DevonportChoralSociety–2015Production‐ALLSHOOKUP:theMusical
INTRODUCTIONandNOTES
Greetings!
ALLSHOOKUPisfirstandforemost,fun–bothforcastandaudience!
Itrequirescommitment,teamwork,talentandimportantly,enthusiasm.
ALLSHOOKUPisagood‐natured,fast‐pacedmusicalcomedy,inspiredbyand
featuringthesongsofTheKing–ElvisPresley.
ItisnotabiographicalrevueofTheKing!
ALLSHOOKUPisacrossbetweenFootloose,Grease,withatouchofByeBye
BirdieandagooddoseofShakespeare’scomedies,particularlyTwelfthNight.
Themusicalfeatures24songsmadepopularbyElvisPresley.Theserangefrom
beautifulballadsandduetssuchasLoveMeTendertobigCompanynumbers
suchasJailhouseRock,HeartbreakHotel,Can’tHelpFallingInLoveand
ComeOnEverybody.
Thereisavariedandchallengingrangeofprincipalandsemi‐principalroles
(10)formalesandfemalesmadeupofyoungerandolderplayers.
ThedynamicEnsemble(10‐15)willbebusyplayingmultipleroles(maleand
female)aswellassinginganddancinginnumeroussongs.
Thereisanorchestraofaround10‐12musicianstoplaythechallengingscore.
Acastofaround25willberequired.Strengthinsonganddancewillbeafeature
ofthisproduction,alongwithpaceandhighenergy.
ThestoryissetinthemiddleofasquareState...inthemiddleofasquare
decade...inasquarelittletown...whereonegirl'sdreamandasurprisevisit
fromamysteriousleather‐jacketed,guitar‐playingstrangerhelpasmalltownto
discoverthemagicofromanceandthepowerofRock&Roll.Theactiontakes
placewithina24‐hourperiodduringthesummerof1955–atimeofgreatsocial
changeintheUSA.
OurproductionofALLSHOOKUPwillbeapremière,offeringexcitingchallenges
forcast,productioncrews,orchestraanddesigners.
AllSHOOKUPwillgreatlyappealtoplayersandaudiencesalike,youngandold–
itisafterall,themusicofTheKing!
Performances:
8:00pmMay15,16,21,22,23,28,29,30
2:00pmMay24,30
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DevonportChoralSociety–2015Production‐ALLSHOOKUP:theMusical
CHARACTERLISTANDVOCALRANGES–AGUIDE
KeyFemaleRoles
Natalieisayounggirlwhodreamsoffallinginlovewithaspecialguy.
Sheliveswithherfather,Jim,andhelpshimrunhisgasstation.
(Achallengingandengagingroleforagoodcharacteractresswithafine
senseofcomedictimingandastrong,versatilesinger–thelynchpinofthe
production.Alto.GFlat/E#3–C5.)
MissSandraisthebeautifulcuratorofthetownmuseumandbecomesthe
loveinterestthatNataliewishestohaveforherown.Beautifuland
intelligent,shewantssubstanceinaguy.
(Achallengingcameorolerequiringasenseofpoise,strongcharacter
acting,abilitytodance,andastrongandversatilesingingvoice.Alto.E3‐E4)
LorraineisthedaughterofSylviawhorunsthelocalhonkytonk/blues
bar–Sylvia’s.Sheisalsolookingforyouthfullove.Sheisastrongindependent
characterwhoisdeterminedtotakeherchanceswhentheyarise!
(Achallengingrolerequiringstrongcharacterskills,agoodstrongvoice,
andanabilitytodance.BelttoC,gospelmixtohighF)
Sylviaistheownerofthelocalnightstopandbarwherefolksgathertohave
agoodtimewithgoodmusicbeitrockorblues.Sheisabitsimilarto
HAIRSPRAY’sMotormouthMaybelle.
(Apivotalrolerequiringstrongcharacterizationskills,apowerful,versatile
voice,andasenseofgoodcomedictiming.BelttoatleastBFlat,gospelriffto
HighG.)
MayorMatildaHydewantstokeepthedeviloutofhertown.Herson,
Dean,isbeingshippedofftoamilitaryschoolbecausehe’sbecome
toocozywithLorraine.
(Acomiccameorolerequiringstrongskillsofcharacterization,good
comedicskills,andanabilitytodance.Alto.C3–C4.UsesBeltvoice.)
KeyMaleRoles
ChadisalonerwhoisarebelintheJamesDean,MarlonBrando,andElvis
Presleymould.Hehasdrivenhismotorcycleintoasmallbutconservativetown
wherehefindsseveralopportunitiesforloveandcausingconfusion.
(Apivotalrolerequiringgoodactingskills,agoodsenseofcomedictiming
andfun,astrongandversatilevoice,andanabilitytodance.Rockbaritone
withsolidF‐popsafewAflats)
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DevonportChoralSociety–2015Production‐ALLSHOOKUP:theMusical
DennisisayoungmanwhoisinlovewithNatalie,butwhoNatalieisonly
interestedinasafriend.Everpresent,DenniswoulddoanythingforNatalie,but
eventuallyfindslovewith...?
(Achallenging,pivotal,interactiverolerequiringgoodactingandsinging
skills,anabilitytodanceandafinesenseofcomedictiming.TenortoBFlat.)
Deanisthesonoftheconservativemayor,Matilda,whodoesnotlikewhat
sheseesinhisdevelopmentanddecidesshewillsendhimoffto
militaryschool.Hebecomesinterestedinandistheloveinterestof
Lorraine.
(Achallenging,cameorolerequiringgoodactingskills,agoodsingingvoice,
andanabilitytodance.TenortoBflat.)
JimisNatalie’sfatherandhe,too,islookingforlove.Heeventuallyfindsher
inthepersonofMissSylviabutonlyafteralotofcharacter‐changes!
(Acentralrolewhich,liketheothers,requiresanabilitytocharacterize‐
includingagoodsenseofcomedyandcomedictiming‐anabilitytodance,
andagoodsingingvoice.BaritonetoEFlat.)
SheriffEarlhasbeenenforcingtheconsistentlyconservativelawsofthe
townundertheleadershipofMs.Matilda.Theyeventuallyfindone
anotherbutonlyafteralotofear‐bashing.!
(Anicecameorolerequiringgoodcharacterizationskills,andanicesenseof
comedywithanabilitytosaylittle!BigBaritonetoEFlat.)
TheEnsemble–MaleandFemale
Allsuccessfulproductionsareanchoredaroundatalented,energizedEnsemble
–thatgroupofplayerswhosing,dance,andcharacterize,(andwhoalsooften
rearrangetheset!)thusframingtheprincipalcharactersandthestoryitself.
TheEnsemble–bothasacollectiveandasindividuals,oftenplayingmultiple
roles–iscrucialtothesuccessanddynamismofaproductionandthiswillbethe
caseinALLSHOOKUP.
OurEnsemblewillberequiredtosing,dance,characterize,andenergizewith
somespecializinginsonganddancemoresothanothers.Auditioneeswillbe
requiredtosingwell,danceandcharacterize–asenseofenergyandsolidskill
levelsintheseareaswillbethemajordeterminantstobeselectedforour
dynamic15+personEnsemble.
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DevonportChoralSociety–2015Production‐ALLSHOOKUP:theMusical
EXPECTATIONSANDTIT‐BITS
ALLSHOOKUPisachallengingandexcitingmusicalcomedy.
Themusiciswellknowncarryingitsownaudienceexpectations.
Themusiciscraftedaroundarathercomplicated,comicstorylineandis
performedbycharactersofbothgenderandanensemble.
Thewell‐knownElvissongsaresometimesinterspersedwithdialogueand
danceaswellascontextualisedinunusualsettings.
Thereisagooddealofdanceandtheensembleinparticularandthewhole
castingeneralwillberequiredtolearnseveral,contemporary50s–early‐
60sauthenticdances.Strongteamworkisessential.
Thereareover20songstolearn–oftenrequiringpartsinging.
Whilstdialogueisrelativelylimited,characterpartswillrequiregood
characterisationskillsgiventheaudienceexpectationsofamid‐50’sUSA‐
styleperiodmusical.Itisajukeboxmusicalforareason!
Costumingwillalsoreflectandauthenticatetheperiod.
Theorchestrationisextensive,authentictothesoundofthemid‐50sand
requiringenthusiasmandstrongteamwork.
Becauseoftheextensivedemandsofthemusicanddance,attendanceand
commitmenttorehearsalsareamust.
Rehearsalscheduleswillattempttoclearlysetoutwhowillberequired,for
whatandwhen–soplayerscantimetableinadvance.
Whilstplayerswillnotberequiredtoattendeveryrehearsal,itishelpfulto
pencilinthefactthatrehearsalswillbeheldonSundays(12noonto
4.00pm);Tuesdayevenings(7.00pmto9.pm)andFridayevenings(7.00pm
to9.00pm)
Wewillconcentrateonsonganddancefirstupintherehearsalprogram.
RehearsalswillgetunderwayformallyinthefirstweekofFebruary2015.
Rehearsalmaterialswillbeavailablesoonaftertheauditionprocessin
Octobersoplayershavetheopportunitytofamiliarisethemselveswith
dialogueandmusicbeforetheseformallybegin.
Playermeasurementsforcostumeswillalsobetakensoonaftertheaudition
processiscompleted.
Setdesignsandbuildingwillalsocommencebeforetheendof2014.
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DevonportChoralSociety–2015Production‐ALLSHOOKUP:theMusical
THEAUDITIONPROCESS
AuditionswillbeFriday17October,7:00–10:00pm,Saturday18October,
9:30am–12:30pmand1:30pm–4:30pm,and(ifneeded)Sunday19October
1:30pm–4:30pm.Tobookatime:0408079805.
Detailedmaterialsrelatedtotheauditionprocessandsomehelpfulhintswill
beavailableonthegeneralDCSwebsite.
TheauditionistheprincipalmeanstheproductionteamofDirector,
ChoreographerandMusicalDirectorusestodecidewhowillbeinthecast.
Eachauditionwillbeconductedprivatelybeforetheauditionpanel.
Eachauditioneewillbeallocatedsufficienttimetoassessmusical,danceand
characterisationskillsandpotential.
Auditioneescannominateoneormorecharacter/partsand/ortheensemble
tobeconsideredforassessment
Itisacompetitiveprocess.
Itisachallengeandanopportunity.
Essentiallytheauditionallowstheauditioneetheopportunityto
demonstratehis/herskillsandcompetenciesaswellaspotential.Itisnotjust
aboutwhatyouhave,butwhatelseyoumayhavetogive.
ALLSHOOKUPisaperiodmusicalsoithelpstodressandmake‐up
accordingly.
Likewise,prepareasong(atleast16bars)thatisrelevantto,andinthe
genreof,theperiodofthemid‐50s/60sandgivesfullrangetoyourvoice.
Youwillneedtoprovideyourownbackingor(piano)accompanistifyou
wanttosingtomusic.
Pleasewearappropriatefootwearfordisplayingdanceskillsandaptitude–
thisbeingtestedbyourchoreographer.
Youwillalsoberequiredto‘characterise’sofamiliariseyourselfwiththe
materialsthatwillbemadeavailablebeforehand.
WhilsttheInternet,YouTubeandCDsareusefulinordertolearnmoreabout
ashow,trytoavoidcopyingaparticularstyleorcharacterisationatthe
exclusionofyournaturalstyle.Don’tstereotypeormimic–beyou!
Prepareandpsych‐upforyouraudition–itiscompetitive.
Beearlyforyourauditionandwarmupyourvocalchordsandbody.
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DevonportChoralSociety–2015Production‐ALLSHOOKUP:theMusical
NB:Pleasebringahead‐and‐shoulderscolourphoto.(Itdoesn’thaveto
beonphotopaper–printedisokay).
Listencarefullytoanyinstructionsandseekclarificationifyoudonot
understandanything.
Bepositive,don’tbehesitant,andgiveityourverybestshot–treatitasa
performanceandberespectfuloftheprocessandthepeoplewhoareonthe
auditionpanel.Theycertainlyrespectyourinterestsandwishyouwell.
AllauditioneeswillbecontactedreresultsoftheirauditionASAPafter
completionoftheprocess.Somecall‐backsmaybenecessarywhichcould
delaythetiming.
Successfulauditoneeswillbeofferedparticularrolesandwillbeaskedto
confirmthese.Oncefinalised,theofficialcastlistwillbemadepublic.
Acceptanceofarolerequiresaformalcommitmenttoallrehearsalsandto
theexpectationsandvaluesoftheproductionandTheDevonportChoral
Society.
ItisalsoexpectedthatbeingpartoftheDCSandASUpfamilymeanspitching
inbeyondrehearsalswiththingssuchassetpainting,propsmakingand
gathering,etc.
Oncefinalised,theASUpCompanyofplayerswillbebroughttogetherASAP
beforetherehearsalprocessgetsunderway.
Wedonotuseunderstudies!
Ifyouhaveanyquestionsorissues,pleasedon’thesitatetoraisethemwith
theDirector–SidSidebottom‐orProducer–RodViney.
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