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    Aoruk 3, 4, 5
    		   
    This solve-it-yourself musical comedy is based on the unfinished novel buy Charles Dickens and written and composed by Rupert Holmes.
    April 3-5, 2020
    		     Audition Info
         

    Plot Synopsis
    At the Royal Music Hall in Victorian London a company of actors endeavors to produce for your delight and pleasure the novel that Charles Dickens was writing when he died.  The story centers on the titular character, a young man from teh small village of Clisterham who engaged to his child hood friend, Rosa Bud.  On Christmas morning, Drood is missing and his bloody handkerchief is found dashed on the raging river rocks.  But who did the dastardly deed?  Was it Drood's uncle, John Jasper, who has an unnatrual attraction to Drood's fiance?  Was it the the dashing young foreigner, Neville Landess, who is also attracted to Rosa Bud?  Was it Neville's tempestuous sister, Helena, who might do anything to protect her brother?  Was it the seemingly pious and holy, Reverend Crisparkle, who is certainly harboring a secret of his own?  Could it be the mysterious Princess Puffer, the London opium den mistress who is spending too much time in Cloisterham?  What about Bazzard or Durdels, seemingly innocent citizens of the town, but do their comedic appearances belie murderous intents?  Or might it be sweet little Rosa Bud, driven to emotional distractions by the attentiosn of three men?  Only you, the audience, get to decide, as at every performance an audience vote determines the outrageous outcome of our
         
       
      Character Breakdowns  
       

    The leader of the music hall troupe. The Chairperson carries the majority of the dialogue and must be quick with a joke and able to improvise. S/he is in charge of keeping the pace of the show moving. This part can be played by either a man or a woman.

    Baritone/Low Alto (D#3 –F#4 –can pop octaves if needed).

    		 Chairman/Mayor Sapsea

    Prima donna and London’s leading male impersonator, charming but, as you might expect, with determination and a lot of ego. Must command the stage. As Edwin Drood, she is an attractive, rich, and popular young man who has everything.

    Mezzo (B3 –E5).

    Edwin Drood/Alice Nutting

    		  
    John Jasper/Clive Paget

    The Royale’s male lead, a devilishly attractive cad, and he knows it. In Drood, he is the antagonist. Choirmaster of Cloisterham Cathedral, and uncle of Edwin Drood. In love with Rosa Bud. Madness lurks beneath his smooth exterior.

    Bari-tenor (A2 –A4).

    		  
    Rosa Bud/Deirdre Peregrine
    The not-so-innocent ingenue of the Music Hall Royale, Deirdre portrays the love interest of Drood, the young, beautiful and apparently fragile Rosa Bud.
     
    True soprano (A3 –B5), with a high B natural that can’t be avoided.

    The housekeeper and cook for the Banks family. Overworked and harassed, she's always complaining that the house is understaffed. Her intimidating exterior is a cover for the warmth underneath. Mrs. Brill doesn't have a high opinion of nannies in general and Mary Poppins in particular.

    Vocal range top: D#5                            Vocal range bottom: F#3

    Mrs. Brill

    		  

    The houseboy to the Banks family. Lazy, sleepy and grumbling, he never gets things right and believes himself to be useless. He doesn't do a lot of singing.

    Vocal range top: G#4                            Vocal range bottom: F3

    		 Robertson Ay
    		  
    Jane Banks

    The high-spirited daughter of Mr. and Mr. Banks, is bright and precocious but can be willful and inclined to snobbishness.

    Vocal range top: F#5                 Vocal range bottom: A3

    		  
    Michael Banks

    The cute and cheeky son of Mr. and Mrs. Banks. Excitable and naughty, he adores his father and tries to be like him. Both he and Jane misbehave in order to get the attention of their parents.

    Vocal range top: E5                    Vocal range bottom: A3

    		  

     

    Principal Ensemble

    The Principal Ensemble play all of the speaking roles in the show.  Each actor will have 5-7 roles total in the musical, one being a major featured character, and at least one solo.  This ensemble has two numbers on their own: "Precision and Order" and "Playing the Game". They will also  participate in all large chorus numbers.

    Admiral Boom/Clerk/Annie/Toy/Sweep 4

    Admiral Boom is a retired Royal Navy man and neighbor of the Banks family. A physically large man with a loud and booming voice, he speaks in Navy jargon and has a soft spot for his neighbor, Miss Lark. Annie is Mrs. Corry’s much put-upon daughter whose name starts with a vowel.

    		  

    Policeman/Von Hussler/Chatterbox/Toy/Sweep

    The policeman, Egbert, is a neighborhood fixture who is respected by and observant of all the households on his beat. Von Hussler is a businessman seeking a loan from the bank for a shady business deal. He speaks with a German accent.

    Vocal range top: D4                   Vocal range bottom: C3

    		  

    Park Keeper/Clerk/Chatterbox/Teddy Bear/Sweep

    Uniformed and officious, the Park Keeper, Fred Smith, makes sure no one breaks park regulations. His life is defined by rules, but he secretly hankers after his childhood.  Teddy Bear is Michael’s much abused plaything who seeks revenge.

    Vocal range top: Eb4                 Vocal range bottom: D3

    Neleus/Clerk/Chatterbox/Mr. Punch/Prime Minister/Sweep

    The statue of a young boy posed with a dolphin in the park, Neleus was separated from his father, Poseidon, and misses him very much. A small and lonely being, he is very happy to befriend Jane and Michael. Mr. Punch is the terrifying toy bully of the nursery.  The Prime Minister is the Prime Minister of Britain who finds love at the end of a balloon in the park.

    Vocal range top: E4                    Vocal range bottom: B3

    Bank Chairman/Statue/Chatterbox/Toy/Ice Cream Man/Sweep 3

    The Bank Chairman, the head of the bank where Mr. Banks is employed, is an Edwardian stuffed-shirt.

    Vocal range top: D4                    Vocal range bottom: C3

    John Northbrook (May be played by Bert or will also play Statue/Chatterbox/Toy/The Good Dad)

    Northbrook is an honest business man seeking a loan to build a factory for his community. He speaks with an accent from Northern England.  He may be Bert in disguise.

    Vocal range top: D4                     Vocal range bottom: C3

    Miss Lark is the Banks’ hoity toity neighbor who wears a lot of jewelry and treats her dog, Willoughby, as if he were her child.

    Miss Lark/Teller/Chatterbox/Toy/Sweep 1

    The Bird Woman is covered in a patchwork of old shawls, her pockets are stuffed with bags of crumbs for the birds. She tries to sell her crumbs to passersby, who ignore her as if she doesn't exist.  Miss Calico sells giant peppermint sticks which also allows the buyer to fly.

    Vocal range top: C5                              Vocal range bottom: Gb3

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    Bird Woman/Teller/Chatterbox/Toy/Miss Calico/Sweep 2

    		  

    Mrs. Corry owns a magical gingerbread shop. She is a mysterious woman of great age who speaks with a strange, geographically unidentifiable accent.  Katie Nana is the Banks’ nanny at the beginning of the show. Overwhelmed and upset, she has absolutely had her fill of the Banks children.  The Balloon Woman’s balloons, if chosen correctly, are magical.

    Vocal range top: C5                              Vocal range bottom: C4

    Mrs. Corry/Katie Nana/Statue/Teller/ Toy/Balloon Woman/Sweep

    		  

    Miss Andrew is George's overbearing and scary nanny, the Holy Terror. She is a bully who only knows one way of doing things - her way. Queen Victoria is a statue in the park that comes to life.

    Vocal range top: F5                              Vocal range bottom: Gb3

    Miss Andrew/Queen Victoria/Teller/ Toy/Sweep

    		  

    Valentine is Jane’s doll that gets an arm ripped off and seeks revenge.  Fannie is Mrs. Corry’s much put-upon daughter whose name starts with a consonant.  Lady Muriel is a Londoner who finds love at the end of a balloon in the park.

    Vocal range top: Db5                           Vocal range bottom: A4

    Valentine/Statue/Teller/Fanny/Lady Muriel Brighton-Jones/Sweep

    		  

    Miss Smythe is the Bank Chairman’s humorless secretary and his pitbull gatekeeper. The Doll is the creepy toy perfectionist of the nursery.

    Vocal range top: C5                              Vocal range bottom: C4

    Miss Smythe/Statue/Chatterbox/Doll/The Good Mom/Sweep

    		  
         
    Chorus

    The chorus creates the world of London, 1910.  They play magically transformed parkgoers in "Jolly Holiday", Chatterbox Customers of Mrs. Corry's Conversation Shop in "Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious", a church choir in "Feed the Birds", happy families and young lovers in "Let's Go Fly a Kite" and chimney sweeps in "Step in Time".  All must sing and dance, though we are open to taking dancers of all ability levels, as Step in Time is a tap number.

    		  

     
Last Modified on January 16, 2020