Fantasy Playhouse to hold auditions for “A Christmas Carol”
HUNTSVILLE — Fantasy Playhouse Children’s Theater will hold auditions for its annual production of the Charles Dickens classic tale “A Christmas Carol” Sept. 14 and 15.
They are looking for strong singers, actors and dancers ages 6 and up. Children (ages 6-12) will audition Sept. 14 at 6 p.m., while teens and adults will audition at 1 p.m. Sept. 15. Auditionees are asked to arrive 15 minutes early to fill out paperwork. Callbacks, by invitation, will be Sept. 16 at 1:30 p.m.
Children auditioning must be 6 years old on or before Sept. 14. No preparation is required. Children may be taught a song or asked to talk with a British accent depending on their role. They may also be asked to participate in theatre games.
For teens and adults, all actors auditioning for speaking roles will have to speak with a British accent. There will be no prepared monologues, but they will have to do a cold reading. Those auditioning for a singing role—which includes Haunters and Carolers—will have to be prepared to sing up to one minute of a song that highlights their singing ability, range, style and acting. Singers must also bring sheet music, as there will be no a cappella singing auditions.
Melanie Berry, marketing associate for Fantasy Playhouse and a cast member in last year’s production, advised anyone thinking of auditioning to brush up on their British accent and joked that it is a great excuse to watch your favorite BBC shows.
“The energy and love I received from the cast and crew throughout the experience was incredible,” Berry said. “Being a part of giving this beautiful story to audiences who came as a part of their Christmas celebrations was a joy every performance.”
Here is a breakdown of roles:
CHILDREN
Boys:
Tiny Tim – young boy, sings (small and sickly)
Child Scrooge/Fezz Guest/Caroler – plain, sings, dances
Toby – age 11-15, on the smallish side. Think Oliver’s Artful Dodger
Guttersnipes (4-6 possible roles)/Schoolboys (4 roles)
Ignorance/Shopper – small child
Girls:
Belinda – young Cratchit daughter, fun & happy
Fan/Shopper – Fan is Scrooge’s sister
Charges of the Poor Governess (6 roles) – dancers approx. 9 to 12 yrs. old
Fezz Guest/Caroler – plain, sings, dances
Guttersnipes (0-2 possible roles)
Want/Shopper – small child
TEEN AND ADULT MEN
Jacob Marley (adult)
Haunt 1 Ali Baba (adult) – dances, baritone/tenor – the haunt leader
Haunt 2 Touchstone, the Court Jester (male or female, adult or teen) dances, sings – the comic relief
Haunt 4 Robinson Crusoe (adult) dances, baritone/tenor – strong presence
Ebenezer Scrooge (adult)
Bob Cratchit (adult) – overworked, underpaid, but proud & dependable
Fred/Fezz Guest (adult) dancer – likeable, happy, content
Mr Coote/Fezz Guest (adult) dancer – a bit stuffy but very caring
Mr Peachy/Fezz Guest (adult) dancer – slightly daft but genuine
Eb/Caroler (young adult) – posh, sings, Scrooge’s younger self
Caroler/Fezz Server/Fred Guest (adult) – posh, sings, dances
Caroler/Fezz Server/Fred Guest (adult) – posh, sings, dances
Carole/Fezz Guest (adult) – plain, sings, dances
Caroler/Fezz Guest (young teen) – plain, sings, dances
Ghost of Christmas Past/Fred Guest (male or female adult) – strong acting skills
Ghost of Christmas Present/Board Person (male or female adult) – booming and larger than life
Ghost of Christmas Future/Lamplighter (male or female adult) – non- speaking role
Mr Fezziwig/Song Sheet Seller (adult) dances – jolly, old fashioned, fun, good natured
Mr Livermore/Chestnut Man (adult) – dour, nearly lifeless, haughty
Jim (young adult) – Caroline’s husband, poor, proud & capable
Mr Fowler, Poulterer (adult) – mature, hardworking, no nonsense purveyor of turkeys/geese
Old Joe/Chimney Sweep (adult) – Cockney, great character role
Dick Wilkins (young adult) – character role
Topper (young adult) – character roles
Peter (young teen) – caring, wants to emulate Bob
Toby – age 11-15, on the smallish side – think Artful Dodger
TEEN AND ADULT WOMEN
Haunt 2 Touchstone, the Court Jester (male or female, adult or teen) dances, sings – the comic relief
Haunt 3 Scheherazade (adult) dances, mezzo – lithe & lovely
Caroler/Fezz Server (adult) – plain, sings, dances
Caroler/Fezz Server (adult) – plain, sings, dances
Caroler/Fezz Guest (adult) – posh, sings, dances
Caroler/Fezz Guest (young teen) – posh, sings, dances
Rose/Caroler/Fezz Guest (young adult) – posh, sings, dances
Ghost of Christmas Past/Fred Guest (male or female adult) – strong acting skills
Ghost of Christmas Present/Board Person (male or female adult) – booming and larger than life
Ghost of Christmas Future/Lamplighter (male or female adult) – non- speaking role
Mrs Fezziwig/Fruit Vendor (adult) dances – Jolly, old-fashioned, fun, good natured
Mrs Crowe/Flower Seller (adult) – Cockney laundress, great character role
Mrs Dilber/Candy Seller (adult) – Scrooge’s charwoman, great character role
Caroline (young adult) – Jim’s wife, poor but proud, possibly an Irish immigrant
Mrs Tribble, Toy Shop Owner (adult) – mature, slightly self-important shopkeeper
Poor Governess/Phyllis F (young adult/teen) dancer – oldest most dutiful
Fezz daughter
Belle (young adult/teen) – Scrooge’s lost love
Meg (young adult/teen) – Fred’s wife
Phoebe F/Fred Guest/Shopper (young adult/teen) dancer – youngest Fezz daughter, spoiled a bit
Philomena F/Fred Guest/Shopper (young adult/teen) dancer – middle Fezz daughter, loves food
Cook/Fred Guest/Shopper (adult) dancer – fun featured dance role.
Mrs Cratchit (adult) – motherly, committed, tough and loving
Martha Cratchit (young adult/teen) – dutiful eldest Cratchit daughter
Berry also said that being a part of the technical crew is an option.
“If you want to help out but are terrified of finding yourself in a spotlight, the technical crew is as warm and welcoming as the cast,” she said. “You’ll get all the behind-the-scenes involvement without memorizing a line.”
Alma Huston will direct the play, and Julia Ramsey will serve as the producer.
Those cast in the production must be available to rehearse at the following dates and times: Tuesdays and Thursdays Oct. 9-Nov. 20 from 6:30-9 p.m., Saturdays Oct. 13-27 and Nov. 10 from 9 a.m.-noon, and Saturdays Nov. 3, 17, 24 from 9 a.m.-3 p.m. The cast will also be required to rehearse from 5:30 p.m. until approximately 10 p.m. during Tech Week, Nov. 25-29.
Performance dates will be the weekend of Nov. 30-Dec. 2, Dec. 4 for student matinees and the weekend of Dec. 7-9. The call time will be noon for weekend shows at 1:30 and 5 p.m., and 7:30 a.m. for shows at 9 a.m. and noon on Dec. 4.
“There’s a reason this has become such a tradition in the Tennessee Valley,” Berry said. “It’s a wonderful show about the power of reaching out to other people and the spirit of charity at Christmastime.”
Fantasy Playhouse Arts Center is located at 3312 Long Ave. in Huntsville.
For questions, contact Ramsey at julia.ramsey@fantasyplayhouse.com.
