Theater in the Wood is excited to announce our next show:
GOREY STORIES: A MUSICAL ENTERTAINMENT
based on the illustrations and stories of Edward Gorey
Adapted by Stephen Currens
Music by David Aldrich 
Presented by arrangement with Concord Theatricals. www.concordtheatricals.com

 

OPEN AUDITON:
Sunday, September 20, 2-5 pm
Cortlandt School of Performing Arts  - 24 Old Albany Post Rd, 2ND FLOOR, Croton-On-Hudson​

AUD​can

SHOW DATES:

October 23, 24, 25 (matinee), 30, 31*, Nov. 1 (matinee).
*special Halloween show with after party. 

​​

Director: Katie Schmidt Feder         

_____________________________
 

GENERAL AUDITIONEES:  Not available for this show? This is also an opportunity to get to know our company and for us to get to know you. You are welcome to come to the 2:00 pm Improv/Movement session and we will keep you in mind for future shows. If time allows, you may also sing after those available for GOREY STORIES have sung. Please fill out the AUDITION SIGN-UP FORM on which you can indicate you are attending for GENERAL consideration. 

​​

WE ARE ALSO SEEKING A HOUSE / STAGE MANAGER FOR THIS SHOW which requires less rehearsal time committment but attendance at all perfomances - unless the job is shared by two persons. More information below.  

​​

_____________________________

​___

Seeking five talented, versatile performers (Age 18+)  who are willing to tackle the macabre, bizarre, sometimes surreal, always absurd stories and songs in this 90 minute piece . Movement agility, improvisation, musical instrument, and clowning skills are also an asset, as is the ability to portray deadpan Edwardian and slightly risque jazz age humor.

​​​​

See roles below.

​​​​

Rehearsals will start Sunday September 27 and continue 2 to 3 weeknights TBD and Sunday afternoons. This is truly ensemble piece so actors will rarely leave the stage and needed at as many rehearsals as possible. The audition sign-up form below will ask for specific availablity.  

 

Pay is $700 

 

Please prepare a short song in the style of: Gilbert and Sullivan, or A Gentleman’s Guide to Murder, a demented nursery rhyme, an angry art song or any brief ditty that shows off your voice and personality.
 

Also be prepared to read one of the sides found below. 

Because this is an ensemble piece requiring a group that can work together well and is willing to experiment and create together - all who audition are asked to arrive at 2:00 pm for a group improv/movement session, after which individual audition songs/readings will be heard. Some might be asked to stay for an immediate call back.  

​​

Please familiarize yourself a bit with the works of Edward Gorey. The material heavily features macabre themes, gothic absurdity, and deadpan humor surrounding death, misfortune, and the untimely disappearance and demise of both adults and children. Additionally, the production features one piece with pervasive sexual innuendo satirizing jazz age erotica. Although all will be handled with dry humor & taste, if any of the aforementioned makes you uncomfortable this might not be the show for you.

 

ROLES: This show was originally produced with 9 performers. We have been given permssion by the rightsholder to condense the cast to 5 performers. Even in its original structure, each person played other named characters in each the many included stories.  Our production will also have a perfomer who will serve as a puppeteer/effects person. We are open to non-traditional and cross-gender/gender-expansive casting. With the exception of Ortenzia, voice parts are not stictly assigned. Decent vocal ability and musicality is desired, but the music is more Greek Chorus meets Gilbert & Sullivan chorus than Broadway.  

​​​

Mona: A quiet, observant maid who drifts into the background, witnessing the bizarre demises and supernatural happenings of the household. Petite performer with good movement, physical skills. Does not need to be a solo vocalist. Might also become Millicent Frastley (a child of 5), Maudie/Mirella (a ballet dancer), among other excentric characters.    

​

Ortenzia Caviglia: A trilling, dramatic opera diva who is obsessively focused on hitting her high notes while remaining blissfully unaware that she is being actively stalked.  Also will most likely play Alice in The Curious Sofa. Must be classically trained and comfortable singing opera - Soprano. See link below for an Ortenzia song to be familar.

​

C.F. Earbrass: An eccentric, brooding author wrapped in a massive fur coat who is suffering from a severe case of writer's block. He spends his time wandering his desolate estate and planning his next obscure novel. Will also play Jasper Ankle: A feverish, obsessive "opera freak" and Victorian stalker who tracks Ortenzia Caviglia's every move on the stage.  Ideally this actor will somewhat embody Edward Gorey. Thus a tall lanky male presending performer over 50 years old is ideal.   

​

Little Henry: The quintessential "Gorey child"—a hapless, innocent youth destined to face an absurdly grim, sudden, and dark fate. Also portrays Hamish (a young man).  This performer should be comfortable with  physical comedy and character work.  

​

The Puppeteer / Effects / Stagehand - This performer will be somewhat like the MUTE in the Fantasticks, filling in for nonspeaking characters, handling props, offering up costume piece, operating some onstage lighting and effects - but most importantly operating at least two puppets.  This is no small role and requires someone wiht deft theatrical ability, creativity, and willingness to help with just about anything.  

​

Director Katie Schmidt Feder will play the role of Lady Celia. The majestic, imposing, and slightly wicked hostess of the evening's "charade". She leads the company into a twisted garden of delightful evils with aristocratic indifference. Combined with Mary Rosemarsh: A prim, rigid, and melancholic spinster who acts as a physical manifestation of Victorian-era anxieties and repressed gloom.

​​

The role and story characters assigned Harold - The stiff, unflappable butler - will get passed around depending who is not filling another role at the time. 

​​

AUDITION SIDES: all in one document
 

AUDITION SONGS - 
Vide De Cerceuil - Ortenzia  Anyone auditioning for Ortenzia should be ready to sing this. 

Millicent Frastley - ALL   Sung in groups​​​

The Ozbick Bird - ALL   Solo that could be assigned to any of the performers

​​​​​​​​​​