Carousel

***Auditions will be held at the PAL Center for the Arts at 328 Walnut Street, Reading, PA***

Auditions Sunday August 8, 2010 at 1pm 

Call Backs August 16, 2010 at 7pm

CAROUSEL

Music by Richard Rodgers
Book by Oscar Hammerstein II
Lyrics by Oscar Hammerstein II
Based on the Play LILIOM by Ferenc Molnar
As adapted by Benjamin F. Glazer
Original Dances by Agnes de Mille

In a Maine coastal village toward the end of the 19th century, the swaggering, carefree carnival barker, Billy Bigelow, captivates and marries the naive millworker, Julie Jordan. Billy loses his job just as he learns that Julie is pregnant and, desperately intent upon providing a decent life for his family, he is coerced into being an accomplice to a robbery. Caught in the act and facing the certainty of prison, he takes his own life and is sent "up there." Billy is allowed to return to earth for one day fifteen years later, and he encounters the daughter he never knew. She is a lonely, friendless teenager, her father's reputation as a thief and bully having haunted her throughout her young life. How Billy instills in both the child and her mother a sense of hope and dignity is a dramatic testimony to the power of love. It's easy to understand why, of all the shows they created, CAROUSEL was Rodgers & Hammerstein's personal favorite.

PRINCIPALS
3 Women (Julie Jordan, Carrie Pipperidge, Nettie Fowler)
3 Men (Billy Bigelow, Enoch Snow, Jigger Craigin)

FEATURED
2 Women (Louise – Julie and Billy’s daughter, Mrs. Mullin)
2 Men (Carnival Boy {dancing role}, David Bascombe)

CHARACTERS

Carrie Pipperidge: age 16 – 22, Julie’s closest friend, works at the mill, recently proposed to by Enoch Snow. Sweet but mischievous, passive but manipulative, anxious to leave the mill behind her for a better life with Mr. Snow. A bit of a social-climber. Sings “Mr. Snow”, “Mr. Snow reprise” and “When the Children are Asleep” and others.

Julie Jordan: age 16 – 22, Julie is most likely an orphan. By her admission she must be “careful of her character…..because she is never gonna marry”. Yet she falls completely for the carousel barker, Billy Bigelow. A good girl who falls hard for the wrong man. Sings “If I Loved You”, “What’s the use of Wonderin’” and others.

Mrs. Mullin: age 35 – 50. Mrs. Mullins runs a Carousel inherited from her deceased husband. She is 100% carn-y folk. Billy Bigelow is her barker, and probably her lover via a mutually beneficial agreement. She knows her age is against her and losing Billy to a younger woman is a constant treat. She is an independent businesswoman who is fearful of being alone. Mrs. Mullins is a non-singing role.

Billy Bigelow: age 20 – 25. Billy is detestable, but you want so much to protect him. He is a little boy in the best and worst sense of the word: he is sweet, affectionate, a dreamer and his looks and charm take him a long way – conversely he is lazy, irresponsible, sullen and when he doesn’t get his way, his temper flares. Billy beats his wife, Julie. Sings “If I Loved You”, “Soliloquy” and others.

David Bascombe: older. Mr. Bascombe is the owner of the mill up-river from the coast. He is the richest man in town. Nevertheless, he is still from rural-Maine. Mr. Bascombe is a non-singing role; this actor will most likely be in the ensemble.

Nettie Fowler: age 35 – 50. Julie’s aunt. Nettie owns the dock where the fishing boats come in. She also owns the hotel (i.e. dormitory) where fishermen reside after they return with their catch. She is a businesswoman who runs a tight ship. Nettie is a HOOT! She’s baudy, tough with her tenants, and probably can out-swear, out-drink and out-EAT all the guys on the dock. That being said, she has a heart-of-gold. Sings in “June is Bustin’ Out”, “Clambake” and takes the lead on “You’ll Never Walk Alone”

Enoch Snow: age 25 – 35. Mr. Snow is an entrepreneur who has his life completely mapped out. Business, marry Carrie Pepperidge, grow his business, kids, more kids, bigger business! Mr. Snow acquires but he also nurtures. He loves Carrie like a father loves a child; he will be a great father and a successful businessman. Sings “Mr. Snow reprise” and “When the Children are Asleep”, “Geraniums” and others.

Jigger Craigin: age 25 – 40. Jigger is the dark force in the play; he lies, cheats, steals and convinces Billy to commit a robbery with him. That being said, he is the comic relief in the piece. Jigger is slippery and slimily, intelligent and cunning, a letch and a coward. Sings, “Blow High, Blow Low”, “Stonecutters”.

1st & 2nd Heavenly Friend: The Heavenly friends may be 2 men, or 2 women, or 2 children, or a single child, or an old man (or old woman) with a young child, or a puppet for that matter. The jury is out. They are other-worldly but not weird or scary. They might be part angel – part demon. The Heavenly Friends are non-singing roles who will appear as ensemble in the first act of Carousel.

Starkeeper: Again, the jury is out; I am open to new interpretations of this role. Age is not a factor, 9 – 99, neither is gender or ethnicity.

Louise: age 15. Julie and Billy’s daughter who we meet in the second act during the Ballet to the end of the show. Louise must be a DANCER AND a fine ACTOR. In her short time in the piece she is asked to do a lot. Louise is ridiculed by the adults and children of the town; any hope of creating her own identity is completely overshadowed by her father’s failed crime and suicide. Louise may or may not be in the ensemble during the first act.

Carnival Boy: age 20 – 25. Mrs. Mullins new boy-toy, the new carousel barker, 15-years on. This boy must DANCE!! It would also help if he where wildly attractive. He is the bad-boy no one should be with but everyone secretly wants. He’s Billy. Carnival Boy will be in the first act as a member of the ensemble.

ENSEMBLE
Large, singing-dancing ensemble of all ages & ethnicities (10-20 people) to portray:
Townspeople
Policemen (2)
Dr. Seldon
Principal
Ship’s Captain
The Snow Children (6 – 7 children, various ages, ala Von Trapp family)
Amusement Park Carnies
Millworkers
Fishermen