Once on this Island at Village Theatre - OPEN CALL

About the project and the company

ONCE ON THIS ISLAND ADULT OPEN CALL AUDITIONS

ONCE ON THIS ISLAND at Village Theatre

Directed by Ameenah Kaplan (Disney’s The Lion King)

Choreographed by Donald Byrd (Broadway’s The Color Purple)

Music Directed by S. Renee Clark (5th Ave’s The Wiz)

AUDITION DATE:

Monday, October 2 4pm-8pm

Theater Puget Sound – Studio C

(4^th floor of the Seattle Center Armory)

Village Theatre is holding an open call for adults 18 and over for all roles in Once on this Island. Please bring piano sheet music for a verse and chorus of a song. An accompanist will be provided.

SEEKING: Black performers 18+ of all colors with strong voices who move well for all roles in the musical Once on this Island.

PAID OPPORTUNITY:

Principal or Supporting Role in a Musical (AEA Contracts): $950/wk

(Please note that non-AEA actors playing Principal roles will be on an AEA contract – joining AEA is not required)

External Understudy (NON-AEA Contracts): $850/wk for rehearsals, $425/wk on call, $75/performance, $17.50/hr post-opening rehearsal rate

REHEARSAL/PERFORMANCE DATES:

Issaquah rehearsals/performances: April 9, 2024-June 16, 2024

Everett performances: June 21-July 21, 2024

**this production rehearses in Issaquah and then has performances in both Issaquah and Everett**

THINGS TO BRING:

• Piano sheet music for a verse and chorus of a song
• Headshot or photo
• Resume

To schedule an appointment please email amatoba@villagetheatre.org

Location of Audition

Theater Puget Sound Studio C (4th floor of the Seattle Center Armory)

Other details

NOTE FROM THE DIRECTOR: Once on this Island originally premiered Off-Broadway in 1990 and has had many different iterations on Broadway and across the country. While the text has since been adapted so that the show was more widely producible by high schools, youth theatres, community theatres and otherwise, our production will be using the original script and text which focuses the main conflict of the story around colorism on a Caribbean island as told by the original novella “My Love, My Love,” by Rosa Guy. While there are specific racial requirements for particular characters, this production will allow for every spectrum of Black in the diaspora. We will use all the beautiful colors of Blackness to tell this story of resilience, forgiveness and the power of storytelling and community including Black, Afro-Latino, Afro-Dominican, Afro- Caribbean, Afro-Cuban, Afro-Puerto Rican, mixed, etc. I am looking for strong actor-singer- movers who bring extraordinary joy, nuance, and depth to their passion for storytelling.

As Once on this Island is an ensemble-driven show, all characters also play storytellers and
tell the story together as an act of community. Much of the cast is onstage for the majority of the show.

On gender: The pronouns reflect those of the characters not the actors playing them. We encourage you to come as you are and if you would like to be seen for a different role please check with casting.

Audition requirements

Please prepare a verse and chorus of a song and provide piano sheet music. Also bring a current headshot/photo and resume.