THE PRODUCERS
Production Dates: May 27-June 26, 2016
Performs in: Hawks Mainstage Theatre
Director: Jeff Horger
Synopsis: Winner of 12 Tony Awards, The Producers is the hilarious, lively and absurd Mel Brooks comedy that follows Max Bialystock and Leo Bloom on their quest to become filthy rich on Broadway. They have created the perfect formula for wealth on the Great White Way —produce an utter and complete theatrical failure. Packed full of dancing Nazis, storm troopers and showgirls, their musical Springtime for Hitler is a sure bet to bomb. Now they just need to sit back and let the dough roll in…
Audition Dates: Monday, March 14, 2016 at 7:00 PM and Tuesday, March 15, 2016 at 7:00 PM
Location: Omaha Community Playhouse (6915 Cass St, Omaha, NE)
Character Descriptions:
MAX BIALYSTOCK (Late 30s to mid 60s) A Broadway producer who has fallen from grace. He either intimidates others with sarcasm and a fiery temper or placates them with seductive or confusing “mile a minute” wordplay. If that doesn’t work, he has carnal relations with them. Although he is far from athletic looking, he is a pure ball of energy from the moment the curtain goes up until he takes his final bow. He is the kind of person you would hate to meet in real life but love to watch on stage. BARITONE/TENOR.
LEO BLOOM (Mid 20s to early 40s) A mousy, nervous, and generally pathetic accountant who wants to be a Broadway producer. Introducing him to anyone and anything new or unusual sends him into a full-blown panic attack. He’s the underdog of the show we all root for. If you look beyond his wretched demeanor and lack of presence, he’s actually kind of a good-looking. TENOR.
ULLA (Mid 20s to late 30s) A Swedish actor hoping to make her big break. She is strikingly tall, conventionally beautiful, and unapologetically sexual. She speaks with a distinct Swedish accent, which occasionally affects her ability to communicate with others, but she is not stupid. She knows exactly what she wants and she is going to get it. She is frank in her discussion of sexuality, but she is not perverse. She’s European. MEZZO-SOPRANO.
FRANZ LIEBKIND (60s +) An active member of the Nazi party in Germany during World War II. While that is a pretty terrible character trait, it is doubtful that he was allowed to participate in anything important, or that he had the intellectual prowess to fully understand anything beyond the basic jingoism of the movement. He has an absurd romantic view of the Nazi party and Adolf Hitler, which forms the basis for his stage play Springtime for Hitler. It’s hard to take him seriously, a fact which is completely lost on him. Others regard him as unstable and dangerous, but it has a lot more to do with his being a loon than with his being a Nazi. BARITONE/BASS.
ROGER DE BRIS (late 20s to mid 50s) The worst working director in New York. Everything about him is over the top – think young Liza Minelli trapped in current Patton Oswalt’s body. He is openly gay and proud of it. As a narcissist, he’s proud of everything he does. The comedy of playing Roger doesn’t come from his sexuality, but rather from his ludicrousness. Although his career path has led him down the road of directing, he subconsciously longs for the spotlight and drama of being the leading lady. He has absolutely no idea how ridiculous he is. BARITONE/TENOR.
CARMEN GHIA (late 20s to mid 40s) Roger’s significant other. In addition to being Roger’s partner, he is also his personal assistant. He is prissy, squeaky, effervescent, and just as bizarre as Roger. The two of them have a tumultuous relationship made up of equal parts Bugs & Daffy, George & Martha, and Laverne & Shirley. TENOR.
NAZI SOLOIST (Early 20s to early 40s) A good looking Nazi soldier who sings the main theme song from Springtime for Hitler. He looks like a formal army officer, but he has charisma and strong stage presence.
ENSEMBLE The casting team is currently looking at an ensemble of 8 to 10 women and 4 to 6 men. All members of the ensemble will play multiple roles, including but not limited to: accountants, ushers, Nazis, old ladies, prisoners, police officers, and Broadway actors/dancers. Several members of the ensemble will perform in drag. There are roles available for actors of any gender and race. Strong singing and dancing skills required. All ensemble members must be 18 years old before June 1st, 2016.
NOTES ABOUT THE SHOW
The Producers is a silly show. It is funny, but more so…it is absurd. There are traditional jokes written with a set-up and punchline. There are witty characters who play with language. There are clever lyrics that make you both chuckle and think. There is outrageous physical slapstick. There are unlikely circumstances that make characters squirm uncomfortably, to the point that we can’t help but laugh at them.
This is not a show about Nazis. It is a show about taste, and how there is no accounting for it. It is both an homage to and parody of Broadway musicals. It is a show about greed and what it makes us do, and how the pursuit of fortune and fame leads us blindly into ridiculous circumstances that could have been easily prevented.
This show contains mild language, cartoonish violence, and scatological humor. It pokes fun at musicals, New York, celebrities, the legal system, foreigners, homophobia, antisemitism, the elderly, sex, and the Nazi party.
This show requires triple threats who understand and can execute a specific style of comedy. The characters in this show exist in a reality similar to our own, and most of them don’t realize just how funny their situation is. The show doesn’t work if the actors lay the comedy on thick, trying to squeeze laughs out of the audience. They need to live truthfully and simply inhabit this bizarre world created by Mel Brooks.
What to Bring:
• Please come prepared with 16 bars of music prepared to sing. An accompanist will be provided.
• There will be a dance audition, please come dressed ready to move. No boots, sandals, flip-flops, slick shoes, etc.
• You will be asked to fill out an audition form, please have all necessary contact information and personal schedules handy in order to complete the form.
• A recent photo if you have one available. Please note, photos will not be returned.
Chris' Corner 