Art Factory is Seeking Diverse Actors with Stellar Vocal Capabilities for Upcoming Productions of MURDER BALLAD and SUNDAY IN THE PARK WITH GEORGE!
Auditions will be held in-person for MURDER BALLAD and SUNDAY IN THE PARK WITH GEORGE on Tuesday and Wednesday, April 23rd and 24th, with sign-in starting at 6:00 p.m. Performers should be signed in by 8:00 p.m. at the latest. Auditions will be seen in order of sign-in.
Please follow THIS LINK to schedule your audition appointment.
Please prepare a short vocal cut (at least a verse and chorus).
For MURDER BALLAD, please prepare a rock or pop song that highlights your range.
For SUNDAY IN THE PARK WITH GEORGE, please prepare a legit musical theatre song/song in the style of Stephen Sondheim that exhibits your musicality.
If you are auditioning for both musicals, please prepare two selections.
Please provide instrumental tracks in either mp3 or link (YouTube, etc.) formats, because, let’s be honest, it’s no fun to sing rock music with a piano and no pianist likes sight reading Sondheim!
MURDER BALLAD runs May 24 through June 9.
SUNDAY IN THE PARK WITH GEORGE runs July 5 through 21.
All roles are open. Performers of all gender identities, races, and ages (18+) are encouraged to attend. Please see character breakdowns below!
IF YOU CANNOT ATTEND THE IN-PERSON AUDITION:
Please submit a video of yourself performing your vocal cut(s) to Info@ArtFactoryHouston.com, with the subject line “AUDITION.” You may use instrumental tracks or accompany yourself. A cappella selections are not permitted.
Online submission due-date has been extended to 10:00 p.m. on Wednesday, April 24.
CHARACTER BREAKDOWNS
MURDER BALLAD
NARRATOR
The storyteller providing all the transitions between the various scenes and occasionally speaking for the characters themselves. Philosophical, poetic, and a little opinionated.
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Female Identifying, Any Race
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Age: Late 20’s-40’s
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High Rock Belter
SARA
Once Tom's lover, she is an ambitious starving artist and musician. Initially depressed and jaded towards men after a sordid relationship. Michael helps her find happiness again through their marriage. She ends up straying from the marriage.
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Female Identifying, Any Race
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Age: 30’s
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Rock Mezzo
MICHAEL
A poetry PhD who Sara elicits and her eventual husband. Sweet and calming, he is willing to provide nothing but the best for those he loves. He shows how cold he can become when he finds out about Sarah's affair.
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Male Identifying, Any Race
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Age: Mid 30’s-40’s
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Rock Bari-tenor
TOM
Sara's first lover and an ambitious starving artist and actor. His alcoholism, constant affairs, and general selfishness put a strain on his relationships. He becomes obsessed and stalker-like in his mannerisms toward Sara.
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Male Identifying, Any Race
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Age: 30’s-40’s
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Rock Baritone
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SUNDAY IN THE PARK WITH GEORGE
GEORGE
In Act 1: George Seurat, a rather cold artist obsessed with his work at the cost of his personal life. Constantly troubled and borderline obsessive. Act 2: Seurat's burnt-out descendant and inventor-sculpture searching for his purpose. In the end, he is able to use his connection to the past to find the meaning in a blank canvas.
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Male Identifying, Any Race
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Age: 20’s-40’s
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Vocal Range: G#2 - Ab4
DOT / MARIE
As Dot, George's headstrong mistress and occasional model so discontent with their relationship that she eventually leaves him. As Marie, George's elderly wheelchair-bound grandmother who helps him connect to his artistry through her grammar book notes.
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Female Identifying, Any Race
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Age: 20’s-40’s
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Vocal Range: E3 - D5
OLD LADY
George's mother. A cranky and rather demanding fixture in the park. She is able to find solace in nostalgia, and inspires George to find order in his art. Doubles as BLAIR DANIELS.
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Female Identifying, Any Race
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Age: 60 to 80
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Vocal Range: F#3 - Eb5
NURSE
The Old Lady's attendant. She is calming and assertive. Doubles as HARRIET PAWLING and MRS.
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Female Identifying, Any Race
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Age: 40’s-60’s
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Vocal range top: G3 - F4
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JULES
A rival artist. Callous, critical, and ultimately shallow. He forces Frieda to engage in extramarital affairs. Doubles as BOB GREENBERG.
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Male Identifying, Any Race
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Age: 20’a-40’s
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Vocal Range: G2 - F4
YVONNE
Jules' pampered wife. She is as snippy and snooty as her husband. Doubles as NAOMI EISEN.
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Female Identifying, Any Race
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Age: 20’s - 30’s
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Vocal Range: E3 - Eb5
BOATMAN
A surly blue-collared laborer, simple-minded and slovenly. Doubles as CHARLES REDMOND.
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Male Identifying, Any Race
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30’s - 60’s
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Vocal Range: Eb2 - Eb4
CELESTE #1
A young shop girl, gossipy and flirtatious. Her friendship with the other Celeste is strained when they fight over the Soldier and his companion. Doubles as A WAITRESS.
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Female Identifying, Any Race
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Age: 20’s
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Vocal Range: B3 - G5
CELESTE #2
Another young shop girl, gossipy and flirtatious. Her friendship with the other Celeste is strained when they fight over the Soldier and his companion. Doubles as ELAINE.
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Female Identifying, Any Race
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Age: 20’s
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Vocal Range: A3 - G5
LOUISE
Jules and Yvonne's spoiled little girl. She faces neglect and abuse from her parents, despite being honest. Doubles as BOY.
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Female Identifying, Any Race
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Age: Should Read 8-12
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Vocal Range: G3 - Eb5
FRANZ
Jules's German coachman and Freida's husband. Disgruntled with his job. Has a bit of a temper and secretly yearns for the Nurse. Doubles as DENNIS.
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Male Identifying, Any Race
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Age: 30’s - 50’s
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Vocal Range: B2 - G4
FRIEDA
Jules and Yvonne's cook and Franz's wife. Caring and positive as a surrogate nanny to Louise. Forced by Jules into an affair. Doubles as BETTY and YOUNG MAN.
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Female Identifying, Any Race
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Age: 30’s - 50’s
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Vocal Range: G3 - F5
SOLDIER
A French military man, polite and gentlemanly. Close with his companion, though he yearns for a separation. Doubles as ALEX.
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Male Identifying, Any Race
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Age: 20’s - 30’s
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Vocal Range: A2 - F4
LOUIS
A baker who Dot starts seeing to make George jealous. Kind, friendly, and very popular, but a bit dull. Doubles as BILLY WEBSTER and MAN.
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Male Identifying, Any Race
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Age: 30’s - 50’s
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Vocal Range: B2 - A4
ENSEMBLE
Various character’s from George’s painting in Act 1 and art spectators in Act 2.
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All gender-identities, races, ages, and vocal ranges.
ALL-SEASON VIRTUAL AUDITIONS
Submissions accepted year-round!
To submit, please email Info@ArtFactoryHouston.com with the subject line, “2024 Audition.”
Attach a current copy of your headshot and resumé.
Attach a video of yourself performing the following combinations of audition materials:
For the entire Season of plays and musicals:
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At least a full verse and chorus of a musical theatre song. You may use an accompaniment track or accompany yourself. No a cappella please.
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A 1-minute monologue from a play published after 1940.
For musicals only:
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TWO contrasting musical theatre songs (at least a verse and chorus of each). You may use an accompaniment track or accompany yourself. No a cappella please.
For plays only:
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TWO contrasting 1-minute, monologues from plays published after 1940.
Audition videos can be in .mov, .wav, or .mp4 formats, or you may provide a private link via YouTube, Vimeo, etc.
All performers must be 18+. Auditions for youth will be scheduled separately, when applicable.
Audition videos will be viewed by Founding Artistic Director Colton Berry and Founding Executive Director Luke Hamilton.
VIRTUAL AUDITIONS ARE ACCEPTED YEAR-ROUND. Please be advised that in-person, open auditions and callbacks are held for each project approximately two (2) months prior to Opening Night. Video submissions must be received at least seven (7) days prior to this period in order to receive an invitation to an in-person callback for a specific production.
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