Cortland Repertory Theatre, Cortland, NY is announcing local auditions for adults, ages 19 and up, for their upcoming 49th annual summer season. Auditions will be held at Cortland Repertory Theatre Downtown, 24 Port Watson Street in the city of Cortland, NY for three days: Friday, January 24 – Sunday, January 26, from 9:00 – 4:00 with dance callbacks at the end of each day.
Season performance dates run from May 26 – August 22. All rehearsals and performances will be held in Cortland, with each production rehearsing for two weeks prior to opening. If cast, actors must be available for both daytime and evening rehearsals. More information and exact performance dates can be found on the theatre’s website at CortlandRep.org. 2020 Summer productions include:
- “Big River”: a musical based on the novel “The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn” by Mark Twain; music by Roger Miller, book by William Hauptman;
- “The Cake”: a modern comedy/drama by Bekah Brunstetter in which faith, family and frosting collide over a wedding cake;
- “Finian’s Rainbow”: a classic and timeless Broadway musical with music by Burton Lane, lyrics by E. “Yip” Harburg and book by E. “Yip” Harburg and Fred Saidy;
- Agatha Christie’s “Murder on the Orient Express”: a mystery adapted by Ken Ludwig based on Christie’s novel;
- “Hair”: an American tribal rock musical from the 1960s with book/lyrics by Gerome Ragni and James Rado, and music by Galt MacDermot;
All roles paid. Performing Internships available for college students, including a weekly stipend and college credit if arranged. Housing and travel stipend provided for actors from outside of the Central New York region.
Interested individuals must submit an audition request through the theatre’s website at www.cortlandrep.org. Click on the Employment button, then the Audition tab. Detailed instructions on submitting for an audition, along with character descriptions and FAQs, can also be found on this page. Walk-ins will be seen if time allows.
- Primarily seeking non-union actors. All roles in all shows open. Seeking a variety of types and ages, all nationalities; particularly seeking black/African descent actors for “Big River”, “Finian’s Rainbow” and “Hair”. Cortland Repertory Theatre is an equal opportunity employer.
- Please provide a current, non-returnable photo and theatrical resume, including phone number and email address.
- For the non-musical plays: Please prepare one 1 - 2 minute comedic monologue.
- For the musicals: Please prepare roughly 16 – 20 measures of an uptempo and ballad in a style of music similar to one of our shows. “Big River” is folk/country music, “Finian’s Rainbow” is classic Broadway and “Hair” is rock/pop. Pianist will be provided; auditionees must bring their own sheet music, clearly marked. Be prepared to sing more of the same song, or of a different song if asked.
- Auditionees may be asked to read from provided scripts and/or may be asked to attend a dance/movement callback for “Finian’s Rainbow” and “Hair”. Dance callbacks will be held each day at 4:00 PM.
- Due to time restraints, CRT does not hold private auditions.
- CRT tentatively is planning New York City auditions in February. Dates and times will be announced following the completion of the local auditions. More information is listed on the website.
The Rev Theatre (formerly The Fingerlakes Musical Theatre Festival/Merry Go Round Playhouse) in Auburn will also hold auditions on these days at their own facilities. Please visit their website at https://fingerlakesmtf.com for more information.
