AUDITIONS for Chess the Musical directed by Jordan Cooper Monday, September 18 - 6:30-10:00 Tuesday, September 19 - 6:30-10:00 call backs Wednesday Sept 20 Synopsis: The collaborators on Chess are giants of rock music and rock musicals, and here they have created a complex rock opera that played to full Broadway houses and standing ovations. In this musical, the ancient game becomes a metaphor for romantic rivalries, competitive gamesmanship, super-power politics, and international intrigue. The pawns in this drama form a love triangle: the loutish American chess star, the earnest Russian champion, and a Hungarian American female assistant who arrives at the international chess match in Bangkok with the American, but falls for the Russian. From Bangkok to Budapest, the players, lovers, politicians and spies manipulate and are manipulated to the pulse of a monumental rock score that includes “One Night in Bangkok” and “Heaven Help My Heart.” CHESS CHARACTER BREAKDOWN & AUDITION REQUIREMENTS Audition Requirements - Please prepare one (1) 32 bar cut of a song in the style of the show. Call back offers will be extended the same evening as the audition due to the short turn around between auditions and call backs. Call backs will consist of a dance call, vocal call and acting call. All actors called back will be required to dance first. Principal Roles - All principal roles require strong vocal skills. All roles are open. All genders will be considered for all roles but gender lines for characters are noted below per the rights company. Video submissions are acceptable in lieu of traditional auditions but call backs must be attended. FLORENCE VASSY - Female Presenting - Mezzo, High Belt to E5 - 25-45 - Chess expert working as Freddie’s Second She is in search of her Father who went missing during the Hungarian Uprising of 1956. FREDDIE TRUMPER - Male Presenting - Tenor, High Belt to C5 - 25–45 - American, International Chess Superstar with Celebrity status and an attitude to match. His temper at times outweighs his incredible gift for chess. ANATOLY SERGIEVSKY - Male Presenting - Bari-tenor - Belt to Bb4 - 25-45 - Russian, International Chess Champion. A serious and complicated person, filled with angst. A Russian Accent is preferred IVAN MOLOKOV - Male Presenting - Bass with strong range, down to F#2 - 30-50 - Russian. Anatoly’s Handler and member of Russian Intelligence with multiple irons in the political fire. SVETLANA SERGIEVSKY - Female Presenting - Mezzo - 25-45 - Russian. Anatoly’s supportive and elegant wife. She is steadfast and faithful in her beliefs. WALTER DE COURSEY - Male Presenting - Bass down to G#2 - American. Freddie’s Agent and handler. He has more political aspirations than it first appears. THE ARBITER - Male Presenting - Baritone - An enigma in the form of the World Chess Championship’s Arbiter. A referee of sorts representing the spirit of the game and more then they seem. YOUNG FLORENCE - Female Presenting - Soprano - A young version of Florence first seen in Hungary in 1956 and then throughout the play as a vision. ENSEMBLE: This musical requires a vibrant ensemble of incredibly versatile performers; not only physically but vocally. Ideally we are looking for eight (8) to ten (10) total ensemble members to play a myriad of roles. ALL ensemble members will have multiple characters, solos, features and constant business. PIT ENSEMBLE: This production may employ the use of up to eight (8) Pit Singers of mixed voice type. This would be a role that would not be granted visible stage time. The primary focus would be on supportive ensemble singing and harmony work. Strong, self-lead singers needed. Sign Up to Audition https://www.signupgenius.com/go/508084BABAF2AA4F85-chess