SOUTH PACIFIC audition packet

SOUTH PACIFIC                  

2013-2014 BEMS School Musical Audition Packet ___________________________________

Attention all BEMS students! You are invited to come audition for your school musical.  We have chosen  SOUTH PACIFIC as our show this year. This is a classic, famous musical with beautiful music, lots of fun, and a powerful message about prejudice. SOUTH PACIFIC has multiple male and female leads, and a huge cast of military personnel and nurses.  We are providing this information packet for you so that you can give the best possible audition. Please read through the information carefully, mark your calendars, and find someone who can play piano to help you prepare!  WE PROMISE IT WILL BE A GOOD EXPERIENCE. So put your best foot forward and start getting ready now!

IMPORTANT INFORMATION:

·         Audition dates are Monday, Dec. 9 and Tuesday, Dec. 10. Callbacks will be as needed Dec. 11 and Dec. 12. Cast list will be posted at the BEMS office on Friday, Dec. 13.

·         MANDATORY PARENT'S MEETING for all cast members on Monday, Dec. 16, from 6-7 p.m. If you want to be in the show, you need an adult representative there for you that night. If an adult cannot represent you at the meeting, you must tell Mrs. Crane or Mr. Forsgren BEFORE Dec. 16. Parent support is critical for a successful musical!

·         Consider your schedule carefully! If you are auditioning for a lead role,  SOUTH PACIFIC must be your top priority for the months of January, February and March 2014. If you are cast in ANY role for the show, you must make attending rehearsal a top priority. Roll will be taken and any cast member with 3 unexcused absences from rehearsal will be dropped.

·         Show Performance Dates are: March 20,21, 22, and 24.

·         SHOW BLOG:  go to bems.besd.net and click on the "School Musical" link to find all important information regarding our show including audition info, rehearsal schedules and other updates as needed.
·         Do you have a friend that would like to be involved but doesn't want to be on stage? We will need organized, happy individuals to be backstage directors, stage crew and assistants of all kinds. Spread the word.

BOYS

Step 1.  Decide for which role you would like to audition.

            LEADS:

·         Emile de Becque  (Wealthy, French island plantation owner. In love with                                         Nellie. Middle-aged, serious nature.)

·         Lt. Joseph Cable   (Young officer, handsome, confident, wealthy,                                                     prejudiced, falls in love with Liat.)

·         Luther Billis          (Navy Seabee with multiple financial schemes. Trying                                         to make the most of being stuck on an island. Great                                       comedic timing. Admires the nurses, especially                                                Nellie.)

            Non-singing LEADS:

·         Stewpot                                                           (Friend to Luther Billis)

·         Capt. George Brackett, United States Navy  (Assistant to the Commander)

·         Cmdr. William Harbison, United States Navy (Head of Island Operations)

            CHORUS:

·         Marines, Sailors and Seabees  (various military personnel on an island in                                                      the South Pacific "waiting for the action" of                                                   World War II.)

Step 2:  Review the requirements for your desired part. Memorize the speaking parts and get                     help with the music!  We will have a piano player at the auditions, but you need to know        how to sing with someone playing. Practice!  Mrs. Crane will be holding auditions helps            on Thursday and Friday during Flex Time to assist anyone that needs it.  Practice your        audition in front of your family or others that can give you honest advice.

Step 3: Sign up for an audition time.  Signup sheets will be posted outside of Room 1.

Step 4:  Show up ON TIME for your audition with a smile on your face and lots of confidence.

Step 5: Be proud of yourself for doing your best and having a great audition!

EMILE DE BECQUE:      

1.   Please memorize the following lines:

The others saw him standing behind me. I turned, and he said to me, "I am going to kill you now." We fought. I was never so strong. I knocked him to the ground. And when he fell, his head struck a stone and...(He turns away and lets NELLIE imagine the rest.) I ran to the waterfront and joined a cargo boat. I didn't even know where it was going. I stepped off the boat into another world-- (He looks around him, loving all he sees.)--where I am now...and where I want to stay.

2.  Please come prepared to sing this portion of "Some Enchanted Evening":

LUTHER BILLIS:

1.  Please memorize the following lines:

Here you are, Sweaty Pie! Put them down, Professor. These beautiful skirts were made by myself, the Professor here, and three other Seabees in half the time it takes your native workers to make `em. (He picks up a skirt and demonstrates.) See? No stretch!(Throwing the skirt back on the ground.) Look `em over, Sweaty Pie, and give me your price! (Taking bracelet and showing G.I.'s who have huddled around him.) You know what that is? A bracelet made of a single boar's tooth. They cut the tooth from the boar's mouth in a big ceremonial over there on Bali Ha'i. There ain't a souvenir you can pick up in the South Pacific as valuable as this... (to Bloody Mary) what do you want for it, Mary?

2. Please come prepared to sing this portion of "Nothin' Like a Dame:"

LT. JOSEPH CABLE:

1. Please memorize the following lines:

            ***You will play Lt. Cable, someone will read the other lines for you.

CABLE: (with decisive authority) Come on, everybody. Take all this stuff and throw it over that                            fence.

BILLIS:  All right--take it way down there. Off Navy property!

CABLE: (strides over to BLOODY MARY and points off) You go too.

BLOODY MARY:   Alright, Lootellan. Thank you.

BRACKETT:  Lieutenant, who are you, anyway?

CABLE:  I'm Lieutenant Joseph Cable, sir. I just flew in on that PBY.

BRACKETT:  A joy ride?

CABLE:  No, sir. Orders.

2.  Please come prepared to sing this portion of Carefully Taught

NON-SINGING MALE LEADS:

1. Please memorize the following lines:

ADAMS:  (He accompanies the following speech with descriptive gestures.) Well, sir, we'd been               out there about an hour--it was still dark, I know.  Well, we were flying across                                        Marie Louisa. The Jap anti-aircraft spotted us and made that hit. That's when                                    Luther...er...this fellow here--that's when he...left the ship. I just circled once--                          time enough to drop him a rubber boat. Some New Zealanders in P-40's spotted                          him though and kept circling around him while I flew across the island and landed               alongside the sub, let Joe and the Frenchman off. By the time I got back to the                                 other side of the island, our Navy planes were flying around in the air above this                                  guy like a thick swarm of bees.

CHORUS (Navy, Marines, Seabees):

1. You will be taught a short song and dance to perform at the audition in groups of 5. You will sing with     your group (not alone) while dancing.

2. Please memorize the following song lyrics before coming to the audition:

            "A hundred and one pounds of fun. That's my little Honey Bun! Get a load of Honey Bun tonight! I'm speaking of my sweetie pie. Only sixty inches high--Every inch is packed    with dynamite!"

GIRLS

Step 1.  Decide for which role you would like to audition.

            LEADS:

·         Ensign Nellie Forbush             (Nurse stationed on an island during World                                                    War II. Beautiful, cheerful, naive and sweet                                                Arkansas girl . In love with Emile de Becque.)

·         Bloody Mary                           (Tonkinese island woman. Spunky, sassy,                                                      confident. Mother to Liat. Wants Lt. Cable                                                     to marry Liat.)

·         Ngana                                      (Emile's polynesian daughter. Must look 8-                                                    12.)

            Non-singing LEAD:  

·         Liat                                          (Bloody Mary's daughter. Long, black hair.                                                    Beautiful, young island girl. In love with Lt.                                                   Cable.)

            CHORUS:

·         Nurses                                     (They are stuck on the island with the Navy                                                   Seabees "waiting for the action." Nellie's                                                        friends and Seabees hearts' desire.)

·         Island Girls                              (Daughters of Plantation owners. Living on                                                    Bali Hai.)

Step 2:  Review the requirements for your desired part. Memorize the speaking parts and get                     help with the music!  We will have a piano player at the auditions, but you need to know        how to sing with someone playing. Practice!  Mrs. Crane will be holding auditions helps            on Thursday and Friday during Flex Time to assist anyone that needs it.  Practice your        audition in front of your family or others that can give you honest advice.

Step 3: Sign up for an audition time.  Signup sheets will be posted outside of Room 1.

Step 4:  Show up ON TIME for your audition with a smile on your face and lots of confidence.

Step 5: Be proud of yourself for doing your best and having a great audition!

ENSIGN NELLIE FORBUSH

1. Please memorize the following lines:

(apologetically) That was written by Mrs. Leeming, the Social Editor. She went to school with my mother.  To read her, you'd think that I'm practically the most important nurse in the entire Navy and that it's only a matter of time before I become a lady admiral! (Emile admires the photograph in the newspaper clipping, NELLIE responds) Oh, that was taken before I knew what rain and heat and mud could do to your disposition. (Emile looks fixedly at her. She, embarrassed, cannot meet his gaze, turns and crosses) But it isn't raining today. Gosh, it's beautiful here. Just look at that yellow sun! You know, I don't think it's the end of the world like everyone else thinks. I just can't get myself up to feeling that low. Do you think I'm crazy too? They all do over at the fleet hospital.

2. Please come prepared to sing this portion of "A Cockeyed Optimist:"

BLOODY MARY:

1. Please memorize the following lines:

(Looking straight out at audience) Hallo, G. I.!(She holds up grass skirt.) Grass skirt?  Very saxy! Fo` dolla`? Saxy grass skirt! Fo` dolla`! Send home Chicago. You like? You buy? (Her eyes scan the audience as if following a passerby. Her crafty smile fades to a quick scowl as he apparently passes without buying. She calls after him.) Where you go? Come back! Chipskate! Crummy G. I.! Sadsack! Droopy-drawers! (She cackles gaily and turns to the MARINE) I learn fast--pretty soon I talk English good as any crummy Marine!

2.  Please come prepared to sing this portion of "Bali Ha'i":

NGANA/LIAT/NURSES/ISLAND GIRLS:

1. You will be taught a short song and dance to perform at the audition in groups of 5. You will sing with  your group (not alone) while dancing. If you want to be considered for Ngana, you will        have to sing alone.

2. Please memorize the following song lyrics before coming to the audition:

            "A hundred and one pounds of fun. That's my little Honey Bun! Get a load of Honey Bun tonight! I'm speaking of my sweetie pie. Only sixty inches high--Every inch is packed with dynamite!"