AUDITIONS!
From Grammy, Emmy, and Academy Award-winning Steve Martin and Grammy Award-winning Edie Brickell. Broadway’s Bright Star tells a sweeping tale of family, love, and redemption set against the rich backdrop of the American South in the 1920s and ‘40s. When successful literary editor Alice Murphy meets an ambitious young soldier just home from World War II, their connection inspires Alice to confront her past. Bright Star is their story. Spanning two decades, we meet Alice when she is wild and young, growing up carefree in the Blue Ridge Mountains of North Carolina and again, 22 years later, as a magazine editor in Asheville.
Don’t miss your chance to be a part of this beautiful show. Auditions will be held Sunday, November 14 at 7:30 PM and Monday, November 15 at 7:30 PM. (You only need to attend one.)
Adults and teens who look 15 and up should prepare 16 to 20 bars of a song which best shows your range and ability, preferably NOT from Bright Star. Please be prepared with sheet music or instrumental recording on a device that can connect to Bluetooth. An accompanist will be available. Please wear clothing suitable for movement. Readings from selected script excerpts will be done at callbacks.
Bright Star will be directed by Marybeth Berry with musical direction by Michael Simmons and choreography by Christy Shealy Mills. The show will run March 18 to April 3. Thursday, Friday and Saturday shows are at 7:30 PM with Sunday matinees at 3:00 PM.
A limited number of perusal scripts are available. Please email shannon@towntheatre.com to make an appointment.
All roles are available, and everyone is invited to audition:
Alice Murphy – Alice as a youth is a firecracker, Alice as an adult is buttoned up. The actress playing Alice may play Alice as both 16-17 and 36-37 or we may cast two actresses each taking on a decade. Adult Alice is the editor of Asheville Southern Journal, she is smart, serious, does not suffer fools with but also kind and haunted by her past. Young Alice at age 16-17 is strong willed, independent and is destined ready for something greater than her town has to offer. She must be a very strong singer and comfortable in folk and bluegrass styles with a strong belt. She is the star of the show. This role requires intimacy. Vocal range: F3-C5
Billy Cane – a young soldier returning home from WWII; an aspiring young writer; has a goofy charm, and he is talented but unpolished and a little naive. Featured in multiple songs Age: early 20s; Vocal range: C3-A4.
Daddy Cane – Billy’s father. Kind, if simple, man living alone in the woods following the death of his wife, great father, great husband. Featured song “She’s Gone” and others. Age: Must be believably play Billy’s Father; Vocal range: C3-A4.
Margo Crawford – a small-town bookstore owner; smart as a whip, kind, Billy’s best friend, she has feelings for Billy but he is too naive to see. Sweet warm folk voice. Featured song “Asheville” and others. Age: early 20s; Vocal range: B3-F#5.
Daryl Ames – An assistant at the Asheville Southern Journal. Funny, with a dry and officious sense of humor. Great comedic timing. Can be harsh in his directness but is innately likeable. Age: Open; Vocal range: C3-E4.
Lucy Grant – A junior editor at the Asheville Southern Journal. Strong dancer and singer. Forthright and provocative with a sharp sense of humor. Strong modern working woman who is also a flirt. Featured song “Another Round” and others. Age: 20s; Vocal range: A3-D5.
Mama Murphy – Alice’s mother. A warm, loving, sensible woman. Strong singer with harmonies. Featured in song “Please Don’t Take Him” and others. Age: Must be believably play Alice’s Mother; Vocal range: G3-C5.
Daddy Murphy – Alice’s father; proud man with old world views on family and children. A strict, and hard-working man, a poor but respected farmer. Featured song “Firmer Hand/Do Right” and others. Age: Must be believably play Alice’s Father; Vocal range: A2-G4.
Mayor Josiah Dobbs – the Mayor of Zebulon; a political and financial powerbroker – an imposing and controlling presence; interested in “protecting” his son’s future and his family name, but in reality, is really only advancing his own self-interest and identity. He is ultimately pushed to a point of extreme and irrevocable cruelty; the guilt breaks him. Featured song “A Man’s Gotta Do” and others. Age: Must be believably play Jimmy Ray’s Father; Vocal range: A2-G4.
Jimmy Ray Dobbs – Mayor Dobbs’ son and Alice’s first love. Young Jimmy Ray charming, well-built and intelligent; from a family of wealth and power and is being groomed by his father for a similar future in the family business; an independent thinker who is not afraid to stand up to his father for what he believes in; he has a sense of personal responsibility and morality as well as a deep reserve of passion and emotion. The actor playing Jimmy Ray may play him as both 16-17 and 36-37 or we may cast two actors each taking on a decade. Must be an excellent musical theater singer featured in multiple songs with a comfortable folk-pop style. This role requires intimacy. Vocal range: C3-A4.
The Ensemble
A group of strong and dynamic musical theatre performers will be featured throughout the show. They will be utilized as singers in the backing vocals for many songs and featured in the dance numbers. We are looking for well-rounded performers who can work with the directing team to create a dynamic ensemble. Ensemble will also be used to move scenery and will be quite active throughout the entire show. Age: 15 and up.