SMILE! RADIO SHOW AUDITIONS — Dance Call
August 21 | 7pm
This call is for anyone who wants to be considered in the Dance Ensemble. Bring headshot and resume. Dress to dance and bring tap shoes. There may be a need for you to sing at the callback. Arrive 10-15 minutes early. Warmup will begin promptly at 7pm.
ABOUT THE SHOW
THE SMILE! RADIO SHOW is a live comedy radio show/podcast and Modern-Vaudeville-Style- Variety show presented in a series of six "episodes" and recorded in front of live studio audiences. A love letter to the comedy, music, and style of a bygone era, SMILE! uses these elements to take on modern worries like money, fear, and social division in the most fun, swinging way possible.
In each episode, irreverent host, Artie Babel, leads his cast of characters, dancers, jazz musicians and special guests through an evening of high and low comedy, song, dance and magic. The live audience will enjoy classic cocktails and spend breaks dancing to the show’s live jazz band. Each episode of SMILE! can stand on its own as an excellent evening out or a podcast for those listening at home, but when experienced as a whole season, a narrative reveals star-crossed lovers, jealousy, revenge, and a good bit of self-improvement. Every character in Artie’s crew has their own hilariously heartwarming story to tell.
COMPENSATION
All roles are paid weekly during performances. Leads, Quartet, and Dancing Ensemble will appear in all 6 Episodes.
AUDITION DATES
Sunday, August 21st - Dance Call
This call is for anyone who wants to be considered in the Dance Ensemble. Bring headshot and resume. Dress to dance and bring tap shoes. There may be a need for you to sing at the callback. Arrive 10-15 minutes early. Warmup will begin promptly at 7pm.
Monday & Tuesday, August 22nd & 23rd - Principals/Quartet & Variety Acts
For those auditioning for Clara or Quartet 1-4: please bring headshot, resume, sheet music of two contrasting, 32 bar cuts, Jazz Age (1920-1949) songs and a few jokes in the style of the era.
For those looking to showcase their individual variety act: please bring in a segment of your act not exceeding 2 minutes. Note that variety acts must fit/be adjusted to fit the era (1920s-’40s) for the audition.
WHERE
All auditions, rehearsals, & performances will be held at Arts Mission Oak Cliff.
REHEARSALS & PERFORMANCE DATES
Rehearsals begin October 8th. (Weekday Evenings & Weekend Days)
Performances are Friday nights at 9pm:
Ep. 1 - October 21st;
Ep. 2 - November 4th;
Ep. 3 - November 18th;
Ep. 4 - December 2nd;
Ep. 5 - December 16th;
Ep. 6 - December 30th
ADA ACCESSIBILITY
Arts Mission Oak Cliff is a historically-designated restored building, originally built in 1929. As a historic site, every change made to the structure must be approved by the City of Dallas and executed by skilled professionals. The process of becoming ADA-Accessible has begun. The building now has an ADA-Accessible ramp, and there is designated space for an ADA-Compliant lift. In addition, one of the four bathrooms is ADA-Accessible. AMOC hopes to complete the process soon and plans to acquire funding to support this continued effort to make the facilities and programming accessible to all people. All workshops and gallery exhibits will be held in AMOC’s underground space which is fully ADA-Compliant with a ramp leading from the parking lot into the building and an accessible bathroom.
SEEKING AEA & Non-Union Talent of any race, ethnicity, ability, gender identity/expression to reflect the vibrant and diverse community we represent. Though characters are written as males and females, we seek to cast the best actors to play these roles, regardless of their gender identity/expression.
Artie Babel (Lead): Precast (30’s to 40’s) The host of the SMILE! Radio Show & general emcee for the evening’s festivities.
Bert (Lead): Precast (30's to 50's) The co-host of the SMILE! Radio Show. Artie's trusted sidekick. Has a good heart and truly loves to see people succeed. Believes in the power of love. Character requires a great voice for radio, excellent comedic timing, and strong vocals.
Clara (Lead): (Any age) The lead singer of The SMILE! Radio Show band. She is wise and often guides our characters as they learn about themselves and the world around them. She is the emotional and logical foundation for the cast of the show. She is witty and perceptive, but above all else, her gifts are empathy and grace. She can rock. Character requires STRONG vocals. Great delivery of one-liners. Ability to vamp or improvise if need be. Strong stage presence.
Quartet Member 1 (20's to 40's; Sorpano/Mezzo-Soprano/Alto) She has a true heart of gold, and despite the lemons that life has given her, her character never waivers. She is a dedicated artist and is doing everything she can to make her dreams come true. She loves children and animals and is a champion for the weak. Strong dramatic and comedic actor. Role requires subtlety as well as big characterization. Dance experience is a plus. Ability to sing tight 4-part harmonies.
Quartet Member 2 (20's to 30's; Baritone/Tenor) A true talent. A kid who's potential knows no bounds. He is professional and courteous...yet he still can't get the respect of the show's lead host, Artie. As the story evolves, he becomes more and more desperate in his attempts to get recognized. Strong singer and comedic actor. Any and all talents an actor could possess could be useful. Ability to sing tight 4-part harmonies.
Quartet Member 3 (20's to 50's; Soprano/Mezzo-Soprano/Alto) A talented singer and performer. A strong contributor to the comedic sketches throughout the show. We learn more and more about her interesting past as the show develops.Strong comedic characterizations required for this role. Any and all special skills are welcomed. Ability to sing tight 4-part harmonies.
Quartet Member 4 (30's to 50's; Baritone/Tenor) This character is active and engaged in all the sketches and songs, but when the show stops, he has no energy to pretend his dreams are still alive. He is in it for the paycheck and longs to go back in time and make other choices. Strong comedic characterizations required for this role. Any and all special skills are welcomed. Ability to sing tight 4-part harmonies.
Dancing Ensemble: Ensemble members must be professional/extremely strong dancers, fluent in the style of a Ziegfeld dancer with strength and ease in multiple styles including Jazz & Tap.
Specialty Variety Acts: This live experience functions as a radio show but also as a modernized version of the 1920’s-40’s Midnight Frolic/Ziegfeld Follies shows; an after-dinner Vaudeville-Musical Experience. In each episode, between each of the 3 acts, we will feature performances by local specialty acts i.e. Comedians/Comic Duos, Magicians, Burlesque Dancers, Acrobats, Belly Dancers, Ventriloquists, etc. These acts should possess a unique talent that fits in the style of the era OR be willing to appropriately adjust their act to fit the era.
*Racial injustice has come to the forefront of our consciousness. It is long overdue. We are committed to be mindful and sensitive to this issue and help to erase inequality in our industry. We are committed to do our part being more responsible in the way we write and release breakdowns, to do our part advocating for authenticity in casting, challenging the “white by default” notion and the binary container.
Location: Arts Mission Oak Cliff, 410 S Windomere Ave, Dallas, Texas 75208
Created by: AB Andy Baldwin