Culture
Actors Guild of Parkersburg holds auditions for upcoming production of ‘Grease’ Jan. 22 – 23
< < Back toPARKERSBURG, West Virginia – Featuring Rydell High’s senior class of 1959, head “greaser” Danny Zuko and new (good) girl Sandy Dumbrowski try to relive the high romance of their “Summer Nights” as the Burger Palace Boys and Pink Ladies sing and dance their way through such songs as “Greased Lightnin’,” “It’s Raining on Prom Night,” and “Alone at the Drive-In Movie.” Grease recalls the music of Buddy Holly, Little Richard, and Elvis Presley that became the soundtrack of a generation. An eight-year run on Broadway and two subsequent revivals, along with innumerable school and community productions place Grease among the world’s most popular musicals.
Auditions will be held at 6 p.m. at the Guild Rehearsal Hall at 724 Market Street. If necessary, callbacks will be held on January 24 at 6 p.m.
Auditions will consist of readings from the script and song selections from the show (materials will be provided) and a brief dance audition (choreography will be taught). Audition materials are available on the guild’s website at https://www.actors-guild.com/grease.html. The Grease staff requests that no period specific clothes or costumes be worn to auditions.
Those auditioning should be at least 16 years old.
The cast includes:
THE BURGER PALACE BOYS:
DANNY ZUKO: Male, High School Teen (Range: tenor, D4–B5). The leader of the Burger Palace Boys; good-looking, strong and confident, with an air of easy-going charm.
KENICKIE: Male, High School Teen (Range: Tenor, C4–F5). The second in command of the Burger Palace Boys; tough-looking, tattooed, surly, and avoids any show of softness. He has an offbeat sense of humor.
DOODY: Male, High School Teen (Range: Tenor, D4-A5). The youngest of the guys; small, boyish, and open, with a disarming smile and a hero-worshipping attitude towards the other guys. He also plays the guitar.
ROGER: Male, High School Teen (Range: Tenor, D4-A5). The anything-for-a-laugh stocky type of boy; a clown who enjoys winding people up, he is full of mischief and is always dreaming up half-baked schemes and ideas.
SONNY LATIERRI: Male, High School Teen (Range: baritone, G3–A5). A member of the Burger Palace Boys; funny Italian-American, he is a braggart and wheeler-dealer who thinks he’s a real lady-killer
THE PINK LADIES:
BETTY RIZZO: Female, High School Teen (Range: Alto A3–C5). Leader of the Pink Ladies; tough, sarcastic, and outspoken but vulnerable.
FRENCHY: Female, High School Teen (Range: Alto, A3–D5). A dreamer; good-natured but not too smart, she is heavily made up, fussy about her appearance, particularly her hair. She can’t wait to finish high school so she can be a beautician.
MARTY: Female, High School Teen (Range Alto, C4–C5). The ‘beauty’ of the Pink Ladies; pretty and looks older than the other girls, but betrays her real age when she opens her mouth. She tries to act sophisticated.
JAN: Female, High School Teen (Range: Alto, A3-C5). Funny, loud, compulsive eater, and awkward member of the Pink Ladies. Loud and pushy with the girls, but shy with boys.
THE NEW GIRL:
SANDY DUMBROWSKI: Female, High School Teen (Range: Soprano, A3–F#5). New girl in town; sweet, wholesome, naive, cute, and innocent.
THE PREPS:
EUGENE FLORCZYK: Male, High School Teen (Range: Tenor, A3–E5). The class valedictorian; physically awkward, with weak eyes and a high-pitched voice. He’s a typical ‘apple-polisher’ – both smug and pompous, but gullible.
PATTY SIMCOX: Female, High School Teen (Range: Alto, D4-A4). A typical cheerleader; attractive, athletic, sure-of-herself, but can be given to bursts of disconcerting enthusiasm. She’s a bit of a pain and unpopular with the Pink Ladies, and can twirl a baton.
THE OTHERS:
JOHNNY CASINO: Male, High School Teen (Range: Tenor, G4-E5). All-American, rock-star “greaser” student at Rydell High, whose real name is Clarence.
CHA-CHA, aka CHARLENE, DIGREGORIO: Female, High School Teen (Range: Alto, C4–C5). The best dancer at St. Bernadette’s; a loud mouth, she wins the dancing competition with Danny.
THE ADULTS:
MISS LYNCH: Female, Age Flexible (Range: Ensemble/Part Flexible). A no-nonsense, serious, loud English teacher. May consider casting as a drag role.
VINCE FONTAINE: Male, Adult (Range: Ensemble/Part Flexible). A typical ‘teen audience’ disc jockey; slick, egotistical and fast-talking. He is also a veteran ‘Greaser.’
TEEN ANGEL: Male, Age Flexible (Range: Tenor, E4–F5). Frenchy’s suave and slick guardian angel, who encourages her to stay in school.
RADIO VOICE: Male, Age Flexible (Rage: Tenor, A3–C5)
WEREWOLF MOVIE VOICES: 2 Male & 1 Female, Age Flexible; Classic B-Grade Horror Movie Actor Voices
The show will run April 21-May 6.
The production staff for Grease includes: R.J. Lowe – Director; Heather Hepburn– Assistant Director; Barbara Full – Musical Director; Alexis Parsons – Choreographer; Lyndsay Richards– Stage Manager; and Amy Snider and Tina Withrow – Costumers.
The show is sponsored by Jan Dils, Family Carpet, and Hughes Family Chiropractic.