Entertainment
Curtain Call casting for fall production of Annie
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Aug 31, 2010 - 5:59 AM

Curtain Call's late fall offering in The Kweskin Theatre will be the Tony Award-winning musical ANNIE, based on the comic strip, Little Orphan Annie. This production will be directed by Brian Bianco with Music Direction by Greg Chrzczon and Choreography by Kari Sweeney. The production will play for six weekends November 12 through December 18. Performances: November 12, 13, 19, 20, 26, 27 and December 3, 4, 9, 10, 11, 16, 17 and 18 at 7:30pm. November 14, 21, 27, 28 and December 4, 5, 11 and 12 at 2pm.

Open auditions will be held on September 11, 2010 from 10am to 2pm (ages 6 to 14) and September 13 and 14 from 7pm to 10pm (adults). All roles are open - non-union actors only.

What to prepare: 16 bars (or one verse and chorus) from a song similar in style to the show (either Broadway musical or old standard), and that best features your vocal ability. Young girls auditioning for the role of Annie should prepare 16 bars (or one verse and chorus) of either "Tomorrow" or "Maybe." Young girls auditioning for orphans should prepare 16 bars (or one verse and chorus) of "You're Never Fully Dressed Without a Smile." All auditionees should come prepared to dance. A dance combination will be taught to everyone at the auditions. Please bring appropriate footwear (no sandals, flip-flops, open-toed shoes or bare or stocking feet).

Rehearsals will begin September 20 and will be held Monday through Thursday evenings from 7pm to 10pm. Orphans will rehearse on weekends during the day in addition to a few nights during the week. As of October 25, all orphans will need to be available Monday through Thursday evenings for clean-up rehearsals and run thrus with the adult cast. Annie will need to be available for evening rehearsals with the adults and weekend rehearsals with the orphans. Miss Hannigan will need to be available weekends to work with the orphans as well as some evenings during the week. Not everyone will be called for every rehearsal.

Roles available:
ANNIE: Age 11, brave, hopeful, strong-willed and kind-hearted, can light up a room, and is always ready to stand up for those who cannot defend themselves.

OLIVER WARBUCKS: 40s to 50s, the famous billionaire, head of his own corporation, a self-made man who climbed out of poverty and clawed his way to the top. Aggressive, intimidating, with extremely particular taste. His hard shell, however, gradually melts away as Annie enters his life.

GRACE FARRELL: In her 20s to age 40. Oliver Warbucks’ private secretary who helps him run not only his business operations, but his house as well. Sharp, efficient, organized and to the point. She is well-respected and appreciated by Warbucks and his staff, and harbors an unspoken romantic interest in Warbucks. Thanks to Annie, she learns to loosen up and literally let her hair down.

MISS HANNIGAN: Late 40s to 50s. Runs the New York City Municipal Orphanage Girl’s Annex, and is not at all happy about it. Mean-spirited, bitter and a drunk. She forces the orphans to work and deprives them of any pleasures. Will take advantage of anyone or of any opportunity that might allow her diversion or escape from her rotten life.

ROOSTER HANNIGAN: Late 30s to 40s. Miss Hannigan’s sleazy, conniving, delinquent brother just released from prison and looking to scheme, cheat, lie and steal his way to fortune. Comes up with the plan to use Annie in order to get to Warbuck’s money.

LILY ST. REGIS: In her 20s to age 40. Rooster’s equally shady but not-so-bright girlfriend/accomplice.

FRANKLIN DELANO ROOSEVELT: President of the United States and friend to Oliver Warbucks. Looking for a solution to get America back on its feet and give the people hope again in this Great Depression. FDR was age 51 in 1933.

PRINCIPAL ORPHANS

MOLLY: One of the youngest orphans (age 6 or 7) who Annie has developed certain sympathy toward and has cared for as if she were her own little sister. Molly looks up to Annie and, at times, tries to emulate her courage and bold personality.

KATE: Another young orphan (age 7 or 8), a bit tougher and not quite as small and picked upon as Molly.

TESSIE: the cry-baby of the orphans (age 10 or 11). Always nervous and whining.

PEPPER: “The Jack Dempsey of the orphanage.” The toughest of the orphans, Pepper sometimes bullies the younger girls and isn’t afraid of a fight. Age 12 or 13.

JULY: An older orphan (age 13 or 14), tough, but more patient with the younger girls than Pepper.

DUFFY: an older orphan (age 13 or 14), the quiet one.

(*We will also be casting 8 more orphans between the ages of 6 and 14 in addition to these principals.)

PRINCIPAL WARBUCKS SERVANTS:

DRAKE: Oliver Warbucks’ Head Butler.

MRS GREER: Oliver Warbucks’ Head Housekeeper.

MRS PUGH: The Head of Oliver Warbucks’ Kitchen Staff.

CECILLE: A maid/housekeeper to Oliver Warbucks.

ANNETTE: A maid/housekeeper to Oliver Warbucks.

FEATURED CHARACTERS:

BERT HEALY: the host of “The Oxydent Hour of Smiles” on NBC radio. Sings “You’re Never Fully Dressed Without a Smile.”

STAR TO BE: a hopeful young girl (teens to early twenties) who arrives in NYC to become a Broadway star – has a solo section in the number “NYC.”

FDR’s CABINET MEMBERS – FRANCES PERKINS, CORDELL HULL, LOUIS HOWE, HAROLD ICKES AND HENRY MORGANTHAU: The members of FDR’s cabinet were in their 40s to 60s in 1933; all men, except Frances Perkins, who was the first woman appointed to the US Cabinet.

HOOVERVILLE-ITES – ARTIE, EDDIE, FRED, SOPHIE THE KETTLE, MARY, PEGGY AND IRA: People who suffered great loss during the Great Depression, including their homes. They took refuge in shanty-style shacks they built along the East River, under the 59th Street Bridge.

THE BOYLAN SISTERS – RONNIE, BONNIE AND CONNIE: the lovely back-up girls to Bert Healy.

FRED McCRACKEN AND WACKY: the ventriloquist of “The Oxydent Hour of Smiles” on NBC radio and his dummy.

JIMMY JOHNSON: the masked announcer of “The Oxydent Hour of Smiles” on NBC radio.

SOUND EFFECTS MAN: for “The Oxydent Hour of Smiles” on NBC radio.

BUNDLES McCLOSKEY: Laundry Man for the New York City Municipal Orphanage.

OFFICER WARD: A New York City Police Officer who runs into Annie after she’s run away from the New York City Municipal Orphanage and brings her back to Miss Hannigan.

OLIVER WARBUCKS’ CHAFFEUR AND BODYGUARD

ENSEMBLE AND CHORUS ROLES:

SERVANTS OF OLIVER WARBUCKS

ORPHANS: We are also looking for 8 orphans between the ages of 6 and 14 in addition to the principal orphans mentioned above (Molly, Kate, Tessie, Pepper, July and Duffy).

HOOVERVILLE-ITES (in addition to the featured characters mentioned above): People who suffered great loss during the Great Depression, including their homes. They took refuge in shanty-style shacks they built along the East River, under the 59th Street Bridge. Mostly adults, but some kids ages 10 to teens are welcome.

CITIZENS OF NYC: looking for adults and some kids ages 10 to older teens.

POLICE OFFICERS

Curtain Call is the non-profit community-based theatre company in residence at The Sterling Farms Theatre Complex, 1349 Newfield Avenue, Stamford, CT, providing year-round live productions as well as theatre arts educational workshops for youth and adults in cooperation with The City of Stamford. Curtain Call has been voted Fairfield County's BEST LOCAL THEATRE GROUP 2005 through 2010 by the readers of Fairfield County Weekly. Funding is provided by many local corporations, foundations and individuals, none the least of which is The Connecticut Commission on Culture and Tourism.

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