The Jonesborough Repertory Theatre will hold auditions for Something Rotten! on Saturday and Sunday, August 22 & 23, at 3:00 pm at the theatre located at 125.5 West Main St. in Jonesborough. The show dates are March 4-21 with full capacity seating or February 25-March 21 with social distancing.
Auditionees need to prepare a song selection no longer than 60 seconds. Bring an accompaniment track or sing a cappella. Cold readings and a dance audition will also be required. Bring tap shoes and character/jazz shoes for the dance portion of the audition. Auditions will be conducted in a manner that allows for social distancing.
The show rehearsal calendar will be provided at the audition.
Auditions and rehearsals will follow protocols for safely gathering including temperature checks, hand sanitizer, and social distancing in the theatre. All persons associated with the production and JRT are required by the Town of Jonesborough to sign a release waiver.
Video auditions will be accepted. Please contact the director, Jennifer Bernhardt, at JRTartisticdirector@gmail.com if you are interested in submitting a video.
Synopsis
Welcome to the Renaissance and the outrageous, crowd-pleasing musical farce, Something Rotten!. Created by Grammy Award-winning songwriter Wayne Kirkpatrick, and successful screenwriters Karey Kirkpatrick and John O’Farrell, Something Rotten! was lauded by audience members and critics alike, receiving several Best Musical nominations and hailed by Time Out New York as "the funniest musical comedy in at least 400 years.”
Set in the 1590s, brothers Nick and Nigel Bottom are desperate to write a hit play but are stuck in the shadow of that Renaissance rock star known as "The Bard." When a local soothsayer foretells that the future of theatre involves singing, dancing and acting at the same time, Nick and Nigel set out to write the world’s very first musical. But amidst the scandalous excitement of opening night, the Bottom Brothers realize that reaching the top means being true to thine own self, and all that jazz.
Character Breakdown:
Shakespeare
The Bard. Over the top with a huge ego.
Gender: Male
Age: 30 to 40
Vocal range top: Ab4
Vocal range bottom: Ab2
Nick Bottom
A struggling writer who cannot stand Shakespeare. Nigel’s older brother.
Gender: Male
Age: 30 to 45
Vocal range top: G4
Vocal range bottom: A2
Nigel Bottom
Nick’s sweet younger brother. A struggling writer who falls in love with Portia, a Puritan.
Gender: Male
Age: 23 to 40
Vocal range top: A4
Vocal range bottom: Eb3
Bea
Nick’s wife. She loves Nick despite his past lack of success. She dresses up like a man to prove she can be an actor.
Gender: Female
Age: 25 to 45
Vocal range top: D5
Vocal range bottom: D3
Portia
A Puritan woman who loves poetry, theater, and ultimately Nigel.
Gender: Female
Age: 20 to 35
Vocal range top: F#5
Vocal range bottom: G3
Nostradamus
A soothsayer
Gender: Male
Age: 30 to 65
Brother Jeremiah
Portia's father. A Puritan who thinks Nick and Nigel's plays are sinful.
Gender: Male
Vocal range top: G4
Vocal range bottom: G3
Lord Clapham
A posh patron of the theater.
Gender: Male
Shylock
An investor to whom Nick and Nigel are in debt.
Gender: Male
Minstrel
Gender: Male
Vocal range top: A4
Vocal range bottom: C#3
Ensemble
The Bard’s back up dancers-male (think Chippendales)
Nick Bottom’s acting troupe-all men-tons of dancing, singing and lines.
Roles include: Minstrel, Townspeople, Troupe, Lord Clapham, Shylock, Man Servants, Crowd, Chorus, and more.