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Audition Specifics:
For auditions, please prepare 16 bars of a song and bring/wear clothes that are comfortable for a dance audition. Piano accompaniment will be provided. Songs from the show are discouraged. There may be a cold-reading portion with script sides to be provided at the audition.
For those wishing to be considered for Usnavi, Sonny, Benny or Graffiti Pete: Please prepare an original rap, to be performed a capella, that lasts no more than 30 seconds. We are looking for skills – diction, inflection, speed and movement should be highlighted.
Should they be necessary, callbacks will be held by invitation only on May 23 at 7:00pm at a different location.
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[USNAVI] Male, 24, Dominican. Owner of De La Vega Bodega, his parents emigrated from the Dominican Republic and have since passed away. The play’s narrator and the eyes and ears of his Washington Heights neighborhood. Loving, charming, charismatic, witty, hard-working, and loyal.
Strong actor, excellent rapper and good singer, high baritone/tenor to G4.
[NINA] Female, 19, first generation Puerto Rican-American. Freshman at Stanford. Intelligent, hard-working, and driven. Trying to make her family proud while navigating adulthood. A beacon of hope and inspiration to all who know her; she represents the opportunity outside of “the heights”
Strong belt/mix to an E.
[KEVIN] Male, 40’s, Puerto Rican, emigrated to NY. Nina’s father. Owner of Rosario Car Service. Upstanding, proud, and devoted patriarch who is hard-working and verging on worn down. He is stubborn, hot tempered at times and can be quick to act without thoughts of repercussions. Stands firm in his beliefs and traditions.
Strong baritone to E4.
[CAMILA] Female, 40’s, Puerto Rican. Nina’s mother. Co-owner of Rosario’s. A smart, sharp tongued, fierce, and loving mother.
Strong singer-belter (G3-B4)
[BENNY] Male, 24, African-American singer/rapper. Rosario Car Service employee. Attractive and masculine with an air of lingering boyish energy. He once was a street punk and hoodlum. Kevin saw promise and helped shape him into a responsible, hard-working young man. Driven, aspiring businessman.
Excellent rapper and pop tenor voice to Ab4.
[VANESSA] Female, 19-24. Latina shampoo girl at Daniela’s Salon. Beautiful, vivacious, sexy, driven and intelligent with a strong sense of humor. She wants to get out of the barrio, worldly and urban.
Strong dancer with an excellent high belt to E5.
[SONNY] Male, 16, Dominican. Usnavi’s cousin. Streetwise yet a goofball. Charming and adorable, he feigns a persona of perceived cool masculinity. He is someone that needs guidance or risks ending up a street punk.
Strong comedic timing, excellent rapper and tenor to Bb4.
[ABEULA CLAUDIA] Female, mid-late 60’s, Cuban. Raised Usnavi though not his blood grandmother. Loving matriarch for the entire community. Deeply loving and unwaveringly optimistic with a surprising sense of humor. Full of wisdom, life experience, memories and years of hard work.
Excellent singer and belter (f#3 to C5).
[DANIELA] Female, 30’s-40’s. Puerto Rican owner of Daniela’s Salon. Brash, funny, and outspoken. Meticulous about her physical appearance. the gossip queen of the neighborhood.
Excellent singer with strong comedic timing. Belter (G3 to C5).
[CARLA] Female, 20’s-30’s. Chile-Domini-CuRican who works at the salon. Daniela’s sidekick. Sweet and likeable. Strong in her faith, she is a pure, sweet, innocent, and loving woman who is devoted to her family and friends though she is easily taken advantage of because of her naivety.
Strong dancer and singer with comedic timing.
[GRAFFITI PETE] Male, 18-20’s. Local graffiti artist. Sonny’s best friend. Always hanging out on the streets, dancing to his boom box music, spraying any surface he can. Must have “swag”.
Fantastic Hip Hop dancer, rapper/singer; break dancing skills and acrobatics are a plus.
[PIRAGUA GUY] Male, 30’s-40’s. Puerto-Rican. He walks the hot and humid streets of Washington Heights selling piraguas (flavored ice shavings) to earn a living. Strong sense of humor and great sense of pride. A local institution.
Excellent high tenor with sustained A4.
[FEMALE ENSEMBLE] To play various ages, ethnicities, and members of the local community. Residents of Washington Heights. Strong hip-hop and Latin dance skills are a plus. Excellent singers/dancers (dance in multiple styles – Latin to hip hop).
[MALE ENSEMBLE] To play various ages, ethnicities, and members of the local community. Residents of Washington Heights. Strong hip-hop and Latin dance skills are a plus. Excellent singers/dancers (dance in multiple styles – Latin to hip hop).
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*While diversity will be emphasized in the ensemble, the director has chosen to make every effort to cast all lead roles with talent that has cultural roots similar to the author’s intentions. For questions about this effort, please feel free to email the director at krystofkage@gmail.com.