Upcoming Auditions

Foothill Theatre Arts Dept Announces Open Auditions for

Aristophanes’ The Birds

By Brian Reno & Gabrielle Vega Weissman

Directed by Tom Gough

Audition Dates and Times:

Monday, Sept 12 beginning at 7pm OR Tuesday, Sept 13 beginning at 7pm

Where: Foothill College Campus I-280 & El Monte Road, Los Altos Hills

Lohman Theatre (Room #8002) – Directly adjacent to Lot #8

Callbacks: Thursday, Sept 15 at 7pm

Production Dates: November 4-20, 2022, Lohman Theatre
Rehearsals begin Sept 26, 2022

How to sign-up:

Please sign-up for a 30-minute time slot, by clicking the audition sign-up link here and placing your name in an available time slot.  Please note your audition time as you will not receive a reminder notice of your sign-up time.  Please make sure you have arrived to The Lohman Theatre slightly in advance of your time slot. 

Audition Sign-up Link raw URL: https://www.signupgenius.com/go/60B0B4DA9AF2BA3FC1-aristophanes

What to Prepare:

One-minute comic monologue recommended/preferred. If you do not have a prepared monologue, choose one of the prepared readings from below (scroll to bottom to see available options) you most associate with to present at the audition.  Selection may be read.  Also, cold readings from the script will be assigned.  Please bring a headshot or recent photo (printout is okay) and resume.

COVID Requirements:

For Auditions:  Audition time slots will be limited to small groups. All participants are expected to be vaccinated and will need to be verified upon casting by registering your status with the district.  All participants must remain masked the entirety of the time they are on campus.  Potential auditioners must be free of any COVID related symptoms at the time of their scheduled audition.  Please email goughtom@fhda.edu if you need to reschedule.

For Rehearsal/Performances:  All participants must be appropriately boosted as per the requirements of the FHDA district at the time fall term begins and subsequently register their status with the district.  Currently, the district still requires mask for all in-person on campus events—subject to change.  In accordance with SC County guidelines and recommendations, at this time we anticipate rehearsing while masked, but performances will be unmasked.

Actors:  18 roles ages 18-70; flexible casting; all ethnicities encouraged to audition.  Casting designations may include understudy assignments.

Non-AEA; No pay: Participation fees waived.

The Story:

Originally performed in 414 BC, Aristophanes’ satirical comedy has been modernized and updated, allowing for production teams to tailor the play to their particular place and time. ARISTOPHANES’ THE BIRDS is a hilarious examination of humanity’s desperate need for control, privilege, and conspicuous consumption. Two movie moguls abandon an increasingly vain and shallow society, making their way into the desert to live among the birds. Seeking the freedom and tranquility that come with bird-living, they must make a case for why they deserve an avian transformation, but all they have to offer are the pieces of civilization they’ve tried to leave behind. In this blasting satire, this clever re-imagining begs the question: Can human beings truly go against their nature?

Location and Parking at Auditions:

For auditions in the Lohman Theatre, we recommend parking in either Lot 1 (the first parking lot to the right on the campus loop) or Lot 8 (through the entrance fountain roundabout). The Lohman Theatre is located to the left of the entrance fountain as part of the Lower Campus Complex.

Contrary to the posted signage, currently, no parking permits are required, and therefore need not be purchased, to park on campus.

Questions:

Send an email to goughtom@fhda.edu

AVAILABLE CHARACTERS

 

Humans

The Main Studio Reps (leads) – Seeking to leave their vain, difficult life behind

The Prophet

Singer/Songwriter – needs to play a stringed instrument

Politician

PR Guy/Gal

The Open Defecator

A Movie Mogul

The Process Server

Famous Sidekick

Superhero #1

Superhero #2

Bird Beings

The King – Bird leader; Elvis impersonator

Rags

Chorus Leader

Chorus of Birds (5-8 total)

THE BIRDS AUDITION SIDES

 

If you do not have a prepared comic monologue to audition with, please choose one you most identify with from the monologues listed below and be prepared to present that at your prescribed audition time.  You may hold script for your audition presentation.

 

CHORUS LEADER – Create separate fox voice

A moment later a fox came walking past the tree. And muttered under his breath, to himself, with glee: "If I'm crafty and play my cards right, I shall be having cheese for dinner tonight!” The fox looked up to the crow and called: "Ev'ning Crow! You know, frankly I'm appalled. No one else has your fine and preened features. Certainly, no bird, nor any other woodland creatures. So why did no one tell me of your preeminence? Of your beauty, your charm, your radiance? My travel's been lonesome and my journey long I wonder if you wouldn't mind singing me a sweet song?”' The crow was so stunned by the sweet talking, not once did he think the fox was mocking. He opened his beak and began to sing And just as he did the cheese fell out of that thing. The fox was waiting below with jaws agape And he snapped up the cheese like a plump, li'l grape. He savored his prize-one piece did suffice And left the crow with a piece of advice: "Next time you hear someone starting to flatter you, better watch out, because something's the matter."

 

 

STUDIO REP - DILLON.

A-ha! They thought you'd say that, so they started to dig with the kiwis, also useless, all the way down to ground water. Now we have great big bird baths, and springs, and swimming pools. You should see it! Already we've collected enough wood for the woodpeckers to build apartments, ostriches to build roads, and swans to set up dance companies! So many cool amenities. So many. We got storks running the maternity ward of the hospital, and that is the only thing we have running in the hospital. We have a sports arena—the Orioles and the Seahawks playing tonight—if you can think of any other birds with intimidating names, they can come too. And we have an opera house starring songbirds that turns into a burlesque starring whoever happens to be molting at that time of year. We have industry, culture, and arts!