*PLAYERS GUILD THEATRE ANNOUNCES AUDITIONS FOR * *DISNEY’S THE LITTLE MERMAID.* CANTON, OH – The Players Guild Theatre is making preparations to present the beloved musical, THE LITTLE MERMAID. Auditions for this Mainstage musical will be held on Saturday, March 18, 2017. THE LITTLE MERMAID will be directed by Jon Tisevich, with choreography by Michael Lawrence Akers and music direction by Steve Parsons. Joshua Erichsen is the Guild’s Producing Artistic Director. Auditions will be held at the Players Guild Theatre, located at 1001 Market Ave., N., in the Cultural Center for the Arts, on Saturday, March 18th with available audition time slots at 1:00, 1:30, 2:00, 2:30, 3:00, 3:30, 6:00, 6:30, 7:00, 7:30, 8:00, and 8:30 PM.. Dance Callbacks will be held on Sunday, March 19th and Principal Callbacks will be held on Monday, March 20 th. Actors are asked to please prepare 32 bars of a musical theatre song that best showcases their vocal ability, and bring the corresponding sheet music in the appropriate key. An accompanist will be provided. In addition, they are asked to bring a current photo or provide a headshot/resume if available. *Diverse and non-traditional casting will be considered for all roles.* Those wishing to audition are asked to make an appointment for an audition time slot by filling out the online audition form at *www.playersguildtheatre.com/audition <http://www.playersguildtheatre.com/audition>*. THE LITTLE MERMAID is scheduled to open on Friday open May 12th and will run through May 28th with performances on Fridays & Saturdays at 8:00 PM and Sundays at 2:00 PM. In addition, there will be two student matinee performances on May 16th & 17th at 10:00 AM. *THE LITTLE MERMAID Character Breakdown/Roles Available: * ARIEL: Female, late teens – mid 20s; a mermaid princess; King Triton’s youngest daughter of seven, and an avid collector of human artifacts; though often rebellious, Ariel has a big heart filled with curiosity, stubbornness, and innocence; willing to give up her most prized possessions for a chance to be human. Beautiful ingénue with a pure voice and strong belt(E) : Ab3 – Gb5 PRINCE ERIC: Male, 20s - early 30s; a nautical prince whose qualities are every bit as regal as they are genial; full of charm and valor, Eric is willing to denounce his place on the throne in order to find true love. Confident, sincere, handsome, and well-built. Bari-tenor/Tenor: B2 – G4 SEBASTIAN: Male, 20s-50s; Curatio Felonious Ignatious Crestatsious Sebastian, a crab; as the royal court composer, he is tasked to watch over Ariel; speaking with a Caribbean dialect, he is a sensitive suck-up and a true friend. Strong comedic timing, lots of personality with a flare for the dramatic. Tenor: Bb2 – C5 URSULA: Male or Female, late 20s - 50s; a sinister sea witch and King Triton’s sister whose manipulative tactics are as sticky as her extended tentacles; while she is menacing, she also has a great sense of humor and cares deeply for her henchmen, Floatsam and Jetsam. Robust comedic villain with a booming voice. Vocal Range: Eb3-C5 KING TRITON: Male, 30s – 50s; King of the Sea and Ariel’s father, who is adamant against the dangers the human world brings; on the surface he seems like a strict and stubborn monarch, but deep down he is a harried single father whose only care is for the safety of his daughters and his Kingdom. Convincing father figure, commanding and charismatic; must be comfortable shirtless. Baritone: Ab2-F4 FLOUNDER: Male, 12-18; Ariel’s closest and most faithful friend, a tropical reef fish; although he’s tiny and scares easily, his enthusiasm is as big as the ocean. Adorable, bubbly, and sensitive with a quirky strong character voice. Vocal Range: A2-G4 SCUTTLE: Male or Female, 20s-50s; an eccentric seagull and friend of Ariel’s; a self-proclaimed human expert, though in reality he knows very little and is often making up words. Benevolent and strong character actor. Vocal Range: C3-G4 FLOTSAM/JETSAM: Male or Female, 20s-40s; Ursula’s eel minions and spies; true partners in crime, both are cunning, manipulative, intelligent, and evil. Slimy and strong comedic timing. Vocal Range: B2-C5 GRIMSBY: Male, 30s-60s; Prince Eric’s faithful servant, right hand man, and friend; while he is earnest, he is also gentle and clumsy; serves as the prince’s moral compass and almost worships Eric. Lanky and self-proclaimed; strong comedic actor. CHEF LOUIS: Male, 20s-60s; the hot-tempered, French, over the top head chef of the palace; particularly fond of fish dishes. Perfectionist, zany, and stout. Bari-Tenor: Bb2-A4 MERSISTERS/PRINCESSES: Females, Late Teens – 30s; Six ecentric, beautiful, quirky, and loud young women of all shapes, sizes, and ethnicities. Aquata, Andrina, Arista, Atina, Adella, Allana ENSEMBLE: Boys, Girls, Males, and Females, 10 – 50s; diverse and unique performers, strong actors, singers and dancers. Will play multiple roles including: Carlotta, Seahorse, Sea Gulls, Pilot, Chefs, Sailors, Sea Creatures, Merfolk, and Lagoon Animals. DISNEY’S THE LITTLE MERMAID is presented by PNC Bank. The Players Guild Theatre receives support from these generous partners: Arts In Stark, The Ohio Arts Council, The Canton Repository and 89.7 WKSU. ####