYLVIA will be held according to the following schedule:

Auditions: Saturday, July 17 from 12 to 6 pm; Callbacks - Monday, July 19, 7 to 9 pm
The play runs from Friday September 17 to October 2 with one Sunday matinee and a Thursday evening performance.
All roles are open! Roles are NON-PAID.

Setting: a Manhattan apartment.
Time: 1995.
Synopsis: Greg and Kate are married,with two children away in college. They respect and love each other, but the relationship is threatened when Greg bring home from Central Park a stray dog, to be played by a young female (Sarah Jessica Parker played the part in the original production). They met when Greg was 16 and Kate agreed to marry him two years after after he proposed, so they might be 40, or in in their very early forties. They have just moved back to the city from the suburbs, and Kate has returned to teaching Shakespeare in NYC public schools. Greg trades money, but hates it, and is undergoing a mid-life crisis.

Auditioning for the following roles:

Character Name	Gender	Age Appearance Range	Description
Greg	Male	about 40	attractive, about 40 (can add grey to hair if actor is a bit younger), wondering if this is where he's meant to be.
Kate	Female	about 40	attractive, about 40, dedicated, working to bring Shakespeare to inner city schools.
Sylvia	Female	late teens or twenties	Capturing body language of a dog is key. Does NOT wear a dog suit.
Tom, Phyllis, and Leslie	Mulitple	to be played by male actor in his thirties	Tom: blue-collar, self-taught, bonds with his dog Bowser. Phyllis: a "player", knows everybody in town, name-drops a lot. Leslie: an androgynous therapist whose sex is deliberately ambiguous, wears uni-sex clothing.
"Sylvia" has seven characters, but only four actors, as the playwright A. R. Gurney prefers that one actor play three parts. It's a stretch for the actor, but entertaining for the audience - this is a comedy. For auditions, the director would like you to prepare a monologue, and also will ask actors to read from the script. Emotional warmth for Greg and Kate is important, so that their bickering is seen to be thoughtful, not nasty. Bring a Headshot and resume if you have one.
****For further details, email director Jim Tommaney or call him at 713-914-9195

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To help prepare you for auditions, we'd like to present some Audition Tips:

Maintain a varied portfolio of monologues (comedic, classic, dramatic, etc) and practice them often to keep them fresh. Edit them for length depending on the specifics of the audition. Keep in mind that some of the best "monologues" can be created by simply removing other characters' lines from a scene with multiple characters. Even if you are not asked to present a prepared monologue, it is perfectly okay to ask the auditioner if you may present one. They may even see it as a welcome break from hearing the same pre-selected sides from the play being auditioned.
Know the play you are auditioning for and tailor your audition accordingly. Most plays are available at the library or can be purchased at a reasonable price from the company that issues the rights. Some theatres will even allow you checkout a copy of the script to browse on premises. When preparing a monologue, select one that illustrates a character that is similar to the role you want.
Be flexible when auditioning for a play which you've previously performed. A director wants to know that they can shape your performance in harmony with the talent that the rest of the cast brings to the table. If you are too set in the way that you've performed a role previously or if you cannot demonstrate that you can make drastically different character choices on demand, the director may consider you difficult to direct.
The lifespan of your first impression is shorter than you think. The first few seconds of your audition color the director's impression of you, even before you start your prepared piece. Enter confidently, make eye contact and smile, move with purpose toward the central audition spot. State your name and the piece you'll be performing and compose yourself before you start. Then, when you do start: Get to the meat of your performance as soon as you can and don't be afraid to make strong, practical choices.
Move around. Get involved. Use the space around you. It may feel "safe" to stand in place and hide behind your script, but not only does it not offer you any protection, it also stifles a director's ability to consider how you might move and interact in your character on stage. Unless you are auditioning for a voiceover role in an animated film, try to move around and interact with your environment or other actors who may be reading with you. Even if your character doesn't have any lines, pay attention to what else is going on in the scene and react to what is going on.
Be directable. If a director gives you a suggestion about a different approach to a character, try offering an approach as different as possible from your previous portrayal. Even if you fail to effect the exact change the director wanted, offering a valid alternate portrayal goes a long way. If you need time to work on a suggestion that's been given or don't fully understand the director's note, ask for more time or clarification.
Consider training yourself or working an off-stage role if you are not awarded a role. If a director is familiar with your personality and work ethic by having worked with you as an off-stage resource, they may be more inclined to give you a chance down the road. This is especially true in small, independent, or community theatres. Furthermore, missing out on a role is often a blessing in disguise: it gives you free time to take some classes to perfect your technique. Even if you do tend to land every role for which you audition, a refresher course can help you keep your skills polished.