Adult Auditions for THE BEST CHRISTMAS PAGEANT EVER

Auditions for THE BEST CHRISTMAS PAGEANT EVER will be held Monday and Tuesday, October 3-4.

Audition times are as follows:

• Grades K-3: 5:30 PM – 6:30 PM.   Sign up here
• Grades 4-10: 7:00 PM – 8:30 PM   Sign up here
• Older teens/Adults: 9:00 PM – 10:00 PM    Sign up here

Rehearsals will start Monday, October 17, and performances are December 9-18. For specific performance dates and times, click on “Current Productions” and “Order Tickets.” This will show you performance times without requiring you to purchase tickets.

Directed by Chuck Tuttle. Note that we are no longer presenting a musical version of this story but the well-loved traditional adaptation with Christmas music.

Rehearsals will be Mondays, Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Fridays, 7:00PM-9:00PM (Wednesdays added on the last two weeks of rehearsal).

Note: Angels will not be at rehearsals until the after Thanksgiving. There will be three extra rehearsals for the angel choir (including Beth and Alice) 5:30PM-6:30PM the week of November 28.

ABOUT THE SHOW: In this hilarious Christmas classic, a couple struggling to put on a church Christmas pageant is faced with casting the Herdman kids–probably the most inventively awful kids in history. You won’t believe the mayhem – and the fun – when the Herdmans collide with the Christmas story head on! This delightful comedy is adapted from the best-selling Young Adult book, and has become a holiday staple for groups across the United States! Features plenty of great roles for children and adults, a few favorite Christmas carols, and a lot of laughs!

CHARACTERS:

OLDER BETH  – the narrator, strong voice and presence – mid 20s or older
FATHER (Bob Bradley) – solid family man, 35-38
MOTHER (Grace Bradley) – trim, attractive, 35ish
BETH BRADLEY – oldest Bradley child – 12-13
CHARLIE BRADLEY – traditional kid brother, 8-10
RALPH HERDMAN – ragged, scroungy, slouching manner, touch of adolescent cool, 13-14
IMOGENE HERDMAN – loud, bossy, crafty, 12-13
LEROY HERDMAN – tough, sure of himself, 10-11
CLAUDE HERDMAN – tough, combative, 9-10
OLLIE HERDMAN – looking for trouble, Claude’s usual partner in crime, 8-9
GLADYS HERDMAN – small, wiry, fiesty, 7-8
ALICE WENDLEKEN – prim, proper, pain in the neck, 12-13
MRS. ARMSTRONG – largish woman, managerial in voice and manner, 50ish
MRS. SLOCUM – pleasant, motherly woman, 35-60
MRS. CLARK – 35-60
MRS. CLAUSING – 35-60
MRS. MCCARTHY – a younger, less imperious version of Mrs. Armstrong, middle 40s
MAXINE – 10-11
ELMER HOPKINS – 12-13
HOBIE – 9-10
DAVID – 8-9
BEVERLY – 7-8
SHIRLEY – 5-6
JUANITA – 5-6
DORIS – 9-10

We look forward to seeing you at auditions!

Auditions for EVERY CHRISTMAS STORY EVER TOLD

Audition Dates: IN PERSON by appointment (please, do not sign up for same day auditions, if you decide to audition at the last minute, contact [email protected]) on Monday, October 11 or Tuesday, October 12, 7:30pm at the Chattanooga Theatre Centre (Circle Lobby Entrance).

To sign up for an audition date, visit this link: https://ci.ovationtix.com/35678/production/1140427

If you have problems with the form or questions about the audition please contact Scott Dunlap by email at [email protected] or the Box Office at 423-267-8534 (M-F 10am – 2pm).

Callbacks: Planned for Thursday, October 14, to be determined based on actors’ availability.

How to Prepare: 24 hours prior all those who have signed up will be given a scene from “A Christmas Carol” and asked to perform ALL the roles. It doesn’t have to be memorized, but it should be ridiculously funny. We will also do some improv to get you warmed up.

Rehearsals: Begin week of October 16 on weekdays 7:30 – 10:30 pm with possible Sunday calls pending cast availability

Tech Rehearsals: begin Monday, November 28 through December 1 at 6pm.

Production Dates: December 2 through the 18. (11 performances), Thursdays at 7pm, Fridays and Saturdays at 8pm, and Sundays 2:30 pm (Actors are called one hour prior to showtime)

About the Play: Setting is a theatre, and the time is now. Three actors (possibly more) set out to perform Dickens’ holiday classic for the umpteenth time but decide to create a “one-with-everything” Christmas story. They dish up a hilarious melee of Christmas stories, traditions, carols, and icons from ancient times to contemporary pop culture. It’s a delicious, madcap romp through the holiday season! Improv and audience interaction is part of the fun.

Characters: All roles for ages 18 or above. Comedy and improv skills a plus.

Actor 1 (Actor’s real name) – Really, really wants to go ahead with Christmas Carol as planned and rehearsed, no matter what! This character is the straight-laced, rule follower, “lawful neutral” archetype.

Actor 2 (Actor’s real name) – Really, really does not want to go ahead with Christmas Carol and would like to perform literally anything else. This character is the clown, mischievous, “chaotic neutral” archetype.

Actor 3 (Actor’s real name) – Really, really knowledgeable about other Christmas traditions, stories, and myths very excited to share everything they know. This character is the scholarly, book-worm, “true neutral” archetype.

The Chattanooga Theatre Centre is committed to casting productions based on the highest level of talent regardless of race, ethnicity, gender identity, sexuality, body-type or age.

This is truly an exciting opportunity, because the characters can be anyone, as long as they are funny. Keep in mind, funny is “relative,” in that there are all types of comedic opportunities (dry and sarcastic, buffoonish, slapstick, etc.). The show should resemble a Saturday Night Live sketch, so the cast should reflect those “Not Ready for Primetime Players.” The goal with this show is to create a silly and fun ensemble who is comfortable with creative teamwork.