INFORMATION PACK

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WEST SIDE STORYYOUNG COMPANY PROJECT 2018Thank you for your interest in Cambridge Theatre Company’s Young

Company Project 2018.

Even if you have been in our shows before, we politely request that you

read this document very carefully.

Following the success in October 2017 of Les Misérables, School Edition,

which featured 56 young people, we believe that there is the appetite and

desire to produce full-length musicals for young people in Cambridge. We

are now looking for a cast of enthusiastic, talented and committed young

people to take part in one of the greatest musicals of all time.

Participants must be at least 11 and no older than 21 years of age on

Monday 27 August 2018.

Proof of ID may be requested. Unfortunately, we are unable to make any

exceptions to these age restrictions.

CTC’s Priscilla Queen of the Desert

CTC’s Les Misérables School Edition

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THE INFORMATION PACK

This information pack is made up of the following documents:

Information Pack

Audition Form

The participant must read through the pack and, if they are under the age of 18,

share the information with their parents/guardians.

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OFFICIAL OVERVIEWWest Side Story tells the tragic love story

between the central characters, Maria and

Tony, each from different neighbourhoods

in New York City. The strength of their love

cannot overcome the hatred between the

warring street gangs, the Sharks and the

Jets.

The Bernstein and Sondheim score is

considered to be one of Broadway’s finest

and features beloved American musical

theatre classics including Something’s

Coming, Tonight, America, I Feel Pretty and

Somewhere.

WEST SIDE STORY CREATIVE TEAM Director & Choreographer

Chris Cuming

Musical Director

Graham Brown

Company Manager

Sam Fuller

Produced by

Louis Ling

for Cambridge Theatre Company

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YOUNG COMPANY PROJECT The Young Company Project aims to bring over

60 young people together to create a fantastic

show. The friendships, experiences and memories

that are formed during projects like these are

wonderfully unique and last a lifetime. The

project is the product of a lot of hard work and

time, and it is only through the commitment

of everyone involved that the final result is so

spectacular.

CTC’s Priscilla Queen of the DesertCTC’s Les Misérables School Edition

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DIRECTOR’S VISION Chris Cuming, Director 

Shakespeare wrote Romeo & Juliet and, since then, the story has

endured and remained relevant, being continuously studied, performed

and analysed. However it’s more than just a story, it’s a reality that has

taken place, and continues to take place, again and again around the

world.

In 1957, in a reworking of Shakespeare’s tragic play, West Side Story told

the passionate story of two New York gangs, one of indigenous and one

of immigrant young people. They fight over their perceived “territory”

and express their need for love and freedom within the constraints of

their society, in a way that is as relevant today as it was then.

We are looking for a young energetic team who are open to challenging

themselves through re-imagining and re-telling this wonderful piece,

with its stunning score and choreography that remains iconic to this day.

If you want to work like a triple threat and use all your singing, dancing

and acting skills, this is a show of real story telling in all its forms.

It will be an intensive process where we will demand a lot of your

energy. We will certainly have fun, but it will be hard work on you

physically with a lot to learn.If you want to progress your talents, to

develop and put on a professional production, then please join our

creative cast to explore and tell this wonderful story.

CTC’s Priscilla Queen of the Desert

CTC’s Les Misérables School Edition

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THE AUDITION PROCESSThe auditions will take place on Saturday 28 and Sunday 29 April 2018 at CSVPA Dance

Studios, Sturton Street, Cambridge CB1 2QG (corner of New Street and Sturton Street).

There is car parking at this venue.

All participants should arrive promptly in order to register and sign in. In the interests of

security, the doors will be locked at the start of the workshop when all participants have

signed in. Anyone wishing to audition after this time will not be admitted.

SATURDAY 28 APRIL 9.15am - Registration

9.30-11am – Workshop 1

10.30am - Registration

11am-12.30pm – Workshop 2

12pm – Registration

12.30-2pm – Workshop 3

2.30-5pm – Recalls*

SUNDAY 29 APRIL9.15am - Registration

9.30-11am – Workshop 4

10.30am - Registration

11am-12.30pm – Workshop 5

12pm – Registration

12.30-2pm – Workshop 6

2.30-5pm – Recalls*

The audition form at the end of this

pack must be completed. Please

bring this along to your audition

with a passport-sized photo of the

participant attached to it.

HOW TO BOOK YOUR AUDITION SLOTPlease request your audition by email to,

wss@camtheatrecompany.co.uk with your

preferred workshop date/time, age and

WEST SIDE STORY in the subject line of

the email.

CLOTHING

Participants will be required to wear

sensible clothing and footwear (soft-soled,

no heels). All participants will take part

in a physical warm up so please come in

comfortable, loose clothing. Please do

not wear jewellery or anything that might

prohibit your movement or cause an injury

whilst dancing.

You will not be allowed to audition either

barefoot or in socks.

*If we request to see you for recalls on the day you have auditioned,

please ensure you have availability between 2.30-5pm.

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HOW THE AUDITION DAY WORKS Once everyone is signed in we will introduce the members of the Production Team and

explain how the workshop will be run.

Participants do not need to prepare anything for the audition workshop. Participants will

be taught a verse and chorus of a West Side Story song, either America or Cool, and they

will be taught a short dance piece on the day. It’s important to highlight that we don’t just

expect the ‘best’ singers, dancers and actors; we like to recognise potential and work with

individuals throughout the process.

We cannot predict a finishing time, but our aim is to have seen everyone by the end of each

session. After that we will ask selected individuals to come back for recalls later on the day

of their audition from 2.30-5pm, so please ensure you will be available for this.

If you are asked to stay on you can wait in the waiting room until you have been seen or

leave the site but it is your responsibility to be back on time, so please bring plenty to eat

and drink.

We would recommend bringing a mobile phone so that you can contact your parents

regarding lifts at the end of the audition.

Expect there to be a lot of waiting around, as we will be auditioning over 180 people over 2

days. Bring quiet things to do to keep you occupied; CTC will not take any responsibility for

personal belongings that may get lost.

Parents/guardians wishing to stay and wait for their children may wait in the waiting room.

Once everyone is signed into the building and the auditions are underway the main doors

will be locked. This is to enable us to keep the building secure whilst the auditions are going

on. Parents/guardians will not be allowed to watch the audition workshop.

You must request your audition by email

to wss@camtheatrecompany.co.uk with

your preferred workshop date/time, young

person’s age and WEST SIDE STORY in the

subject line of the email.

Please bring your completed audition

contact form with attached passport style

photo with you on the day.

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BREAKDOWN OF ROLESTONY (MALE LEAD, tenor) A handsome, sincere, and sweet young

man, who has outgrown the Jets

RIFF (MALE LEAD, tenor) Charismatic, intelligent, slightly wacky

leader of the Jets

MARIA (FEMALE LEAD, soprano) A lovely young immigrant

Puerto Rican girl, excited and enthusiastic about her new life in

America, but with stubborn inner strength

ANITA (FEMALE LEAD, mezzo-soprano) Older and wiser in the

ways of the world than Maria, flashy, sharp-tongued, and with a

knowing sexuality

BERNARDO (male lead, baritone) Handsome, proud, fluid leader

of the Sharks, with a sardonic chip on his shoulder

CHINO (male, baritone) Shy, gentle, sweet-faced young boy, the

intended husband of Maria

ACTION (male, baritone) Most aggressive member of the Jets, a

cat-like ball of fury

ANYBODYS (female) Scrawny teen-aged girl, dressed to imitate

the Jets, who desperately wants to be taken seriously by them

DETECTIVE SCHRANK (male) Plainclothes policeman used to

being in charge, superficially pleasant to cover his venom, fear and

bigotry

OFFICER KRUPKE (male) A not-too-bright street cop

DIESEL (male, baritone) Lieutenant to Riff, big, slow, steady

BABY JOHN (male, baritone) Youngest member of the Jets,

awed at everything, even being a Jet; tries to act like a big man, but

is vulnerable

A-RAB (male, baritone) Small of stature, enjoys everything, takes

nothing seriously, unaware, can be explosive

SNOWBOY (male, baritone) Bespectacled, self-styled expert

VELMA (female, mezzo-soprano) Riff’s girlfriend, young, slithery,

sexy, lost in a world of jive

GRAZIELLA (female, mezzo-soprano) Diesels’s girlfriend,

impressed with herself

PEPE (male, baritone) Lieutenant to Bernardo, typically proud,

and resentful of discrimination

CONSUELO (female, mezzo-soprano) Pepe’s girlfriend, tough,

young Puerto Rican girl, lots of baubles

ROSALIA (female, mezzo-soprano) Young Puerto Rican girl,

more demure, not too bright

GLAD HAND (male) Nerdy, overly cheerful and ill-equipped

social director at the local gym dance

JETS MALE ENSEMBLE

JETS FEMALE ENSEMBLE

SHARKS MALE ENSEMBLE

SHARKS FEMALE ENSEMBLE

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REHEARSALS & PERFORMANCESAll rehearsals will be held in Cambridge. The rehearsal venues have not been confirmed yet. The performances will take place at The Great Hall

at The Leys School throughout the October 2018 half term week (week beginning 22 October).

The production week times vary and are subject to change so do check below for a rough timing outline.

If participants are required to stay late for technical rehearsals or dress runs then their day will begin later to ensure that we adhere to child

performance regulations. We ask parents to ensure that their children are prepared with a packed lunch and water bottle so they can refill it

during the course of the day.

Full commitment is expected throughout the rehearsal period. If your child isn’t required on a particular day we will inform you in advance, and

that will be a bonus!

The breakdown of the rehearsal schedule will be made available to the selected cast members before the project begins.

REHEARSAL DATES Monday 27 August – Saturday 1 September 2017, 10-6pm

(You must be available for the entire week, please remember

Mon 27 August is a bank holiday)

PRODUCTION DATES

Fri 7 Sep, 7-10pm

Sun 9 Sep, 12-6pm

Fri 14 Sep, 7-10pm

Sun 16 Sep, 12-6pm

Fri 21 Sep 7-10pm

Sun 23 Sep, 12-6pm

Fri 28 Sep, 7-10pm

Sun 30 Sep, 12-6pm

Fri 5 Oct, 7-10pm

Sun 7 Oct, 12-6pm

Fri 12 Oct, 7-10pm

Sun 14 Oct, 12-6pm

Fri 19 Oct, 7-10pm

Sun 21 Oct, 12-6pm

Tuesday 23 October 

4.30pm – Sign In

5.00pm – Technical Rehearsal

10pm – End of Technical Rehearsal

Wednesday 24 October

12pm – Sign In

2.30pm – Dress Rehearsal

7.30pm Performance

Thursday 25 October

12.30pm - Sign In

2.30pm - Performance

7.30pm - Performance

Friday 26 October

5.30pm – Sign In

7.30pm – Performance

Saturday 27 October  

12.30pm – Sign In

2.30pm - Performance

7.30pm - Performance

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FEES£165.00 per participant

If a family has more than one member in the project, each additional

sibling will be charged at £145.00 per participant.

The fee does not include meals or transportation, which remain the

responsibility of the parent/guardian.

All fees must be paid by Sunday 1 July 2018. If you decide

to withdraw from the project then the participant’s fee is non

refundable.

Failure to pay by the deadline above will result in the participant

being excluded from the project.

SUBSIDISED PLACESThere are a limited number of subsidised places on offer for those

who genuinely cannot afford the fees. Please contact Louis Ling,

office@camtheatrecompany.co.uk for an application form. You may

be asked to supply proof of earnings.

COSTUMES AND PROPSAlthough we are providing costumes and props, participants will be

asked to provide some basic elements of costume that hopefully

can be found easily at home or from a charity shop etc. We will

also create a props list and ask participants to ask family and

friends to look in attics and garages for items that we can use in the

production.

NOTE TO PARENTS We rely on good communication with parents to ensure that the

project runs smoothly, therefore please ensure that all the forms are

filled out correctly. We will endeavour to email any information to

you as well as your child to keep you informed of rehearsal times

and schedules. Please do not hesitate to contact us should you need

to discuss further any information regarding your child and their

involvement in West Side Story.

DECISIONS

You will be notified of the result of your audition by email no later

than Sunday 6 May 2018. The full cast list will be posted on the

CTC website, once all the emails have gone out and the roles have

been accepted. The decision of the production team is final and

correspondence regarding casting will not be entered into.

ENQUIRIES We look forward to seeing you at auditions and please tell your

friends about this fantastic opportunity. It is going to be a wonderful

experience that we would love to share with you all.

If you have any questions concerning the Young Company Project,

please email wss@camtheatrecompany.co.uk