The Empress Theatre is thrilled to announce auditions for ‘Plaid Tidings’!
Auditions will be held on Tues. September 22nd and Thurs. September 24th from 7pm-9pm. Callbacks will be held on Sat. September 26th by invitation only. Auditions & callbacks will be held at The Empress Theatre 9104 W. 2700 S. Magna, UT 84044.
Auditioners should come prepared with a minus track and one minute of a song in the style of the show. The director would like to hear a 50’s doowop style of song. We prefer no A’Capella singing & no accompanist is provided.
Auditions are open to those 16 and older.
Performances run November 27, 2015 – December 19, 2015, on Monday, Friday and Saturday nights, with a Saturday afternoon matinee on December 5, 2015.
Directed by: Jamie Victor
Characters
The main characters in “Plaid Tidings” are Frankie, Sparky, Smudge and Jinx. They are four high-school age boys who formed a semiprofessional harmony singing group called “The Plaids” in the 1960s. Frankie is the leader and the most outspoken member of the group, but also has asthma. Jinx is prone to chronic nosebleeds and Smudge has a stuttering problem. The boys get along well and are supportive of each other.
“Forever Plaid”
“Plaid Tidings” is the sequel to “Forever Plaid.” In the prologue of “Forever Plaid,” the Plaids had been on their way to their first semiprofessional gig at an airport lounge. However, while on the road, they were broadsided by a school bus and all four members were killed instantly. “Forever Plaid” is about the group coming back to Earth in the present to perform the show that they never got a chance to perform while they were alive.
Character Descriptions Age Range: 20-40 years old. Since the Plaids started performing when they were in high school together they would Ideally be of the same age range.
Francis: The leader and caretaker of the group. Confident. He takes care of his fellow Plaids and makes sure everyone knows what’s coming up next. He does have Asthma that acts up when the numbers are too fast. He has a great deal of compassion for the music and the group. Though he is a Romantic crooner and spiritual singer; he is also very humble and should never be seen as the smooth lounge lizard type. o Vocal Range: Baritone o Vocal Range: Tenor 1
Sparky: The clown of the group, who is shown to have a heart. Very sharp and loves singing his tailor-made solos. Wears a retainer and has a slight speech impediment. Energetic and clever. He loves to tell a story and loves to perform. While he is a jokester and a clown, he never is mean spirited—especially towards his fellow Plaids. Range: F3 - G5)
Jinx: The shy one. He lives his life terrified and doesn’t always remember what song comes next. Sparky’s step-brother, he occasionally gets a nosebleed when he sings above an A. The other Plaids, especially Sparky; are very protective of him. He transforms into the star he is supposed to be during his passionate solo in this show. Range: F3 - D6)
Smudge: The worrier. He worries about the props, the running order, and always assumes the audience won’t like him. Has chronic nervous stomach and is oddly reluctant to perform. Wears glasses, which hides his good looks and sex appeal. He also sometimes has trouble with choreography because he mixes up his left from his right. Vocal Range: Bass (Range: F3 - G5)
A word about the Plaids: Although there is much humor in this show, the Plaids themselves are consistently sincere and humble throughout.
We hope for this to be a very special show for The Empress Theatre! Forever Plaid was the first show produced on our stage when the theater re-opened to what it is today. We’re kicking off 2016 with a throw-back to our past as we lead in to our 10th Season & historic centennial anniversary of our building! Don’t miss out on being part of this historic & highly anticipated show.
If you have additional questions please email producer Lindy Davis at [email protected]