It Coulda Be You!
Open auditions for #EdFringe amateur musical
Shiny new Edinburgh amateur musicals company Room 29 Theatre is starting its performing life with a new production of It Shoulda Been You at EdFringe 2017 and has issued an open call for auditions.
This original musical has music by Barbara Anselmi with book and lyrics by Brian Hargrove. It premiered on Broadway in 2015, running for 135 performances, and features 13 named parts, calling for a wide variety of abilities and ages.
The musical involves a wedding which brings together comically disparate families. The bride is Jewish. The groom is Catholic. Her mother is a force of nature. His mother is a tempest in a cocktail shaker…
This is musical comedy territory, so everything which can go wrong, will go wrong. Obviously the bride’s ex is going to crash the party – and no doubt it will fall to the sister of the bride to turn a tangled mess into happily ever after…
Auditions for the production will be held over the weekend of the 25/26 March 2017, with callbacks the following Thursday. Weekly rehearsals will start in May with intensive rehearsals getting under way in July ahead of the show’s opening on August 12, running through to August 19.
Room 29 has been set up by director Neil Lavin and producer James Leggat, who have been involved in theatre productions in and around Edinburgh “for years”, between them covering LYAMC, Stage Experience and Captivate.
They actually met at Dundee University, through the musical theatre society Dundee OpSoc, and worked together on several shows there.
Fringe aspirations
Lavin told Æ: “When James graduated last June and moved to London with aims of a professional career as a producer, we thought it was about time we started our own company after countless discussions about how much we’d love to take a show to the Fringe.”
It Shoulda Been You was a show they had watched together and quickly realised would make perfect fringe material.
Lavin said: “With thirteen named parts, ranging from the leading lady down to some hilarious cameo roles, it’s a show which requires some great comedic actors who can also handle some truly heartfelt moments too, and we look forward to seeing who walks through the audition room door!”
Anyone interested in auditioning for the show (cast details below) should email Neil Lavin, on fringe@room29.co.uk with their day/time preference. Audition materials and casting information are available via this Dropbox folder: www.dropbox.com.
Auditions slots are available in ten minute intervals. Auditions will consist of a vocal range test (basically just a vocal warm-up); a song suitable to the style of the show of the auditionee’s choice; and a presentation of a dialogue scene from the show.
Listings and links
It Shoulda Been You Auditions
Venue to be confirmed.
Saturday 26/Sunday 27 March 2017
12 noon-5pm both days.
Auditions facebook event page: www.facebook.com
Download audition materials and casting information here: www.dropbox.com.
It Shoulda Been You
theSpace @ Venue 45, 63 Jeffrey Street, EH1 1DH (Venue 45)
Friday 12 – Saturday 19 August 2017
Evenings: 8.15pm (10pm).
Room 29 Theatre on Facebook: Room29Theatre
Click here to purchase the OCR at Amazon: It Shoulda Been You (Original Broadway Cast Recording)
Cast details
Jenny Steinberg (Mezzo soprano with great belt and mix): Mid – late 30s. Co-maid of honour; the bride’s older sister. She is what they call a “nice Jewish girl”, and everyone says she has “such an attractive face”.
Judy Steinberg (Alto/Mezzo): Mid – late 50s. Your classic Jewish mother-of-the-bride. While she is overbearing, judgmental and controlling, she genuinely loves her daughters. Has a biting wit and sees the world from only her
point of view. Delicious role for a comedienne.
Rebecca Steinberg: (Mezzo or soprano with high belt or fantastic mix): 30. The bride. The apple of her family’s eye. Very attractive and appealing. Everything has always been done for her. Loves her sister Jenny very much.
Georgette Howard (Alto/Mezzo): Mid – late 50s. The groom’s mother. Wealthy, upper-class snob; eccentric, a bit vague. She is condescending, and feels she is superior to the Steinberg family in every way. Has a drinking problem but in public she is the model of the respectable matron. Another delicious role for a comedienne.
Annie Sheps (Mezzo or soprano with great pop belt): Early 30s. Rebecca’s co-maid of honour. Smart and very attractive. Has wit and charm.
Mimsy / Aunt Sheila (Mezzo belter) 30s. Track requires an expert transformational comedienne. Mimsy: A waitress. Witty, easy with a put-down quip, thinks nothing about a wedding could surprise her. Sheila: Classic meddling Jewish
aunt.
Brian Howard (Baritone/Tenor): 30. The groom. Upscale trust-fund baby with classic all-American looks. A great guy; has none of the prejudices of his parents. Has charm and a winning personality. As eccentric as his mother is, he does love her very much.
Murray Steinberg (Bass/baritone): Mid – late 50s. The classic Jewish father. Loves his family dearly but clearly his wife Judy always runs the show.
Albert (Baritenor) Late 30s – early 50s. The ultimate omnipotent wedding planner. Materialises out of thin air just
when you need (or don’t need) him. Has a superior air and a wry sense of humor. Has been there and done that in his profession – nothing surprises him (well, almost nothing). Delicious role for a style comedian.
Marty Kaufman (Tenor with some low notes): Early 30s. Nice Jewish boy; a real mensch. Rebecca’s ex-boyfriend, who crashes the wedding. He is lovable, funny and who wouldn’t want him in their family? Attractive and appealing looks.
Greg Madison (Tenor): Early 30s. The best man. Something of a frat boy, but good-looking and charming.
George Howard (Bass/Baritone/Tenor): Mid – late 50s. Brian’s father. Wealthy, upper-class snob. Suspicious of everything about the Steinbergs and his son’s future. He and Brian have a distant relationship which he tries rather foolishly to mend.
Walt / Uncle Morty (Baritone) 30s. Track requires an expert transformational comic. Walt: A waiter. Witty, easy with a put-down quip and thinks nothing about a wedding could surprise him. Morty: The classic Jewish uncle.
ENDS
