Auditions for "Street Scene"

Production Team

Director

Heather Dudenbostel

Music Director

Mark Davies

Conductor

Ryan Dudenbostel

Choreographer

Valerie Goliff

About the production

The departments of Music and Theatre & Dance present the American opera Street Scene with music by Kurt Weill and lyrics by Langston Hughes and will feature the Western Symphony Orchestra.

The plot centers around the conflicts and entanglements between residents of a New York City tenement building in the heat of summer in the 1940s.

At the heart of the tale is the Maurrant family whose tragic story is contrasted throughout the opera with moments of humor, joy, and hope.

a shadowy night time street scene punctuated by bring splashes of neon. A silhouette of a couple recedes into the distance of the street.

Performance and audition dates

Performances will run the weekend of Friday, April 14, through Sunday, April 16, in the WWU Mainstage Theatre. Rehearsals will be held on weekday evenings and Saturday mornings in winter quarter with dress rehearsals and performances in early spring quarter. Auditions will take place the weekend of Saturday, November 12, and Sunday, November 13. Students should plan to be available for both audition days. The production calls for a large cast and welcomes singers, actors, and dancers who are enrolled at WWU through Fall quarter 2022.

Available Roles

There are up to thirty-five named characters featured in "Street Scene." Singers, dancers, and actors are needed for this production, and absolutely all WWU students are welcome to audition. Some roles are more singing-heavy, and some more dance-heavy, but everyone on stage is an actor.

Course Credit

Depending on their role in the production, students will be encouraged to register for MUS 278 or MUS 478 in either Spring or Winter quarter to earn credit for their participation in the production.

Audition Information

  • Sign-ups will close on Friday, November 11 at 10 p.m.
  • Audition dates are Saturday and Sunday, November 12 and 13.
  • Students should register for a single 6-minute audition appointment between 9 a.m. 3:30 p.m. on Saturday, November 12.
  • Students must be available on Sunday, November 13 from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m.
  • You may be called back from 2 to 5 p.m. on Sunday, November 13. Please keep that time available.

Audition Day 1: singing and acting

  • Saturday, November 12 in 6-minute slots from 9 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.
  • PA 16 (the Choir Room)
  • Please arrive at least 15 minutes prior to your appointment time.

Students should offer at least two from the following options for the "Street Scene" audition. All material should be performed in English, memorized, and selections should be dramatically contrasting.

  • Opera Aria
  • Musical Theatre Selection
  • Dramatic Art Song
  • Monologue (from an American play)

 
Students may offer three selections if the time does not exceed 6-minutes.

Students interested in a leading role (Anna Maurrant, Sam Kaplan, Frank Maurrant, or Rose Maurrant) should plan offer at least one aria in its entirety, otherwise cut versions of pieces are welcome.

Though there are some traditionally non-singing roles, every person auditioning should offer a minimum of one vocal selection. Students are invited to sing from the show if they choose.

Students should have sheet music prepared double-sided, appropriately marked, and in a three-ring binder to provide the audition pianist Emily Gantt. Please do not put music in sheet protectors.

Audition Day 2: movement and dance

  • Sunday, November 13
  • Performing Arts Center Mainstage
  • Required movement/dance audition from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m.
  • Please arrive 15 minutes before the scheduled start time 


Please wear fitted athletic or dance wear comfortable to move in. Please bring character shoes if you have them, but jazz shoes, clean sneakers, or bare feet are also fine. If you have experience at tap dancing, please bring tap shoes if you have them.

Possible Callback Auditions

  • Sunday, November 13
  • 2 p.m. to 5 p.m.
  • Performing Arts Center Mainstage Theatre

Students will be notified by email after the dance audition if participation in callbacks is needed. Callbacks will involve students singing and delivering dialogue from the show.

Familiarity with the material from "Street Scene" in advance is highly recommended. Comprehensive Street Scene call-back materials are available.

For an audio reference, we recommend the 1996 Original London Cast Complete Recording of Street Scene available via Apple Music or Spotify.

Resources

Rehearsal schedule

Below are the dates students need to be available in order to be cast in this production. Though not every performer will be called to every rehearsal, it is important that your availability matches the schedule below. Please note that in Winter quarter students will always have Saturday evenings, Sundays, and Mondays off. The only exception being Saturday, March 11, when we’ll have a full run through in the evening before the two-week break.

rehearsal dates and details
Dates Rehearsal info

Thursday, January 5

All company meeting

January 6 through Feb 15

Rehearsals Tuesday through Friday 6:30 to 9:30. Saturdays 10:00 – 1:00

Feb. 16 through 27

No rehearsals. Possible individual coachings/meetings based on student availability

Feb. 28 through Mar. 10

Rehearsals Tuesday through Friday 6:30 to 9:30. Saturdays 10:00 – 1:00

Saturday Mar. 11

Full off -book run of show 6:30pm to 10:00pm

Mar. 12 through 27

No rehearsals Final Week and Spring break

Mar. 28th through April 1  

Rehearsals Tuesday through Friday 6:30 to 9:30. Saturdays 10:00 – 1:00

Monday April 3 through Friday April 7th

Rehearsals 6:30 to 10:00

Saturday, April 8

Cue to Cue 10:00 to 10:00

Sunday, April 9 EASTER SUNDAY

Performers day off

Monday, April 10 through Thursday

Dress Rehearsals 6:00 to 10:30 (day off this week TBD)

Friday, April 14

7:30 performance, 6:00 call time

Saturday, April 15

7:30 performance, 6:00 call time

Sunday, April 16

2:00 performance 12:30 call time

STRIKE to follow performance

Content and Character Actions Disclosures

Students will be provided training, tools, and resources, to help facilitate a positive rehearsal and performance experience while navigating complex themes.

Content Disclosure

Please note that this opera includes themes of domestic violence, assault, and racism. There are moments of intimacy shared between characters including kissing, hugging, some aggressive touch. There will be some moments of physical violence which will be choreographed. There may be moments of simulated cigarette and pipe smoking and alcohol consumption.

Character Actions Disclosure

Below is a list of choreographed actions that may take place by characters in this production.

Character actions disclosure
Character(s) Action

Frank Maurrant

Physical aggression including punching, hitting, and slapping. Possible aggressive kissing.

Anna Maurrant

Physically assaulted by Frank and is murdered by him. Some tender moments of intimacy, including non- romantic and romantic kisses.

Rose Maurrant

She is physically intimidated, groped, and kissed by her boss Harry Easter. Romantically embraces and kisses Sam.

Sam Kaplan

Physically bullied by tenants in the building.  Romantically embraces and kisses Rose.

Harry Easter

Physically and verbally intimidates, gropes, and kisses his employee Rose.

Mae Jones

Drinks alcohol, gets physically aggressive with Dick and kisses them.

Dick McGann

Drinks alcohol, gets physically aggressive with Mae and kisses them.

Audition form

Webform

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Status message

Audition registration has closed. Please contact the department with any questions.

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