Kanata Theatre: the current season
 
AUDITIONS

This page shows auditions and opportunities to work backstage, front of house, and on the technical sides of future productions.

Kanata Theatre is a community organization which originated in the then-new Beaverbrook community of Kanata. From the start, members were expected to take part in all activities: building and painting scenery, making costumes, setting up lights and sound, selling tickets and so on, as well as acting. We have tried to keep that tradition, even though our "community" is now the whole City of Ottawa.

We encourage you not just to try out for a part and then move on to a role in another company, but to join in and help with any or all aspects of theatre. Become a member and receive our newsletter Greasepaint which will inform you of what's going on.

 

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  • Auditions

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      The following play has now been cast.     
 However, there are many interesting
 production positions still to be filled.
 If you'd like to work on this play, please get in touch with
 the production manager, Anna Lisa Bloom:  klawdette@hotmail.com
Auditions for: Romeo and Juliet

by William Shakespeare
Directed by Tom Kobolak

Thursday, February 2, 2012 at 7:30pm:
CALLBACK  Thursday February 9 at 7:30pm.
Please note the additional dates:
These auditions are specifically for young men,
e.g. Romeo and Mercutio

To be held in the
Rehearsal Hall of the Ron Maslin Playhouse
(please enter at Stage Door)

Note: Along with regular rehearsals, there will be extra time required for stage combat training.
Persons auditioning should recognize the heavy time commitment for this production.

Ages of characters are approximate.
MEN
   Romeo: a young, well-off Italian of the House of Montague – late teens, 17-19.
   Paris: an Austrian military officer – late 20’s to 30
   Tybalt: a young, well-off Italian, nephew of Capulet – about 20, 21
   Capulet: Italian businessman, patriarch of the House of Capulet, – late 40’s early 50’s.
   Friar Lawrence: late 30’s, early 40’s
   Mercutio: young, well-off Italian, related to Capulet – very early 20’s
   Benvolio: young, well-off Italian of the House of Montague – late teens – 18-19
WOMEN
   Nurse: Juliet’s nurse – late 40’s.
   Juliet: sole remaining child of the Capulet’s – just short of 16
   Lady Capulet: Capulet’s wife – about 30
   Lady Montague: Montague’s wife – mid to late 30’s
DOUBLED MEN’S PARTS
   Chorus / Prince Escalus: Play’s Chorus / Prince of Verona – early 30’s
   Montague/Apothecary: Head of the House of Montague / Poverty stricken
          Mantua apothecary – mid 40’s
   Peter / Balthazar: Capulet servant / Romeo’s servant – mid 20’s
DOUBLED WOMEN’S PARTS
   Serving Wench / Prince’s Attendant / Mistress: mid 20’s
   Prince’s Attendant/ Mistress: mid 20’s
   Elderly Italian Lady / Sister Maria: old street lady / Nun reporting to
          Friar Lawrence – 50’s, 60’s
DOUBLED WOMEN’S OR MEN’s PARTS
   Sampson / Capulet Servant #1: Capulet enforcer / Capulet servant – mid 20’s
   Gregory / Capulet Servant #2: Capulet enforcer / Capulet servant – mid 20’s
   Abram / Guard #1: Montague enforcer / police officer – late 20’s
   Newsboy (or Newsgirl) / Guard #2: Verona street kid /police officer – late teens
          to early 20’s

For more information, please email production manager Anna Lisa Bloom: klawdette@hotmail.com
or director Tom Kobolak, 613-836-9583;  tkobolak@magma.ca.

      The following play has now been cast.     
 However, there are many interesting
 production positions still to be filled.
 If you'd like to work on this play, please get in touch with
 the production managers, Chrissy Hollands, gphollands@rogers.com  
 and Suzanne McAllister,  suzanne.mcallister@gmail.com

Auditions for:  Friends, With Benefits
by Kate Horzempa & L.E. Hines
directed by Brett Kelly

Monday, January 2 at 7:30 - 10pm,
Tuesday January 3 at 7:30 - 10pm.
CALLBACK (if needed) Wednesday, January 4, 2012 at 7:30 - 10pm:
 

To be held in the
Rehearsal Hall of the Ron Maslin Playhouse
(please enter at Stage Door)

Friends With Benefits has a cast of seven: three males and four females.

MALE CHARACTERS:
One is in his late 20s, early 30s
Another is in early to mid 20s
The third is in early 50s.

FEMALE CHARACTERS:
Three in late 20s to early 30s
One is in early 50s

Please forward any questions about the auditions
to the production managers,
Chrissy Hollands, gphollands@rogers.com      and
Suzanne McAllister,  suzanne.mcallister@gmail.com

      The following play has now been cast.     
 However, there are many interesting
 production positions still to be filled.
 If you'd like to work on this play, please get in touch with
 the production manager, Helen Weeden 613-839-3595
Auditions for:  Pack of Lies
by Hugh Whitemore
directed by Bev Brooks

Sunday, October 2 and Monday, October 3 at 7:30 p.m.
CALLBACK (if needed) Tuesday October 4th

To be held in the
Rehearsal Hall of the Ron Maslin Playhouse
(please enter at Stage Door)

PACK OF LIES by Hugh Whitemore has a cast of eight: three males and five females.

All but two of the characters have British accents.

MALE CHARACTERS:
Two of the male characters can range in age from mid forties to mid 50’s.
The third could range in age from late thirties to 60’s.

FEMALE CHARACTERS:
Two women around the age of mid forties to mid 50’s,
Two women in their late twenties or early thirties
(may be played by anyone who can portray those ages. A great chance to show off that face lift!).
The last female character is a schoolgirl of around 14 - 17,
but she again may be played by an older person able to portray the age.

N.B. Cast will be announced at the final audition where possible.
Scripts are available from Bev Brooks, 613-832-3861
Please forward any questions about the auditions to:
the director, Bev Brooks 613-832-3861
or the production manager, Helen Weeden 613-839-3595

      The following play has now been cast.     
 However, there are many interesting
 production positions still to be filled.
 If you'd like to work on this play, please get in touch with
 the production manager, Clare Flockton  cflockton@rogers.com

Auditions for:  A Year With Frog and Toad
by Robert and Willie Reale
directed by Karen Boese

Saturday, September 24 at 2 p.m., Sunday, September 25 at 2 p.m.
with call backs: Monday, Sept. 26 at 7 p.m. (if needed)

To be held in the
Rehearsal Hall of the Ron Maslin Playhouse
(please enter at Stage Door)

Audition Requirements: Prepare an up-tempo musical theatre song exhibiting vocal range and character. Song may be sung a cappella or with an accompaniment CD. Please do not bring CDs with lead vocal tracks included. Auditions will also include a cold reading and some movement exercises.

Rehearsal Information: Beginning October 2nd rehearsals will be Sundays from 2-5 p.m. and Tuesday and Thursday evenings from 7-10 p.m. As of December 5th rehearsals will be more frequent.

Performance Dates: December 27, 28, 29 and 30

Casting Information:

• Birds: Communicate the passage of time and carry the storyline. Strong harmony singing and a great deal of dancing required.

• Frog: Good natured, strong charismatic role, balancing both jazz and ballads. Voice quality: light, pleasant baritone; however, one song sits around G# A. "Soft-shoe" dancing required.

• Toad: Anxious, neurotic, tad awkward, big heart, manages to turn small incidents into big ordeals, huge comic role, lots of singing and some dancing including "soft shoe". Voice: character voice, mid range, comfortable with high E.

• Snail: Strong comic role requiring lots of physical acting. Voice: character voice required for 3 of the solos, final solo requires a rich, bluesey show stopping voice with a high G# (Snail appears in five scenes).

• Turtle: Instigator, comic supporting role, singing and dancing required (Turtle appears in two scenes).

• Mouse: Inquisitive, supporting role, singing and dancing required (Mouse appears in two scenes).

• Lizard: Confused, supporting role, singing and dancing required (Lizard appears in one scene

• Father Frog: Solo and harmony singing, no dancing required, supporting role (Father Frog appears in one scene).

• Mother Frog: Solo and harmony singing. Voice: Operatic quality capable of high A, no dancing required, supporting role (Mother Frog appears in one scene).

• Young Frog: Solo and harmony singing. Voice: youthful quality, supporting role (Young Frog appears in one scene).

• Large and Terrible Frog: Menacing. Recorded ahead of time and scene is projected on large screen.

• Moles: Singing required, no dancing required (the moles appear in two scenes).

• Squirrels: Puppeteers. Mischievious characters (they appear in one scene).

For more information,
please contact the director Karen Boese or the production manager Claire Flockton.

      The following play has now been cast.     
 However, there are many interesting
 production positions still to be filled.
 If you'd like to work on this play, please get in touch with
 the director, Dorothy Ann Gardner, dorothy_gardner@rogers.com.

 

Auditions for:  Maggie's Getting Married

by Norm Foster
directed by Dorothy Gardner

Sunday, June 19th, 2:00 pm until 5:00 pm
 

To be held in the
Rehearsal Hall of the Ron Maslin Playhouse
(please enter at Stage Door)

Performance dates: November 8 through November 19, 2011.

Rehearsals will begin Tuesday, September 6 with a read-thru and will follow a Tuesday-Wednesday-Thursday pattern. There will be no Sunday night rehearsals scheduled until leading into the final weeks before production. The play is being cast early so the actors can strive to be entirely off-book by the start of the rehearsal schedule.

The Duncan family is preparing for the wedding of their youngest daughter, Maggie. It’s the night before the big day, everything is going to plan at the rehearsal party until Maggie's older sister, Wanda, discovers she knows the groom a little better than Maggie would like her to. Will the sibling rivalry between the bride-to-be and her party-girl sister ruin an expensive family party?

The cast of characters:

  • Maggie Duncan (20’s) the bride

  • Wanda Duncan (20’s) bride’s sister, party girl, real-estate agent

  • Cass Duncan (40’s) mother of the bride

  • Tom Duncan (40-50) father of the bride

  • Axel Wilkie (20-30’s) Wanda’s ‘date’, working actor

  • Russell MacMillan (20-30’s) groom, real-estate agent

Those auditioning will be asked to participate in a scene reading from the play. For scripts or more information, please contact the director Dorothy Ann Gardner at dorothy_gardner@rogers.com.

 

      The following play has now been cast.     
 However, there are many interesting
 production positions still to be filled.
 If you'd like to work on this play, please get in touch with
 Carol Hussey at 613- 592-3733 OR Larraine Gorman at 613-761-7825 .
Auditions for:  West Moon Street

by Rob Urbinati
directed by Wendy Wagner

Monday May 23rd  and Tuesday May 24th  at 7:30pm,
callbacks on Wednesday May 25th  at 7:30pm
 

To be held in the
Rehearsal Hall of the Ron Maslin Playhouse
(please enter at Stage Door)

Performance dates: September 20 through October 1, 2011

There will be two table readings sometime in June (dates/times TBD). Rehearsals will start on Tuesday July 26th and will follow a Tu-We-Th pattern. Production dates are Sept. 20 - Oct. 1, 2011.

Young Lord Arthur is deliriously happy - just down from Oxford and engaged to be married - when a mysterious palm reader predicts that he will commit a murder. A proper English gentleman, Arthur believes it is his Duty to get this killing business over with before the nuptials. But his education has not provided him with the required skills, and hilarity ensues as he sets about the Task.

This charming comedy of manners is a stage adaptation of the Oscar Wilde novella Lord Arthur Savile’s Crime which can be found online at http://www.kingkong.demon.co.uk/gsr/savile.htm

There are four male and four female roles with the possibility of doubling and/or cross-gender casting. All characters require a proper aristocratic British accent. The roles are:

• Lord Arthur (late 20’s) A naďve, some may say gormless, proper English gentleman.

• Lady Windermere (35-50) A conniving and clever cougar.

• Sybil Merton (20’s) Lord Arthur’s clever and observant betrothed.

• Charles (35+) Lord Arthur’s devoted valet.

• Lady Clem (elderly) Arthur’s irritable and gassy elderly aunt.

• Jane Percy (17-25) Arthur’s enthusiastic, though rather dim and outrageous, cousin.

• Mr. Podgers (35+) A mysterious cheiromantist (palm reader) in league with Lady Windermere.

• Herr Winckelkopf (35+) An artistic anarchist with a foreign accent.

All actors will be asked to read a 1 - 2 minute monologue given out at the audition and participate in a scene reading. For scripts, or more information, please contact the director, Wendy Wagner, at
613-599-4476 or wwagner@rogers.com. To join the crew, please contact producers Carol Hussey at carolandjim@rogers.com 613- 592-3733 OR Larraine Gorman at l.gorman@rogers.com 
613-761-7825