AUDITION NOTICE
“SMOKEY JOE’S CAFÉ”
STUDIO PRODUCTION…APRIL 30 TO MAY 10, 2015
KCP is pleased to announce auditions for its Spring 2015 show “Smokey Joe’s Café”. Auditions are open to anyone 18 years and older, but successful candidates must pay a membership fee to appear in the show.
Smokey Joe’s Cafe is a musical revue showcasing almost 40 pop standards, including rock and roll and rhythm and blues songs written by songwriters Jerry Leiber and Mike Stoller. Most of those songs were written in the 1950’s and 60’s and have become pop legends. This show was written in 1994. The Original Broadway cast recording, Smokey Joe’s Cafe: The Songs Of Leiber And Stoller, won a Grammy award in 1996. After a Los Angeles tryout, the revue opened on Broadway in 1995, running for 2,036 performances, making it the longest-running musical revue in Broadway history. It also had a London run in 1996.
The show is different in style from KCP’s recent productions. It is an energetic, non-stop,
cabaret-style, song-and-dance presentation of the most popular songs of the two men
named above. There is no storyline and no dialogue…not even an MC! The cast is truly
“ensemble”…no leads, no stars, not even an MC,..just a select number of people singing
in various combinations from solos and duets to full cast numbers with harmonies, with
essentially equal responsibilities. Other formats may include close harmony groups, lead
singer with backups and comedy routines. We will be relying on voices, choreography,
costumes, lights and sound to showcase the various songs. Our intention is to try new
ways of presenting the songs, rather than trying to copy the original numbers or the
Broadway interpretation.
THE CAST…the show is written for eight (4 men, 4 women)…we will look to expand to a maximum of sixteen.
. …vocal ability and range will be important, as well as the ability to sing in different styles
….. some experience with singing harmonies and the ability to hold a harmony line against other voices are vital
…. All cast members will be required to do some choreography. We will probably include
a few people who are “dancers who sing” rather than “singers who dance”
….. we hope for an equal male/female split
THE SONGS …several different genres …among the best known are “Young Blood’, “Pearl’s a Singer”, “Treat Me Nice”, “Hound Dog”, “Spanish Harlem”, “Stand By Me” “Kansas City”, “Poison Ivy” “I’m a Woman”, …made famous by such stars as The Drifters, Elvis Presley, Wilbert Harrison, The Coasters, Ben E. King, Aretha Franklin, Peggy Lee
Performance dates…at the Mady Centre…April 30, May 1, 2, 3, 7, 8, 9, 10
Rehearsal times… Tuesday and Thursday eve, Sunday afternoons, starting on Feb. 2, 2015
Production Team (to date)…Producer Julie Underhill…Director…Bob Buckley…Musical Director…Chris Ness
FOR YOUR AUDITION….Please prepare two songs of a “pop” nature, one a ballad, one up-tempo and bring preferably a CD (or sheet music) to accompany you while you sing. The songs should reflect your voice type, your vocal range and your ability to “sell” the song rather than just perform it. You can get some idea of the kind of songs we are looking for by going to You Tube. The DVD and Original Sound Track are very “Broadway” and very “ethnic”…we are looking for some variety and some unique approaches, so check for songs from the Broadway version of the show, and then look for other versions of them by other artists. We will be looking for a personal twist in your audition.
AUDITIONS will be held on
Friday, January 9, 2015 from 6:00 to 9:00 p.m.
and
Saturday, January 10, 2015 from 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m.
AT THE KCP FACILITY
481 Welham Road, Barrie
PLEASE USE THE FORM PROVIDED ON THE WEBSITE
to apply by e-mail for an audition appointment.
All applications and other enquiries should go to
buckley.bob8@gmail.com
You will receive a response giving you an appointment time, and a registration form. Please complete this form and bring it with you when you come to audition.