RUN TIME: approximately 50 minutes

VIDEO AUDITIONS for CHARLOTTE’S WEB

Based on the story by E.B. White
Dramatized by Joseph Robinette

Director: Kristen Rogers
Stage Manager: Courtney Satterfield

The Georgetown Palace Theatre Education Department announces auditions for our Theatre for Young Audiences (TYA) production of Charlotte’s Web, based on the story by E.B. White, dramatized by Joseph Robinette.The production is scheduled to open Tuesday, October 22, 2024 and close on Saturday, November 9, 2024. 

Being a TYA production, rehearsals and performances will happen during daytime hours. Performances will be scheduled for Tuesday – Friday at 10:00 am and at NOON. Cast members MUST be available for all performance dates and times. However, actual performances are confirmed based on reservations from schools for group field trips. Actual performance dates/times will be confirmed for the cast and crew 2 weeks prior.

There will also be two performances with ticket sales open to the public on Saturday, October 26, 2024 and Saturday, November 2, 2024 at 11:00am. If ticket sales demand, there *may* be an additional public performance on Saturday, November 9 at 11:00am.

We’re looking for talented and diverse performers who will have a lot of fun bringing this educational play to life for young audiences. We are seeking performers ages 18 & up, of all ethnicities, gender identities, and abilities for all roles in this production.

The Georgetown Palace desires to be as inclusive as possible and we enthusiastically encourage gender non-conforming, genderqueer, transgender and nonbinary actors to submit to audition for any roles listed. We also seek all races and ethnicities. Our character descriptions on the following pages are gender binary and are written with he/him or she/her. While they are limited in their writing, we hope that anyone who identifies with any of the roles, will come out and audition.

CHARLOTTE’S WEB Characters 

FERN ARABLE: a young girl

JOHN ARABLE: her father

AVERY ARABLE: her brother

HOMER ZUCKERMAN: her uncle

LURVY: a hired hand

WILBUR: a pig

TEMPLETON: a rat

CHARLOTTE: a spider

GOOSE: farm animal

GANDER: farm animal

SHEEP: farm animal

NARRATOR

EXTRAS:
REPORTER (Mr. Carter), SPECTATORS, JUDGES, PRESIDENT of the Fair, BABY SPIDER (off-stage voice), UNCLE (a pig), MRS. ARABLE (off-stage voice)

Suggested Role Distribution for a Cast of Six

1st ACTOR 
Wilbur

2nd ACTOR
Charlotte
Mrs Arable (offstage voice)
Baby Spider (offstage voice)

3rd ACTOR
Fern
Goose
Spectator
Judge

4th ACTOR
John Arable
Templeton
Lurvy

5th Actor
Homer
Sheep
Spectator
Judge
Avery

6th Actor
Narrator
Gander
Mr Carter
Uncle
President of the Fair

AUDITIONS:

Video-recorded auditions will be accepted until 8:00 PM on Tuesday, September 17. Please record yourself performing a 1-2 minute monologue. The origin of the monologue is not important – it does not necessarily need to be from a play. We want to be able to assess your acting, of course, but most importantly, we want to see you being playful and fun, maybe even silly – whatever that means to you.

Sign up HERE

Callbacks will take place at the Doug Smith Performance Center (206 W. 2nd St.) on Thursday, September 19 from 12:00 pm to 2:00 pm. 

If you would like to audition, but you are not available for callbacks on September 19, please submit an audition video anyway and let us know that you cannot be there for callbacks. We would still like to consider you and may try to work something out. 

If you are called back, you will be notified via email.

Callbacks will consist of cold readings of sides from the script. When you are invited to callbacks, you will also be given access to the available callback materials. 

We will ask everyone to arrive at noon, and we will likely dismiss everyone at the same time.

REHEARSALS:

Charlotte’s Web will begin rehearsals on or around Monday, October 7, 2024. Scripts will be available for pick-up before the first rehearsal to those who are offered roles in our production.

Rehearsals are typically held Monday through Friday from 9:00 am to 3:00 pm and possibly Saturday afternoons from 1:00-5:00 pm. (There is flexibility in the exact times based on the role and the needs of the director and cast. We will likely not need to rehearse for 6 hours a day every day, more likely 2-3 hours per day, but rehearsals do take place during daytime hours). 

PERFORMANCES:

Performances are tentatively scheduled for Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Thursdays, and Fridays at 10:00am and at NOON, starting on Tuesday, October 22, 2024. Cast members MUST be available for all performance dates and times. However, actual performances are confirmed based on reservations from schools for group field trips. Actual performance dates and times will be confirmed for the cast and crew two weeks prior.

There are also two Saturday performances with ticket sales open to the public on October 26, 2024 and November 2, 2024 at 11:00 am. If ticket sales demand, there *may* be an additional public performance Saturday, November 9 at 11:00am.

CONFLICTS:

Due to the truncated rehearsal period, we will be looking for actors who can provide very few conflicts. Please make sure to notate any and all conflicts that you are aware of on your conflict sheet when filling out your audition form. Adding all of your conflicts after casting could result in your removal of the production. 

CASTING:

Once casting is completed, emails will be sent to the actors that will be offered a role in the production. Once the full cast has accepted, everyone else who auditioned will be notified via email.

**For this TYA show, performers will be paid a stipend of $200.00 for each full week of the rehearsal and performance period. This stipend will be paid at the same amount for all performers regardless of the actual number of rehearsals and/or performances completed per week. 

The total stipend per actor is $1000 (5 weeks @ $200.00 per week). It is paid bi-weekly on the schedule of the organization payroll. The intent is to help offset the cost of reduced availability for other work hours/job opportunities due to the scheduling commitments of daytime rehearsals and performances.**

Health and Safety Protocols: 

Everyone should stay home if they do not feel well. If you test positive for COVID 19, or suspect you have the flu, you should stay home and away from others until for 24 hours. Please monitor your symptoms for improvement and fever free (without meds). Then take added precaution for the next 5 days.

We still recommend wearing a mask in rehearsals the day after you return from travel.

The Georgetown Palace Theatre is committed to creating an inclusive and safe environment in which all community members feel a sense of belonging and does not discriminate in casting practices on the basis of an individual’s ethnicity, age, gender, physical and cognitive ability, sexual orientation, gender identity, religion, country of origin, or other factors.  We strongly encourage candidates of all ages, abilities, gender, and ethnicities to audition.

Please see our operating standards at the following link:

Georgetown Palace Operating Standards

Everyone involved with the production must submit to a background check at the Palace’s expense. If you are cast, you will receive a secure link where you can fill it out. There is no cost to you.

The Georgetown Palace Theatre is a 501c3 non-profit organization. 

If you have any questions, please email education@georgetownpalace.com.