Players is hosting auditions for The Addams Family in the Black Box.
@PLAYERSMU / INSTAGRAM
Angelina Persaud, Senior Writer
Kooky and spooky, Manhattan University Players are set to host auditions for their spring musical comedy, The Addams Family, on Tuesday, Jan. 21.
This isn’t the first time Players has taken on a musical production, with past performances of 9 to 5 and Dogfight in recent years.
The audition process for The Addams Family will include students being able to sing a song of their choice during the initial auditions. However, students will also be required to perform a dance component with their first round auditions, which will be taught to them the day of by the Players’ co-choreographers, John O’Connor and Brylee Watkins.
Olivia Bailey, producer for Players, spoke about how the production will be slightly different than previous years, as they’re hoping to have the audience engage with the actors on stage at various points throughout the show.
“The production is going to be probably a little more interactive than what Manhattan audiences are used to,” Bailey said. “We might have people in and out of the audience, and they might be interacting with the members [of Players].”
Aaron Schoepf, production manager for Players, spoke to The Quadrangle about the process of choosing this particular production for the spring and the certain guidelines to follow to obtain rights to perform the production.
“We went back to the pitches we had from the previous year, and Guys and Dolls was a big fan favorite,” Schoepf said. “We put in the rights, we announce it, everything’s great, and then all of a sudden we’re told that it’s going on tour. With theater, because we’re so close to the city, we cannot do a show that they’re doing on Broadway, off Broadway, or on tour. That’s usually true for anywhere. We put in the rights for Addams Family and it finally got approved.”
Schoepf emphasized that auditioning for a musical can seem daunting at first since there’s more effort required for song and dance choices, but students should look at it as a chance to showcase their talents.
“I think people are a little nervous because they hear dance calls and they’re like, ‘Oh my god, I have to do all of this stuff’,” Schoepf said. “But it’s really just to see where you are at with dancing. It’s a little nerve wracking when you audition for a musical, but it’s really not that bad.”
O’Connor, former member of the Jasper Dancers and co-choreographer for Players, shared the ideas he’s hoping to bring forth into the audition process with Watkins, current assistant coach of the Jasper Dancers. He noted that he’s leaning on his experience from the dance team to enhance the entertainment and audition experience.
“I think the Jasper Dancers definitely changed the way I look at dance,” O’Connor said. “I danced my whole life for the most part, but then being a Jasper dancer, I learned a lot more about uniformity and different styles and technique. Addams Family is cool because a lot of the music within the show has different styles of dance. So there is going to be a tap number, but then there’s also a really fun jazz number with all the girls.”
O’Connor also spoke about the challenges that come with teaching people a new dance routine on the spot for the first time, especially when everyone has a different skill level and experience with dancing.
“I think probably the biggest thing is taking myself out of it and realizing that everyone’s at different levels,” O’Connor said. “Say you have a freshman coming in who’s just now working with Players…it’s the first musical they’ve ever done, realizing that they may be at a different level than a senior who’s been in every musical since they’ve gotten here. [It’s] realizing there’s different learning styles and really finding a way to cater to everyone and making sure everyone is comfortable, having fun and still learning.”
Players also emphasized that putting together a production takes a lot of effort from everyone involved, but that each production gives a chance for growth and unity amongst the cast.
Annie Brennan, house manager for Players, voiced her excitement to see the well-known story of The Addams Family brought to life and the creativity Players brings to its performances.
“I just love the Addams Family in general,” Brennan said. “It’s one of my favorite shows, so getting to see people I know in it is so much fun. People on the board are all so talented, and the people in Players in general are really talented.”
Bailey, who has been with Players since her freshman year and is currently a junior, says that she’s seen much growth in both herself and Players with each performance.
“You can present yourself better when you’re performing,” Bailey said. “Everyone has grown. Everyone’s learning new things, I think especially with dancing. It’s nice to see what people learn through that. We have some people who want to perform professionally, or who are already performing professionally, so it’s exciting to see what they do here.”