Post-HAIRSPRAY Audition Comments

CONGRATULATIONS to all the wonderful people who came in to audition for HAIRSPRAY! It was a great week of hard work and more than a few frayed nerves - but you all came through beautifully! There is so much talent out there at AEHS, and it was terrific to see it all on display.

Now comes the tough task of sifting through all the info and evidence to come up with the best possible cast for the show. One of the unfortunate byproducts of continued success is the continual raising of the playing field during audition time - each and every person brought something to their audition that could be used in the show. There are so many elements - the Corny Collins Show cast, the TV show staff, the R&B trio, the smaller "authority figure" roles, the kids in detention, the citizens of Baltimore, etc. etc. We can fit somewhere in the neighborhood of 50 in the dressing rooms - more than that and there's not enough space to get everyone ready. So we will have to look at a lot of factors in the final casting - how each person could fit into an ensemble, issues of costuming, level of experience and prior work within the theatre program, special talents and skills that would really be helpful in certain performance tracks, etc. It's like putting a puzzle together when there's more than one way that it MIGHT work and the way that is SHOULD work is hidden from view!

With that said, I am fairly certain that there WILL be two callbacks - one on Monday and one on Tuesday. The Monday callback will concentrate more on investigating the many possibilities for principal characters (the 10 male and female roles that carry the story, plus the 5 cameo parts). the concentration on Tuesday will be on ensemble singing, finding a blend and balance amongst the singers. There MIGHT be a little more dancing on either one of the callbacks but that's not definite.

I fully expect that some of the people who find casting spots will not be called back to either session - so do not fret if you don't receive a callback - it just means we don't need any more information.

It is also fully possible that some people who are asked to one or both of the callbacks will not end up actually in the show - that's just the way it works sometimes.

However it all works out, I do really appreciate the hard work that went into your auditions - top to bottom, they were some of the best-prepared I've ever seen.

If we can't find a spot for you in the cast, I do hope you'll consider one of the other many jobs that will make the show a success. The cast is truly just the tip of the iceberg - use those art, business and technical skills - of if you don't have the skills yet, start coming to crew and get them!

Please bring in ALL paperwork that isn't in yet - contracts, resumes, etc. - by Monday!

Thanks again for a GREAT audition week!