OPEN AUDITIONS - The Producers

THE PRODUCERS

Book by Mel Brooks and Thomas Meehan 

Music and lyrics by Mel Brooks

Directed by Ashleigh Barbeau and Riley Lucas

Open Auditions: Monday 8/4 and Tuesday 8/5 6-9:30pm. You will sign up for an audition slot, and you do not have to attend both days.

Callbacks: Wednesday 8/6 6:30-9:30pm (NOTE: Not every character will require a callback)

Rehearsal Timeframe: August 18th to November 6th, 6:30-9:30pm

Evening Performances (7:30pm): Nov  7, 8, 13,14,15, 20, 21, 22

Matinee Performances (2:30pm): Nov 9, 16, 23

Content Label: PG-13; mature themes. Profanity. Sexual innuendo or suggestive humor. Depictions of elder abuse. A prop gun is wielded and fired. Satiric parody of Adolf Hitler and Nazis. Specific usages of the term “Heil Hitler” and imitation of the Nazi salute.

The Majestic Theatre (a division of the City of Corvallis Parks and Recreation department) is committed to equity, diversity, and inclusion and to creating a welcoming place for actors of all backgrounds to explore their craft. We are eager to work with artists of color and other artists from marginalized communities. All auditions are free and open to the public. This audition is for an amateur, volunteer production. The Majestic Theatre staff and volunteers do not discriminate on the basis of age, national origin, race, gender, ethnic background, ability, religious beliefs, sexual orientation, or any protected class.

Auditions will be held in person at the Majestic Theatre.

SHOW SYNOPSIS

A down-on-his-luck Broadway producer and his mild-mannered accountant come up with a scheme to produce the most notorious flop in history, thereby bilking their backers (all "little old ladies") out of millions of dollars. Only one thing goes awry: the show is a smash hit! The antics of Max Bialystock and Leo Bloom as they maneuver their way fecklessly through finding a show (the gloriously offensive "Springtime for Hitler"), hiring a director, raising the money and finally going to prison for their misdeeds is a lesson in broad comic construction. At the core of the insanely funny adventure is a poignant, emotional journey of two very different men who become friends.

FROM THE DIRECTORS: Riley Lucas and Ashleigh Barbeau

If you’ve ever thought, “You know what musical theatre needs? More Nazis,” congratulations, you’ve come to the right place. Mel Brooks’ “The Producers” is unapologetically absurd, wildly inappropriate, and deeply necessary. Let’s be honest: doing a musical that features singing Nazis in this day and age is a bold move, but if Mel Brooks taught us anything, it’s this: the best way to take down a fascist is with jazz hands and rhinestones. 

“The Producers” is many things: a love letter to Broadway, a masterclass in bad taste, and a reminder that comedy is a weapon. By turning history’s most hateful villains into ridiculous song-and-dance punchlines, we expose their weakness: they can’t survive being laughed at. We want to expose the ridiculousness behind the hatred, the fear behind the uniform, and the total lack of rhythm behind the goose step.

In a world where extremism is back on the rise, “The Producers” feels more relevant than ever. At a time when fascist rhetoric is once again finding a foothold in our culture, laughing at it loudly is a radical act. This show is about more than showbiz scams and nymphomaniac grannies (even though they’re objectively hilarious) – it’s about unity against fascism through laughter. It’s about the kind of comedy that makes you laugh so hard you accidentally learn something. And most of all, it’s about reminding ourselves that fascists hate being laughed at, and that’s a damn good reason to do it.

With that said, we want to emphasize our commitment to gender and racial diversity in our casting and welcome performers of all gender identities and expressions. We enthusiastically encourage gender-nonconforming, nonbinary, and trans performers to audition for any roles that resonate with them. All casting will prioritize talent, authenticity, and storytelling.

So join us. Let’s sing, dance, and mock Nazis... tastefully.

Kind of.

– Riley Lucas and Ashleigh Barbeau

INTIMACY STATEMENT

Some characters in this show will require moments of intimacy, including but not limited to embracing, partner dancing, and other choreography involving intimate touch. The production team is committed to creating a safe and respectful environment for all cast and crew members. Any intimate scenes will be approached with utmost professionalism and conducted under the supervision of a dedicated intimacy coordinator. We encourage actors to communicate any concerns or boundaries they may have during the audition and production process.

PREPARATION NOTES FOR VOCAL AUDITIONS

• Please prepare a musical theater style piece that is 16-32 bars in length (approximately 30 seconds to 1 minute maximum). 

• Bring sheet music to auditions. An accompanist will be provided. 

• No backing tracks or acapella singing will be accepted. If you do not have sheet music, we will ask that you sing “Happy Birthday” or “The Star-Spangled Banner.”

PREPARATION NOTES FOR DANCE AUDITIONS: 

• Please wear comfortable clothes and shoes you can dance in. 

• Please warm up before auditions.

• If you are tap dancing as part of your audition, please bring your tap shoes (*see more details below). 

Audition Schedule:

• Dates: Monday 8/4 & Tuesday 8/5

• Time: 6:00–9:30 PM

• Slots: When sign-ups become available, please sign up for only one vocal slot, one dance slot, and if interested, one tap slot.

Before Your Audition:

• Arrive early with your audition form, resume (if you have one), and headshot (if you have one), or allow time to fill out the form on-site.

• Turn in completed materials at the front desk to receive your audition number and have your photo taken.

Vocal Audition:

• Auditionees will be taken backstage in groups.

• Bring only your sheet music on stage. Speak with the pianist about tempo, start/end points.

• Stand on the marked X and slate (state your name and song).

• Following the vocal audition, an usher will direct you to the location of our dance audition in groups.

Dance Audition:

• Required for all auditionees following vocal auditions.

• We welcome auditioners of all mobility levels. If you need any accommodations, please inform audition staff, and we’d be happy to assist.

Tap Audition:

• Optional tap portion if you wish to be considered as a featured tap dancer.

CLICK HERE TO SIGN UP TO AUDITION

Call-Backs:

• Date: Wednesday 8/6, 6:30–9:30 PM

• You’ll be notified by phone or email Tuesday night (8/5) or Wednesday morning (8/6) if you were called back and what to prepare.

• Be prepared for singing and cold readings. Our Vocal Director will conduct vocal warm ups.

• There will not be dancing at call-backs. Additional information will be provided on the night of.

We have planned our auditions to run as smoothly as possible, however, there may be some wait time. Your patience is appreciated. At any point, feel free to reach out to an audition helper for any clarifications. If you have any questions prior to auditions feel free to contact us at majestictheproducers@gmail.com. We want you to feel prepared and at ease!

CHARACTER DESCRIPTIONS

We are excited to see a diverse pool of actors audition for all roles. Ages listed are the approximate ages of the characters themselves. We invite actors of 18 years or older to audition for any role.

MAX BIALYSTOCK

Character Age: 30s-60s

Character Race: Any

Character Ethnicity: Any

Character Gender: Male, is referred to with he/him pronouns

Ability/movement: Light dancing, “mover”

Intimacy: Partner dancing, intimate hand-to-body contact with “Hold Me, Touch Me”, and various ensemble members as “Old Ladies”. 

Line burden: Heavy

Vocal range: Baritone/Tenor (A2 - F#4)

Character Description: A schemey Broadway producer who will stoop to any low to get his shows produced. Despite his egotistical nature, he’s likable. Excellent comedy skills, both physical and verbal. 

LEO BLOOM

Character Age: 20s-40s

Character Race: Any

Character Ethnicity: Any

Character Gender: Male, is referred to with he/him pronouns

Ability/movement: Light dancing

Intimacy: Partner dancing, intimate hand-to-body contact with Ulla, enacting suggestive or romantic gestures with Ulla

Line burden: Heavy

Vocal range: Baritone/Tenor (A2 - F4)

Character Description: A neurotic accountant with secret ambitions of being a Broadway producer. High-strung, nebbish, yet utterly lovable. Has moments of physical comedy.

ULLA INGA HANSEN BENSEN YONSEN TALLEN-HALLEN SVADEN-SVANSEN

Character Age: 20s-40s

Character Race: Any

Character Ethnicity: Any

Character Gender: Female, is referred to with she/her pronouns

Ability/movement: Strong dancer

Intimacy:  Partner dancing, intimate hand-to-body contact with Leo, enacting suggestive or romantic gestures with Leo

Line burden: Medium

Vocal range: Mezzo soprano, Broadway belter (A3 - G5) 

Character Description: A confident, bubbly Swedish showgirl who can belt. Speaks in a Swedish accent. Dance or gymnastic skills are a plus.  

FRANZ LEIBKIND

Character Age: 20s-50s

Character Race: White or white-passing due to the content of the character 

Character Ethnicity: White or white-passing due to the content of the character

Character Gender: Male, is referred to with he/him pronouns

Ability/movement: Mild dancing

Line burden: Medium

Vocal range: Baritone/Tenor (F2 - G4) 

Character Description: A crazed German immigrant and Nazi fanatic with a soft spot for his flock of pigeons. Wild-eyed, short-tempered, teetering on the edge of insanity. You never know if he’s going to break into song or break your nose. Excellent comedy skills, both physical and verbal. Speaks in a comic German accent. 

ROGER DE BRIS 

Character Age: 30+

Character Race: Any

Character Ethnicity: Any

Character Gender: Male or non-binary, is referred to with he/him pronouns

Ability/movement: Dancer or “strong mover,” tap skills a plus

Intimacy: Partner dancing, may enact suggestive or romantic gestures with Carmen or other men in his “entourage”

Line burden: Medium

Vocal range: Baritone/Tenor (G#2 - G4)

Character Description: A deluded, frilly Broadway director who takes himself entirely too seriously. Underneath his bravado is a Judy Garland wannabe waiting to emerge. Speaks in a comic English or old Hollywood/Trans-Atlantic accent.

CARMEN GHIA 

Character Age: 20+

Character Race: Any

Character Ethnicity: Any

Character Gender: Male or non-binary, is referred to with he/him pronouns

Ability/movement: Any

Line burden: Light

Intimacy: Partner dancing, may enact suggestive or romantic gestures with Roger

Vocal range: Tenor (C3 - A4)

Character Description: Roger’s unusual, sibilant flamboyant lover/assistant. An intense “old queen”.

ENSEMBLE & SUPPORTING ROLES 

We invite actors over the age of 18 of any skill level, race, gender, ethnic background, ability, or sexual orientation to join our ensemble! There are many supporting roles, soloists, and featured dancers, as well as roles for those who aren’t interested in speaking lines. Come have fun!

Ability/movement: We encourage actors of all mobility levels to audition for this production. For actors who are comfortable with roles that require mobility, you may be asked to participate in vigorous dancing and quick entrances and exits. Actors may be asked to get down on the floor at times, enact choreographed stage combat, and may be required to lift and move small set pieces (table, chairs, etc.). PLEASE NOTE:  Some roles will be cast during the 1st week of rehearsals.

USHERS/USHERETTES: 

Character Description: Two soloists who introduce us to the show. 

MR. MARKS:

Character Description: Leo’s boss - a cigar-chomping tyrant.

BROADWAY DANCERS/TAPPERS: For our experienced dancers out there!

ROGER DE BRIS’ PRODUCTION TEAM: Bryan (set designer), Kevin (costume designer), Scott (choreographer), and the butchest of them all, Shirley Markowitz (lighting designer)

LITTLE OLD LADIES: “Hold Me-Touch Me,” “Squeeze Me-Tease Me,” etc. Sex-crazed, lonely old women wooed by Max

SPRINGTIME FOR HITLER: “Solo Stormtrooper” - A dashing tenor with a solo in “Springtime for Hitler”, many other bit parts.

POLICE OFFICERS: Sergeants O’Rourke, O’Riley, and O’Hoolihan (who is Black). All speak in Irish accents.

AND MORE!