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Thursday, May 16, 2019

AUDITIONS FOR DURBAN’S BEAUTY AND THE BEAST


(Adele Blank)

The Playhouse Company is holding Cape Town auditions for versatile performers to be among the stellar cast of an exciting, new staging of one of the most loved of musicals – Disney’s tuneful family spectacle, the sumptuous Beauty and the Beast.

An all-new production, laden with romance, enchantment and magic created by a top-notch creative team, is poised to become the must-see show of the year when it runs in the Playhouse Opera in Durban from November 20 to December 29, 2019.

Featuring music by Alan Menken, lyrics by Howard Ashman and Tim Rice, and a book by Linda Wolverton, the glittering new production will be directed by the award-winning Ralph Lawson, whose many credits include directing such Playhouse Company successes as West Side Story and My Fair Lady. Choreography for Beauty and the Beast will be by the iconic Adele Blank.

(Ralph Lawson)

The hit Broadway production of “the tale as old as time” premiered in 1994, three years after the release of the multiple-award-winning Disney animated film which inspired the stage musical. That movie became the first animated feature film to be nominated for the Best Picture Oscar.

A 2017 live-action movie remake of the musical was also hugely successful, featuring a stellar cast including Audra MacDonald, Emma Watson, Dan Stevens, Ewan McGregor, Ian McKellen, Emma Thompson and Stanley Tucci.

Featuring such popular songs as the romantic title chart-topper, the joyously theatrical Be Our Guest and the swaggering and comical Gaston, Beauty and the Beast tells of a cold and selfish prince. He is turned into a towering beast but, through his growing friendship with a kind and caring young woman that he imprisons in his enchanted castle, learns the error of his ways. The musical is a veritable feast of fun and fantasy for the whole family!

Auditions for Beauty and the Beast, the flagship production of the Playhouse Company’s festive season treats, will be held in Cape Town on Sunday, May 26, 2019.

Roles require versatile performers who sing, act and dance. Please dress accordingly.

A song from Beauty and the Beast would be preferable for the vocal audition, but a suitable number from any Broadway musical would suffice. Those auditioning will need to provide relevant sheet music for the pianist should they choose to audition with a song other than from Beauty and the Beast.

Note: Those auditioning should take along a CV and a head and shoulder photograph of themselves.

Bookings for auditions are essential. No walk-ins will be permitted.

To book contact Kipi Skweyiya at 031 369 9463 during office hours (09h00 to 13h00) from Monday, May 20 to 23. Note that no voice-mail messages will be returned. This is a dance and singing audition.