AUDITION NOTICE!
Announcing
CHESS THE MUSICAL
AUDITIONS
SUBMIT GOOGLE AUDITION FORM
AND VIDEO AUDITIONS
NOW THROUGH SUN., JANUARY 9
Video auditions will consist of:
1. Google form (please be completely honest with your outdates).
Outdates will not be allowed for tech week, February 28-March 4)
2. Headshot and resume (digital copy or a link will suffice)
3. Video audition that should consist of a 32-bar cutting in the style of the show
(i.e. 80’s mega musical, rock musical, rock opera).
Please do not audition with anything from the show.
Also state in the video which role(s) you are interested in.
Auditions will be accepted by email (auditions@desertstages.org) until midnight Sunday, January 9, 2022. If you are unable to submit or if you have issues uploading your video audition, please let us know via the same email address.
Submit Video Auditions to
auditions@desertstages.org
SUBMIT GOOGLE REGISTRATION FORM HERE
CALLBACKS
Music/dance callbacks and cold readings will take place Wednesday, January 12, 2022, 6-10pm (a scheduled breakdown will be provided to invited actors).
REHEARSALS BEGIN
Tuesday, January. 18 at 7:00pm
Rehearsal will be Sunday 6-9pm and Monday-Thursday, 7-10pm
NO CONFLICTS ALLOWED
February 28 through March 4
SHOW DATES
Friday, March 4, 7:30pm
Saturday, March 5, 2:00pm (tentative)
Saturday, March 5, 7:30pm
Sunday, March 6, 2:00pm
Friday, March 11, 7:30pm
Saturday, March 12, 2:00pm (tentative)
Saturday, March 12, 7:30pm
Sunday, March 13, 2:00pm
Friday, March 18, 7:30pm
Saturday, March 19, 2:00pm
Saturday, March 19, 7:30pm
Sunday, March 20, 2:00pm
COVID-19 POLICIES
Masks may be required during rehearsals and performances.
Weekly Covid-19 PCR tests may be required during rehearsals and performances.
OTHER THEATRE POLICIES
Each performer and production team member will be asked to abide by the rules of Desert Stages Theatre.
Show communications will be through SLACK app.
Each performer will be asked to help promote this DST show.
For more information, please visit desertstages.org/auditions.
Scottsdale Desert Stages Theatre
Mainstage Production of
CHESS
Book by Richard Nelson
Lyrics by Tim Rice
Music by Bjorn Ulvaeus and Benny Andersson
CHESS is presented by arrangement with Concord Theatricals. www.concordtheatricals.com
Directed by Chris R. Chávez
Music Direction by Ken Goodenberger
Choreography by Ruby Wagner
In this musical, written as a metaphor for the Cold War and written by the men of the super-group ABBA, the ancient game of chess also becomes a metaphor for romantic rivalries, competitive gamesmanship, super-power politics, and international intrigue. The pawns in this drama form a love triangle: the loutish American chess star, the earnest Russian champion, and a Hungarian American female assistant who arrives at the international chess match in Bangkok with the American, but falls for the Russian. From Bangkok to Budapest the players, lovers, politicians and spies manipulate and are manipulated to the pulse of a monumental rock score.
The story involves a politically driven, Cold War-era chess tournament between two men—an American grandmaster and a Soviet grandmaster—and their fight over a woman who manages one and falls in love with the other. Although the protagonists were not intended to represent any real individuals, the character of the American grandmaster (named Freddie Trumper in the stage version) was loosely based on Bobby Fischer, while elements of the story may have been inspired by the chess careers of Russian grandmasters Viktor Korchnoi and Anatoly Karpov.
CHARACTER BREAKDOWN
Actors of all races, ethnicities, sizes, abilities, and genders (conforming and non-conforming) are highly encouraged to audition.
ROLES:
Florence – Female identifying; plays age late 20’s-mid 30’s; strong belt voice up to E. Florence was born in Hungary and raised in America since fleeing in 1956 with her father. She is clever, theatrical, vivacious, volatile, and conflicted. She is Frederick’s chess “second” and falls for Anatoly.