Director:
Larry Untiet
Musical Directors:
Denise Reit & Janet Boyens
Auditions for the Spencer Community Theatre production of
“The Music Man”
will be held Monday January 8th and Tuesday January 9th at 6:30pm for teens and adults; Wednesday January 10th at 4pm for kids ages 7 to 12; Callbacks will be Thursday January 11th at 6:30pm.
About Auditions (Where do I go? What do I do?)
When are auditions? Where do I go?
Doors open half an hour prior to stated audition time. Please note that it is not necessary to attend both adult audition times; one or the other will suffice. Come to Spencer Community Theatre 518 1st Avenue East–enter through the south lobby.
Who can audition? What kinds of roles are available?
Roles are available for women, men and children ages 7 and up. Roles and character descriptions are listed at the end of this announcement!
What do I need to bring with me? Should I prepare anything in advance?
Please be prepared to sing, dance, and act! We’ll have a song for everyone to sing, teach a short piece of choreography, and read from the script. You’re welcome to read the script beforehand- they are available for checkout at the SCT Business Offices. If you would like to check a script out, please call 712-262-7336 and or just stop by. Our regular business hours are Tuesday-Thursday 11am to 5pm Please be aware of any potential conflicts-there will be room on the audition form for you to list your availability.
Closed Auditions:
Audition are closed, meaning that only the individuals auditioning and the Directing/ Management team of the production are allowed in the audition space.
About the Show
What’s this show all about?
By turns wicked, funny, warm, romantic and touching, The Music Man is family entertainment at its best. Meredith Willson’s six-time, Tony Award-winning musical comedy has been entertaining audiences since 1957 and is a family-friendly story to be shared with every generation.
The Music Man follows fast-talking traveling salesman, Harold Hill, as he cons the people of River City, Iowa, into buying instruments and uniforms for a boys’ band that he vows to organize – this, despite the fact that he doesn’t know a trombone from a treble clef. His plans to skip town with the cash are foiled when he falls for Marian, the librarian, who transforms him into a respectable citizen by curtain’s fall.
When are rehearsals?
Rehearsals are from 6:30 PM – 9:30 PM Sunday-Thursday, although they will run later the week the show opens. Rehearsals begin Sunday, January 14th and run until the show opens on March 8th, 2024. Not every person is called to every rehearsal; the time commitment typically depends on the size of the role!
When are performances?
Performances are: March 8th, 9th, 14th 15th and 16th at 7:30pm. March 10th at 2pm.
Where are performances?
Performances will take place in the SCT Playhouse at 518- 1st Ave. E.
What if I still have more questions or want to talk to someone about auditioning?
No problem! Contact us at SCT at 712-262-7336 or info@sctplayhouse.org .
Roles Available
Cast Size: Large
Dance Requirements: Standard
“THE MUSIC MAN”
* * * CHARACTER DESCRIPTIONS * * *
Character Name | Age | Character Description |
Traveling Salesmen (6-8 needed) | Various | These men appear in the opening scene of the show and are featured on the train car as they “sing” the opening number, “Rock Island”. (After the first scene, they will become townspeople of River City.) |
Charlie Cowell | 40-50 | A tough-skinned salesman who is a rival salesman of Harold Hill. He eventually tips off the River City citizens about Hill’s scam. |
Conductor | 40-50 | The Conductor on the train in the opening scene. He too will become part of the River City townspeople after the first scene. |
Harold Hill | 40’s | He is a fast-talking traveling salesman, who comes to River City to scam the people out of their money by claiming to be a music professor who can teach the boys of the town to play musical instruments. He sells the citizens musical instruments and well as uniforms. He is eventually uncovered by Marian who eventually falls in love with him at the show’s end. |
Newspaper Readers (4-6 needed) | Various | These people appear on the train in the opening scene along with the traveling salesmen. |
Shinn | 50-60 | He is the mayor of River City. He has a rather dry sense of humor and is not the “brightest crayon” in the box. |
Marcellus Washburn | 30-40 | He is the classic sidekick to Harold. He’s a funny character who helps Harold keep his secret from River City. His girl friend is Ethel Toffelmier. |
Tommy Djilas | Teens | He is the teen heartthrob in the show. His love interest is Zaneeta, the mayor’s eldest daughter. A sort of a trouble-maker at the beginning of the show, but after Harold puts him in charge of the boys’ band we see a big turnaround in his character. (Should be a good dancer.) |
Marian Paroo | 30’s | She is the town librarian. In the beginning of the show she is uptight and narrow-minded, but by the end, her character transforms into a beautiful and trusting young woman. |
The Quartet: (School Board Members) Ewart Dunlop Oliver Hix Jacey Squires Olin Britt | 40-50’s | These four make up the barbershop quartet, so all need to be very good singers. They begin the show as stuck up old men who can’t agree on anything. When Harold Hill gets to town, he teaches them to sing and they end of forming the Barbershop Quartet. |
Mrs. Paroo | 50’s | She is the conscience of River City. She is a great mother, stands up for what she believes in, and gently pushes Marian to think about her future. She has some great “one-liners” |
Amaryllis | 8-10 | She the slightly bratty girl who studies piano with Marian. She has a “crush” on Winthrop, who continually avoids her because of his lisp. |
Winthrop Paroo | 8-10 | He is Mrs. Paroo’s shy, young son. He is shy because of this lisp. By the end of the show, Harold helps him develop confidence in himself. |
Eulalie Mackecknie Shinn | 50’s | She is Mayor Shinn’s wife. Eulalie takes herself very seriously, but comes across rather humorous to the audience. In the show, she leads the town community theatre productions. She also loves to gossip. |
Zaneeta Shinn | Teens | She is the mayor’s oldest daughter, who falls for Tommy Djilas. (Should be a good dancer.) |
Gracie Shinn | 10-12 | Zaneeta’s little sister. A “whiner” and “tattletale”.. |
Alma Hix Maud Dunlop Mrs. Squires | 40’s | The “pickalitte” ladies, who are the “gossipy” women of River City. They always have their nose in everyone else’s business |
Ethel Toffelmier | 30-40 | Also one of the “pickalittle” ladies. She is the piano player at the town’s theatre productions. She is also the girlfriend of Marcellus. (His dancing partner in the “Shipoopi” number) |
Constable Locke | 50’s | The constable of River City, who is out to enforce the law. |
River City Townspeople (40-50 persons needed here. | Various Ages | These persons will make of the chorus for the show. All are citizens of River City, who love their town and their state. |
Dancers (16-20 persons needed here.) | Various | 8-10 couples will make up the dancers for the show. They will be featured in such numbers as “76 Trombones”, “Shipoopi”, and “Marian, the Librarian” |
Boys Band | Youthful | Up to 20 young boys made up of high school, middle school and elementary students will be needed to make up the town’s youth and the boys’ band that Harold sets up. (You do not have to be able to play an instrument to me in the boy’s band.) |
Elementary Girls (8-10 girls will be needed here. | Youthful | These young ladies will make up the young girls of River City townspeople. They will also appear in the Indian Pageant Scene 4 of Act I. |
We also need volunteers to serve as crew heads and crew members for these positions:
Stage Manager
Assistant Director
House Manager
Stage Lighting
Sound Effects & Cordless Mikes Operation
Costumes (we have crew heads…need members)
Make-Up
Set Construction
Set Painting
Set Shifting
Publicity
Properties (we have a crew head…need members)
Ushers
We need you to be involved in “The Music Man”!!!!!