Scottsdale Community College Musical Theatre announces Auditions for A GENTLEMAN'S GUIDE TO LOVE AND MURDER on January 24 & 25

Scottsdale Community College Musical Theatre announces Auditions for A Gentleman’s Guide to Love and Murder

Monday & Tuesday, January 24 & 25, 2022 from 5-9 p.m. in the SCC PAC (Performing Arts Center)

Callbacks will be held Thursday, January 27, 2022 from 5 to 9 p.m. in the PAC

Contact the Director for an audition appointment at shannon.green@scottsdalecc.edu

First day of class and script read-through is January 31st

ALL CAST/CREW MUST REGISTER FOR MUP/THP 270 in order to be involved in the production.

MUP/THP 270 (Musical Theatre Workshop Class) runs from 1/31/2022 to 4/23/2022.

Performance dates in the Scottsdale PAC:

April 14-16 & April 21-22 at 7:30 p.m. and April 23rd matinee at 2 p.m.

This show is a high-style, British romantic farce set in Edwardian era London in 1907. British dialect will be taught/required. Auditioners must be at least 14 years old, but many of the roles have an age range of 18-60 years old. Please prepare a one minute to ninety second uptempo musical theatre song,

preferably in a legit musical theatre singing style, plus a one minute to ninety second acting monologue. Your audition should show off character, different voices, facial expression, comedic skills, physicality & vocal range.

A Gentleman’s Guide to Love and Murder is a period piece, British farce & all roles require strong singers with comedic skills. We encourage performers to audition for any roles in which they are interested; the genders listed are those of the character, not necessarily the performer. All roles are open to audition.

SYNOPSIS: A Gentleman’s Guide to Love and Murder centers on Monty Navarro, a penniless clerk in 1907 London, who is informed after the death of his mother that he is ninth in line to inherit the Earldom of Highhurst, controlled by the wealthy D’Ysquith banking family. After the ruling Lord dismisses Monty’s claim of being a relative, the eight D’Ysquiths ahead of young Mr. Navarro begin dying in natural and unnatural ways. Meanwhile, Monty is desperately trying to woo money-minded, social-climber Sibella Hallward —until he finds himself drawn to young Phoebe D’Ysquith. This musical comedy craftily intertwines several convoluted storylines.

The original Broadway production ran from 2013-2016, winning 4 Tony Awards, including Best Musical in 2014; it also earned seven Drama Desk Awards (including Best Musical), four Outer Critics Circle Awards (including Best Musical) and one Drama League Award (Best Musical).

Cast of Characters:

MONTAGUE (“MONTY”) NAVARRO: Legit baritone (Range A#2 - A4), any race, male, must be able to play age 25-40; this is the leading man & heir to the D’Ysquith family fortune – clever, charismatic, endearing; Monty breaks the fourth wall with ease and serves as the audience’s guide into his story, often commenting on the action with great humor.

SIBELLA HALLWARD: A mezzo soprano (Range F#3 - D5), any race, female, must be able to play age 20–35; the girl who Monty loves. She’s flirtatious, narcissistic, willful, calculating, and irresistible. A social-climber with tremendous wit and style.

PHOEBE D’YSQUITH: A soprano (Range C34 - A#6- sustained C#6 with optional Eb6), any race, female, attractive, sweet, very likeable, and forthright, age 18-30.

THE D’YSQUITH FAMILY: (ages 25 – 65) Various Ranges listed below:

ASQUITH D’YSQUITH, Jr.: A dandy (a man who places particular importance upon style and physical appearance, refined language, and leisurely hobbies)

REVEREND LORD EZEKIAL D’YSQUITH: A clergyman

LORD ADALBERT D’YSQUITH: Eighth Earl of Highhurst

LORD ASQUITH D’YSQUITH, Sr.: An elderly banker

HENRY D’YSQUITH: A country squire

LADY HYACINTH D’YSQUITH: A benefactress

LORD BARTHOLOMEW D’YSQUITH: A body builder

LADY SALOME D’YSQUITH: An over-the-top actress

CHAUNCEY D’YSQUITH: A janitor

* There is also an ensemble of six to eight, all of whom play several important

roles throughout the play; solo singing is required by almost all performers.

ENSEMBLE: All ensemble roles play multiple supporting characters. We will use flexible casting.

WOMAN #1: Mezzo soprano, (Range D#3 - D5) any race, female identifying, age range 30 – 60; plays Miss Shingle – a Cockney housekeeper/governess who tells Monty that he is indeed a D’Ysquith heir - Character voice. Also plays the tour guide, ancestral portrait, skater, wedding guest, pub owner’s wife,

Mrs. Pebworth, Phoebe’s Maid, 3rd newsboy, mourner, and servant.

WOMAN #2: Mezzo soprano, any race, female identifying, age range 20 – 60; plays a tourist, ancestral portrait, skater, wedding guest, Mrs. Hetherington, 4th newsboy, mourner, and Lady Eugenia (an unhappily married countess with a withering gaze).

WOMAN #3: Soprano, any race, female identifying, age range 20 – 50; plays Sibella’s Maid, tourist, ancestral portrait, Miss Barley (coloratura soprano D#5- D6, an alluring model), a wedding Guest, Hyacinth’s colleague, mourner, and the servant Hilda

MAN #1: Baritenor, any race, male identifying, age range 20 – 50; plays a tourist, ancestral portrait, 2nd clerk, skater, wedding guest, Copley (Hyacinth's colleague), 2nd newsboy, a weightlifter at the gym, 3rd actor, mourner, ancestral bust, servant, Dr. Pettibone, and a guard.

MAN #2: Bass, any race, male identifying, age 20 – 50; plays a tourist, ancestral portrait, 1st clerk, skater, wedding guest, pub owner, Mr. Cross, 1st newsboy, 1st actor, Lord Asquith’s Physician, a mourner, ancestral bust, and Detective Pinkney.

MAN #3: Tenor, any race, male identifying, age 20 – 50; plays a tourist, ancestral portrait, wedding guest, pub owner, Mr. Goodsall, 2nd actor, mourner, Mr. Gorby, Lord High Steward, and The Magistrate.