Pirates of Penzance

[Ashleydanielle]

Posted: 5/10/07 at 5:17pm

In a few weeks, I have an audition for Pirate of Penzance. I haven't seen it yet, but I will before the audition. I'm not familiar with the score either. I would like to audition for the role of Mabel. I could use some song suggestions. Thanks for any help!

[bwaylvsong]

Posted: 5/10/07 at 7:28pm

Any coloratura soprano song will do- the music is quite versatile.

Glitter and Be Gay (Candide)
Vilia (Merry Widow)
Adele's Laughing SOng (Die Fledermaus)
Anything from "La Fille du Regiment"
Any other Gilbert and Sullivan soprano aria.
As When The Dove (Acis and Galatea)

[BroadwayBoy2005]

Posted: 5/11/07 at 12:52am

I am so thrilled for you! I played the Pirate King in my university's production of it last month, and had sooooo much fun. Yes, by all means, listen to the score, watch the movie- anything- just get familiar with it before your audition. I've done quite a bit of musical theatre work, but switching over to operetta for this was perhaps the best experience I've ever had onstage. Regardless of who you are cast as, have fun with it! Let us know how it goes!

[stonewall2]

Posted: 5/13/07 at 10:36pm

My D is now getting leads in our local G&S group (which is 30 years old) and she said to look at any of the G&S solos for sopranos; "The Sun Who's Rays" from "Mikado" is a best to sing, but if you can pull it off well, you should have a good shot at the role. Watch the dynamics on that piece, that's where girls go wrong, as your voice has to be under real control at all times(the song ends on a quiet note so it might help if you can go to the library and grab a couple of CD's or DVD's of G&S shows.

[dollwithamission]

Posted: 5/15/07 at 12:17am

Good luck! My school did this show last year. We didn't have to find audition songs though, so I really not much help. One odd thing I remember our assistant director doing to teach the daughters how to mince properly was watching the girls' entrance to Hogwartz in the 4th Harry Potter movie as a reference. :)

[Over_the_Moon]

Posted: 5/15/07 at 7:53pm

"The Sun Whose Rays" is an excellent idea. I definitely agree. (The same girl who played Yum-Yum in our opera company had played Mabel the year before.)

[stonewall2]

Posted: 5/16/07 at 11:15pm

Yep, that's why I mentioned it- the parts in G&S are always interchangable! But the "Sun" piece, I think, is the most difficult to get just right as the dynamics are a pain and is doen't end the way your ear thinks it should (my D is playing YumYum, so I am about G&S'd out!).
By the way, if anyone wants to do a really FUN piece, grab a audio recording of "Hot Mikado" which is a jazzy, 1940's adaptation of the original. Really, it is hysterical- Katisha is an aging torch singer,Pooh Bah is a conceited gangster-type; and the Three Little Maids enter wearing little military style uniforms. The show has been a blast to work on and since the comapny is celebrating it's 30th Anniverary, they've done ALL of the G&S pieces at least a dozen times each, so this was a real switch. There are some numbers that are cut, but the man who did the adaptation is great to correspond with and will allow some degree of latitude in the production.

[fabala4077]

Posted: 5/19/07 at 7:05pm

I just auditioned for Pirates too!! I'm hoping for Ruth or Edith or Kate or Isabelle. I love Mabel, but there's no way on earth that I could sing her part and not be laughed out of the theatre forever. Good luck!

[xsubliminalmind]

Posted: 5/20/07 at 12:43am

I actually just finished a run of "Pirates of Penzance." I had the part of Mabel, actually, and it was absolutely thrilling and amazing. The most important thing, of course, is personality. I sang the song "The Simple Joys of Maidenhood" from Camelot and it turned out to be perfect.

However, I'm not very good at the whole picking audition songs thing. My voice teacher is a genius at it and she always helps me out. But I wish you the best of luck! It is a fantastic show!

[stonewall2]

Posted: 5/23/07 at 1:07pm

Fabala 4077 ,I think you are wise to aim a bit lower and go for Ruth or Edith the first time out. G&S is not as easy as you think girls, and I am not being patronizing in saying this, it's just a simple fact that even the women's choruses in G&S shows sing more than most solo roles in the usual musicals schools produce and the timing and diction must be impeccable or most of the show is lost on the audience. I wish you all the best of luck and the good fortune to work under a terrific director who has actually played in a goodly number of G&S pieces herself/himself, because that knoweldge is so valuable. Many libraries have copies (usually VHS) of the G&S standards and they are good to watch to get an idea of how the overall production in supposed to look. As young singers, you are fine singing as lyrics and don't need to blast out in full coloratura ("Glitter and Be Gay", can push a young voice way too hard and I would not advise attempting it without careful coaching; remember, Kristin Chenoweth may appear young and cute, but she is 40 and most HS students are not coloraturas as your voices have not developed that much yet-that's not to say you won't be in the future, but is it worth developing polyps or nodes at 16?). What part YOU get is also going to depend very heavily on who the guys are that get cast, their physical type as well as their voice.My D is not quite 16, and is 5'6". but add on her character shoes and she can tower over the tenor!
There are a lot of roles in these shows and many opportunities for solos and even to double-cast and use several "swings" to learn two parts. Above all, with G&S, HAVE FUN, as they are a ball to do and provide great chances for tech crews to shine with props, lighting and costumes too.If you find that you really enjoy them, talk to your directors about doing some of the more obscure pieces, such as "The Sorcerer", which feature more young roles in them.
Please, since there are several of you trying this, post your audition choices and your experiences! Good luck to all of you!

[fabala4077]

Posted: 6/4/07 at 11:25pm

I just found out - I'm Kate!! Woot.

[stonewall2]

Posted: 6/10/07 at 9:12pm

Congratulations-albeit a little late!!

[fabala4077]

Posted: 6/11/07 at 1:08am

Thanks!