Ride the Cyclone
.png/:/cr=t:0%25,l:0%25,w:100%25,h:100%25/rs=w:400,cg:true)
"Ride the Cyclone" is a musical and the second installment in Jacob Richmond’s “Uranium Teen Scream Trilogy.” In this hilarious and outlandish story, the lives of six teenagers from a Canadian chamber choir are cut short in a freak accident aboard a roller coaster. When they awake in limbo, a mechanical fortune teller invites each to tell a story to win a prize like no other – the chance to return to life. This popular musical is a funny, moving look at what makes a life well lived!
Listen to Cast Soundtrack Below
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jf0xVYkyCT8&list=PLifAvT3M8XMqswlRaMLkvDyzjGd73kh3_
Instructions For Your Audition
- Choose one show appropriate monologue, 1 minute long.
- Choose two 16-32 bar cuts of music, one from a comedic song and one from a song that showcases your range. Please bring instrumental track. Specific musical sides from the show will be distributed for callbacks.
- Make sure to fill out the form below to sign up for an acting audition slot. Everyone will be called at the same time for the dance audition.
- Deadline to sign up is Monday, June 30th. If you need to change your audition time or if you missed the deadline please email info@polarisarts.net to see what options might be available to you.
- Auditions will be held from 5 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. on July 1st-2nd and will be broken up into 10 minute slots. You will sign up for your slot using the form below.
- The dance audition will be held from 7 p.m. to 8 p.m. Everyone for the Dance audition will be expected to learn a short choreo piece that will be taught and perform together. Please bring appropriate dance attire.
- Callbacks will be held on Tuesday, July 8th 6pm-8pm. The callback list will be announced Thursday, July 3rd. Students are responsible for checking their emails for information about callbacks.
Character Breakdown
We will be casting 9 actors, ensemble for singing and dancing and 4 additional “pit singers” who may also double as understudies as well.
Be sure to read the Character Information. It will tell you a lot about the characters and the play.
Descriptions of Primary Roles
- The Amazing Karnak: The interactive narrator. Karnak is an advanced precognition machine whose proclivity towards predicting the deaths of carnival guests caused his owners to set him permanently in Family Fun Mode. This had dire consequences. Male, Female or Nonbinary Identifying. Will be in a small box, seated onstage the entire show. Catchphrase: “Your lucky number is seven. You will soar to great heights. Be sure to ride the cyclone.” (Non-singer, Non-dancer)
- Ocean O’Connell-Rosenberg: The “most successful girl in town.” President of both the St. Cassian High School student council and chamber choir, Ocean is a brilliant go-getter (or chronic over-achiever if you ask her peers) who strives for excellence in everything she does. Female Identifying. Catchphrase: “Democracy rocks!” (Soprano, dancer)
- Noel Gruber: The “most romantic boy in town.” The only gay guy in all of Uranium, Noel yearns to leave his boring job at Taco Bell and the drab world of Saskatchewan behind for a life of glamour and extravagance. Male or Nonbinary Identifying. Catchphrase: Being the only gay man in a small rural high school is like having a laptop in the stone age. I mean sure, you can have one, but there’s nowhere to plug it in.” (Tenor, Dancer)
- Mischa Bachinski: The “angriest boy in town.” A teenager recently adopted form Ukraine by parents who thought they were getting a toddler, Mischa maintains a strained relationship with his new family and reputation for angry outbursts. Male Identifying. Catchphrase: “my gangsta persona is just armor to conceal that I am a naked child wandering through the wilderness, holding in my hands my wounded fragile heart.” (Baritone/Bass, Dancer)
- Ricky Potts: The “most imaginative boy in town.” Suffering from childhood trauma and a self imposed mute, Ricky copes by maintaining a vivid inner life of fantasy and self-expression. Male, Female, or Nonbinary Identifying. Catchphrase: “Level up!” (Baritone, Dancer)
- Jane Doe: A mysterious, emotionless, deeply creepy headless girl who appears beside the Choir in limbo. Must wear disturbing makeup and might wear black contacts. Female Identifying. Catchphrase: “When the lioness has children, she stops making love to the lion. The lion gets jealous, sometimes so jealous he eats the children. You’d think this would upset the lioness; far from it. They make love again like the children never existed. I find that idea terrifying.” (Soprano, Dancer)
- Constance Blackwood: The “nicest girl in town,” Constance is a kind, considerate girl whose genuine affection for her hometown puts her at odds with her peers. Female Identifying. Catchphrase: “Sorry!” (Alto, Dancer)
- Virgil: A giant rat who plays the bass. Must wear a mask. Will also double as a pit singer.
- Talia: Mischa’s girlfriend. Female Identifying. Will also double as a pit singer.
- Pit Singers: Will sing offstage and on stage during blackouts. 2 male identifying and two female identifying. One pit singer will double as the understudy for Ocean/Constance/Jane Doe. One pit singer will double as the understudy for Noel/Mischa/Ricky.
Content Disclosure
All actors must be comfortable witnessing or performing this content.
- This play discusses and depicts death, self harm, suicide, depression, tragic accidents, and trauma.
- This play discusses and depicts sexually explicit content and physical displays of affection including: simulated sex acts, kissing, hugging, and handholding.
- This play discusses and depicts drug use/abuse, alcoholism, underage drinking, smoking.
- This play contains explicit language, profanity, and derogatory language.
- This play discusses and depicts racism, violence, crime, assault, murder, prostitution, theft, and class identifications.
- This play discusses and depicts religion, occult practices, resurrection and life after death.
- One character pushes and punches another character.
- As ensemble members, all actors (except Karnak, Virgil, and the Pit Singers) in this play will engage in robust choreography and physical expression. All actors (except Karnak) will have very active onstage and offstage roles.
How to Audition 101
Always Come Prepared
Your dream is to be a working actor. You’ve always been told you “have it,” but the phone doesn’t ring for callbacks.
What separates professionals from wannabe talent show prodigies isn't inspiration. It’s preparation and execution. Take control of your audition with these ten helpful tips to improve your skills.
1. Confidence
It sounds simple but it takes practice. Walk in the door with your held head high. Be wary of shuffling feet. You don’t get sympathy points if you’re nervous, not feeling well, or having a bad day. Leave it outside the door. You are being sized up the minute you walk in so practice good posture and body language before you arrive. And don’t forget to smile—that’s the lasting impression you want to leave.
2. Personality
Let it shine through. Don’t give one-word answers when having a conversation with the casting director. Ask questions! The industry is looking for smart, curious actors.
3. Connection
Make one with the reader. Memorize the material or be familiar enough with it to maintain eye contact. Knowing the dialogue is important, but making a connection with the reader is what will make the scene natural and believable.
4. Character.
Know the character. Read the entire script beforehand to pick-up as many clues as possible. We know about a character by the following:
- What he/she says about himself/herself
- What other characters say about him/her
- What the playwright or screenwriter says about him/her
5. Objective
Go underneath the dialogue. What does he/she want from the other characters? What is the character’s purpose in the scene/story?
6. Obstacle
What’s in the way of the character getting what he/she wants? Acting is what happens to you as you try to get your objective met, in spite of the obstacle.
7. Opposites
Yelling isn’t the only way to show hatred or anger. Sometimes being quiet as you make your point is a powerful display of emotion. Playing opposites is a much more interesting choice than the obvious.
8. Love
Find the love in the scene; even nasty characters should be likable on some level. Find a moment in the scene where the love can show through.
9. Act
Acting means to do, not to talk. Find your actions and play them! (A wonderful resource is the book “Actions: The Actor’s Thesaurus” by Marina Caldarone and Maggie Lloyd-Williams.)
10. Variety
Feel the levels and dynamic in the scene. Don’t play one emotion. If the character is angry or tough, when might he/she show some vulnerability?
Wannabe? Not you! Interesting, memorable auditions will start to happen for you when you dig into scripts with these thoughts in mind before and during your auditions.
FOR MUSICALS:
Interested actors should prepare 16 bars from a musical and bring a headshot. May use instrumental tracks or acapella. No original songs and often is best to audition with musical numbers from similar shows for which you are auditioning.
For the dance call of a musical, you should come warmed up, with the appropriate dance attire and shoes. No bare feet or flip-flops, no baggy clothing.
FOR PLAYS:
Interested actors will be asked to prepare a one minute monologue and may be asked to do some cold reading.
FOR ALL STAGE CREW:
Interested crew members will have opportunities in the areas of Sound, Lighting, Props, Costumes, and Stage. Closed toe shoes are required. No flip flops or sandals allowed.
FOR ALL CAST/CREW:
All cast & crew will be required to download 'REMIND 101" app and crew will also need "Voxer" App for all communications & reminders.
How to Submit A Video Audition
Save Gas and Time
We are deep in the middle of inflation and holiday season. We have made it more convenient to submit video auditions. This allows casting directors to initially audition you without you having to travel anywhere. Submitting video auditions saves time, money, gas, and the environment. We would like to give you tips on submitting a great video audition to casting directors. Following these rules will save you from looking unprofessional or having casting request that you re-tape.
1. Start out with a long head-to-toe shot. That means that ALL of you should be visible in frame, from your head to your feet. Casting is looking to see your body type in this initial part.
2. Zoom in to your face and slate. Say your name, age, agent, and the city that you live in. Sometimes you may be required to state your height and weight, if requested. Smile while slating. Be friendly and likeable.
3. Have the scenes memorized! Nothing looks less professional when submitting a video audition than relying on the script to read the lines.
4. Do not look straight into the camera! Look at the person who is reading the other lines. This person should be off-camera! Not standing next to you trying to steal the audition from you.
5. Don’t rush through your lines. This is your moment to shine and show how brilliant you are. Take the appropriate beats and be sure to react to what the other person is saying.
6. Whoever is reading the other lines should be the correct gender. If you are reading a scene with a male have a male voice off-camera doing the scenes. If you are reading with a female character have a female read the other lines.
7. Play it back and watch it before you send it to your agent, manager or casting! Have a friend or family member watch it and look for things that you could do better. Unlike when you are in the room and then leave and ten minutes later think off something great that you should have done, you actually have the opportunity to change it and make it as good as possible.
8. Lastly, relax and have fun! Stiff, uptight, deer-in-the-headlights faces do not book video auditions.
Yes, casting directors DO watch these tapes! Yes, I have had client’s book jobs from tapes.
FOR MUSICALS:
Interested actors should prepare 16 bars from a musical and bring a headshot. May use instrumental tracks or acapella. No original songs and often is best to audition with musical numbers from similar shows for which you are auditioning.
FOR ALL STAGE CREW:
Interested crew members will have opportunities in the areas of Sound, Lighting, Props, Costumes, and Stage Managing/Directing. Closed toe shoes are required. No flip flops or sandals allowed.
FOR ALL CAST/CREW:
All cast & crew will be required to download 'REMIND 101" app and crew will also need "Voxer" App for all communications & reminders.
.png/:/cr=t:1.88%25,l:0%25,w:100%25,h:35.11%25/rs=w:1209,h:549,cg:true)