BKCP is delighted to announce their first casting season in the USA...
NYC VOCALIST AUDITIONS
24th – 26th June 2013
We are looking to cast experienced singers (ideally with Broadway, National Tours, or Cruise Credits) for exceptional cruise contracts onboard various 5 & 6 star luxury vessels for Cunard, Seabourn and Holland-America Line. Excellent rates of pay and conditions.
ALL PERFORMERS MUST BE AGED 21 YEARS OR ABOVE WITH A PLAYING AGE BETWEEN 21 – 40
Males: Minimum Height – 5ft 8
Females: Minimum Height – 5ft 3
Auditions open to all Ethnicities & Nationalities
Union and Non Union
- Fees upwards of $4000 USD per month onboard
- Rehearsals in the UK
- Single en-suite cabin onboard vessel
VOCALISTS ROLE BREAKDOWN
MC: Male Crossover Vocalist - Tenor (Low A to Top B)
Looking for an experienced ‘Leading Man’ tenor who is able to perform ‘legitimate’ material from Opera & Operetta to Musical Theatre & Pop. Strong movement skills. Good sight reading skills desirable.
(Example: Josh Groban & Julian Ovenden).
FC: Female Crossover Vocalist - Soprano (Low G to Top A)
Looking for an experienced ‘Leading Lady’ soprano who is able to perform ‘legitimate’ material from Opera & Operetta to Musical Theatre & Pop. Strong movement skills. Good sight reading skills desirable.
(Example: Katherine Jenkins & Kristin Chenoweth)
M1: Male Pop/ MT Vocalist - High Baritone / Tenor (Low A to Top B - Pop falsetto is desirable)
Strong, dynamic and charismatic ‘front man’ singer who is able to perform Pop/Rock/ R&B and Musical Theatre material. Strong movement skills. Good sight reading skills desirable. (Example: Matthew Morrison & Jeremy Jordan)
F1: Female Pop/ MT Vocalist – Mezzo / Soprano (Low G to Top A)
Strong, dynamic and charismatic ‘vocal diva’ who is able to perform Pop/Rock/R&B and Musical Theatre material. Strong movement skills. Good sight reading skills desirable. (Example: Idina Menzel & Stephanie J. Block)
F2: Female Singer/ Dancer – Alto / Mezzo.
A talented Singer/ Dancer who has both good vocals to sing a variety of materials including Pop/Rock/R&B and Musical Theatre material. Please note singer/ dancers must undertake other ‘social responsibilities/ duties. Excellent movement skills. Good sight reading skills desirable.
(Example: Sutton Foster & Megan Hilty)
TO APPLY FOR AN AUDITION
Please email resumes, headshots, showreels or voice demos to the US Casting Director, Julian Reeve, at julianreevecasting@aol.com clearly marking the role you wish to audition for. Performers providing examples of their vocal ability shall be given priority.
For specific contract information, please contact the Casting Director.
GENERAL CONTRACT INFORMATION
Contracts - A variety of contracts onboard Cunard, Seabourn and Holland America Lines are available commencing at various stages throughout 2013 into 2014. Each contract varies in length, with onboard time varying from 7 – 11 months.
Rehearsals – Rehearsals will be in Northampton, UK (one hour from central London) and will comprise of a 6 day week, normally running Monday to Saturday, 9am-6pm.
Accommodation – During rehearsals in the UK, all cast members will be allocated shared same-sex bedroom and living accommodation. Once onboard, all cast members are allocated en-suite single cabins.
Social Duties – All cast members are required to perform duties outside of their responsibilities as performers. These vary from contract to contract.
Privileges – Cast member privileges vary from contract to contract.
GENERAL AUDITION INFORMATION
All auditions will be held by appointment only. The US Casting Director will contact successful applicants (or their agents if applicable) inviting performers to attend a three part audition process;
Stage 1. Invited Audition (24 - 25 June 2013)
You will be issued with 3/4 specific songs to learn for the role you are auditioning for. These will show us your range and ability in performing different styles and genres. Sheet music and rehearsal tracks will be sent to you to prepare in advance. If successful you will be invited to attend a recall workshop.
Stage 2: Recall Workshop (26 June 2013)
The Workshop runs for half a day and gives you the opportunity to work with other vocalists on four part harmony and movement. The purpose of the workshop is to find out how people work together and help us to create the correct blends of voices that we are seeking.
Stage 3: Personal interview with Belinda King & Russell Hawkins (26 June 2013)
This informal interview with Belinda King (CEO) and Russell Hawkins (Head of Casting) will take place on the afternoon of the recall workshop. It will allow for discussion of the contracts and expectations of the role. Following a successful interview, offers will be made with Agents (if applicable).
Pre[aring for the audition
As professionals we expect a very high level of presentation both on and off the stage so please attend all stages of the audition process suitably dressed.
GIRLS - No casual or baggy clothes. We recommend a day dress or skirt and blouse.
GUYS – No shorts! We suggest smart trousers and a jacket.
For the workshop you will need to bring clothes that allow for movement – such as a tracksuit and trainers, plus smart clothes for the interview as these happen on the same day!
Personal presentation is a very high priority in our casts, as with many contracts, a professional appearance is part of the job.
What to bring
Please bring your resume amd headshot to your audition. This should be clear and current.
Audition days can be long and for a full day, we strongly suggest you arrive prepared! Please bring essentials such as plenty of water and food. We can’t guarantee that the venue where your audition will take place will have all the amenities you need available for purchase – so please make sure you bring sufficient essentials in order for you to stay hydrated and energized.
Who can you expect to see at the audition?
At our June 2013 castings the panel will consist of:
Belinda King: CEO
Lisa Cottrell: Aristic Director
Russell Hawkins: Head of Casting
Duncan Waugh: Musical Director
Julian Reeve: US Casting Director
When you sing you will be accompanied by a pianist.
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UK AUDITIONS
Belinda King Singers' auditions are unique in that for both Open and Invited auditions Singers go through a four part process before they are offered a contract. The process is:
Stage 1. Open or Invited Audition
Stage 2. Recall
Stage 3. Workshop
Stage 4. Personal interview with Belinda King
INVITED AUDITIONS
Invited auditions involve small groups - depending on how many singers we are seeking at that time - but usually there will be no more than twenty people . So attending an Invited Audition increases your chances of obtaining a place in one of our elite casts.
During the course of the audition you will be asked to sing two full songs. These should demonstrate different styles of singing so an uptempo song and a ballad would be ideal. Please note that we do not want to hear just 16 bars of a song – we like to listen to complete songs to give everyone the opportunity to really show us what they can do!
In order to be considered for an Invited Audition, please send us your full CV including head shot and a demo of you singing. This can be in a DVD or MP3 format, or - if you e-mail us - a YouTube™ or Facebook™ link.
Once our Casting Department has received and seen your demo, you will be contacted if you have been successful in obtaining a place at one of our Invited Auditions.
OPEN AUDITIONS
Our open auditions are literally that – open to everyone who believes that they are capable of being a Belinda King Singer.
You are asked to come prepared with two full and contrasting songs – we do not just want to hear 16 bars! You are also asked to bring a full CV and head shot.
If you are successful at the ‘Open’ stage you will invited to a ‘Recall Audition’.
Audition days tend to be long, and the further you get, the longer the day will be… so we encourage you to prepare yourself!
RECALLS
If you are invited to a ‘Recall’ you will be given specific time slot to attend and the necessary materials to learn 2 – 4 songs from our repertoire to perform during the audition. If you are being considered for a position on a Queen Elizabeth contract you may also be given a script for a short acting piece. We usually allow about a week for you to learn the material.
Those that are successful at the recalls will be invited to attend a Workshop.
WORKSHOPS
The workshops run for a whole day and give you the opportunity to work with other singers on 4 part harmonies, acting and improvisation and movement. Every workshop is attended by Russell Hawkins – our Head of Casting, the Artistic Director, the Musical Supervisor and Belinda King, so please don’t feel concerned when you arrive and there are a lot of people in the studio. The purpose of the workshop is to find out how people work together and help us to create the correct blends of voices that we are seeking.
INTERVIEW
The interview is the final stage in the singers audition process and will be a one to one interview with Belinda King. During this you will discuss the conditions of the contract and the expectations of the role.
PREPARING FOR THE AUDITION
As professionals we expect a very high level of presentation both on and off the stage so please attend all stages of the audition process suitably dressed.
GIRLS - No casual or baggy clothes. We recommend a day dress or skirt and blouse.
GUYS – No shorts! We suggest smart trousers and a jacket.
For the workshop you will need to bring clothes that allow for movement – such as a tracksuit and trainers, plus smart clothes for the interview as occasionally these happen on the same day!
Personal presentation is a very high priority in our casts, as with many contracts, a professional appearance is part of the job.
WHAT TO BRING
For Open auditions you will need to bring your CV, including a headshot of yourself. This should be clear and current. You will also need to bring your sheet music prepared for the pianist - sellotaped correctly please! - and not CD's with backing tracks unless specifically stated in the audtion advertisement.
Audition days can be long and for a full day, we strongly suggest you arrive prepared! Please bring essentials such as plenty of water and food. We can’t guarantee that the venue where your audition will take place will have all the amenities you need available for purchase – so please make sure you bring sufficient essentials in order for you to stay hydrated and energized.
WHO CAN YOU EXPECT TO SEE AT AN AUDITION??
You can expect to see a small selection of people. Whilst they may vary, you will usually be seen by Russell Hawkins - our Head of Casting, a vocal coach and the Artistic Director.
When you sing you will be accompanied by a pianist.
