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Bandstand by Summer Lyric Theatre at Tulane University in New Orleans, Louisiana

What To Know About This Production

Bandstand 

by Richard Oberacker & Robert Taylor 

It's 1945. American soldiers return home to ticker-tape parades and overjoyed families; Private First Class Donny Novitski, singer and songwriter, returns with the hope of rebuilding his life with just the shirt on his back and a dream in his heart.  

When NBC announces a national competition to find the nation's next swing band sensation, Donny joins forces with a motley group of fellow veterans, and together they form a band unlike any the nation has ever seen. However, complicated relationships, the demands of the competition, and the challenging after-effects of war may break these musicians. But, when Donny meets a beautiful young singer named Julia, he finds the perfect harmony in words and music that could take this band of brothers all the way to the live radio broadcast finale in New York City. Victory will require every ounce of talent, stamina, and raw nerve that these musicians possess.

Performance Dates

  • Jun 23 Thursday 7:30 PM
  • Jun 24 Friday 7:30 PM
  • Jun 25 Saturday 7:30 PM
  • Jun 26 Sunday 2:00 PM

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Auditions For Bandstand

What To Expect At Auditions

Summer Lyric Theatre at Tulane University 2022 Audition Information (Bandstand)

Please make sure you are using an "audition profile" when submitting an audition. The other option (family profile) is being phased out.

This season we will be presenting three productions: Bandstand (June 23-26); Into the Woods (July 14-17); Rent (Aug. 4-7). 

Due to health and safety protocols, all auditions will be conducted through online video submissions via the Cast 98 website. On this site, you will be able to upload your headshot and resume and input your role preference, conflicts, video URL, and other pertinent information. You must submit a separate submission for each show. We will accept submissions via Cast98 from February 7- March 7, 2022.

Bandstand rehearsals will be June 1- June 22 with performance dates of June 23- June 26, 2022

 

VOCAL AUDITION REQUIREMENTS 

Bandstand: Please submit a 16 to 32-bar cut (or 30-45 secs) of a song from either a traditional "swing-oriented" selection (i.e., Berlin, Gershwin) or a contemporary musical with an "earlier" sensibility. Please do not submit a whole song. You can also submit a contemporary commercial song (i.e., Pop, R&B, Rock, etc.) if you feel it matches the style of the music in the show. You may sing something from the show, but please make sure your selection shows off your range and acting ability. If you would like to submit two song cuts to show contrasting styles, you may but please remember you are not required to do so. If you are auditioning for one of the band members, please send in a video of you playing your instrument. 

DANCE AUDITION REQUIREMENTS 

All shows will have movement of some kind.  

Bandstand- Everyone in the show moves, so you must submit one of the Bandstand combinations. Additionally, approximately 4 couples need to dance in the ensemble and play smaller roles. Please submit either a Movement or Dance combination. Also, if you swing dance, please feel free to send a video of that as well. 

Filming/video instructions- please use the landscape framing (Picture wider than taller) for your movement video. Make sure your whole body is always in the frame. 

SLT 22- Mover call for Bandstand Video: https://youtu.be/Dp5rQPZXERU 

SLT 22- Dance Call for Bandstand Video: https://youtu.be/jJlnsoaxd9o 

Music for all combinations can be found at https://tinyurl.com/yckt4b7z

 

AUDITION VIDEO SUBMISSION 

You can have separate videos for your songs and dance/movement videos, but the best way would be to put them all into one video. If that is beyond what you can do, don't worry about it. Also, remember that while you may combine song and dance into one video, audition elements from different shows may not be combined; different shows require different video submissions. Ensure your main vocal video URL is in the Video Submission area on the Audition Sheet. Then, copy the other link(s) into the Additional Information section of that form. 

Videos need to be uploaded to a platform like YouTube or Vimeo and then submit the URL. You cannot upload videos to this audition platform. 

 

ACTORS’ EQUITY ASSOCIATION & EMC 

We do hire AEA members, depending on the show/role. 

Since Summer Lyric is a bonded company with Actors' Equity Association, all cast members and stage managers will be eligible for EMC points if they are members of the Equity Member Candidacy program. 

 

HEALTH & SAFETY PROTOCOLS 

Summer Lyric Theatre will be adhering to all Health & Safety Protocols set forth by Actors' Equity Association, Tulane University, the City of New Orleans, and the State of Louisiana. We will be following a fully vaccinated protocol (including a booster). Cast members must bring their vaccination cards with them to the first rehearsal. 

 

EQUITY, DIVERSITY & INCLUSION 

Summer Lyric Theatre at Tulane University is an equal opportunity employer and is committed to creating a safe space for its company members. No one will be discriminated against based on their race, sexuality, sex, gender expression, or physical challenge. 

 

RESOURCES FOR VIRTUAL AUDITIONS 

Backing Tracks: Piano Trax https://www.pianotrax.com 

Self-Taping: Please refer to Bob Pavlovich's Self-Taping Guidelines on the SLT Website (https://tinyurl.com/4tawfzsv

Here are a few blog posts with videos and tips and tricks for self-tapes 

·                    Broadway Collective: https://bwaycollective.com/selftapeguide/ 

·                    Backstage: https://www.backstage.com/magazine/article/guide-perfect-self-tape-1758/ 

·                    "10 Tips To Nail Your Next Self-Tape Audition" – The Actor's Aesthetic: https://www.actoraesthetic.com/blog/self-tapes 

·                    Makayla Lysiak on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LTe43wmDZNs 


 

CASTING BREAKDOWNS 

 

Bandstand 

by Richard Oberacker & Robert Taylor 

It's 1945. American soldiers return home to ticker-tape parades and overjoyed families; Private First Class Donny Novitski, singer and songwriter, returns with the hope of rebuilding his life with just the shirt on his back and a dream in his heart. 

When NBC announces a national competition to find the nation's next swing band sensation, Donny joins forces with a motley group of fellow veterans, and together they form a band unlike any the nation has ever seen. However, complicated relationships, the demands of the competition, and the challenging after-effects of war may break these musicians. But, when Donny meets a beautiful young singer named Julia, he finds the perfect harmony in words and music that could take this band of brothers all the way to the live radio broadcast finale in New York City. Victory will require every ounce of talent, stamina, and raw nerve that these musicians possess. 

We are looking for a diverse cast of multi-talented performers for Bandstand. The band of 6 needs to play the instruments listed with the characters at an accomplished level, as they accompany many of the musical numbers. The ensemble of 4 couples needs to be strong dancers and singers. Swing dance experience is a plus. They will also play a variety of speaking roles. 

 

Auditioning requirements for Donny, Wayne, Jimmy, Johnny, Davy, or Nick: 

Please submit 

1.     a song that shows acting and vocal range.  

2.     a video of you playing the instrument. 

3.     a movement video (learn from video on site https://youtu.be/Dp5rQPZXERU) 

Auditioning for Julia, June, Jeanne Ann, Oliver, or other male (non-dancing roles): 

Please submit 

1.     a song that shows acting and vocal range.  

2.     a movement video (learn from video on site https://youtu.be/Dp5rQPZXERU) 

Auditioning for dance ensemble: 

Please submit 

1.                 a song that shows acting and vocal range. 

2.                 The dance video (learn from video on site https://youtu.be/jJlnsoaxd9o) 

3.                 Feel free to add any swing dance experience or samples that you might have (not required) 

 

Character Breakdown 

Donny Novitski- about 24 years old; Ruggedly handsome with Italian and Polish Heritage. He is passionate about swing music and writing his own songs. While clearly shining with that elusive star quality, he carries the dark weight of wartime experiences. Bari/tenor B -flat 2 to B-flat 4; plays piano very well (he is a prodigy) and also plays accordion. 

Julia Trojan- about 24 years old; beautiful in a wholesome and effortless way. A gifted singer, but one without a drive to be a star. Her talents are personal to her and not showy, a means of expression and discovery. She is smart, honest, and no one's fool. Soprano with strong belt, G3 to F-sharp 5. 

Mrs. June Adams- mid-40s to 50s, Julia's mother and a woman of modest means. She has a nervous anxiety most of the time and a desire to please that belies a personal history, filled with disappointment and loss. Out of this energy comes her very quirky sense of comedy. Alto, G3 to B4 

Wayne Wright- late 20s to late 30s; Gifted jazz trombone player and a veteran Marine Lieutenant. Wayne manifests his war experiences in a severe case of obsessive-compulsive disorder. He carries enormous tension in his body and mind and maintains an aloofness that hides his emotional turmoil. high baritone, C3 to B-flat4; plays trombone 

Jimmy Campbell- late 20s to mid-30s; He is a gifted jazz reed player, predominantly saxophone and clarinet. Jimmy is very bookish and well put together. He is studying law, having just returned from the Navy. He has a careful and guarded personality but is fiercely loyal to Donny and the band. Baritone, C3 to G-sharp 4; reed player- mostly sax and clarinet 

Johnny Simpson- mid-20s to late 30s; He is a drumming phenomenon. A returning Army Private, he suffers from extreme back pain due to an injury requiring 3 surgeries. He is therefore reliant on pain medication, which affects his mental clarity. He also shows signs of traumatic head injury with memory loss. But mostly this all combines to give Johnny an almost childlike and gentle personality. High baritone B2 to G-sharp 4; drummer. 

Davy Zlactic- late-20s to early 40s; he is a whiz on the upright bass. A recent army veteran who served in the European theater and liberated Dachau, Davey is modeled heavily on Shakespeare's lovable Falstaff. A big man of big appetites, he drinks to no end and maintains a constant stream of silly jokes to entertain. Baritone B2 to F-sharp 4; upright bass 

Nick Radel- late 20s to early 40s; he is a genius trumpet player. A recent veteran of the Army who spent the last month of the European battles in a German prisoner of war camp, Nick is a man desperate for career and personal security. He is outrageously confident in his gifts as a musician and always on the lookout for those who would shortchange him of his deserved credit and compensation. Everything seems to be a personal affront to him, and he has not yet been able to stop fighting for his life every day since returning to the home front. Sometimes has a hard time being a team player. Baritone B2 to F4; Trumpet 

Jean Ann Ryan- mid-30s to late 50s glamorous local radio personality. Alto 

Oliver- mid-40s to early 60s; a magnanimous owner of one of Cleveland's most popular nightclubs. Ensemble vocal track 

Al- mid-40s to early 60s; an elegant and gracious owner of the most prestigious supper clubs in Cleveland. Ensemble vocal track 

There is an ensemble that includes 4 dancing couples and others. They all play other characters in the show. Swing Dancing is a plus! 

The audition form isn't posted yet, so cool your jets and check back later!

Cast List For Bandstand

Casting Information

The cast list is not yet posted. Please check back later.

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