The Threepenny Opera Auditions

Sign up to audition for ETC’s production of The Threepenny Opera!

Auditions will take place 12-5pm Wednesday October 22nd and Thursday October 23rd with callbacks by-invitation 12-5pm on Friday October 24th. 

Video submissions are due by the end of the day October 22nd and should be emailed to evergreentheatreclub@gmail.com

What keeps a man alive? it's his compulsion

To steal and cheat and kick his fellow man in the face

We have to eat the shit without revulsion

And turn our backs upon the human race

The influential work by Bertolt Brecht and Kurt Weill based on John Gay's 1728 The Beggar's Opera, The Threepenny Opera follows the notorious "Mack the Knife" through the backstreets of Victorian London in this story about the downtrodden classes and the "respectable" cops and business owners who would like to think of themselves as better-than.

By Bertolt Brecht and Kurt Weill  in collaboration with Elisabeth Hauptmann
English translation of the dialogue by Robert MacDonald
English translation of the lyrics by Jeremy Sams
Directed by Soap Khan
Stage Managed by Becca Miller
Choreographed by Nathan Groome
This show runs January 29th, 30th, and 31st

Please be advised that The Threepenny Opera critically deals with topics of classism, prostitution, abuse, sexism, and colonialism. Be prepared to treat these topics with the sensitivity that they deserve.

At these auditions you will perform a monologue from 30 seconds to 1 minute long and a song from the Song List below. For  help selecting a monologue, email us at evergreentheatreclub@gmail.com.

Song List:

Notes for all auditionees: You will be considered for all roles you would like to be considered for regardless of the song you choose. Please choose a song that you feel comfortable performing and best displays your voice and acting in your preferred octave. Auditionees may incorporate sprechgesang, or speak-singing into parts of their performances. Recommendations of high voice and low voice are listed below.

• “Liebeslied” from The Threepenny Opera - high and low voice

• “The First Threepenny Finale” from The Threepenny Opera - low voice

• “Jealousy Duet” from The Threepenny Opera - high voice

• “Easy Life (Ballade)” from The Threepenny Opera - low voice

• “Pirate Jenny” from The Threepenny Opera - high voice

• “Money” from Cabaret - low voice

• “Crossword Puzzle” from Starting Here, Starting Now - high voice

• “Where in the World” from The Secret Garden - low voice

• “The Worst Pies in London” from Sweeney Todd - high voice

For sheet music and practice tracks of these audition cuts, click here!

To listen to a soundtrack of this translation of The Threepenny Opera, click here!

Character List:

Ranges for characters may be raised or lowered an octave.

Singing Roles

• Macheath ("Mack the Knife") - baritenor - London's greatest and most notorious criminal

• Celia Peachum ("Mrs. Peachum") - mezzo-soprano - Referred to as the "Co." in "Peachum and Co." Helps J.J. to run the family business

• J.J. Peachum ("Mr. Peachum") - baritone - the "Beggar's Friend", controller of all the beggars in London; conspires to have Mack hanged

• Polly Peachum - soprano - the Peachums' daughter; after knowing Mack for only five days, agrees to marry him

• Tiger Brown - bass-baritone - Police Chief of London and Mack's best friend from their army days

• Lucy Brown - soprano - Tiger Brown's daughter; claims to be married to Macheath and might be pregnant!

• Jenny - mezzo-soprano - a prostitute once romantically involved with Macheath; takes a bribe to turn Mack over to the police

• Gang of Thieves - any - Macheath's gang

• Ensemble - any

Speaking Roles

• Filch - a misfit young person who approaches the Peachums in hopes of beggar training

• Rev. Kimball - a mysterious reverend who marries Polly and Macheath

• Constable Smith - a constable

• Beggars

• Prostitutes

• Policemen

FAQs

I'm not an Evergreen Student. Can I audition?

Yes! Everyone is welcome to audition. 

Please note that these are volunteer roles in a student-led production, with support from Evergreen faculty & staff, and local theatre professionals. 

Where are auditions located?

Auditions, callbacks, rehearsals, and shows, will all take place on the Evergreen State College Campus. The weekend before auditions, you will receive a reminder email with the exact location (building & room number) of our audition room. 

Please note that parking requires purchase on the Evergreen State College Campus, at a rate of $2/1hr, $4/2hr, or $6/day. ETC unfortunately cannot assist with covering parking costs at this time. Please plan accordingly. 

For a cost-free option, Evergreen is serviced by bus routes 41 & 48.

I want to audition for a non-singing role only. Do I need to sing an audition song? 

If you're only auditioning for a speaking role, that's okay! Just prepare a short 30sec-1min long monologue of your choice.

I can't make it to callbacks! Can I still audition?

Yes, you can still audition, and you will still be considered equally. Just let us know at or prior to your auditions that you can't make callbacks, and we will reach out with any further instructions.

Is Threepenny an actual Opera? 

The Threepenny Opera is not actually an opera--it takes its name from John Gay's 1728 The Beggar's Opera, from which it was inspired, but Threepenny is actually considered to be a Play with Music. Written in 1928, Threepenny is full of early musical theatre and early jazz style music (with a pastiche/parody of opera in the very final song!).