Auditions at Stomping Grounds Arthouse

PLEDGE: The Musical Auditions

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We are thrilled to present PLEDGE: The Musical, written by Don Merrill with music and lyrics by Melody Bell. We are seeking a cast to bring this piece to life at our Very Staged Reading in August. (VSR = You'll still be on book, but with costumes and some blocking.) 

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Come spend nine days in the life and music of public radio station KKAR. Run by a small conservative college, the staff is a mix of eclectic personalities fighting for equity, diversity and community. When a potential lawsuit, lack of funding, and a political adversary threaten to take on the station, station manager Ava Sanchez, along with the rest of her crew, jump into action. Using their unique skillsets, Ava and the staff maneuver through the chaos and change to ensure their voices are heard.

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Stomping Grounds Arthouse will accept self-tapes until Monday, July 17 at 11:59pm PST. We will have in-person callbacks by invitation only in late July.

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Pertinent Dates:

Most rehearsals will take place at ADX. The staged reading performance will take place at Urbanite. Rehearsal dates will be confirmed at a later time but will start at the end of July, meeting 2-3 times per week until the performances, Saturday, August 19 and Sunday, August 20. 

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Roles Available:

AVA Age 25-45 Woman, Hispanic Vocal Range: F2-E4

Ava Sanchez is a strong and vibrant Argentinian. She's loved journalism since she was a child and eventually worked for national networks in her native country and after she emigrated to the U.S. She now runs college station KKAR and fights to support her staff and keep her station alive despite formidable obstacles.

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JASPER Age 20-40 Male, White Vocal Range: D2-G3

Jasper Cole's poor upbringing prompted him to get out of Salt Lake City as quick as he could. He remade himself into a sophisticate of sorts as he worked in sales for commercial and then, public radio. He's worked at KKAR for several years and considers the staff to be close knit.

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CAP Age 40-60 Male, White Vocal Range: C2-E3

Tim CAP Hall grew up on the permafrost of Barrow, Alaska. Though his family only had the basics, CAP had lots of friends and loved nature. He was fascinated by the radio tower down the road from his house and a visit to the station as a teen eventually led to a life of broadcast engineering. Gnarly and gruff but with a great sense of humor and an affection for his coworkers, CAP keeps the power flowing at KKAR.

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JIM Age 40-60 Male, White Vocal Range: C2-E3

Jim Langsam sounds like a newsman. And since his days watching WKRP in Cincinnati, that's all he's wanted to be. So he was thrilled when he landed the job at KKAR. He's not excited about changes in the 5th Estate, like podcasting and artificial intelligence. But he's dedicated to telling the story, supporting his friends and not being a dinosaur.

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WINSTON Age 18-30 Transgender Male, Black Vocal Range: F2-B3

Winston DuBoise has roots in the Caribbean but is a lifelong resident of the Big Apple, where he transitioned from Winnie to Winston two years ago. His grandmother loves him all the same but his family is not OK with the change, and he's OK with that. He has a successful podcast to a trans audience, which made AVA invite him on staff last year while he learns broadcasting from Jim. Still feeling out the staff.

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OLIVE Age 40-55 Female, any ethnicity Vocal Range: G2-C3

Her experience as a social worker got her hired to manage station egos and the general public. Now in her 50s, she's developed a crush on Cap but won't admit it. She can be overly proper and often reminds people to curb their profanity because mics can always be on. She's up on everything happening on campus and is good at anticipating what others may do or say.

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LETHA Age 20-30 Female, any ethnicity Vocal Range: G2-D3

Letha Dillon is an Arkansas native. Married, divorced, a single mother and homeless, she struggles with temp work and shelter beds. A chance meeting with Ava got her managing KKAR's twice yearly pledge drive and it's a chance she thinks could lead to something better. So, she's committed to acing it.

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MAE RAE Age 35-50 Female, White Vocal Range: G2-C3

Mae Rae Thibodeaux ‘s father left when she was young, and her mother aligned with the segregationist views of the then D.A.R. As a young wife, she lost her husband and son to a black drunk driver. That helped her find God, then politics. Now, as a ruthless state senator who hates everything BiPOC or LGBTQ, she does all she can to curb it wherever she finds it, including at progressive KKAR.

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DR. WILLIAMS Age 50-60 Male, Black Vocal Range: D2-F3

Dr. Robert Williams was the first in his family to go to college, he earned a law degree and 15 years later, became State College's first Black president. He's got an institution to run but finds the station taking a lot of his attention both because of its voice in the community and it controversial history. He's under pressure from Ava and Mae Rae to keep it open and shut it down. 

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LOUIS Age 40-50 Male, any ethnicity Vocal Range: B2-G3

Louis Rothstein is one of three surviving children a demanding father who, to the family's surprise, left most of its money to KKAR. Louis is furious and prone to do whatever it takes to reclaim the money he feels he deserves as payment for years as his father's son. He along with his sister Eleanor, went to KKAR after learning in a letter of the gift.

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ELEANOR Age 35-55 Female, ethnicity same as Louis Vocal Range: B2-C4 Eleanor Rothstein is Louis' sister. Although she is also upset that her father gave all of the family's money to KKAR, she is with Louis because he is so over the top angry that she wants to make sure he doesn't make the situation worse. She's gotten him to agree to let her do most of the talking, but she knows her brother and doesn't know if she can keep him calmed down.

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EDMUND Age 30-45 Male, White Vocal Range: D2-D3

Edmund Piper is trying to bring preppy back. Fresh out of business school, he started working first, for a high powered ad agency and then as a sales rep. for a technology company that he was able to make an ad client of KKAR. So he works with Jasper for ad buys. Over the years, he's tried to pressure Jasper to get him to make accommodations to his company in exchange for donations. Jasper hates it that he sometimes feels like he's over a barrel.

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Pay: Actors will receive a stipend of at least $50. 

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Self-Tape Instructions:

Please include 32 bars of a musical theatre song of your choice and a monologue. Your full video should be no longer than 3 minutes. 

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Please use this form to fill out some information and submit your audition. There are also specific taping and uploading instructions there. Break a leg!