FOOTLITE MUSICALS announces open auditions for A CHORUS LINE, the Young Adults Production, for the 2023-2024 season. The staff, directed and choreographed by Rick and Chris Barber, is seeking a racially, ethnically and physically diverse, as well as inclusive of all gender identities, sexual orientations, and abilities cast of young adults between the ages of 18-25. You must be at least a Spring 2023 graduating high school senior to audition. MUST BE COVID-19 VACCINATED AND BOOSTED.

Auditions will begin at 6:30 p.m. on Sunday, May 7th, and at 6:00 p.m. on Monday, May 8th.

All in-person auditions will take place at Hedback Community Theater, home of Footlite Musicals, at 1847 North Alabama Street.

Please Note: Online video submissions are also available and must be submitted and received by Saturday, May 6th. You may submit videos to RBCWFLOWERS@GMAIL.COM. With this vocal video you must also submit a choreographed dance of 8 musical bars in style with the musical, A CHORUS LINE.

There will also be a dance workshop conducted on Saturday, April 29th to teach the opening dance sequence to the production, which will also be used for auditions.

The dance workshop will be held at the following location:

Turning Pointe Academy of Dance

7114 Lakeview Pkwy Dr. West

Indianapolis IN 46268

(Class time 1:00-3:00 p.m.), class will also be videoed for review.

Please come to the in-person auditions prepared to sing 16 bars of a musical style that best shows your Broadway vocals. (The vocal auditions should be something other than a musical selection from A CHORUS LINE). An accompanist will be provided; please bring sheet music in the correct key. The choreographed dance audition, taught at the April 29th dance workshop, will follow after everyone has completed the vocal auditions. If you are auditioning for a lead role, there will be script readings to follow vocals and choreography.

Rehearsals will begin with a choreography session/ Meet and Greet Wednesday, May 10th, at 6:30 p.m. @ Central Christian Church, 701 N. Delaware St.

Production dates are June 23, 24, 25; June 29, 30 July 1, 2; and July 6, 7, 8, 9.

To learn more about Footlite Musicals, visit us at www. Footlite.Org. Footlite is an all-volunteer, non-Equity community theater. There is never a participation fee to be involved in a Footlite Musicals production.

Any Questions and/or interest in the Young Adult production with regards to set build, backstage help, costuming, lighting and sound, etc. please contact directors, Rick Barber and Chris Barber, at RBCWFLOWERS@GMAIL.COM, or producer Lauren Laski at laurenlaski@gmail.com.

About the musical, A CHORUS LINE

A Chorus Line examines one day in the lives of seventeen dancers, all vying for a spot in the “chorus line” of a Broadway musical. After the first round of cuts, Zach, the director and choreographer, asks each dancer to speak about themselves. Discomfort opens into revelation, confession leads to redemption, and within the bright, outwardly homogenous chorus, the audience begins to see each dancer’s individuality. From Cassie, the star who just needs the “music and the mirror and the chance to dance,” to Val, a small-town girl with a brand-new big-town body, to Mike, who took his sister’s place in dance class, saying “I can do that.” Based on real Broadway dancers’ stories, as told to fellow dancer and choreographer Michael Bennett, A Chorus Line is funny, heartbreaking, and refreshingly honest.

CAST DESCRIPTION:

NOTE:

* The original Broadway production had a cast of 26 performers. The show has no dedicated chorus.

Cut Dancers

The following characters in A Chorus Line are auditioners eliminated during the initial cut. They may be used in large ensemble numbers, as offstage singers, and/or as understudies.

These actors will have a limited rehearsal schedule.

Lois Dilettente is a ballerina who is able to get through the ballet combination but not the jazz combo. Ballerina; non-speaking

Tricia – believed to be from Ohio. She has been with a touring company but not in a Broadway show before. She dances the ballet combination too big and even crosses in front of Sheila at one point. Tricia is traditionally the only cut dancer with a vocal solo in “I Hope I Get It.” (This may or may not be the case in our production).

Vicki Vickers – A pretty California-blonde type. She has not had any ballet training nor done any Broadway shows. She is only able to get through the jazz combination with Larry demonstrating in front of the group.

Butch Barton – Believed to be from Oklahoma, and has a bit of an attitude. He is unable to correct his mistake in the first boys’ combination. Non-speaking.

Frank continually looks at his feet while dancing, based on Serrecchia having polio as child. He wears a headband – is referred to as headband boy; non-speaking

Tom Tucker – believed to be from Memphis. He does not speak but is seen mouthing the counts during both combinations. Counts with his mouth; non-speaking

Roy – has only had one year of ballet training and continually brings his arms on the wrong downbeat. “Wrong-arm boy”

LEAD FEMALE ROLES

Cassie Ferguson (Female – Mezzo belt)

Returning to the chorus after years of being a featured performer. She is having to humble herself to audition for the chorus again with younger and less experienced dancers. Previously had a relationship with Zach and it did not end well.

Seeking a true triple threat performer, as she sings the iconic “The Music and the Mirror.”

Diana Morales  ( Female – Mezzo belt)

A streetwise Latina who is a little bit tough, and eternal optimist. A determined and athletic dancer from the Bronx. (LatinX)

Sings “Nothing,” in which she reveals herself to be funny, charming, and vulnerable. 

Judy Turner (Female – Mezzo)

Funny, gawky, nervous. Warm and hopeful. Very awkward except when dancing.

Ideally seeking a taller dancer.

Val Clark (Female – Mezzo belt)

Sassy, funny. A foul-mouthed but excellent dancer who couldn’t get performing jobs because of her looks until she had plastic surgery. A brazen, direct, attention-seeker from Vermont.

Sings the infamous “Dance 10, Looks 3″  –  which we will be editing to say “This & That” instead of “T** and A**”

Bebe Benzenheimer (Female – Mezzo) 

Very insecure about her looks and tries to be funny to cover her insecurities. Feels a little excluded but just wants to be liked. She is quiet, vulnerable and kind.

Sings the middle harmony in “At the Ballet.” 

Connie Wong (Female – Alto)

Experienced dancer. Married. Petite. A bit of a mother hen with a great sense of humor. Born in Chinatown, New York.

Should believably play 4’10’’. Asian.

Kristine Urich (Female)

Al’s scatter-brained wife who can’t sing. She is awkward, anxious and hilarious.

She “speaks” the song “Sing,” but does sing in the ensemble numbers of the show. 

Maggie Winslow (Female – Mezzo)

A sweetheart, little sister type. Dreamer. Fairly experienced dancer from California.

Seeking an incredibly warm singer with a mix belt up to E natural for the soaring climax of “At the Ballet.”

Sheila Bryant (Female -Alto)

Oldest dancer on the line. Confident, brassy, sassy, bratty and sophisticated. One of the more popular dancers; humorous.

Sings the low harmony in “At the Ballet.” 

LEAD MALE ROLES

Zach  (Male OR Female, Baritone)

The director and choreographer of the show for which the dancers are auditioning. He is a stage veteran and thus can be curt and harsh, but he is revealed to be a caring and empathetic man who truly grows to care about these dancers.

Non-singing, but should have movement ability, as he demonstrates a few dance moves. 

Larry (Male or Female- Tenor)

Zach’s assistant who teaches and demonstrates the audition dances.

Needs to be a great dancer, as he is the standard to which all of the auditioning dancers are held. Does not need a strong singing ability. 

Bobby Mills (Male – Baritone)

Flamboyant, funny and witty. Very sharp tongue. Covers everything over with a joke; had a very hard childhood. From upstate New York.

Mark Anthony ( Male – Tenor)

Optimistic; first-timer; naïve but charming. Great dancer and All-American kid.

Mike Costa (Male – Tenor)

Quite aggressive, determined, cocky, sure of himself, but likeable. Tap dancer who worked with Zach before. Experienced; flirtatious. From New Jersey.

Must be able to tap. 

Richie Walters (Male – Tenor)

From Missouri. Enthusiastic, cool and very funny. Likeable and laid back.

African-American; strong dancer.

Al Deluca (Male – Baritone)

From the Bronx. Street tough, macho, and newly married to Kristine; very protective.

Seeking a strong singer, as he is the contrast to the non-singing Kristine in “Sing.” 

Paul San Marco (Male – Baritone)

Introverted and slightly insecure but loves performing; only now starting to feel comfortable about being gay and accepted by his parents. From Spanish Harlem, New York. Friends with Diana.

(LatinX) Great actor. Delivers a beautiful, raw and vulnerable monologue about coming out to his parents.

Don Kerr (Male – Baritone)

Ladies’ man, married, and into cars, money, and women. Very sure of himself. All American guy. Cocky because he has worked with Zach before. From Kansas City.

Gregory Gardener  (Male – Baritone)

Quite a smart-alec and has worked with Zach before. Very East Side New York.

Sassy, Jewish, gay man. 

PLEASE JOIN US THIS SUMMER AT FOOTLITE MUSICALS FOR OUR YOUNG ADULT’S PRODUCTION,

A CHORUS LINE!

Footlite Musicals

1847 N. Alabama Street

Indianapolis IN 46202