Wheaton Drama

Your theater needs you, members.  Please volunteer to usher for Outside Mullingar (March 24 – April 15).  For more information, and to sign up, contact: www.SignUpGenius.com/go/30E0D4CACAE2CA7FE3-outside

For the second time in four years, Wheaton Drama has been recognized as a leader in the arts field, winning a “Best of Wheaton” award.

Grabbing top honors as the Wheaton Chamber of Commerce’s Not For Profit Arts Organization of the Year, Wheaton Drama continues its 85-year tradition of excellence in entertaining and enlightening members of its community.

Wheaton Drama rounds out its 2016-17 season with John Patrick Shanley’s newest romantic comedy, “Outside Mullingar” (running March 24 through April 15), and Mel Brooks’ hilarious musical comedy “The Producers” (running May 26 through June 18).

Our 2017-18 season blends classic favorites and new offerings to delight and inspire theatergoers of all ages: “Fiddler on the Roof,” “Sense and Sensibility,” “Sex in the Title,” “A Piece of My Heart” and “Company.”

See why our audiences and the community at large agree that Wheaton Drama leads the pack in providing professional-caliber theater with a familiar touch.

Wheaton Drama announces auditions for its 2016-17 season closer, “The Producers”—one of the funniest and most popular musical comedies of all time–to be held March 26-27.

Craig Gustafson is directing. Music Director: Joni Kotche. Choreographer: Katy Smith. Production Managers: Elyse Wadzinski and Leah Rae Witt.

To best utilize the time of actors auditioning for “The Producers,” auditions are by appointment only at Playhouse 111, located at 111 N. Hale
St., Wheaton.

This show is rated R and will not be diluted in any way. Actors must be completely comfortable with content that is bawdy, politically incorrect, deliberately offensive and bawdy. Did we mention “bawdy”? Actors must be 18 or older to audition.

The process is as follows:

To schedule an appointment, please email ProducersWDI@comcast.net. State your name and which day you would like to audition. Attaching a headshot and résumé is acceptable but not required. Details on what you will be asked to sing and read will be provided when your appointment is scheduled.

1. Actors will be scheduled for March 26 or 27. If all slots fill up on those dates, other dates will be added.
2. Actors will be assigned a call time, either 7, 8 or 9 p.m.
3. Actors will be assigned to a group and will spend 20 minutes in the singing audition, 20 minutes in the dance audition and 20 minutes in the reading audition. Everyone who attends will get to read.
4. Walk-ins will be seen only if there are any cancellations or open slots, so making an appointment is strongly encouraged.
5. Those cast or called back will be called by noon on Wednesday, March 29. Actors who are not cast or called back will be contacted by email. Callbacks will be held at 7 p.m. on Wednesday, March 29.

Performances of “The Producers” are May 26 through June 18, 2017. Shows are Thursdays, Fridays, and Saturdays at 8 p.m. and Sundays at 3 p.m.

“The Producers” is presented by special arrangement with Music Theatre International.

For tickets and information, please visit: http://www.wheatondrama.org/show/the-producers/

Character breakdown

(Character ages listed are guidelines only. If you’re not that age, but you want a part, convince us.)

MAX BIALYSTOCK

The consummate con man. Naturally animated and bombastic, he is never at a loss for charm and deviousness.

Gender: Male

Age: 35 to 55

Vocal range top: F#4

Vocal range bottom: A2

LEO BLOOM

An accountant. Lovably boring and mousy, he is a hesitant optimist who longs for something more.

Gender: Male

Age: 25 to 45

Vocal range top: F4

Vocal range bottom: A2

FRANZ LIEBKIND

Unrepentant Nazi/sensitive playwright. German accent required.

Gender: Male

Age: 30 to 55

Vocal range top: G4

Vocal range bottom: F2

ROGER DEBRIS

New York’s most flamboyant stage director. Doesn’t stand out in a crowd; he is the crowd.

Gender: Male

Age: 35 to 60

Vocal range top: G4

Vocal range bottom: G#2

CARMEN GHIA

Roger Debris’ common-law assistant. Prissy, caustic and slavishly devoted. He may appear younger than he actually is, thanks to skilled surgeons.

Gender: Male

Age: 25 to 35

Vocal range top: A4

Vocal range bottom: C3

ULLA INGA HANSEN BENSON YONSEN TALLEN-HALLEN SVADEN-SVANSON

A young and hopeful actress. A sex bomb, which frequently explodes. Swedish accent required.

Gender: Female

Age: 18 to 35

Vocal range top: G5 NOTE: Must have a strong belt.

Vocal range bottom: A3

ENSEMBLE

Accountants; Bavarian Peasants; Convicts; First Nighters; Little Old Ladies; Storm Troopers; Chorus Girls; Girl Prisoners; Usherettes

About “The Producers”
:

Adapted from the Academy Award winning screenplay by Mel Brooks, the original production of “The Producers” opened at the St. James Theatre on April 19, 2001, and ran for 2,502 performances, closing on April 22, 2007, and winning 12 Tony Awards (including Best Musical)—more than any other show in Broadway history. The cast album won the Grammy Award for Best Musical Show Album.

For a synopsis of the show, go here:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Producers_(musical)

To hear samples of the music, go here:

http://www.mtishows.com/the-producers

“Everybody who sees ‘The Producers’ is going to be hard-pressed to choose one favorite bit from the sublimely ridiculous spectacle… ‘The Producers’ is as full of gags, gadgets and gimmicks as an old vaudevillian’s trunk. But the show, which has a book by Mr. Brooks and Thomas Meehan with songs by Mr. Brooks (you heard me), is much more than the sum of its gorgeously silly parts. It is, to put it simply, the real thing.”—New York Times

“Extraordinary tickling power… it is irresistible.”—LA Times

“Entirely irresistible and irrepressible confection.”—The Stage (UK)

Registration has begun for aspiring performers in grades K-8.

Young performers will learn basic onstage and acting techniques while they develop their imagination and creativity.  All children will have a blast as they explore acting through a series of theater and improvisational games.  This ensemble building class will foster each student’s self esteem and help him/her become an independent thinker both on and off the stage.

Sessions will run March 7 – April 18* on Tuesday afternoons at these times:

• Grades K–4:  4 p.m. to 4:55 p.m
• Grades 5–8:  5 p.m. to 5:55 p.m.

* There is no class March 28 due to spring break; makeup date, if necessary, will be April 25.

$100 per session per child

Note: Classes are subject to change based on enrollment.

Please contact Elyse Wadzinski for more information at wdieducation@wheatondrama.org  or call 630.260.1820 and leave a message about registration.

Are you interested in directing one of our 2017-2018 shows?  Please download and complete the director application: 2017-2018 SEASON-DIRECTOR APPLICATION.

Applications are due by Feb. 13, 2016.