East versus West makes for a dramatic, richly textured and ultimately uplifting tale of enormous fascination. It is 1862 in Siam when an English widow, Anna Leonowens, and her young son arrive at the Royal Palace in Bangkok, having been summoned by the King to serve as tutor to his many children and wives. With both keeping a firm grip on their respective traditions and values, Anna and the King grow to understand and, eventually, respect one another, in a truly unique love story. Along with the dazzling score, the incomparable Jerome Robbins ballet, "The Small House of Uncle Thomas," is one of the all-time marvels of the musical stage.

Performers of all ethnicities are strongly encouraged to audition. Casting is completely open—meaning we will consider all performers (regardless of race) for every role!!!

This is a tuition-based educational theatre program.

Projected Show Dates: Early September 2010 @ Seaholm or Groves High School

Audition: BY Appointment

Rehearsals begin: August 1, 2010

Audition Location: Birmingham/Bloomfield Hills area.

Rehearsals begin: August 1, 2010

Before attending our audition session—please thoroughly read all of the audition and production information listed on this site.

Schedule Conflicts:
DREAM PLAYERS PRODUCTIONS' CONFLICT POLICY
We strongly recommend that you plan your extended family vacation after the show is over. It is very difficult to produce a quality show if we have numerous cast members missing a lot of rehearsals due to summer vacations. The staff does not have time to re-teach blocking and dances that they have missed. Part of Dream Players Productions commitment to you is to provide a positive learning experience and this is difficult to accomplish if attendance is poor. Every cast member is important and there is a hole when they are missing. Please read our conflict policy and look at the dates we have posted in order to make a well-informed decision before participating in one of our summer productions.

Rehearsal times will vary from one role to another as rehearsals are scheduled around scenes. Therefore, some participants will rehearse more often than other participants. Once you receive your audition form --you are asked to indicate if you have regular rehearsal conflicts during the week and on weekends.
Note:: A complete rehearsal schedule is not available at this time.

ALL PUBLISHED REHEARSAL TIMES AND DATES ARE SUBJECT TO CHANGE.

Rehearsals will begin: The week of August 1, 2010

ALL PARTICIPANTS are required to attend dress rehearsal every night of performance week. These rehearsals are vital for everyone in the company – please do not have your child audition if they are unable to attend.

We anticipate rehearsals running well into the evening the week of the show.

ATTENDANCE/CONFLICT POLICY DETAILS
1. We require you to submit all conflicts during the auditions.

2. All conflicts must be handed in by the last night of callbacks.

3. Additional conflicts or new conflicts are considered unexcused absences, and may lead to being dropped from the show.

3a. If a performer is forced to withdraw because of too many conflicts, no tuition will be refunded.

4. We accept two unexcused absences and we do keep track of unexcused absences.

5. We reserve the right to not cast a participant if that person has an excessive number of conflicts.

6. Participants may have NO conflicts during technical weeks (the last two and a half weeks of rehearsals before the show opens.)

Parent/Cast Orientation: TBD

• Audition Reservations: Open (via email only)
Email: audition@daydreaminc.net

• Fee: Participants who are cast will pay a $230* production fee. Tuition is non-refundable.

• ADDITIONAL FEES (most are optional):
--Merchandise (cast t-shirts/sweatpants/bags, etc.)
--Cast Retreat (not optional)
--Show tickets
--Field trips
--Costume accessories/shoes (not optional)
--Cast Party
These and other ancillary costs are not included in the tuition fee.

•Parent Volunteer Hours are REQUIRED for all parents! Children of parents who fail to volunteer for both a pre-production duty and show duty will be dismissed from the cast. Tuition is non-refundable.

• Performance location: Seaholm or Birmingham Groves High School

• ALL ROLES ARE ANNOUNCED DURING THE PARENT/CAST MEETING

Parents of performers are required to attend a short meeting at the start of auditions. We will not allow students to audition if a parent/legal guardian is unable to attend the meeting.

What To Prepare (PLEASE READ CAREFULLY!)

For Students currently in Kindergarten, First and Second Grades:  No Preparation Necessary. We will teach you a song and a dance combination during the audition.
 Wear comfortable shoes and clothes that allow for movement. No sandals.

For Students currently in Third Grade and Higher:

1. Please prepare a legitimate musical piece (i.e. Musical Theatre, Folk, Gospel or Disney) that shows your vocal range, musicality and dramatic ability.
1a. VERY IMPORTANT: Please NO selections from "Hannah Montana", "High School Musical," or “Part of Your World” from “The Little Mermaid”.
Please do not prepare a song from the musical The King and I, or Aida.
2. VERY IMPORTANT: Please plan on performing your musical selection with the same amount of acting with which you rehearse and perform a monologue or scene.
3. Bring your sheet music (w/full piano accompaniment) with you.
4. An accompanist will be provided. Performing to recorded music or a capella is strictly prohibited.
5. Please dress for movement. For the dance portion of the audition please have soft tennis shoes, ballet/character/jazz shoes available.
6. REQUIRED:Bring a headshot (regardless if you’ve auditioned for us in the past). This does not need to be a professionally-taken headshot. The photo should be a 8”x10” and a current portrait-type shot of your face. Make sure you are the only one in the picture. The photo will not be returned to you. Please write your full name on the back of your 8”x10” photo.
7. Arrive 15 minutes before your audition appointment.
8. PLEASE NOTE: The entire audition process will take approximately 1 -2 hours.

Local Sheet Music resource:
--Annie’s Music in Rochester

ADVICE: Please do not wait until the last minute to order your music online and/or from a local store. It often takes a couple of weeks for shipping. Also—we strongly suggest practicing/reviewing your sheet music with a pianist before your audition. Do not assume the CD/Radio version of your song is the same as your sheet music. Hearing the sheet music version of a song for the first time during an actual audition will not allow you to perform at your best!!!

Online Sheet Music Resources:
--JW Pepper Music online
--www.sheetmusicplus.com
--www.amazon.com

About Audition Call Backs

Receiving a Call Back does not guarantee a part in the show, nor does not being Called Back mean you didn’t get a part.

Audition Call Backs for “The King and I” are scheduled for June 13, 2010

Call backs are usually a minimum of 4 hours and can last up to 8 hours.

IMPORTANT:
IF YOU RECEIVE A CALLBACK--YOU MUST BE ABLE TO ATTEND THE ENTIRE CALL BACK SESSION. FLEXIBILITY & PATIENCE ARE A MUST DURING OUR CALLBACK SESSION. IF YOU RECEIVE A CALLBACK AND ARE UNABLE TO ATTEND--WE WILL NOT BE ABLE TO ACCOMMODATE A SEPARATE CALL BACK TIME FOR YOU.

Please email us with the following information:
FULL NAME:
STUDENTS EMAIL ADDRESS:
AGE (as of this very moment):
GRADE (2009/2010 semester):
SCHOOL:
HOME PHONE NUMBER:
PARENT(S) NAME:
PARENTS EMAIL ADDRESS:
AUDITION CALL NOTIFICATION (Friend, School, Newspaper, PD email, Audition Website, etc.):

We will contact you, via email, within 7-12 days with a confirmed time and additional audition details.

THE KING AND I
The action passes in and around the King's Palace, Bangkok, Siam.
Time: Early eighteen sixties.


Characters

The King -of Siam is a strong, intelligent, willful patriarch unused to being defied and quick to anger. He is secretly plagued with self-doubt, tries to hide his emotions. Eager to learn the ways of the “scientific” modern world he wants his country to join.

Anna Leonowens - a strong , intelligent, brave, no-nonsense, yet sentimental British governess and loving mother of one. Considers herself to be the equal of men.

Lady Thiang -the King’s “number one wife.” She is the mother of Prince Chulalongkorn, and the most dignified, poised, well-educated, and wise of his many wives.

Lun Tha -Emissary from Burma charged with delivering Tuptim. He makes his delivery, but not before falling completely in love with her.

Tuptim -a beautiful and intelligent young woman and a gift from the king of Burma to the King of Siam, who makes her his newest wife. She is in love with Lun Tha.

Louis Leonowens - son of Anna. He’s a typical British schoolboy of the upper class.

Prince Chululongkorn -The young Prince is a junior version of his father’s arrogance and self-assured leadership and heir to the throne.

The Kralahome -King's stern Prime Minister. His only goal is to protect the King, but he is very committed to the "old ways" and resists change.

Sir Edward Ramsay - Proper English gentleman-once asked Anna to marry him.

Captain Orton -ship's captain

The Interpreter

Royal Wives

Royal Princes and Princesses

Princess Ying Yaowlak -- a royal daughter

"The Small House of Uncle Thomas" Royal Dancers