Rockwall Summer Musicals seeks 83 actors for 2013 auditions

auditionssb — Auditioning students line up for final casting decisions by the Audition Committee during a past Rockwall Summer Musicals season.

1776 auditions, April 20-21

King & I auditions, June 8-9

(ROCKWALL-April 13, 2103) It’s audition season for Rockwall Summer Musicals. The fast-growing local theater group is looking for a few good men…women and children.

Organizers are not only seeking an array of 83 actors and actresses but performers who can sing and dance throughout one of two different Broadway-originated productions.

Rockwall Summer Musicals began their third season by unveiling two new shows for the summer of 2013 at a recent gathering of Rockwall Summer Musicals organizers and Guild members. The first show, America’s Prize Winning Musical 1776, will hold open auditions on April 20- 21. The second show, Rodger’s and Hammerstein’s The King and I, will hold open auditions on June 8-9. Both auditions will be held on Saturdays and Sundays at First United Methodist Church of Rockwall, 1200 East Yellowjacket Lane, Building B, on the second floor.

“This year, we’re presenting two beloved Broadway shows,” said Barbara Doubt, Rockwall Summer Musicals Board member and Director of The King and I. “Anyone who enjoys acting, singing, dancing or, who can do all three at once, should join us for some very exciting auditions; we have a lot of roles to fill this season.”

Spurred by the remarkable success of the group’s first season in 2011, Rockwall Summer Musicals holds Thursday, Friday and Saturday night and Sunday matinee performances each year. This season, the historically entertaining 1776, will be presented from June 27 – June 30 followed by The King and I, which will be presented from August 15 – 18. Both plays are shown in the 1,500-seat Rockwall Performing Arts Center (PAC) theater located in Utley middle school. Reserved, season ticket subscriptions are available through May 31 and are offered at a 20% discount at RockwallSummerMusicals.org.

“I’ve been through two auditions and the directors, producers…all the folks involved know the shows so well; they are so encouraging,” said Meredith Bennett. “It’s an amazing process. You learn about yourself, you stretch with each new performance and it’s just a lot of fun to work with such a wide array of talent.”

The original concept for Rockwall Summer Musicals was the brainchild of Jacob Thomas, an RISD middle school theater teacher, who had a vision of forming a production company that would offer more comprehensive theater tutelage than what was available inside a classroom. The group has since become a full-fledged production company whose productions support actors from age four to 81. The organization also mentors grade school through high students in all aspects of theater. Rockwall and other local school students shadow theatre professionals backstage as well as onstage as they learn theatre crafts by example and emulation. Over the first two seasons, Rockwall Summer Musicals has involved over 100 students and helped area collegiate alumni hone their musical theater career pursuits.

Rockwall Summer Musicals is a 503(c)(3) non-profit organization established in 2010 to entertain, educate, and enrich the cultural life of Rockwall and the surrounding communities.