Hello Spartans!
The Michigan State University Department of Theatre invites all enrolled students to audition for our Spring 2024 productions. Please closely follow the instructions below to ensure a smooth and equitable audition experience for all!

Audition Prep

Step 1: Read this information in its entirety.
Review the production details below, note rehearsal and performance dates, read the scripts and synopses available.

Step 2: Sign Up for an audition slot AND complete your audition form.

  • AUDITIONS SIGN UPS ARE NOT YET OPEN Click here to sign-up for an audition slot. If all sign-up slots are filled, contact Production Manager Abbie Tykocki atykocki@msu.edu.
  • Click here for the Audition Form. You will not be allowed to enter the audition room until this form is received. Please complete it ahead of time.
    • CONFLICTS:
      All conflicts MUST be listed on your audition form. No conflicts will be accepted after casting.
      Scroll down and click on the title of the show to see an outline of the rehearsal and performance schedule for each show.
    • GENERAL REHEARSAL SCHEDULE:
      Mondays – Fridays 6:15PM – 10:15PM, Saturdays & Sundays: No Rehearsal (Until Tech & Performance. See below for information about Tech/Performance dates)

Step 4: Read the scripts.
Perusal copies are available in the Theatre Department’s Main Office Mailroom, Suite 113 in the Auditorium Building at 542 Auditorium Road. The perusal scripts cannot be removed from the office. You can also access them digitally by clicking here.

Step 5: Prepare your audition materials.

  • One 1-minute dramatic monologue.
  • One 1-minute contemporary song. 
    Please prepare a contemporary song, approximately 1-minute in length, that equally showcases your vocal and acting ability. The selection may be from either a musical or outside a musical. When in doubt, your song should still feel dramatic and/or theatrical by way of telling a story, connecting with an “other,” or a high stakes narrative. You may use sheet music or a backing track. If using sheet music, bring printed music, 3-hole punched and in a binder. An accompanist will be provided. If using a backing track, bring your own device to play the track. A speaker will be provided with both a regular audio jack as well as a dongle for an iPhone lightning jack. (If you need a USB-C jack please bring your own). BFA Acting students who are required to audition, but have little or no musical theater auditioning experience, may choose to sing “Happy Birthday”. Dance Call will only be for callbacks.

Step 6: Attend Your Audition
The Check-In/Information Table will be in the Hollander Lounge of the Auditorium Building at 542 Auditorium Rd, in the lower level of the building. Please arrive at least 10 minutes prior to your audition slot to allow time to allow time for check-in.

Callbacks
You will be notified via the email you provide on your audition form whether or not you have been called back. 

  • Stevie and the Real World: No callbacks
  • What If Wilhelmina: 5:30p Wednesday, Nov 1
  • Waiting for Lefty: No callbacks
  • Spring Awakening: Vocal Callbacks 7:30p Wednesday, Nov 1; Dance Call & Scene work 6:00p Thursday, Nov 2
  • Film Project: Callbacks will be via Flipgrid
  • After the Blast: No callbacks

Casting
Cast lists will be emailed directly to the email address you provide on your audition form.

Questions
Email Production Manager Abbie Tykocki atykocki@msu.edu with all questions, concerns, or issues. You can also find me at the audition information table on Monday.

Venue: Fairchild Theatre
Director: Ji Won Jeon
Rehearsal Dates: January 8 – February 8

Performance Dates: February 9 – 18

Description:

Michigan State University Department of Theatre put out a call for emerging playwrights of the global majority to write a new play for our diverse cohort of Master of Fine Arts Acting and Design candidates. After over three hundred submissions, the students selected playwright Iraisa Ann Reilly to write a play specifically for them. Through a series of interviews and exercises, Reilly creates a play full of humor, wonder, and… puppets.

Character Descriptions: 
While the roles in this show have all been written for and cast from our MFA Acting cohort, 2 Non-performing understudy positions are available.

Venue: Arena
Director: Dionne O’Dell
Rehearsal Dates: February 5 – March 7

Performance Dates: March 8 – 17

Description: 
Adapted from the award-winning children’s book by Joseph Belisle, this true story features the character of Faith, a nine-year-old girl who is full of dread and “what ifs” when her cat, Wilhelmina, goes missing. Faith learns about the futility of worry and develops coping skills through music, movement, and the assistance of some friendly puppets. Highlighting the power of diversity and ability, What If Wilhelmina is an innovative, multi-sensory, and interactive performance appropriate for audiences that are neurodiverse as well as children that are neurotypical ages 1-8. 

Character Descriptions:
Singers and puppeteers needed. No experience with audiences that are neurodiverse is needed. Vocal auditions for this show will be the same as for Spring Awakening. No need to prepare anything more.

Faith: African American 8-year old girl filled with worry
Papa: Faith’s father, enjoys reading
Dad: Faith’s father, enjoys naps
Wilhelmina 1: the real Wilhelmina, Faith’s cat, mischievous, full of curiosity (life size)
Mouse: An energetic friend who likes to get in on the action
Skunk: A stable, yet sarcastic, friend
Owl: A calm and reassuring friend
Wilhelmina 2: The cat, Wilhelmina, of Faith’s imagination (larger than life)
Squirrel: A boxer and foe of the Wilhelmina of Faith’s imagination (larger than life)
Dumptruck: A sanitation employee 
Bulldog: A bully and foe of the Wilhelmina of Faith’s imagination (larger than life)
Martian: A green alien
The Screamer: Imaginary friend of Faith, knows how to let is all out
The Thinker: Imaginary friend of Faith, assists her to think through her feelings
Son of Man: An observer, friend of Faith
Perimeter People (sensory assistants)

*the characters of Faith, Bulldog, & Dumptruck are portrayed by an actor, all other characters are puppets that are brought to life by actors

Venue: Studio 60
Directed by: Rob Roznowski
Rehearsal Dates: February 19 – March 25
Performance Dates: March 26 – 30

Description:
Waiting for Lefty by Clifford Odets is about the examination of a need for union representation in the 1930s depression era. And in true union of equality and collective work, the show will have a rotating cast of pods of characters so that each evening a new cast will perform the show. Each actor cast will learn several roles and at the start of each performance discover which group of actors will perform which role. So, while there are traditionally more male roles, gender will not dictate the casting of each group of characters. Casting will support diversity and imagination. Waiting for Lefty will also perform at the UAW Assembly Hall and Michigan Education Association in Lansing– times TBD. 


Character Descriptions: 
The pods of actors are playing the following characters: 

Group #1 
Fatt—the corrupt union boss 
Clayton—pretending to be a union sympathizer lying to the crowd 
Agate—The agitator ready for the union 
Voice—one of many in the audience 

Group #2 
Joe—Broke cab driver with a family to feed. 
Edna—Spouse of Joe fed up with their impoverished life 
Barnes—Doctor closing the charity ward because it is losing money 
Voice—one of many in the audience 

Group #3 
Sid—A cab driver who ends a love affair because they can’t afford to marry 
Florrie—His lover who wants to desperately stay with Sid 
Irv—Florrie’s brother who warns of dangers to come 
Voice— one of many in the audience 

Group #4 
Fayette—Creating chemical warfare and hiring a spy to make sure the experiments are going well 
Miller- An idealist asked to spy  
Benjamin—a young doctor fighting to keep the charity ward open 
Voice—one of many in the audience 

Venue: Pasant Theatre
Director/Choreographer: Brad Willcuts
Music Director: Adam Yankowy
Rehearsal Dates: February 19 – April 4
Tech: March 29 – April 4

Performance Dates: April 5 – 14

Description:
The winner of eight Tony Awards, including Best Musical, Spring Awakening is a fusion of morality, sexuality and rock and roll by Duncan Sheik and Steven Sater. Join this group of late nineteenth century German students as they navigate self-discovery and coming of age anxiety in an electrifying celebration of youth and rebellion.

Character Descriptions:
Wendla – Innocent. With every passing day, she grows more curious about the world around her and her changing body. Both vulnerable and a willing participant in her evolution. Explores her newly-found sexuality with Melchior. Gender: Female, Age: 15 to 20, Vocal range top: E5, Vocal range bottom: E3

Melchior – A smart, headstrong boy who refuses to bow down to society’s rules. An atheist and radical student. Struggles with his intense feelings for Wendla and his awakening sexual urges.Gender: Male, Age: 15 to 20, Vocal range top: B4, Vocal range bottom: G2

Martha – A schoolgirl who faces constant physical abuse from her father. She harbors a secret crush towards Moritz. Gender: Female, Age: 15 to 20, Vocal range top: E5, Vocal range bottom: E3
Moritz – Melchior’s best friend, a troubled student. He desperately tries to please his father, but always seems to disappoint him. His haunting sexual dreams and academic failures eventually drive him to suicidal thoughts. Gender: Male, Age: 15 to 20, Vocal range top: A4, Vocal range bottom: C3
 
Thea – Wendla’s best friend. A schoolgirl who tries to stay innocent and pure. Gender: Female, Age: 15 to 20, Vocal range top: E5, Vocal range bottom: E3

Hanschen
A rather narcissistic schoolmate of Melchior’s. He is comfortable with his own sexuality and uses his looks and intelligence to captivate Ernst. Gender: Male, Age: 15 to 20, Vocal range top: D5, Vocal range bottom: Ab2

Anna – A German schoolgirl and Martha’s best friend. Optimistic and a bit naive, she has a difficult time understanding Martha’s trials. Gender: Female, Age: 15 to 20, Vocal range top: C5, Vocal range bottom: E3

Ernst – A schoolmate of Melchior’s. Naive and easily manipulated, which allows him to fall in love with Hanschen. Gender: Male, Age: 15 to 20, Vocal range top: A4 , Vocal range bottom: Ab2
Ilse – Martha’s sister, who was also abused and has run away from home to live in an artists’ colony. She reaches out to her old friend Moritz in the last moments of his life. Gender: Female, Age: 15 to 20, Vocal range top: E5, Vocal range bottom: E3

Georg – A clumsy schoolmate of Melchoir’s. He is overcome with his feelings for his piano teacher. Gender: Male, Age: 15 to 20, Vocal range top: D5, Vocal range bottom: Ab2

Otto A classmate of Melchior’s. He struggles with feelings he considers inappropriate. Gender: Male, Age: 15 to 20, Vocal range top: D5, Vocal range bottom: Ab2
Adult Woman – Plays a variety of rigid adult roles. Characters include: FRAU BERGMAN, Wendla’s mother; FRAULEIN KNUPPELDICK; FRAULEIN GROSSEBUSTENHALTER; FRAU GABOR, Melchior’s mother; and FRAU BESSELL, Martha’s mother.
Gender: Female, Age: 40 to 50, Vocal range top: A4, Vocal range bottom: D3

Adult Man – Plays a variety of rigid adult roles. Characters include: HERR SONNENSTITCH, the boys’ teacher; HEADMASTER KNOCHENBRUCH; HERR NEUMANN, Ilse’s father; HERR RILOW, Hanschen’s father; HERR STEIFEL, Moritz’s father; FATHER KAULBACH; DOCTOR VON BRAUSEPULVER; HERR GABOR, Melchior’s father; and SCHMIDT. Gender: Male, Age: 40 to 50, Vocal range top: F4, Vocal range bottom: D3
Venue: 4th Floor of STEAM Building on MSU Campus
Directed by: Rob Roznowski
Rehearsal Dates: Friday afternoons from 12:00-4:00 PM in the AUD.  The week of performance rehearsals move to the STEM Building from 5:30-9:00 April 8-12. 

Performances: April 13 and 14 at 7:00 and 15th at 2:00 

This is not a required show for BFA Actors, you may choose to audition for this or not. You may receive a THR 300 for this show but not a 300 A or C.

Description

After the Blast by Zoe Kazan is a contemporary look at future events after a cataclysmic environmental accident force everyone to live underground. Anna and Oliver are trying to get approval to have a baby from the government. Oliver brings Anna a robot to help with her depression and the relationship between Anna and Arthur (the robot) grows deeper and deeper.  

Character Descriptions 
The casting notice from the playwright notes that “The world has been intentionally populated with an eye toward racial and ethnic diversity.” This includes any role that may have originally been played by a specific gender could shift.  

Anna—a depressed person who yearns for a baby
Oliver—Anna’s spouse who is trying to help Anna out of depression 
Arthur—the robot. Actor will be live and puppeteering the robot and providing the voice 
Carrie–  Anna’s friend 
Patrick—Carrie’s spouse 
Sam—A worker for the underground government 
Lowes–  a technician and agency worker 
Margarita—must speak Spanish. A person who adopts Arthur