AUDITIONS:
1. Q: Who can audition?
A: Any child ages 8 – 18 can participate. The child must be eight years old by the date of auditions and no older than 18 at auditions.
2. Q: What should I wear for auditions?
A: Nice but comfortable age-appropriate clothing is best, since there will be a monologue and singing as well as a dance audition. Appropriate footwear is required – no flip flops, crocs, high heels. Tennis shoes, dance shoes, etc. are acceptable.
3. Q: Do I need to bring music for my vocal audition?
A: You can bring your music on either a thumbdrive or CD. Specific audition requirements/instructions will be listed for each production.
4. Q: How long will the audition take?
A: We typically call the children in groups of 8-10 to audition – One group learns the dance sequence while another group will enter the audition room to do their monologue and/or song. Then we alternate after that. Once you finish your monologue, song, and dance auditions, you’re usually released at that point. We call children back in the order they arrive and register, so come early to auditions if you want to be in the first group!
5. Q: How long will I have to wait to find out if I’m cast?
A: It’s usually just a matter of three to five days before the cast list is announced. The cast list will be posted on our Facebook account and on our website.
6. Q: Where are the auditions?
A: The auditions are usually held at the Clayton Center for the Arts in the Lambert Recital Hall in Maryville, Tennessee, but specific details for location will be included in the audition announcement for each production.
7. Q: When are the auditions?
A: Audition dates and times will be listed in the audition announcement for each production and will usually be for two dates. You do not need to be at both days of auditions unless you are called back. Being called back is not a guarantee that you will be cast, nor is not being called back an indication that you will not be cast.
8. Q: What if I would like to help backstage, and not necessarily be on stage? How can I participate?
A: Parents of cast members are encouraged to volunteer backstage, and children of about 12 years of age and older will be considered case-by-case to help backstage. If you have never worked with us before at all, please come to the designated place & time for auditions ready for an interview, (similar to a job interview). The casting committee can explain what is expected and assess whether you’re ready to be a stage hand.
THE CAST:
1. Q: Is there a fee to participate in a Primary Players Children’s Theatre production?
A: There is no fee to audition; however, if a child is cast in a Primary Players’ production, there is a production fee ($50 or under, depending on the production) that must be turned in before that child is allowed to come to rehearsals. If a family has more than one child in the production, the first child is full price, and each following child is half price. If the fees present a hardship for your family, however, you may speak to our Producer (who that is depends on the show) for waiver of fees consideration.
Our Main Productions are extremely expensive to mount, and this production fee helps us defray a small portion of the costs for royalties, theatre performance space rental, costume materials, props (rented/purchased), set construction materials, advertising/posters, program printing, and sound equipment rental/purchase.
2. Q: Will every cast member be required to be at every rehearsal?
A: No. Some rehearsals may call for the full cast, and others may only call for one or two actors. A rehearsal schedule will be given out at the first parent meeting with the proviso that the schedule is subject to change as rehearsals move forward. The closer we get to performances, the more often everyone will need to be at rehearsals. The final two weeks leading up to the performances you can expect to be called to every rehearsal.
3. Q: If I’m going on vacation for a week can I still be part of the production?
A: If you know at auditions that you have a vacation planned, please note it on your audition form. The director will look at any conflicts and make the casting decision based on that. Typically a vacation doesn’t ruin your chances of being cast unless the vacation is during the week leading up to the performances.
4. Q: What about other conflicts?
A: When you come to auditions, any conflicts you know of need to be written down on your application form. Upon being cast in the production, you will be excused for those rehearsals. If a conflict comes up once you’ve been cast, you must contact the Stage Manager right away to discuss how this will affect your role in the production.