Tampa Creative Camps Audition Packet:
Thank you for you and your child's interest in participating in the
first musical of summer 2015. Below is information pertaining to
the show and the audition process. Please contact
[email protected] if you have any questions!
ABOUT THE SHOW:
Based on the popular comic strip by Harold Gray, Annie, The worldwide phenomenon, was the winer of seven TONY Awards including
Best Musical and has now been adapted for young performers.
Beloved little orphan Annie charms everyone’s heart despite a next-tonothing start New York City. She is determined to find her parents
who abandoned her years ago on the doorstep of a New York City
Orphanage run by the cruel, embittered Miss Hannigan. With the help
of the other orphans, Annie escapes to the wondrous world or NYC.
In adventure after fun-filled adventure, Annie foils Miss Hannigan’s evil
machinations and even befriends President Franklin Delano
Roosevelt. She eventually finds a new home and family in billionaire
Oliver Warlocks, his personal secretary Grace Farrell, and a lovable
mutt named Sandy.
WHY DO AUDITIONS HAVE TO BE RUN AS IF FOR A
PROFESSIONAL PRODUCTION?
Our goal is to see if your child is ready to be given the responsibility of
solo speaking lines, and if so, to place him or her in a role in which s/
he will have the most success. The production staff
will not make their casting decisions lightly; if your child doesn't get the
part they want, please have faith that the director has put them in the
part that is the best “fit” for their current level of experience. Every
child who auditions is guaranteed a role in the show and every part
will be very fun!
HOW WILL THINGS BE RUN DURING THE AUDITIONS?
When you arrive, parents will be asked to sign in and fill out an
information form. Parents are not allowed to be in the room during
auditions; we will have a waiting area. Children will be taught a dance
combination, cold reading, and will be given the opportunity to sing a
song of choice, preferably from the show.
PRINCIPLE ROLES:
Principle roles will be given to children who demonstrate a high level
of maturity, readiness, and experience. All levels of expertise are
welcomed and encouraged to participate. More often than not those
who DO audition will be given a more significant role than those who
DO NOT audition, even if the child who did not audition holds a
greater experience level.
PREPARATION:
Preparation counts! In the same way that your baseball coach wants
to see that you've been batting at home, we want to know which
students are dedicated enough to do lots of at home practicing. The
production staff can immediately tell who is prepared and who is not.
PROFESSIONALISM:
We have no desire to “bring down” any child; we want all theater to be
a positive experience. In the interest of efficiency and giving everyone
an equal opportunity, however, we will be running auditions in a
professional, real world manner, which does involve the need for
participants to demonstrate objectivity and emotional resilience. For
example, if a child chooses not to sing her song when their turn
arrives, we have a limited amount of time to encourage them before
having to give the floor to the next participant.
NERVOUSNESS:
Remember, every adult in the room is rooting for you to do your best.
There's no one hoping you'll be embarrassed. Take deep breaths, and
remember that you're not in any real danger. Keep a positive attitude,
and think of this as an opportunity to share with others. To minimize
nervousness, make your at home practice as similar to audition
conditions as possible (for example, rather than only practicing your
song/monologue while mom drives you to soccer, make time to clear a
space in the living room, wait on the sidelines, and walk onto your
practice “stage” as if you were in front of a real audience). When
practicing, go “full tilt” and think about how the character would move
his body, use his face, and feel on the inside. One good way to
combat self consciousness is to “lose yourself” in the character.
GENDER:
Gender of the character being portrayed may be changed at the
discretion of the director and production staff. Casting will depend
upon who is the best “fit” for the part, and how the principles, as a
group, look and feel together. For example, a past show Suessical Jr.,
the lead character of Jojo, who originally is a little boy, was changed to
a little girl. Having said that, there are some strict genders that will not
be modified at times, for example Belle will always be played by a
female.
INTERPRETATION:
We're not looking for you to mimic the exact delivery of the characters
from the shows and movies. It's okay if they influence your
interpretation, but don’t be worried if you can’t mimic “the perfect”
character, we're looking for actors to make the roles their own.
CHARACTER DESCRIPTIONS:
Warbucks
This may be the most challenging role for a student in this age group.
He must appear middle-aged, self-assured and confident. At first
awkwardly affectionate toward Annie, he soon finds himself completely
charmed by her. He begins his transformation when he views "N.Y.C."
through Annie's eyes and falls in love with the city again...and with her.
The student who plays Warbucks will need to be extremely focused
throughout the show. His posture, walk and speech patterns are very
important. You might ask your young actor to shave his head for
rehearsals, if he feels comfortable doing so before the performance
dates; it can really help mold his character!
Grace Farrell
Grace is mature, calm, cool and "together." She is classy and
businesslike when dealing with Miss Hannigan and Warbucks, yet
maternal toward Annie. The student playing Grace can set herself
apart from the other characters simply by the sophisticated way she
walks. Grace should seem ready with an answer for just about
anything. Each dramatic situation should seem to come "under
control" the moment she glides into a scene. The student playing
Grace must be able to negotiate the challenging intervals in "N.Y.C."
Miss Hannigan
This woman is definitely a "has-been." Her distaste for her job and the
children that are part of it should be obvious in every line she speaks,
every song she sings and every move she makes. The student who
plays her must have an excellent sense of comic timing. The acrid
delivery of her lines and the torch-like rendition of her songs must
distinguish her from the other characters in the show.
Rooster & Lily
These two are quite the team -- "team" being the operative word, as
the characters play off each other constantly. You might consider
casting students of contrasting heights. Rooster can even be shorter
than Lily; after all, these two are not to be taken too seriously! Rooster
is flashy and self-assured. His "moves" should be as smooth as a
gambler's, as should be the message he sells in "Easy Street." Lily
(airhead that she is) is always distracted, although she manages to
pick up on any conversation involving money. She never acts as the
leader, always bringing up the rear while tripping over her own feet (it
is difficult to walk and check your makeup in a compact at the same
time). "Easy Street" is the most challenging number in the show, in
terms of vocal range. If the students playing Rooster and Lily are
strong both vocally and visually, the audience will feel like joining them
in "Easy Street”!
Additional Characters
The most important qualities to look for in casting the remaining roles
are vocal accuracy and the ability to develop a character. Each role is
self-explanatory and usually identified by the character's occupation.
Help your students develop these characters in the context of the
historical time period. Students that are more comfortable performing
in groups (without solo singing) might be cast as servants,
pedestrians, Bundles, the chauffeur, Louis Howe, the apple seller and
the dogcatcher. Many a career had been launched by playing an apple
seller at age ten! Some students may be wonderful organizers and
love to be in the middle of everything, but afraid to be onstage. They
can still fill important roles in the production, as chorus members or
working on a committee or on the stage crew. Remember, the cast
can be as large as your imagination.
The Orphans
These girls are gritty, neglected and vulnerable, yet basically honest
and potentially lovable. The actors portraying them must be able to
have mischievous fun with each other as well as "sibling-style" fights.
Each student should be able to create and shape her own character.
Children auditioning for these roles need to have vocal strength and
be visually expressive. All of their blocking and movements must
appear motivated and strong. Cast these characters well and you will
have won over your audience by the end of scene one.
Annie
Annie is a complex little girl. She is a tough, streetwise urchin who is
nevertheless vulnerable when she thinks she might lose what has
become most important to her: a newfound “family” who loves her.
She has to be motherly in scene one, independent in scene two,
overwhelmed in scenes four and five, needy in scene seven, and
hopeful for the future in scenes ten and eleven. The actor who plays
Annie must be strong vocally and musically. She must be capable of
vocal projection without strain. She also needs a good understanding
of subtext so she can act appropriately during the various scenes
between Warbucks and Grace, and Miss Hannigan and Grace.
Although she is at times aggressive or crafty, the audience should
never doubt Annie is a friendly and caring child; she will go to any
extent to gain the love of a family to which she can belong.
Servants, Drake, Mrs. Greer and Mrs. Pugh
From the moment these characters enter the acting area, their
presence, posture and speech should suggest the most fastidious of
domestic help. (Your actors will have fun perfecting the precision
steps, nods and curtsies.) Their heads are always held high and they
rarely show their emotions. These roles are not difficult to sing, and
creative students will have many opportunities to create charming
characters of various ages.
Sandy
Sandy should be played by an actor... a human actor. Need a talented
performer to play a lovable dog that gets to sing with Annie.
MATERIALS TO PREPARE:
Below are the materials that we will use in the audition room. Please
come with one or two sides prepared along with one or two of the
following songs. It is okay to use a side/song for a character you are
not auditioning for. We want to see how well you can read and
interpret the
dialogue along with your singing capabilities. We encourage you to
familiarize yourself with all sides because we might ask you to read for
multiple roles. Please note: your child does not need to say the words
within the parentheses, they are usually stage notes used for blocking
or emotions. For the music: if the character you are auditioning for
does not sing, please sing something anyway! Along those lines, if you
are auditioning for a particular character and their song is not apart of
music provided, sing something else! We will ask if you have a
particular role in mind and take that into consideration when casting.
Thank you and break a leg!
SIDES:
Side: Warbucks and Annie
WARBUCKS
Ah, finally.
(Opening the envelope, taking out a letter, and reading it)
Agent Gunderson located the manufacturer of Annie's locket. In Utica,
New York.
ANNIE
Oh, boy!
(CROSSES to WARBUCKS, excited)
WARBUCKS
Over ninety thousand were made and sold.
ANNIE
Aw, gee.
WARBUCKS
Annie, I'm afraid the F.B.I. doesn't think that there's a chance in a
million of tracing your parents through the locket. I'm sorry.
(Takes the locket from the envelope and puts it on ANNIE)
ANNIE
(CROSSING to the settee and sitting down dejectedly)
That's okay. You did your best. Anyway, I guess a kid can get along
without folks. You didn't turn out so bad.
WARBUCKS
Grace?
GRACE
Yes, sir?
WARBUCKS
Do you have those legal papers I gave you the other day?
GRACE
Right here!
WARBUCKS
(CROSSES to the settee with ANNIE and sits)
Annie. I want to adopt you.
ANNIE
Adopt me?
WARBUCKS
Yes or no?
ANNIE
If I can't have my real mother and father, there's no one in the world I'd
rather have for a father than you, Mr. Warbucks!
(They hug. As ANNIE and WARBUCKS embrace, GRACE starts to
join them, but then catches herself, realizing that it is their moment,
and steps back in embarrassment)
WARBUCKS
(Picking up ANNIE and swinging her around)
Annie, this isn't just going to be an adoption, it's going to be a
celebration! And you can have anyone in the world you want to come
to it. Who would you like?
ANNIE
Well, I guess I'd like Miss Farrell here. And Mr. Drake. And Mrs. Pugh.
And, well, everybody here.
WARBUCKS
Drake?
DRAKE
(Entering)
Yes, sir.
WARBUCKS
Tell the staff to get spiffed up. They're going to be the guests at
Annie's adoption party.
DRAKE
Yes, sir!
(Skips off for joy)
ANNIE
Oh, and the kids.
WARBUCKS
It'll be way past their bedtime now. But I'll tell you what, we'll have
everyone from the Orphanage here tomorrow for a big Christmas
party.
ANNIE
Miss Hannigan, too?
WARBUCKS
(Generous)
Why not?
Side: Grace Farrell, Miss Hannigan, Annie
(GRACE FARRELL ENTERS, carrying an attache case)
GRACE
Good afternoon. Miss Hannigan?
MISS HANNIGAN
Yes?
GRACE
I'm Grace Farrell, private secretary to Oliver Warbucks.
(Sits in the office chair, STAGE LEFT of the desk)
MISS HANNIGAN
The Oliver Warbucks? The millionaire?
GRACE
Mr. Warbucks has decided to invite an orphan to spend the Christmas
holidays at his home.
MISS HANNIGAN
What sort of orphan did he have in mind?
GRACE
Well, she should be friendly.
(ANNIE waves to GRACE)
And intelligent.
ANNIE
Mississippi. Capital M-I-double-S-I-double-S-I-double-P-I. Mississippi.
GRACE
And cheerful.
(ANNIE laughs)
MISS HANNIGAN
(Kicks ANNIE to quiet her)
You shut up. And how old?
GRACE
Oh, age doesn't really matter. Oh, say, eight or nine.
(ANNIE gestures upward to indicate she wants GRACE to say a
higher age)
Ten.
(ANNIE gestures still higher)
Eleven.
(ANNIE gestures to GRACE to stop and then points to her own hair)
Yes, eleven would be perfect. And oh, I almost forgot: Mr. Warbucks
prefers red-headed children.
MISS HANNIGAN
Eleven? A red-head? Sorry, we don't have any orphans like that.
GRACE
What about this child right here?
(MISS HANNIGAN rushes in between GRACE and ANNIE and pins
ANNIE behind her back)
MISS HANNIGAN
Annie? Oh, no! You don't want her.
GRACE
Annie, would you like to spend the next two weeks at Mr. Warbucks'
house?
ANNIE
I would love to.
MISS HANNIGAN
You can have any orphan here, but not Annie.
GRACE
Perhaps I should call the Board of Orphans and…
MISS HANNIGAN
(MISS HANNIGAN laughs)
If it's Annie you want, it's Annie you get.
GRACE
It's Annie I want.
ANNIE
Oh, boy!
GRACE
If you'll get her coat, I'll take her along right now.
MISS HANNIGAN
She don't have no coat.
GRACE
Then we'll buy her one.
ANNIE
Oh, boy!
GRACE
Come along, Annie. Mr. Warbucks' limousine is outside.
Side: Miss Hannigan, Annie
(MISS HANNIGAN, wearing a bathrobe, flings open her door and,
witch-like, stands bathed in white light before ANNIE)
MISS HANNIGAN
Aha! Caught you!
(Flings ANNIE to the floor and switches on the hallway light. LIGHTS
brighten)
Get up. Get up!
ANNIE
(Getting up, warily)
Yes, Miss Hannigan.
MISS HANNIGAN
Turn around.
(ANNIE doesn't)
I said turn around.
(ANNIE turns around and MISS HANNIGAN hits her on the backside
with a paddle)
There! Now, what do you say? What… do… you… say?
ANNIE
(Reluctantly; through her teeth)
I love you, Miss Hannigan.
MISS HANNIGAN
Rotten orphan.
ANNIE
(Angrily)
I'm not an orphan. My mother and father left a note saying they loved
me and they were coming back for me.
MISS HANNIGAN
That was 1922; this is 1933.
(Switches on the LIGHT in the dormitory, sticks her head through the
door and BLOWS her whistle)
Get up! Now, for this one's shenanigans, you'll all get down on your
knobby little knees and clean this dump until it shines like the top of
the Chrysler Building!
TESSIE
(Starting to cry)
But it's four o'clock in the morning.
MISS HANNIGAN
(Laughs cruelly)
Get to work.
ANNIE, ORPHANS
Yes, Miss Hannigan
MISS HANNIGAN
Now!
(Orphans run for pails and return to front)
Why any kid would want to be an orphan, I'll never know.
Side: Rooster & Lily, Miss Hannigan
ROOSTER
Hi ya, Sis. Long time no see.
MISS HANNIGAN
Rooster? They finally let you outta prison? What were you in for this
time?
ROOSTER
Some old geezer said I swindled him outta eleven hundred bucks.
MISS HANNIGAN
Why'd he say that?
LILY
(ENTERING)
Because the Rooster swindled him outta eleven hundred bucks.
ROOSTER
Sis, I'd like you to meet a friend of mine from…
LILY
Jersey City!
MISS HANNIGAN
Rooster, do me a favor. Get outta here.
ROOSTER
So who was the blondie I bumped into when I come in? Looked like
she had a couple of dollars.
MISS HANNIGAN
She works for Oliver Warbucks.
LILY
The Oliver Warbucks?
MISS HANNIGAN
Annie, one of the orphans from here, is gettin' adopted by him.
LILY
Crummy orphan!
ROOSTER
Yeah, livin' in the lap of luxury while the two Hannigan kids ended up
on the skids!
Side: Additional Characters
(DRAKE, the English butler, is supervising the work of the SERVANTS
of the house, who are bustling about at work: CECILLE and
ANNETTE, a pair of French maids; MRS. GREER, the housekeeper;
MRS. PUGH, the cook, standing with pad and pen writing out a menu;
and FOUR MANSERVANTS. GRACE FARRELL and ANNIE ENTER
through the door.)
DRAKE
Good afternoon, Miss Farrell.
GRACE
Good afternoon, Drake. Everyone.
SERVANTS
Good afternoon, Miss.
GRACE
Has Mr. Warbucks arrived yet?
DRAKE
No, Miss. We're expecting him any minute.
ANNIE
Do you really live here, or is this a train station?
GRACE
We really live here.
(To SERVANTS)
Now, would you all come here for a moment, please?
DRAKE
Quickly everyone.
GRACE
This is Annie. She'll be with us for Christmas.
(To ANNIE)
Annie, this is everyone.
ANNIE
Hi, everyone.
DRAKE
May I take your coat, Miss?
ANNIE
Will I get it back?
GRACE
Of course, dear. Now, what do you want to do first?
ANNIE
The floors. I'll scrub them first; then I'll get to the windows.
GRACE
Annie, you won't have to do any cleaning. You're our guest.
Side: The Orphans
MOLLY
(Awaking from a dream and crying out)
Mama! Mama! Mommy!
PEPPER
Shut up!
DUFFY
Can't anybody get any sleep around here?
MOLLY
Mama. Mommy.
PEPPER
I said shut your trap, Molly.
(Shoves MOLLY to the floor, DOWNSTAGE CENTER)
JULY
Ahh, stop shovin' the poor kid. She ain't doin' nuthin' to you.
PEPPER
She's keepin' me awake, ain't she?
JULY
No, you're keeping us awakePEPPER
You wanna make somethin' out of it?
JULY
How 'bout I make a pancake outta you?
(PEPPER and JULY fight)
TESSIE
Oh my goodness, oh my goodness, they're fightin' and I won't get no
sleep all night. Oh my goodness, oh my goodness.
(ANNIE, who is 11, runs in with a bucket. SHE has been up cleaning)
ANNIE
Pipe down, all of ya. Go back to sleep.
(To MOLLY)
It's all right, Molly. Annie's Here.
MOLLY
It was my Mama, Annie. We was ridin' on the ferryboat. And she was
holdin' me up to see all the big ships. And then I couldn't find her no
more.
(ANNIE holds a hanky for MOLLY)
ANNIE
Blow. It was only a dream, honey. Now, you gotta go back to sleep. It's
after three o'clock.
MOLLY
Annie… read me your note.
ANNIE
Again?
MOLLY
Please?
ANNIE
Sure, Molly.
PEPPER
Here it comes again.
ANNIE
(Takes a crumpled note from her pocket, unfolds it and reads it to
MOLLY)
"Please take good care of our little darling. Her name is Annie."
KATE
(Mockingly; she has heard this note read a thousand times before)
"She was born on October 28th. We will be back to get her soon."
PEPPER
(Mockingly)
"We have left half of a silver locket around her neck and kept the other
halfPEPPER, DUFFY, KATE
-so that when we come back for her you will know that she's our
baby."
TESSIE
Oh my goodness, now they're laughing.
ANNIE
(To the others)
All right. Do you wanna sleep with your teeth insida your mouth or out!
(Lovingly folds her note and puts it back in her pocket)
MOLLY
Gee, I dream about havin' a mother and father again. But you're lucky.
You really got 'em.
Side: Annie and Warbucks
(ANNIE ENTERS. SHE is now dressed in a red dress and her hair is
curled to look for the first time as she does in "Little Orphan Annie.")
ANNIE
Hello.
WARBUCKS
Annie, can we have a man-to-man talk?
ANNIE
You're sending me back to the Orphanage, right?
WARBUCKS
Of course not.
(Pause)
Annie, I was born into a very poor family and both of my parents died
before I was ten. So I made a promise to myself -- someday, one way
or another, I was going to be rich. Very rich.
ANNIE
That was a good idea.
WARBUCKS
But, I've lately realized something. No matter how much money you've
got, if you have no one to share your life with, if you're alone, then you
might as well be broke.
(Takes the Tiffany's package from his desk and hands it to ANNIE)
I was in Tiffany's yesterday and picked this up for you.
ANNIE
For me? Gee, thanks, Mr. Warbucks.
(Opens up the package and looks at the gift. She is clearly unhappy
with it, but pretends to like it)
Oh. Gee.
WARBUCKS
It's a silver locket, Annie. I noticed that old, broken one you always
wear and I said to myself, "I'm going to get that kid a nice new locket."
(Starting to take off ANNIE'S OLD LOCKET)
Here, we'll just take this old one off and...
ANNIE
(Recoiling from WARBUCKS; yelling)
No! I don't want a new one.
WARBUCKS
(Following ANNIE as she cowers back from him)
Annie, what is it?
ANNIE
(Going gradually into hysterics and tears; fingering her locket)
This locket, my Mom and Dad left it... when they left me at the
Orphanage. And a note, too. They're coming back for me. I know I'm
real lucky, being here with you for Christmas. But... the one thing I
want in all the world...
(Crying)
...is to find my mother and father. And to be like other kids, with folks
of my own.
(ANNIE goes into a hysterical crying fit. ANNIE runs to GRACE, who
has returned at the sound of her hysterics. GRACE embraces and
attempts to comfort while WARBUCKS stands helpless, dazed, totally
unable to cope with a crying child)
WARBUCKS
It'll be all right... I'll find them... I'll find your parents for you.
GRACE
Shh, shh. Mr. Warbucks will find your mother and father. If he has to
put everyone in his organization on the job. If he has to pull every
political string there is to pull.
WARBUCKS
Up to and including the White House! Annie, give me your locket.
ANNIE
But, Mr. Warbucks...
WARBUCKS
I understand. But it could be our best clue. We'll have the F.B.I. trace it
and find out who bought it.
ANNIE
(Somewhat reluctantly taking off her locket and handing it to
WARBUCKS, while also taking her crumpled note out of her pocket)
Okay. And maybe they should have my note, too.
WARBUCKS
(Taking the note from ANNIE)
You watch Annie, you may be meeting your mother and father within a
couple of days.
ANNIE
Really?
WARBUCKS
Really.
ANNIE
Oh, boy, I gotta write a letter to the kids about this!
(ANNIE runs to WARBUCKS' desk, sits down at it, and takes up a pen
to write as the SERVANTS EXIT. GRACE starts to leave, but lingers
near the door)
Side: Servants, Drake, Mrs. Greer and Mrs. Pugh
(The living room of the WARBUCKS mansion. DRAKE, the English
butler, is supervising the work of the SERVANTS of the house, who
are bustling about at work: CECILLE and ANNETTE, a pair of French
maids, MRS. GREER, the housekeeper; MRS. PUGH, the cook,
standing with pad and pen writing out a menu; and FOUR
MANSERVANTS.
GRACE FARRELL and ANNIE ENTER through the door. ANNIE is
wearing a new hat and a new fur-collared coat.)
DRAKE
Good afternoon, Miss Farrell.
GRACE
Good afternoon, Drake. Everyone.
SERVANTS
Good afternoon, Miss.
GRACE
Has Mr. Warbucks arrived yet?
DRAKE
No, Miss. We're expecting him any minute.
ANNIE
Do you really live here, or is this a train station?
GRACE
We really live here.
(to SERVANTS)
Now, would you all come here for a moment, please?
DRAKE
Quickly everyone.
GRACE
This is Annie. She'll be with us for Christmas.
(to ANNIE)
Annie, this is everyone.
ANNIE
Hi, everyone.
DRAKE
May I take your coat, Miss?
ANNIE
Will I get it back?
GRACE
Of course, dear. Now, what do you want to do first?
ANNIE
The floors. I'll scrub them first; then I'll get to the windows.
GRACE
Annie, you won't have to do any cleaning. You're our guest.
Score
Warbucks
Grace Farrell, Servants, Drake, Mrs. Greer and Mrs.
Pugh, and Additional Characters
Miss Hannigan
Rooster & Lily
The Orphans
Annie