Auditions will be held over summer vacation - taking place on Saturday, July 26
You will be auditioning in front of a panel of 6-7 people.
When you sign-up online, you will get the chance to let the directors know what role(s) you would like to audition for and pick your preferred time slot. 10 students MAX per time slot.
Auditions for GET SMART will be open to all Madison (& Butler Tech) Students grades 9-12.
IF by June 29th it does not look like we will have enough HS students signed up to fill all the roles, then audition sign-ups may be opened to incoming 8th Grade students as well. This decision will be posted on the BAND APP by June 30th regardless of which way it goes. AUDITIONS HAVE OFFICIALLY OPENED TO INCOMING 8TH GRADE STUDENTS
7th & 8th grade students WILL be permitted to be a part of the crew regardless of what grade levels auditions are opened to. (We will have an amazing set again this year, so Crew can expect to start being a part of rehearsals in Late September/Early October to get as much hands on time with our set & special effects as possible.)
Audition sign-ups will be open until July 18th at 11:59pm.
If you are unavailable the weekend of Auditions due to vacation/etc. please let the directing team know ASAP so that we can schedule you a different date/time.
Audition Clinics will be Tuesday, July 22nd from 6-7:30pm.
Callbacks will be held on Sunday, July 27th from 3-4:30pm. (The scripts we will be using for callbacks will be sent to you in your callback email along with notes.)
Students needed for callbacks will be emailed by no later than 9pm on Saturday, July 26th. (We will not be posting the callbacks list on BAND APP)
**Please note, just because you do not get a callback does not mean that you did not get a part/did not get the part you auditioned for. It just means we have specific students we need to see more material from.
We will do our very best to have the final Cast List posted no later than 9pm on Sunday, July 27th. Cast List will be emailed individually to all students who auditioned by this time period, and THEN posted on the BAND APP at a later time. Like wise the cast list is not to be shared on social media/publicly until the directing team has done so.
We understand that emotions can run high during the audition process and this year ask that ALL students allow 24hrs after the cast list is posted to process the information and their emotions before emailing directors with comments/concerns. Directors will not be checking or responding to emails until after this time.
Cast of Characters (M)Male Character, (F)Female Character, (M/F)Can be Male or Female
The Voice of CONTROL(M) - Offstage voice - Helps set the stage throughout the play - slow talking, deep voice, serious, official sounding. (We will be doing cold readings for this)
**This role has the option to be someone casted as a stage character or someone who never appears on stage or a CREW member**
The Voice of KAOS(M) - Stern/Evil possibly played with a Russian accent (We will be doing cold readings for this).
**This role has the option to be someone casted as a stage character or someone who never appears on stage or a CREW member**
Maxwell "Max" Smart(M) - central character, code number Agent 86. Despite being a top-secret government agent, he is absurdly clumsy and very naïve. Short attention span. Most people believe he is grossly incompetent. Despite these faults, Smart is also resourceful, skilled in hand-to-hand combat, a proficient marksman, and incredibly lucky. These assets have led to him having a phenomenal record of success in times of crisis in which he has often averted disaster, often on a national or global scale. Speaks with a very unique voice. Is very confident/sure of his own abilities, despite coming off as goofy/out of place to others.
Agent 99(F) - Beautiful female agent whose appearance is useful in undercover ops. Generally, Agent 99 is much more competent than Smart. She is a woman in a man’s world, idolizes Smart, and does all she can to be a helpful sidekick; slyly compensating for his incompetence. She is alluring and flirty, but not over-the-top.
The Chief(M) - Head of CONTROL. Although sometimes sarcastic and grouchy, the Chief is intelligent, serious, and sensible. He is often frustrated with Max, but continually assigns him high level cases. He serves as something of a father figure for Smart.
Agent 44(M) - Usually stationed in tight, cramped locations: a lab table/filing cabinet/trash can. Agent 44 sometimes falls into bouts of crying, self-pity and complaining, and often talks too much because he is lonely.
Hodgkins(M/F) - The Chief's assistant. Responsible for developing and explaining the various spy gadgets Max will need. He/she is matter of fact and competent.
Agent 13(M) - Agent who is usually stationed inside unlikely places (ie: a locker) and is at Smarts disposal for a distraction or quick getaway.
Mr. Big(M) - The presumed head of KAOS. Small in stature - His appearance is meant to be humorous, contrasted with playing his part VERY seriously. Could be played with a Russian accent.
Garth(M) - One of Mr. Big's top agents in KAOS. A large, dangerous looking thug/mob-type who does Mr. Big’s bidding. His size, sinister looks and robotic movements, along with taking himself too seriously, make him humorous.
Professor Dante(M) - Nerdy, Einstein-esk, scientist who is pre-occupied with getting his incineration-ray invention (the Inthermo) to work. A university Professor on a campus near Washington, DC.
Professor Zalinka(F) - is Dante’s assistant. She is attractive but severe/scary/intimidating. Speaks with a Russian accent. Later revealed to be a voluptuous undercover agent of KAOS.
Miss Finch(F) - Attractive secretary to the Chief who ends up being a double agent working for KAOS. She appears intelligent and competent, but also (a little suspiciously) over the top at times.
Princess Ingrid(F) - Young, flirtatious (with Max) Scandinavian princess visiting the U.S. A Blonde. Just wants to party/have fun. Smart has been assigned to her protection detail. She ends up getting brainwashed by KAOS. Speaks with a Scandinavian/Swedish accent.
Mary, Shirley and Betsy Wong(F) - KAOS agents. They are somewhat robotic & act in unison, as if brainwashed/hypnotized. All have the same "last name" but should appear different. They serve as Mr. Big’s sidekicks.
College Students:
Helen, Myra, Jane and Fred(M/F) - Students who work for Professors Dante and Zalinka. They are nerdy science students who are eager to please the professors. Names could be adjusted to fit male/females to play any of these.
Four blondes:
Anne, Jill, May and Laura(F) - Giddy/ditzy young women in their late teens/early twenties, who have been kidnapped by Garth on behalf of Mr. Big. They are more curious than frightened and are generally bored/unphased by the situation they're in. They think they have been kidnapped as a publicity stunt for a record company.
Man and Woman - at bus station.
Big sister and little sister - visiting DC, speak with NY or NJ accent.
The full rehearsal schedule will be posted once the show has been casted.
(There will be no Friday rehearsals until November to account for Football season)
All scheduled rehearsals August-October will be in the evenings from approx. 5:30pm - 8pm
ACT 1 off book by September 15th
ACT 2 off book by October 20th
Set Construction Days : TBD
- All set constructions will run approx. 12pm - 6pm.
All students involved in the Fall Play will be required to attend & help with at least 1 Set Construction Day. This may involve building sets, painting, or helping with costumes/organizing props/prop room.
We are a team and the more we work together the more successful we will be. In order to do another amazing set this year more participation and effort is required and expected this year!
Parents are encouraged to attend set construction as well and help be a part of the team that makes this show special. We especially welcome those familiar with/who own power tools, are comfortable with painting, are good at sewing/altering clothes, etc., but these skills are not a requirement. Remember - it takes a village.
Tech Week: Nov. 10-14 & Nov. 17 - 5pm - 8:30pm - Notes will be from 8-8:30
Dress Rehearsals: Nov. 18-20, 3:30pm - 8:30pm - All students are to stay after school to get in costume/mics, 3:30 is curtain & the first run through will begin promptly at that time - 1hr for dinner each night at 5:30pm - Notes will be from 8-8:30
Performances:
Fri. Nov. 21: 5:00 call, 7:30 curtain
Sat. Nov. 22: 5:00 call, 7:30 curtain
Sun. Nov. 23: 1:00 call, 3:30 curtain, plus 3 hours after the show for STRIKE & Cast Party
100% Mandatory attendance is required for all Cast & Crew the weeks of Tech Week & Dress Rehearsal & Performances.
Monday, November 10th - Sunday, November 23rd
As a show that was popular in the 60's, it would not shock me to find that a lot of you may have never heard of it or these characters. Going back to watch the original TV show (especially the 1st season) will help you get a feel for the style of humor this play is going for and the way these characters tend to interact with one another. There is nothing wrong with doing a little research and then figuring out a way to make these characters uniquely your own. Not everyone who comes to see this play will know who these characters are and that always provides a great opportunity to put your own spin on things because there is little-to-no expectation for how the part should be played.
You can find Season 1 of GET SMART on Amazon Prime - It will cost you around $5 to purchase Episodes 1 & 2, which are the episodes certain aspects of this play were based off of.
A film adaptation was made in 2008 staring Steve Carell, Anne Hathaway, and The Rock. This is not MY favorite rendition of these characters, however, if you find you're able to follow/relate to the story a little better through that, there is never any harm in getting multiple perspectives. I still highly recommend watching the original TV show too.
Memorization of audition lines is not required, but it is highly recommended that you be familiar with the scenes provided. (You'll have been given a majority of summer vacation to look these over, and if you show up to your audition and are reading them for the very first time we will be able to tell, and you will stand out from the students who have been practicing all summer.)
Being familiar with your lines helps all of us. It will give you more confidence when you step onto the stage and it will allow us to see your face for your audition. We do not want to see you looking down at the script / have the script directly in front of your face for your entire audition. If you need to glance at the paper for a refresh and there's a pause between lines while you do, that's OK! It's more important to us that we are able to see your face while you act.
You will have other actors on stage with you during your audition scenes - be prepared to interact with them. (You will know who these other students are several weeks in advance. Consider getting together over the summer and practicing together.)
We will likely go through all audition scenes included in your packet (except callback scenes). You may be asked to read for parts that you did not list on your sign-up. This helps fill in gaps and keep things moving. Be flexible, willing to help, and willing to take direction. We may see something in you that you never considered. Also, be prepared. Don't just read over the 1 or 2 audition scenes that have the character you're interested in.
We may do a couple of the large group scenes twice to give you a chance to warm up, relax, and start to feel comfortable together. You or the entire group may be given a suggestion to try something different before you read the second time; pay attention and make an effort to use the suggestion. If your second read through is exactly the same as the first, that tells us you don't take directions well.
Audition do’s:
Speak up, as loud as you can.
This doesn't mean shout. It means Project your voice. We should be able to hear you from the back row.
Take your time. Breathe. Pause when appropriate. Theatre isn't a race to the finish line. It's an experience that's mean to be enjoyed.
Ask questions.
Try to do more than just say the words. This show is a comedy - make us laugh.
Practice the audition lines out loud with someone else before hand. If you are saying them for the first time at your audition, it will show.
Trust your instincts.
Have a good attitude regardless of the outcome. Most plays, multiple people will audition for the same character, only 1 can be cast in each role. This is a difficult decision for casting directors and they take it to heart, because we know when it's all said and done not everyone will walk away with the role they auditioned for. We will do our very best to give everyone who auditions a part of some kind as long as the number of roles allows.
Choose to look at play auditions like life - things don't always work out the way we hope. But, the measure of a person is shown more in the way they handle disappointment than success. If you handle yourself with grace in hard situations those moments will be remembered. And if you handle your disappointment poorly, those will be remembered too. Only you can decide the type of person you will be remembered as.
Audition don’ts:
Don't rush. But don't feel bad if you do; everyone does! This is why we will give you the chance to do multiple scenes.
Don’t pace or sway or fidget with your hair/clothes.
Don’t worry if you stumble over words. If you mess up a word, or a line, or whatever, it's okay. Live theatre isn't perfect, it's in the moment. Just keep the scene going. Don't say "crap!" or get frustrated or start laughing. Treat your audition like you would a performance. The show must go on.
Don’t break character.
Don’t apologize - no one’s perfect, especially at an audition! And we do not expect you to be perfect. We just ask that you try your best and have a good attitude about whatever happens!
Here are some questions to ask yourself about the character:
What does the character want? Does this change during the story?
How does he/she stand? Walk? Talk?
How does he/she relate or react to others in the scene?
Where would the character pause? You don't have to race through the lines (even if you do want to get it over with)!
Having the right mindset is vital to the growth and success of the theater program.
Every person is important whether you're in a lead, supporting, or ensemble role. Unfortunately, not everyone is going to get the role they really want every time they audition for a show. Receiving rejection is hard, but it's something everyone experiences many times in life (not getting the job, not getting the promotion, etc.). What's important is how you handle that rejection.
In our program, it is extremely rare that a student who auditions doesn't receive A part in the show. The only times that happens is when there are a limited number of roles and there is no ensemble, but that is information directors will know and announce ahead of time. In the musicals, it is unlikely that you will receive rejection in the form of not being cast, but you may feel rejection in the form of not being cast in the role you wanted.
When we cast a show, we are looking to highlight everyone's strengths in a way that will make our show the best it can possibly be. For example, maybe there are two students who we are considering for the lead female role. Both girls can sing extremely well, but one is a stronger actor and one is a stronger dancer. If we are casting a dance heavy musical (such as Footloose) where the lead actress dances constantly throughout the show, we will likely cast the student who is the stronger dancer. If we are casting a less dance heavy show (such as Mamma Mia) where the lead actress (Donna) does not do much dancing at all, we will likely cast the student who is the stronger actress so that the student who is a stronger dancer can be in a role where that strength can be utilized more. As another example, maybe we have two students who we are considering for two roles in Les Mis. One of those roles is the Jean Valjean (a very serious, leading role) and the other is Mr. Thénardier (a very comedic and evil, supporting role) who has to have great comedic chemistry with the student who plays his wife, Mrs. Thénardier. Both of the boys we're considering can sing and act extremely well so they could both handle either role, but one of them is good friends with the female student we cast in the role of Mrs. Théndardier and the other has never spoken to her before. In this situation, we will likely cast the students who are already friends as Mr. and Mrs. Thénardier because they will get along and bring a lot of humor and positive energy to those roles together.
If you don't get the role you wanted, there could be any number of reasons why and those reasons are not always because you weren't "good enough" or because someone else was "better than you." And they are never because the directors "like them more" than you. Casting a show is like putting together a puzzle and, a lot of the time, there are multiple ways we could put the puzzle together. Our job as directors is to determine where each person fits into the puzzle based on chemistry, singing/dancing/acting abilities, vocal range, age, height, scheduling conflicts, etc. in order to make our show as successful as possible. We do our best to make sure your talent is going to be placed in a way that highlights your strengths and supports everyone else's weaknesses so we end up with a balanced cast.
Professionalism
Whether you get the role you wanted or not, professionalism is the key. If you do not get the role you wanted, the first decision you need to make is whether or not you want to accept the role you did get. If you're truly unhappy with the role you got, you are allowed to say no and choose not to be in the show. If this is your choice, it's important to make this decision as quickly as possible and you must tell your directors right away so the role can be re-cast before rehearsals begin. This should be done in a formal and polite way either via email or an in-person conversation. Asking your friend to tell us you have decided to quit, or just not showing up once rehearsals begin, is extremely unprofessional. If that is how you quit your job, your manager would be very unlikely to hire you again in the future. This is the same in theater. If you're a sophomore and you're unprofessional and difficult to work with this year, what is going to make us think differently about you when you're a senior?
If you choose to accept the role you were given despite the fact that it's not the one you wanted, you have the ability to choose one of two mindsets.
If you're bitter and resentful, then you're just wasting your and everyone else's time. It won't be a positive experience for anyone. You might even earn a bad reputation with the directors and the rest of the cast for making the rehearsal process unpleasant.
But... if you choose to make the best of it, there are so many positives you'll receive. You still get to be in an amazing show. You can learn new skills and strengthen your weaknesses that can make you a better performer. You'll grow your theatrical resumé. You can have fun and make memories with your friends throughout the rehearsal process.
If you truly love theater and performing, stick with the show. Keep auditioning and participating in future productions. No matter what role you're cast in, every show is a new chance to learn and have fun. Remember that the directors cast you into the show because they genuinely wanted to work with you and they thought that you would be a great part of the team. So, take that with you as a positive, and keep trying.