March 1, 2025March 1, 2025

Sweet Charity Auditions

Audition Notice
Sweet Charity

Wheaton Drama invites you to audition for Sweet Charity

Wheaton Drama is pleased to announce auditions for the classic, mid-century musical, “Sweet Charity” –  Book by Neil Simon, Music by Cy Coleman, and Lyrics by Dorothy Fields. Inspired by Federico Fellini’s Nights of Cabiria, Sweet Charity explores the turbulent love life of Charity Hope Valentine, a hopelessly romantic but comically unfortunate dance hall hostess in New York City. With a groovy, tuneful mid-60s score and a hilarious book, Sweet Charity captures all the energy, humor, and heartbreak of Life in the Big City for an unfortunate but irrepressible optimist. Musical numbers include: “Big Spender”, “If My Friends Could See Me Now”, and “The Rhythm of Life”. Please note: This is an unpaid, non-Equity production.

Performances and Showtimes

May 23 to June 15, 2025, Thursdays, Fridays, and Saturdays at 7:30 p.m., Sundays at 2:00 p.m.

Auditions

Auditions will be held Sunday March 30 from 6pm to 10 pm., Monday March 31 from 7pm to 10pm, and Tuesday, April 1 from 7 pm to 10 pm at the theater, 111 N. Hale Street, Wheaton. Auditions are by appointment.

To reserve an audition time, please e-mail the following address with your Name, Phone, E-mail and preferred day and hour slot to [email protected]. 

You will receive a followup e-mail with an audition form and your reserved slot. Please prepare 32 bars of a song in the style of the show that best shows off your range and acting ability. An accompanist will be provided. You will also be asked to learn choreography, so please be dressed to move.

Callbacks

Callbacks are set for Wednesday, April 2 from 7:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m. Callbacks will consist of readings and songs from the show. Everyone called back will receive sides containing scenes. A callback does not guarantee that you will be cast; not being called back does not necessarily mean you have not been cast.

Rehearsals

The first cast meeting and readthrough will be Monday, April 7 at 7 p.m. at the theater. Rehearsals will be held on Sundays times TBD and Monday through Thursday evenings, 7 to 10. Not all cast members will be called for all rehearsals.

CHARACTER BREAKDOWN:

We’re seeking a diverse cast of versatile actors, many of whom will play several roles. Please use age ranges as suggestions only.

  • Charity Hope Valentine (Alto/Mezzo, female presenting): 20s to 40s. Our main character. A dancer at the Fandango ballroom with a heart of gold. Love means everything to her. Optimistic, caring, quirky. Looking for someone with great comic timing and fearlessness. Strong dancer, actor, singer.
  • Oscar Lindquist (Baritone, male presenting): 20s to 40s. Charity’s main relationship in the show. A romantic, a dreamer, a neurotic. Insecure about himself and how he deals with Charity’s past and present.
  • Nickie (Alto/Mezzo, female presenting) 20s to 40s. One of Charity’s best friends, also a dancer at the Fandango Ballroom. A mother figure to the girls, including Charity, has dreams to leave her old life behind. Strong dancer.
  • Helene (Alto/Mezzo, female presenting) 20s to 40s. Another pal of Charity’s, a firecracker, has a jaded view of life. Strong dancer.
  • Rosie (Alto/Mezzo, female presenting) A fresh new face at the Fandango. Naïve and trusting.
  • Vittorio Vidal (Baritone, male presenting) An Italian film star, à la Marcello Mastriani. Dramatic, charismatic, insufferable. Hopelessly in love with Ursula.
  • Ursula March (spoken role, female presenting) 20s to 40s Vittoria’s beautiful, tempestuous girlfriend.
  • Herman (Tenor, male presenting) 40s and up. The owner of the Fandango Ballroom. A tough New Yorker, a task master with a soft center.
  • Daddy Brubeck (Baritone, male-presenting). Ageless. The minister at the “Rhythm of Life” church. Sings the Act II showstopper. Must have great rhythm, charisma, and the ability to steal the show.
  • Ensemble  (any gender) seeking a flexible ensemble who can take on a variety of roles and dancing styles, including the Fandango Ballroom hostesses. Age range: open.

PRODUCTION TEAM:

  • Director: Pam Turlow
  • Choreographer: Kate McIlvain
  • Music Director: Sara Cate Langham
  • Production Managers: Christine Pfenninger and Krystyn Wells
  • Assistant Director: Ben Dooley
  • Lighting: Jim Van de Velde
  • Sound: Tom French
  • Set Design: Rod Kelly
  • Stage Manager: Bruce Ebner
  • Costumes: Cindy Lonhart and Ruth Fink-Winter
  • Projections: Andy Kanturek
  • Hair and Make-Up: Morgan Dietkus
  • Fight Choreography/Intimacy: Claire Yearman