News Release 08-112-D

Auditions held at UCC for OMT play, The Producers

	News Release 08-112-D	For more information:
	Release date: 04/22/09	Bentley Gilbert
	For immediate release	(541) 440-7747
	http://www.umpqua.edu/ 

Winchester -- The Oregon Musical Theatre Festival will be holding auditions for their summer production of “The Producers,”, on Sunday, May 17 from 7 to 9 p.m., and on Wednesday, May 20 from 7 to 9 p.m., in the Whipple Fine Arts Center on the Umpqua Community College campus. This Broadway musical, written by Mel Brooks and Thomas Meehan, won 12 Tony Awards when it opened on Broadway in 2001.

Fifty parts are available for women, men and children of all ethnic backgrounds. Try-outs are open to the public, for ages 14 and older. Previous acting experience is not required.

Those who wish to audition need to appear at only one of the auditions for the initial try-out. Please bring a prepared song to sing for the audition, along with the sheet music. A piano accompanist will be provided. Wear clothing that will allow freedom of movement.

Scripts of the play are available at the front desk of the UCC library for a brief check-out. The show will be performed in Jacoby Auditorium, July 23 through August 2, as a part of the newly-formed Oregon Musical Theatre Festival, featuring 23 performances of three different shows on three stages during July 23 through August 3 at Umpqua Community College. “The Producers” will be directed by Dean Remick. Jason Heald will serve as music director.

Musicians are also needed for the orchestra, and volunteers are needed to help with scenery construction and painting, costumes, props, lights, sound, etc. For more information about the play or auditions, call 440-4691 or 784-7796.

Story

The action is set in New York and the year is 1959. Max Bialystock was once the king of Broadway, but now all his shows close on opening night. Things turn around when he's visited by the neurotic accountant Leo Bloom, who proposes a scheme tailor-made for producers who can only make flops: raise far more money than you need, then make sure the show is despised. No one will be interested in it, so you can pocket the surplus. To this end, they produce a musical called “Springtime for Hitler” written by escaped Nazi, Franz Liebken, then they get a completely insane director, Roger De Bris. Finally, they hire a loopy Swedish bombshell as their leading actress. As opening night draws near, what can go wrong? Well, there's no accounting for taste. The production is a huge hit, much to their chagrin.