Dickens casting call

Jun 2 2016 | By More

Local amateur ensemble wanted for A Tale of Two Cities

The Touring Consortium Theatre Company is seeking to cast a local amateur ensemble for A Tale of Two Cities, touring to the King’s in November 2016.

The company tours regularly and was most recently seen at the King’s in April with Of Mice and Men. It now requires 12 local amateurs – six male and six female – to play the ensemble of its adaptation of Charles Dickens.

The run will be at King’s Tuesday 8 – Saturday 12 November 2016. There will be rehearsals in the week before the performances, a full company rehearsal and then performances through the week – including matinees and evenings.

Tale Of Two Cities 2016 tour image

Tale Of Two Cities 2016 tour image

Adapted by Mike Poulton, the production will be directed by James Dacre, Artistic Director of Royal and Derngate Theatres, Northampton, and will be designed by Mike Britton.

Dickens considered A Tale Of Two Cities to be the best story he had ever written. The novel interweaves one family’s intensely personal drama with the terror and chaos of the French Revolution, it is an epic story of love, sacrifice and redemption amidst horrific violence and world changing events.

According to The Touring Consortium: “In an era of regime changes and citizen protest around the world, this bold new dramatic adaptation by Mike Poulton (Fortune’s Fool, Old Vic; Wolf Hall) set to rousing original music by Oscar-winning composer Rachel Portman (The Cider House Rules, Beloved) seems more relevant than ever.”

Auditions for the 12 non-paid roles will be held at the King’s theatre on Wednesday 15 and Thursday 16 June 2016, from 6pm to 9pm, with associate producer, Neale Birch. All auditionees must be 18 or over and “would preferably have some performing experience”.

Potential auditionees should contact Cerin Richardson: Cerin.richardson@edtheatres.com by email before Thursday June 9, 2016.

Details

Two evening rehearsals on Thursday 3 and Friday 4 November at 7pm, with the possibility of an additional rehearsal on the morning of Saturday 5. Onstage, there is a rehearsal, Monday 7 at 6pm, working on the production set, and a full company rehearsal on Tuesday 8 at 2pm, before the first performance at 7.30pm.

The show will run Tuesday 8 to Saturday 12, evenings at 7.30pm, with matinees on Wednesday and Saturday at 2.30pm. The amateur ensemble will be required at the theatre 45 minutes before curtain up.

Male roles:
1: Court of Attorney, French soldier, Marquis’ servant – high status. Average height – late teens, early 20s.
2: Court of Attorney, French soldier, Marquis’ servant – high status. Average height – late teens, early 20s.
3: English and French crowd – low status. Average height – late 20s, early 30s.
4: English and French crowd – low status. Below average height – 40s.
5: English and French crowd, Foreman of Jury – high status. Tall – early 50s.
6: English and French crowd, President – high status. Tall – mid 60s.

Female Roles
NB: It is likely that all of the ensemble women will be asked to wear corsets and the company would prefer that they have long hair. Hair will need to be dressed appropriately for the performances.

1: English and French crowd – middle status. Average height – late teens, early 20s.
2: English and French crowd – middle status, Average height – late teens, early 20s.
3: English and French crowd – high status. Average to tall height – mid 30s.
4: English and French crowd – middle status. Average to tall height – mid 40s.
5: English and French crowd – low status. Below average height – mid 50s.
6: English and French crowd – low status. Average height – mid 60s.

There is also the role of a ‘small boy’, who appears briefly during the first act. He only has one entrance and needs to be in the theatre for just one hour. Parents could chaperone. (Curtain call appearance discussed with parent)

Full details on the King’s website: http://www.edtheatres.com/news/a-tale-of-two-cities-casting-opportunity

The production on the Touring Consortium website: touringconsortium.co.uk

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  1. Two Cities Twelve : All Edinburgh Theatre.com | Nov 7 2016