2022 Season Auditions for SF&T

Surging Films & Theatrics is excited to announce the remainder of our 2022 season!  In February, we successfully brought Spongebob to life and are now ready to bring three great productions to Chicago stages this year.  Auditions will be held at The Edge Theater on Saturday May 14th from noon-6pm.  
Performers auditioning for both the musical and play will be asked to be available for an hour - hour and a half time slot in order to get the dance call in as well as song/monologue.  Play only performers will only be needed for 30 minutes to an hour.

*SF&T welcomes and encourages performers of all ethnicities, abilities, and identities/orientations to apply*
Most characters we encounter currently are written with he/him or she/her pronouns. However limiting the descriptions are, our casting seeks to be inclusive as possible.  We will also list race/ethnicity when specific to the character but are otherwise seeking all races and ethnicities.

Covid policies will be explained in the audition e-mail but we are asking for all performers to be vaccinated and wear a mask in the waiting area.


Production 1: The Pillowman by Martin McDonagh at The Edge Off Broadway
Stipend: $200
Tech/Performances:  July 18th - 31st
Rehearsals: Mainly Wednesdays and Sundays from End of May until Tech at various locations around Edgewater/Wrigleyville
Seeking: 2 puppeteers/reenactors to bring Katurian’s stories to life.  Will not be called every day. Minimal to no lines but a great theatrical challenge for those interested in trying puppeteering/storytelling through movement.

Deemed by many the best SF&T production that nobody came to see, 7 years later we are remounting one of our favorites ever in hopes to bring a larger crowd this time around!
This production will be using SF&T company members for all other roles in The Pillowman.  This show is a very dark comedy that is rated R for language and subject matter.


Production 2:  Urinetown the Musical at The Edge Off Broadway
Stipend: $400
Tech/Performances: July 31st - Aug 28th
Rehearsals: Mainly Tues/Thurs/Sun until Tech (some extras added in, see calendar on audition day) at various locations around Edgewater/Wrigleyville
Seeking: 12-14 performers.  All roles are available. Some roles may double.

A Brechtian satire musical about the legal system, capitalism, social irresponsibility, populism, bureaucracy, corporate mismanagement, and municipal politics.  Looking for singers and dancers with high comedic skills to bring this over-the-top musical to life.

Officer Lockstock -  Vocal Range: Bass/ Baritone
Narrator of the show and leader of the Police. A figure of authority. A key role. Strong acting ability and excellent comic timing are required. Some dance skills required.

Little Sally -  Vocal Range: Mezzo Soprano
A poor street urchin who is also co- narrator of the show. Needs to be smallish in stature because she is the ‘child’ of the cast. A key role. Strong acting - singing ability and comic timing. Medium dance skills required.

Bobby Strong - Vocal Range: Tenor
The “Hero” of the show and the assistant-custodian at the poorest urinal in town.  Bobby is the leader of the poor through the rebellion and is not afraid to stand up for what he believes in. Falls in love with Hope. A key role. Strong acting - singing ability and good comic timing. Medium dance skills required.

Hope Cladwell - Vocal Range: Soprano
Cladwell’s good hearted daughter. Fresh out of the Most Expensive University of the World and about to work at her father’s company. A naïve girl who believes there is good in everyone. Ditzy and has only gotten through life on her father’s money – but she doesn’t know it. Falls in love with Bobby. Key role. Strong acting - singing ability and good comic timing. Medium dance skills required.

Caldwell B Cladwell - Vocal Range: Baritone
CEO of Urine Good Company (UGC). Greedy and vicious villain of the show. Key role. Strong acting - singing ability and good comic timing. Minimal dance required.

Penelope Pennywise - Vocal Range: Alto  
The proprietor of the poorest urinal in town. A Black sheep, She betters her public standing by leaching onto Cladwell. She is always searching to find a quick buck and is ruthless in her attack. Harbors a secret! A gutsy female character. Strong acting - singing ability and comic timing. Medium dance skills preferable.

Officer Barrel - Vocal Range: Bass
Officer Lockstock’s right hand ‘man’. He is his partner in all things criminal. He has a secret! Strong acting - singing ability and comic timing. Minimal dance skills required.

Senator Fipp - Vocal Range: Bass
A corrupt Senator who hides all his crimes through politics. A creepy character who seems to lurk in all the wrong places. Strong acting, minimal singing skills and good comic timing.   May double throughout the show.

Mr McQueen - Vocal Range: Tenor
Cladwell’s head lackey – a flamboyant character! He is always following in Cladwell’s footsteps. Too weak too step out of the shadow. Has a secret. Strong acting, minimal singing skills and good comic timing. Minimal dance required. May double throughout the show.

Hot Blades Harry - Vocal Range: Tenor
A dangerous and unpredictable man- a sadist! He is poor and frequents Public Amenity Number #9. Strong acting - singing ability and comic timing. Medium dance skills preferable.

Little Becky Two-Shoes  Vocal Range: Soprano
A young, pregnant crippled woman. She is poor and frequents Public Amenity Number #9. Strong acting - singing ability and comic timing. Medium dance skills preferable. P

Soupy Sue - Vocal Range: Soprano
An affectionate, poor woman in the gang who frequents Public Amenity Number #9. Strong acting - singing ability and comic timing. Medium dance skills preferable.

Tiny Tom - Vocal Range:Bass/Baritone
A confused man-boy. Preferably large/tall. He is poor and frequents Public Amenity Number #9. Strong acting - singing ability and comic timing. Medium dance skills preferable. 

Robby The Stockfish - Vocal Range: Baritone
A poor rebel who frequents Public Amenity Number#9. Strong acting - singing ability and comic timing. Medium dance skills preferable.

Billy Boy Bill  Vocal Range: Tenor
A poor rebel who frequents Public Amenity Number #9. Strong acting - singing ability and comic timing. Medium dance skills preferable.

Joseph ‘Old Man’ Strong / UGC Executive - Vocal Range: Tenor
Bobby’s rebellious father. Bobby gets all his strength from his father and they have a close relationship. Strong acting, medium singing skills and comic timing. Minimal dance required. Doubles throughout the show.

Josephine ‘ Old Ma’ Strong  - Vocal Range: Mezzo Soprano
Bobby’s strong-willed mother. She is a poor woman who frequents Public Amenity Number #9. Strong acting - singing ability and comic timing. Medium dance skills preferable. Doubles throughout the show.

Cladwell’s Secretary / UGC - Vocal Range: Soprano
Caldwell B Cladwell’s Head Secretary. Prim and proper in nature and look. Straight – laced. Strong acting - singing ability and comic timing. Minimal dance skills required.
Doubles throughout the show.

Mrs Millenium / UGC Executive - Vocal Range: Soprano
One of Cladwell’s lesser lackeys. Office worker who aspires to be Cladwell’s Head Secretary. Strong acting - singing ability and comic timing. Minimal dance skills required. Doubles throughout the show.

Dr. Billeaux / UGC Executive - Vocal Range: Baritone
A scientist for Urine Good Company. Typical “crazy” stereotypical scientist. Strong acting - singing ability and comic timing. Minimal dance skills required. Doubles throughout the show.



Production 3: Dracula (the play) adapted by William McNulty at The Den Theatre
Stipend: $200
Tech/Performances: Oct 17th - 30th
Rehearsals: Will be 3 days a week starting Mid September. TBD on days. Usually aim for Sundays and Tues, Wed, or Thurs at various locations around Edgewater/Wrigleyville
Seeking 10-12 performers. All roles are available. Some roles may double.

A classic horror play for Halloween!  Professor Van Helsing and his brave comrades must hunt down and destroy the profoundly evil Count Dracula. But the Count is exceedingly resourceful, employing superhuman strength, psychic powers, and shape-changing to confound and frustrate his antagonists. Culminating in a wild and shocking confrontation between the King of Vampires and those who would rid the world of him, this adaptation is an action-packed, blood-soaked retelling of Bram Stoker's classic tale of horror.  Seeking performers with strong dialogue interpretation and comfortable with movement and horror elements.

This production contains violence and moments of intimacy which will be choreographed by a fight and intimacy choreographer.

Cast of Characters
ROBERT RENFIELD - a lunatic of unique appetites and an unfortunate sense of humor.
COUNT DRACULA/MONSTER - a brute who revels in the pain and suffering he brings to others. Capable of enormous charm and courtly manners when such affectations are called for as Dracula.  A vicious supernatural demon when a monster; the shape assumed by 
Dracula when he isn’t concerned about appearances. He loves a good chase and is always thirsty.
MINA GRANT - an undead woman in her late twenties. We will see her in various stages of vampirism.
MARGARET SULLIVAN - Dr. Seward’s loyal assistant. Irish. Tries to conceal her working class roots with an air of propriety.
VAN HELSING - in good physical condition, with a razor mind and an intense interest in the supernatural.
DR. SEWARD - Intelligent. The former fiancé of the late Mina Grant. A deeply caring, vulnerable human being.
LUCY WESTPHAL - Extremely intelligent, and when not being drained of blood on a regular basis, quite vivacious.
JONATHAN HARKER - Impetuous, madly in love with Lucy.
NORBERT BRIGGS - an attendant at the asylum. A rough customer; not entirely a brute, but capable of violent behavior when pushed to it.
THE BRIDES - Vampiresses with seductive ways and dire purposes.
THE CHILD - female. Wears a communion dress.


SF&T Production Team
Artistic Director: Billy Surges
Music Director: Daven Taba
Assistant Director/Choreographer: Tim Huggenberger
Associate Producers: Seth Harman, Katie Meyers, and Tony Calkins
Stage Management/Tech Operator: Joey Calumet
Set Construction/Tech Operators: Jarod Battisto and Michael Consalvo
Lighting: Will Knox and Billy Surges

Currently Seeking: Additional stage managers and costume designers. If interested, please let us know!



Materials to Prepare:
Please e-mail SFTAuditions@gmail.com with your headshot, resume, and any video clips (if able) if you are new to submitting to SF&T.
For musical - a 32 bar cutting in the style of the show (can be from the show).  Sheet music or instrumental track acceptable (please specify). Please be prepared for a dance call.
For plays - a 30 sec to 1 minute dramatic monologue. Please be prepared for cold readings.
For puppeteers/reenactors - Please bring anything you have to showcase your talent. We may ask you to do some improv/movement games with us as well.

Slots are limited and will be awarded based on need. Slots will be roughly every hour from noon-6pm on Saturday May 14th at The Edge Theater.