The Gilbert & Sullivan Very Light Opera Company will hold auditions for our 2012 production of Patience on Sunday, November 13, 2011, 5:00 to 9:00 p.m, and Monday, November 14, 2011, 7:00 to 10:00 p.m.  Call Backs will be held on Tuesday, November 15, 2011, starting at 7:00 p.m.

This production of Patience will be directed by Bob Neu, with Music Direction by Marina Liadova.

The auditions will be held at Lake Harriet Methodist Church, at 4901 South Chowen Avenue, Minneapolis, Minnesota  55410.

All principal roles for the production are cast through these auditions.  No principal roles are pre-cast.

While approximately a third of the chorus is already filled by performers who are company members, the remaining chorus vacancies, all voices, will be filled through these auditions.

All positions are unpaid.

To Audition …

We ask you to bring your performance resume.  If you don’t have one, that’s fine.  We’ll have everyone complete an audition form.  Those with resumes, however, will simply be able to refer to their resumes on the audition form.  We would also appreciate it if you would bring a copy of your head shot, if you have one, or another good photo of yourself, if you don’t.

Please audition with a song or aria in English.  It need not be memorized.  Your selection may be from opera or operetta, Gilbert and Sullivan, a show tune, etc.  No pop or rock music please.

An accompanist will be provided.  We strongly recommend that all those auditioning prepare an accompanied piece rather than something unaccompanied.

If you are auditioning for a principal role, you do not need to prepare a monologue.  The Directors may provide you with text during your audition, to rehearse with another person auditioning and then to return and present.

Roles in Patience …

Reginald Bunthorne (a Fleshly Poet) (comic baritone)

Archibald Grosvenor (an Idyllic Poet) (lyric baritone)

Colonel Calverley (Officer of Dragoon Guards) (bass-baritone)

Major Murgatroyd (Officer of Dragoon Guards) (baritone)

Lieut. The Duke of Dunstable (Officer of Dragoon Guards) (tenor)

Mr. Bunthorne’s Solicitor (Silent)

Patience (a Dairy Maid) (soprano)

The Lady Angela (Rapturous Maiden) (mezzo-soprano)

The Lady Saphir (Rapturous Maiden) (mezzo-soprano or soprano)

The Lady Ella (Rapturous Maiden) (soprano)

The Lady Jane (Rapturous Maiden) (contralto)

Chorus

Men:   Officers of Dragoon Guards

Women:   Rapturous Maidens

Rehearsal and Performance Schedule …

Chorus rehearsals will begin promptly at 7:00 PM and run until 10:00 PM, on Mondays and Thursday nights.  The Directors can call the Chorus to rehearse on Tuesdays, if necessary.

Principal rehearsals will be scheduled by the Directors, and will generally occur on Tuesday evenings from 7:00 to 10:00 PM and Saturdays, from 10:00 AM to 1:00 PM.  Principals will be added to the Monday and Thursday rehearsals, as necessary.

The general rehearsal schedule is as follows:

Full Cast Introductory Rehearsal:  Monday, January 16th, from 7:00 to 10:00 PM

Mondays, Tuesdays, and Thursdays, from 7:00 to 10:00 PM, and Saturdays, from 10:00 AM to 1:00 PM, January 16th to March 1st.

Tech Week:  Monday, March 5th through Wednesday, March 7th
Estimated call:  6:30 to 11:00 PM

Preview Performance / Final Dress Rehearsal:  Thursday, March 8th, Estimated call:  6:30 PM

The performance schedule is as follows:

Thursday,  March 8th,  7:30 PM    Preview Performance
Fridays,  March 9th, 16th, 23rd, 30th, 7:30 PM  Evening Performances
Saturdays,  March 10th, 17th, 24th, 31st, 7:30 PM  Evening Performances
Saturday,  March 24th,  2:00 PM    Matinee Performance
Sundays,  March 11th, 25th, April 1st,  2:00 PM  Matinee Performances
Sunday,  March 18th, 1:00 PM    Matinee Performance

Notification …

We intend for casting to be completed by Monday, November 28th.  We will call those being offered principal roles first.  They are given a limited amount of time to accept or decline the offer before the offer will go to the next candidate.  After the principal roles have been filled, those being offered chorus roles will be called.  Finally, we will call those who we are unable to cast.  This process usually takes about two weeks, but everyone who auditions will receive a call.

To Schedule an Audition …

We have begun scheduling auditions.  Everyone is scheduled for a specific audition time.  To schedule and audition visit the “Patience Audition Sign-up” menu item to the left or click here. If you would like to receive notification for our future auditions, please sign up for our audition mailing list.

We look forward to hearing from you and to hearing you!