MAC Theatre Auditions

VOCAL & ACTING AUDITIONS:

“Freaky Friday” & “Cicada” (UIL One-Act Play)

  • WHERE: The Fine Arts Building Theatre Stage

  • WHEN: December 17, 2024 from 1:30pm - 4:30pm*

  • When you arrive, please sign in with the audition monitor in the Fine Arts Building Theatre main hallway.

  • All auditionees are required to attend the vocal & acting call.

  • A monologue (see below) is required if you wish to be considered for the UIL One-Act Play.

  • A song (see below) is required if you wish to be considered for the musical Freaky Friday.

  • If you wish to be considered for both shows, then you will perform both a monologue and a song in your audition.

  • All actors that wish to be considered for any role in Freak Friday are required to attend the dance call on Wednesday, December 18, 2024 (see below).

  • *Please be prepared, have your sheet music ready for the accompanist (if singing), and be ready to go at your assigned time.

*Please note that we will make every effort to be done by 4:30pm because our pianist will need to leave promptly at that time. Please be ready to perform with your sheet music prepared. If we run out of time and auditions must continue past 4:30, actors will need to sing with an instrumental track or a cappella.


DANCE AUDITIONS (for Freaky Friday only)

  • WHERE: Dance Arts Building- Studio 1

  • WHEN: December 18, 2024 from 1:30pm - 3pm

  • All auditionees that wish to be considered for any role in Freak Friday must attend the dance call. All actors should be prepared to dance in athletic shoes. The dance call will be contemporary musical theatre dance.  


CALLBACKS for Freaky Friday (by invite only)

  • WHERE: MAC- Stage

  • WHEN: December 18, 2024 from 3pm - 5pm (immediately following the dance call). 

  • Callbacks will be announced as soon as humanly possible after the vocal & acting auditions.

  • Actors not invited for callbacks will be released after the dance call. Note that not receiving a callback does not mean you won’t be cast in the production!


CALLBACKS for UIL One-Act Play (by invite only)

  • WHERE: Fine Arts Building- Stage (FA-4)

  • WHEN: December 19, 2024 from 1:30pm - *3:30pm *(End time might need to be extended based on need)

  • Please note that not receiving a callback does not mean you won’t be cast in the production! Likewise, receiving a callback does not guarantee you will be cast.


AUDITION REQUIREMENTS


All

  • All auditioners must fill out the Audition Google Form AND  Sign-Up Genius form to reserve an audition time.  Both forms will be posted on the MacTheatre website on or before Monday December 9, 2024. We will notify you when these forms are up and available to fill out. If you show up the day of the audition without an audition slot, we will attempt to fit you in. However, understand that priority will be given for actors with a reserved time slot and there’s no guarantee that you will be seen.


Freaky Friday

  • Please prepare 32-bars (or one minute) of a contemporary musical theatre song in the style of the show. (See Resources section below for song suggestions).

  • A live piano accompanist will be provided for both vocal auditions and callbacks. 

  • You will need piano/vocal sheet music for your audition cut. Please have your sheet music ready to present to the accompanist in an organized three ring binder. 

  • Pro Tip: If possible, try to optimize the arrangement of the sheet music so that the accompanist has to do the least amount of page turning during your song. Often, utilizing double-sided copies can help with this. 

  • Performing with pre recorded audio tracks or ‘a capella’ singing is not allowed. See Resources section below for helpful links to find sheet music for your song.


CICADA by Jerre Dye (UIL One-Act Play)

  • Please prepare a 1-minute contemporary dramatic monologue (no Shakespeare/classical/verse please).  This show will require mature and disciplined actors who can show a depth and range of emotion. Please prepare a monologue that demonstrates your best ability to convey complex, nuanced, and truthful characterization.


Alternate Audition Requirements for all

  • All actors must attend the vocal/acting auditions, dance call(Freaky Friday only), and callback auditions(if invited) to be considered for a role in the show. If you are unable to attend one or more  of the audition segments, then you must contact Mr. Carrasco or Ms. Brookby prior to the start of auditions so alternate arrangements can be made. Contact Ms. Nat if you are unable to attend the dance call portion and she will give you specific audition submission instructions. It is highly encouraged that you make every effort to attend the live auditions if at all possible.

  • If needed, please send requests for alternate audition arrangements to:

robert.carrasco@austinisd.org (Freaky Friday)

bonnie.brookby@austinisd.org (Cicada - UIL OAP)

natalie.uehara@austinisd.org (Dance Call)



Audition Resources



FREAKY FRIDAY

THE STORY

Freaky Friday: The Musical tells the story of Katherine and her teenage daughter, Ellie, who are caught in a constant battle of wills. When a magical accident causes them to swap bodies, they must navigate each other's worlds—Katherine as a high school student and Ellie as a stressed-out mom. Through this chaotic and humorous experience, they develop a deeper understanding of each other’s lives and struggles. Ultimately, the mother-daughter duo learns valuable lessons about empathy, family, and personal growth.

SETTING

Present day suburban America

FREAKY FRIDAY — Roles*

THE FAMILY

  • ELLIE BLAKE (Lead), our hero - 16, smart, funny; baggy, rumpled clothes; messy hair that hasn't seen a comb today, or yesterday

  • KATHERINE BLAKE (Lead), Ellie's mother - 40s, decisive, lovely, punctual 

  • FLETCHER BLAKE, Ellie's brother - 10, eccentric, naïve; obsessed with his puppets, especially ANGRY BOB, an enraged purple hippo, and CASPIAN, a proper British starfish

  • MIKE, Katherine's fiancé - confident, charming, kind

THE STUDENTS

  • GRETCHEN, Ellie's best friend - intense, emotional, lacks confidence HANNAH, also Ellie's best friend - hacker-geek, nerdgirl

  • ADAM, the Listmaster - a paragon of adorable cool

  • SAVANNAH, the villain - brilliant, aggressive, a winner

  • PARKER, Ellie's friend - completely average, best friends with Wells 

  • WELLS, Ellie's friend - dorky but not meek, best friends with Parker 

  • LAUREL, random teen - unimpressed

THE ADULTS

  • TORREY, Katherine's assistant - a high-strung perfectionist

  • GRANDPA GORDON, Katherine's father - grumpy, stubborn, old-school 

  • GRANDMA HELENE, Katherine's mother - fiercely opinionated, because she cares

  • DANIELLE, Weddings Magazine journalist - polished, grimly cheerful 

  • LOUIS, Weddings Magazine photographer - seen it all, loves his job 

  • DR. EHRIN, school counselor - test-obsessed, overworked 

  • MR. BLUMEN, biology teacher - a cynical lifer 

  • PASTOR BRUNO, cheerful, loves weddings 

  • MRS. LUCKENBILL, English teacher - empathetic

  • SEÑOR O'BRIEN, Spanish teacher - pugnacious

  • MS. MEYERS, gym teacher - extremely intense

  • OFFICERS SITZ and KOWALSKI, police officers who never received sensitivity training

  • MRS. TIME, antique shop proprietor - apathetic, doesn't much like teenagers

ENSEMBLE

  • CATERING STAFF, including CATER WAITERS, FISH VENDOR and FLORIST

  • STUDENTS & TEACHERS at Grover Cleveland High School including SAVANNAH'S MINIONS

  • PARENTS, including ADAM'S MOM, GRETCHEN'S MOM, SAVANNAH'S MOM, PARKER'S DAD, and WELLS'S DAD, 

  • WEDDING GUESTS

**Female presenting actors will be considered for male roles(and vice versa) IF they can sing the required notes as key transpositions will not likely be available. Also note that to maintain integrity of the story, the author's intentions and licensing agreements, all characters will need to play as the gender prescribed in the script. 


CICADA (UIL One-Act Play)

by Jerre Dye

Play Overview:

Set in rural Mississippi, this coming of age ghost story by Jerre Dye is deeply rooted in the life of a small southern family on the verge of transformation. The unrelenting July heat presses in on seventeen-year-old Ace and his mother Lily as they dig their way out the past. It’s a story about letting go and shedding what is no longer necessary in a world full of secrets, ghosts, and memories that hold on tight. Lyrical and hard-hitting, this unique piece of theatre sheds light on the enduring southern spirit by exploring the complexity of the ties that bind.

– “Theatre in Chicago”

Characters:

LILY- 40’s, a Mother 

ACE-17, Lily’s son 

LaNORA- Over 60, widow, Lily’s neighbor 

PREACHER- LaNora’s husband, a ghost 

MAN/DAD- Lily’s husband, Ace’s father, a ghost 

CHORUS WOMAN 1 (Momma)- Lily’s mother, a ghost. 

CHORUS WOMAN 2 (Granny Duvall)- Lily’s grandmother, a ghost. 

CHORUS WOMAN 3 (Big Sis)- 10 years old, Lily’s older sister, a ghost. 

CHORUS WOMAN 4 (Aunt Sister)- Lily’s Great Aunt, a ghost. 

CHORUS OF WOMEN

Setting:

PLACE: Rural Mississippi. Near the railroad tracks. 

TIME: July, 1974. The play begins at 4am on July 29 and ends on the morning of July 30.

NOTES ON THE PLAY (as noted by the playwright)

Time: CICADA is a memory play. Scenes should dovetail one into the other, creating a sense of overlapping realities. Inside Lily’s isolation, memories become real. Memories, a touch, a glance, the weather, a simple sound all have the power to shift Lily’s focus and consciousness, moving her backward and forward in time. In these heightened moments, reality becomes fluid. Lighting and sound should fully support these memory transits. 

Set: The set should also allow for maximum fluidity. An overly naturalistic “house” is unnecessary. For instance, the original production utilized a large loosely hung cyclorama and layers of white sheets on wash lines to suggest various playing spaces. These sheets were shifted or moved repeatedly throughout the play by the Chorus of Women. These fabric surfaces were also used for shadow play throughout the show. The use of shadow or silhouette lends the play the otherworldly or dreamlike quality it craves. The rest of the set should be somewhat skeletal, each element evoking a lived-in quality. Hardwood floors extend the length of the playing space. This is a world of wood, plaster, dust and family heirlooms in decline. The outside world is pushing its way in. 

Sound: In the earlier productions, both a sound designer/composer were employed, creating a soundscape that was both live and recorded. Many of the sonic elements like the sounds of cicada, whispers, or rain were layered with the live human voice. The original set also included a vintage upright piano. Chorus Woman 1 (Momma) played the piano intermittently throughout the story, underscoring and/or creating transitions between scenes. Although not essential, this was effective in creating both a sense of flow and also giving the ghosts a haunting presence. 

Lights: Lights haunt the space right alongside The Chorus of Women. Practicals are helpful to define playing areas and can be turned on and off by the ghosts. Flickering practicals help announce significant ghost arrivals. As a kind of ghost story, the play really welcomes a bold approach. The dance between light and sound should not be underestimated. 

Costumes: All costumes are modest garments, reflective of clothing worn by working class people in the South. Everything is well worn, but “tended to”. Some garments are hand sewn while others are “store bought”. The Chorus Member’s costumes should suggest that they come from distinctly different generations. 

The Chorus of Women: The female chorus members are ghosts. Like cicada, they are sometimes hidden presences, disembodied voices permeating the world of they play. They move, breathe and react with, for, and on behalf of Lily. They amplify her emotional state. They both guide and damn, keeping the outside world at bay. For Lily, they are home. They embody the burden of memory, giving voice to the sense of longing that the play intends to evoke. Lily’s relationship with the ghosts develops gradually during the course of the play. There are several ghost modes: First Lily “senses” the ghosts. Next, she “sees” them. Lastly, she “touches” them. These sensing, seeing, touching moments are essential in the development of the overall narrative. Also, when exploring the play, special care should go toward working with Chorus to encourage the overlapping of lines in most scenes. The choral voice should possess momentum

-Jerre Dye, CICADA playwright


AUDITION PROCESS

  1. Complete Audition Interest Form – carefully listing all conflicts.L

  2. Sign up for an audition time.

  3. Familiarize yourself with the story, characters, and music

  4. Come to your audition prepared to sing, dance, and/or act.

  5. Wear clothing you are comfortable moving in.

  6. Have fun!


How Do Our Auditions Work?

It is perfectly normal to have lots of questions before an audition. Whether you are a seasoned performer or it is your first time auditioning for a show, you might feel nervous and that's A-Okay! We have compiled some resources to help answer your questions about auditioning so you feel ready to go when you walk in the door.