CHICAGO – Lyric Opera of Chicago will hold auditions for American Guild of Musical Artists (AGMA) and Actors’ Equity (Equity) artists for the April/May 2015 production of Rodgers and Hammerstein’s Carousel, with an additional call for non-union dancers. This new production runs from April 11 through May 3, 2015 (with a preview performance on April 10). It is part of the company’s American Musical Theater Initiative and will premiere under the baton of David Chase in his Lyric Opera debut, with stage direction and choreography by Tony Award-winner Rob Ashford.
The rehearsal and performance period for Carousel is Monday, March 16 through Sunday, May 3, 2015. Ensemble members may also be cast as understudies for several small, named roles.
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SINGERS:
All singers must belong to AGMA or Equity and have classical training and extensive stage experience; the ability to move easily and follow choreography is required, and you should list any previous dance experience on your resume.
| Thursday, November 20, 2014 |
AGMA/Equity |
Preliminary Singer Ensemble Auditions
10am – 3pm Audition
Staggered check-in for each audition hour |
| Tuesday, December 9, 2014 |
Callback
(AGMA/Equity) |
Singers with Movement Component
2:30pm check-in
3pm Audition |
The deadline for singer registration is Monday, November 17, 2014, 9am.
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DANCERS:
Dancers must be professionally trained and have stage experience in a variety of choreographic styles.
The schedule for dancers (UNION AND NON-UNION) is as follows:
Monday, December 8,
2014 |
AGMA/Equity |
Preliminary Dancer Ensemble Auditions
1pm Audition
Staggered check-in for each audition hour |
Tuesday, December 9,
2014 |
Open Call |
Preliminary Dancer Ensemble Auditions
10am-2pm Audition
Staggered check-in for each audition hour |
Wednesday, December 10,
2014 |
Callback |
Dancers with Singing Component
9:30am Check-in
10am Audition |
The deadline for dancer registration is Monday, December 1, 2014, 9am.
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All auditionees will need to be prepared to sing 16 bars of a Rodgers and Hammerstein song or repertoire similar in style, including dancers invited to the callback session. Please choose a piece that showcases vocal line and your technical abilities. Please also bring your audition book consisting of contrasting musical theater pieces. Come prepared to sing; there will not be space for you to warm-up.
To all dancing/movement sessions, women should bring heels and flat shoes, and men should bring shoes in which they are comfortable dancing. Please be sure to wear clothes appropriate for dancing, and arrive warmed-up and ready to dance. Lyric Opera of Chicago is seeking a variety of body types.
In order to register for these auditions, please email your résumé and headshot to [email protected], and indicate your interest in either the November 20 AGMA/Equity preliminary singer audition, the December 8th AGMA/Equity preliminary dancer audition, or the December 9non-union preliminary dancer audition.
Auditions are by invitation only and will be awarded based on complete materials submitted. They will be held at Lyric Opera of Chicago, 20 North Wacker Drive, Chicago, IL.
Walk-ins will not be seen. Equity Membership Candidates (EMCs) will not be seen at the union-only auditions.
Artists at Lyric Opera of Chicago are represented by the American Guild of Musical Artists. Should you be hired for Carousel you will be required to join this union, if you are not already a member.
Carousel opens Saturday, April 11 and runs through Sunday, May 3, 2015 (including 25 performances and one matinee preview performance on April 10) at the Civic Opera House, 20 N. Wacker Dr., Chicago. Tickets start at $29, and are now available at lyricopera.org/carousel or at 312-827-5600.
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About Lyric
Founded in 1954, Lyric Opera of Chicago’s mission is to express and promote the life-changing, transformational, revelatory power of great opera. Lyric exists to provide a broad, deep, and relevant cultural service to Chicago and the nation, and to advance the development of the art form.
Lyric is dedicated to producing and performing consistently thrilling, entertaining, and thought-provoking opera with a balanced repertoire of core classics, lesser-known masterpieces, and new works; to creating an innovative and wide-ranging program of community engagement and educational activities; and to developing exceptional emerging operatic talent.
Under the leadership of general director Anthony Freud, music director Sir Andrew Davis, and creative consultant Renée Fleming, Lyric strives to become the great North American Opera Company for the 21st century: a globally significant arts organization embodying the core values of excellence, relevance, and fiscal responsibility.
