With auditions just around the corner we thought you guys
might like a little insider knowledge, so we have thrown together a few hints
and tips for auditioning as well as a little character description to get you
geared up for the roles on offer.
Also get yourselves along to Bedlam Theatre on Monday at
8:30pm for our workshop, all the production team will be there and is the best
opportunity to meet us before the audition room. It’s also sure to be a great
evening of singing, acting, and having fun so don’t miss out!
The First Audition
First things first, this audition should not be scary, we
are a friendly bunch (we hope) and all we’d like to see is what you can do.We have all been on your side of auditions as well so know exactly what it is like. For
this audition we ask you to sing a song (acapella) of your choosing and prepare a short
monologue. NO PREVIOUS EXPERIENCE REQUIRED!
Pick a song you have rehearsed, that shows off your range and most importantly
that you are comfortable singing. Don’t go out of your way to learn a song with
crazy high notes and mental riffs because you think that’s what we want to see,
show us what you’ve got but don’t strain yourself.
As for a monologue, pick something you can learn comfortably, even if it’s just
a few lines. What we’d like to see is how you use the language, convey a
character and how you respond to direction.
Callbacks
The callbacks are when we get to see what you can bring
to the characters that we will be casting; each auditionee that makes it to
this stage will receive an info packet specifically for the roles they are
called back for. We also will be hosting a callback workshop where you will
have the opportunity to run through the music required for the callback and
talk to us about the characters in more detail.
The callback auditions will be open; anyone who makes it
to this stage will be performing not only for the panel but for the other
auditionees called for the same role. This will of course be quite nerve
racking but try your best to transmit that pressure into positive energy and
produce a great performance! From these final auditions we will pick our cast.
A bit about the Characters...
Anatoly Sergievsky
Societ Chess Grandmaster and the musicals romantic male,
but that is far from a definition of the man. Anatoly is presented to us as a
man who really cares about his game. He hates the political ideals that
surround the game he loves; it has left him unsatisfied with his position in the
Chess World. In his song “Where I want
to be” we get a glance into what it was like for him to rise the ranks, and how
he feels little more than a Soviet pawn in the struggle for small political
victories during the Cold War. He plays by their rules and does as he is told,
but when he falls for his opponents second, things begin to change in Anatoly.
Seizing his life in his hands he upstages his victory at the championship by
defecting to the UK to live a life with Florence. In an attempt to make more of
his life he begins to worry more about his love of Florence and avoiding his
life as he once knew it in Russia rather than on the game.
This role is a tenor role with some incredible vocal high
points including the Act 1 Finale “Anthem” in which he acknowledges that though
he has left his country he carries it with him in his heart. He challenges the
political ideas of both delegations with the notion that love is what ought to
matter more than what borders surround you.
Frederick Trumper
Freddie is a particularly challenging role for a
performer to tackle. On first listen you will recognise that he has the most
demanding tenor part in the show, ranging up to a high C#, on top of this there
is the task of presenting a difficult character development as the show plays
out.
Throughout most of the show Freddie is presented
to the audience as a very skin deep character with a swollen ego, a stark contrast
to the deep and thoughtful Anatoly. However, as Act 2 unfolds, the complexities
of Freddie's character are unveiled, culminating in the emotional high point of
the act, "Pity The Child", revealing a guarded young man haunted by
the abandonment of his parents who found comfort and hope in his discovery of
chess, but whose success in the game has made him proud and arrogant. His final
appearance in "Talking Chess" completes his journey and the audience
is left with the satisfaction of a fabulously written character, one that has
passed through pain, rejection, triumph, corruption and redemption.
In preparation for this role we would of course
advice auditionees to study the vocal part in great detail but to also recognise
that Freddie is not just a show off part for a singer but also a wonderful
challenge for an actor.
Florence Vassy
Our Female protagonist, Florence is introduced to us as
Freddie’s Chess Second and lover. She works to keep Freddie’s ego from swelling
too far and prevent him from stepping into serious trouble with his delegation
and the press. She loves him dearly, but Freddie’s temper often causes for him
to lash out at her. Soon disillusioned with Freddie she begins to fall for
Anatoly and when Freddie goes one step too far she seizes a moment and runs off
with Anatoly.
On top of all this we discover that her Father was taken as a Soviet prisoner
of war during the Budapest Uprising of 1956. She presumes him to be dead, but
this piece of information does not go unnoticed by the politicians surrounding
her.
Florence provides us with many excellent musical moments,
a highlight being “Nobody’s Side” when she establishes herself as her own
woman, not to be pushed around by any of the drama and politics surrounding the
game. She is passionate, intelligent and devoted
Alexander Molokov
Scheming Russian delegate Molokov always has his Soviet ideals on his mind; he
will always do what is necessary to win for his country. We see this right from
the start as he tries to convince Anatoly that the only way to make certain of
their victory is if Anatoly takes Florence’s love from Freddie, and later it
becomes a little darker as he blackmails Svetlana to bring her husband down.
A Baritone role, this diplomat presents an opportunity for an actor to give us
a bit of a villainous character. Vocal highlights include the “Soviet Machine”
number which is reminiscent of “To Life” from Fiddler.
Walter de Courcey
Walter is the representative from Global Television who is
broadcasting the Championship, and is a member of the American Delegation.
Similarly to Molokov he is always pulling strings to get the best outcome for
his country. Also a baritone role
Svetlana Sergievsky
Anatoly’s wife and the mother of his children, she is
blackmailed by Molokov to bring Anatoly down in the closing scenes of the play.
She joins Florence in singing “I Know Him So Well.” She is feisty and passionate,
she wants nothing more than to guarantee her families safety and bring Anatoly
home.
Arbiter
The President of the World Chess Federation, the Arbiter
is a tenor and acts as referee for the Chess matches. He is an experienced
player and referee and sees through any ploys or gambits played by both sides,
he remains impartial throughout and is very proud of his position. He has a
fantastic number in the show with some excellent chess related puns thrown in. Although
this role is fairly small, it provides an actor with a classy, fun role with
heaps of attitude.
The Choir
Our choir will be 20 strong, and will provide the
excellent choral sound that gives this score such a great depth of sound and
harmony. The choir will multirole, playing a variety of characters throughout
the show including; delegates, press reporters, and Chess pieces among others.
There will be an amount of movement involved in playing a chorus role however
dance experience, although desirable, is NOT essential.
And that’s everyone.
Hope this has been helpful and got you excited about the auditions. We can’t
encourage you enough to audition, no previous experience required, it is sure to be an absolute blast and we
cannot wait to get started. To sign up for an audition, contact
auditions@eusog.org to get a time
allocated.
See you there!
CHESS TEAM 2014
