Auditions: Disaster! The Musical

WHATCo’s Mainstage season musical is Disaster!,  a new musical homage to the 1970’s disaster film genre featuring some of the most unforgettable songs of the decade. “Knock on Wood,” “Hooked on a Feeling,” “Sky High,” “I Am Woman,” and “Hot Stuff” are just a few of the scintillating hits in this hilarious musical comedy with a book by three-time Emmy Award nominee and SiriusXM Broadway host, Seth Rudetsky, and Jack Plotnick.

It’s 1979, and New York’s hottest A-listers are lining up for the opening of a floating casino and discotheque. Also attending is a faded disco star, a sexy nightclub singer with her eleven-year-old twins, a disaster expert, a feminist reporter, an older couple with a secret, a pair of young guys who are looking for ladies, an untrustworthy businessman and a nun with a gambling addiction. What begins as a night of boogie fever quickly changes to panic as the ship succumbs to multiple disasters, such as earthquakes, tidal waves and infernos. As the night turns into day, everyone struggles to survive and, quite possibly, repair the love that they’ve lost… or at least escape the killer rats.

Open auditions for Disaster!, directed by Jessa Blackthorne, with musical direction by Scott Burzynski, choreography by Bong Dizon, and stage management by Athena Nakrosis will be held as follows:

Audition Date & Times:

• Saturday, January 27, 2024  from 2pm – 5pm
• Sunday, January 28, 2024 from 7pm – 10 pm
• Callbacks will be Monday, January 29, 2024 from 7pm to 10 pm

Location: 15 Frank E. Rodgers Blvd. South, Harrison, NJ (the former Holy Cross High School)

Production Dates: April 26, 27 and May 2, 3, 4 @ 7:30 pm/ April 28 @ 2:00 pm

Rehearsals Begin: February 2024, exact schedule TBD

*Please prepare 32 bars of a 70s Pop song. Please bring music in the correct key, an accompanist will be provided. Be prepared to dance*

Actors will be asked to read from the provided sides.

All types welcome! See character descriptions below.

Questions? Contact disaster@whatconj.org

Please list all conflicts between auditions and the production dates on your audition form.

Character Descriptions:

Chad
A handsome and winning man. Pretends to be a player, but is really still heartbroken over the loss of his first love. Tenor with a great rock and pop voice.
Age: 25 to 40
Vocal range top: B4

Scott
Goofy guy. A nerd who wants to be cool. Tenor with a sweet voice.
Age: 25 to 40
Vocal range top: B4

Ted
A disaster expert. Non-emotional. Dry. A serious, professorial type. Baritone.
Age: 35 to 50
Vocal range top: Pop voice to a G4. Mix to a B4.

Marianne  
An attractive and focused journalist. Insecure underneath it all. Great, high pop belt.
Age: 25 to 40
Vocal range top: F#5  (sustained)

Tony
A very unscrupulous but attractive and (sometimes) charming middle-aged schemer.
Age: 35 to 50
Vocal range top: Ab4

Jackie
An aging but still sexy showgirl and now lounge singer. Dumb but honest. Goldie Hawn-esque. Pop belt.
Age: 32 to 42
Vocal range top: D5

Ben / Lisa
Smart boy and girl twins played by the same actor. Honest and direct. Jackie’s son and daughter. Amazing pop voice. Belt to a high D.
Age: 10 to 13 (but open to adult actors to play 10-13 as well)
Vocal range top: D5

Sister Mary Downy
Awkward, judgmental nun with a gambling addiction. Great pop/gospel high belt. Has to sustain a high Ab! Soprano. Guitar ability a plus but not required.
Age: 30 to 50
Vocal range top: B5

Shirley
Maury’s wife. Lovable and jolly Jewish woman. Tap Dancing a plus. Great comedic actress.
Age: 50 to 65
Vocal range top: B4

Maury
Lovable and jolly. Shirley’s dedicated husband.  Pop voice.
Age: 50 to 65
Vocal range top: G4

Levora Verona
A flamboyant and glamorous faded disco diva. Pushy and sassy but in love with her sweet dog. Great gospel/pop voice. High belt to an E, soprano/gospel notes above that.
Age: 30 to 50
Vocal range top: E5

Ensemble
Able to play various glamorous party guests/character roles. Great comedic chops, good dance ability and great voices needed.
Ages: 25+

SIDE LIST:

Side 1 (Chad, Scott, Young Woman 1, Young Woman 2)

Side 2 (Chad, Marianne)

Side 3 (Scott, Shirley)

Side 4 (Ted, Tony)

Side 5 (Ted, Jackie)

Side 6 (Marianne, Tony)

Side 7 (Marianne, Shirley, Maury)

Side 8 (Ben/Lisa, Jackie, Tony)

Side 9 (Sister, Shirley)

Side 10 (Shirley, Maury, Sister)

Side 11 (Sister, Levora)

Side 12 (Group Scene)

DISASTER! is presented through special arrangement with Music Theater International (MTI). All authorized performance materials are also supplied by MTI. www.mtishows.com

West Hudson Arts & Theater Company values diversity and inclusion in casting, and in all other areas of the organization.