MALTZ JUPITER THEATRE ANNOUNCES LOCAL YOUTH AUDITIONS FOR THE KING AND I
May 29, 2013 (Jupiter) – The Maltz Jupiter Theatre is welcoming local children of Asian descent to take their First Step to Stardom!
The Maltz Jupiter Theatre is seeking youth with a family background from Asian countries to audition for the Theatre’s professional production of the beloved Tony Award®-winning phenomenon The King and I. The show’s story takes place in Thailand, formerly known as Siam.
“Since most of the characters in the musical are Asian, we are committed to make sure the Maltz Jupiter Theatre’s professional production of The King and I is as authentic as possible,” said Andrew Kato, the Theatre’s producing artistic director. “We are delighted to be inviting local families to take part in one of the great theater classics of our time.”
Youth auditions for The King and I (ages 5 to 16) will take place from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. on Wednesday, July 17, at the Maltz Jupiter Theatre Paul and Sandra Goldner Conservatory of Performing Arts, located at the back side of the Theatre building. Participants will learn a dance routine and learn a song as part of the audition. Students are asked to wear dance clothing and dance shoes or sneakers (no sandals or open-toe shoes).
“We’re hoping to engage underserved parts of Palm Beach County,” Kato said. “Too often, the children’s roles in The King and I go to Caucasian children who are made to look Asian. Theater has the responsibility to be truthful in casting, and therefore we are adding additional resources and effort to getting the word out to the Asian community about this casting opportunity.”
A Rodgers and Hammerstein musical masterpiece, The King and I follows a British schoolteacher hired by the King to modernize his country in 19th-century Siam. The show is complete with opulent sets, lavish costumes and a lush score of classics including “Getting to Know You,” “Hello Young Lovers” and many more. This Tony Award-winning Broadway phenomenon will leave you whistling a happy tune! Sponsored by Joe and Kathy Savarese and Homecare America and Roe Green, performances will take place March 18 – April 6, 2014.
The event comes at the heels of the success of the Theatre’s fourth annual First Step to Stardom audition day in April, which drew hundreds of children to audition for The King as I, as well as the family favorite musical Annie, the new musical Through the Looking Glass and a Shakespearian classic produced through the Theatre’s high school mentorship program: Hamlet.
“We are hosting a second round of auditions for The King and I to make sure local families are aware of the many opportunities that exist at our Theatre,” Kato said. “This is a wonderful way to expose children to professional theatre, and we’re so happy that students have the opportunity to be cast in such a diverse, culturally rich production.”
Mothers may also have an opportunity to be supplemental extras in the musical alongside their children.
For additional information and to register, visit www.jupitertheatre.org/fsts or call the hotline: (562) 972-6113. Advance registration is strongly encouraged.
About the Maltz Jupiter Theatre The not-for-profit Maltz Jupiter Theatre has become one of Florida’s preeminent professional theatres, committed to production and education through its collaborations with local and national artists. Currently the state’s largest award-winning regional theatre, the Theatre draws over 70,000 people annually, serves a subscription base of more than 7,530 and has world-class classroom facilities in support of its Paul and Sandra Goldner Conservatory of Performing Arts, which serves hundreds of youth and adults. The Theatre is a member of the prestigious League of Resident Theatres and has earned numerous Carbonell Awards, South Florida’s highest honor for artistic excellence, including the prestigious Bill Von Maurer Award for Theatrical Excellence in 2012. For more information about the Theatre’s upcoming shows and Conservatory, visit www.jupitertheatre.org or call the box office at (561) 575-2223.