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NEWSIES & AIN’T MISBEHAVIN’

NEWSIES

Book by Harvey Fierstein
Music by Alan Menken

Lyrics by Jack Feldman
Directed & Choreographed by Jeffry Denman
Music Direction by Ryan O’Connell

AIN’T MISBEHAVIN’

Book by Murray Horwitz & Richard Maltby Jr.
Music by Fats Waller
Directed & Choreographed by Ron Kellum
Music Direction by William McDaniels

PRODUCTION DATES

NEWSIES

First rehearsal: Monday, June 24th, 2024
Preview: Friday, July 12th, 2024
Opening: Saturday, July 13th, 2024
Closing: Sunday, July 28th, 2024

AIN’T MISBEHAVIN’
First rehearsal: Monday, October 7th, 2024
Preview: Friday, October 18th, 2024
Opening: Saturday, October 19th, 2024
Closing: Sunday, November 3rd, 2024

AUDITION DATES

Newsies & Ain’t Misbehavin’ Principal/Chorus Vocal Auditions (EPA/ECC): Saturday, April 13th, 2024:
Appointments from 9:00am – 5:00pm, break from 1-2pm
(all singers must be signed in no later than 4pm to make an appointment) 

Newsies Dance ECC (all genders): Sunday, April 14th, 2024:
2pm – Female-identifying dance group
4pm – Male-identifying dance group
(Performers who don’t identify with either gender are welcome to attend the dance call of their choosing.)
Vocal callbacks will be held after all groups have danced.
It will take approximately one hour for each group to learn and dance and audition the combination.

Principal Callbacks for Newsies will be held on Monday, April 15th, 2024.

For the Newsies Student Ensemble audition notice, please click here.

LOCATIONS

Auditions and Rehearsals will be held at the MTW rehearsal hall: 4350 E 7th Street, Long Beach, CA 90804 

Maximum capacity in audition room at once: 50 (2,000 square feet of danceable space)
Maximum capacity in outdoor holding area: 55

Performances will be held at the Carpenter Performing Arts Center: 6200 E Atherton St, Long Beach, CA 90815

CONTRACT

AEA rate: $956.37/wk (COST Tier 2+)

Non-AEA rate: $16/hr for all rehearsal and performance hours worked.

Priority is always given to those with local housing. Non-AEA members are always encouraged to attend all auditions.

AUDITION MATERIAL

Please prepare a 16-32 bar vocal selection in the style of the show you are auditioning for.

Singing from the show is welcomed.

Callback Material for Newsies is posted HERE (including the ECC dance combo)

Callback Material for Ain’t Misbehavin’ will be posted HERE when available.

When attending an audition, please ensure that you bring a headshot & resume, and be prepared to sing and/or dance!

AUDITION APPOINTMENTS

If you are an AEA member looking to schedule an audition appointment, you can do so on the AEA website.

If you are not an AEA member, please email mtwauditions@musical.org with your headshot, resume, and union status, and we will reach out to you if appointments become available. If you do not receive an audition appointment, non-AEA members are still welcome to attend our Vocal EPA/Dance ECC auditions; while we must prioritize our AEA members, we will do our best to see all those who attend. 

If you aren’t able to attend the in-person auditions, please complete the form below to submit a virtual audition, which includes:

• HEADSHOT
• RESUME
• VOCAL VIDEO – 16-32 bar vocal selection in the style of the show you are auditioning for. (For Newsies, please sing from the callback material provided here.)
• Sample of DANCE/MOVEMENT ability or provided dance combo, which can be found HERE.
• Feel free to include your REEL as well!

Newsies / Ain’t Misbehavin’ VIRTUAL SUBMISSIONS

Please submit by end of day Wednesday, April 10th.

HEALTH & SAFETY

MTW operates under an Infection Control Policy which has been filed with AEA. All company members must be Fully Vaccinated for COVID-19, or have a Bona Fide Health or Religious exemption. Anyone with symptoms of COVID, flu, or any other infectious disease that can be transmitted by casual contact should not attend auditions.

Everyone participating in the auditions is encouraged to wear a two-ply cloth face mask, surgical mask, singer’s mask or respirator (N95, KN95 or KF94).

We encourage members to prepare for their audition prior to arriving at the audition venue, to the extent that they can (e.g., get dressed, hair/make-up, etc.) to avoid crowding in bathrooms and dressing rooms.

CHARACTER DESCRIPTIONS

Newsies

*All roles (except Les & the Student Ensemble) will be cast 18+ to play the ages listed below

Musical Theatre West strives to reflect its community, and welcomes and encourages all performers of any gender identity, age, religion, sexual orientation, race/ethnicity, language, physical ability or diverse viewpoints to audition.

Jack Kelly: Male, Age 16-20, The charismatic leader of the Manhattan newsies, is an orphaned dreamer and artist who yearns to get out of the crowded streets of New York and make a better life for himself out West. Fiercely protective of his best friend, Crutchie, and strongly loyal, Jack isn’t afraid to use his voice to attain better conditions for the working kids of New York City. Though living on the streets has given him a tough-guy exterior, Jack has a big heart and can demonstrate a sweet vulnerability – especially when it comes to bantering with a certain female reporter. Must have a great pop tenor voice and sense of physicality. (Vocal Range Bb2-A4)

Crutchie: Male, Age 13-17, A dedicated newsie with a bum leg that’s painful, but helps sell more papes. Though he walks with the assistance of a crutch, Crutchie doesn’t let it define him; when in a jam, Jack Kelly’s best friend relies on a goofy- sweet sense of humor and optimistic resilience. Crutchie is the heart of the resistance. Though his movement will suggest his bum leg, Crutchie should still be included in the dance numbers. (Vocal Range C3-A4)

Davey: Male, Age 15-20, Les’s straight-laced, bright big brother starts selling newspapers to help his family earn a living, but becomes swept up in the fervor of the strike. A leader in his own right who is learning to use his voice to uplift others, Davey is the brains of the resistance. (Vocal Range D3-A4)

Les: Male, Age 10-15, Davey’s cheeky younger brother, is inspired by the freedom of the newsies and loves their independent lifestyle. A precocious and natural newsie, Les is an intuitive salesboy and a pint-sized charmer. He should present as younger than the other newsies. (Vocal Range Db3-Bb3)

Katherine Plumber: Female, Age 17-20, An ambitious young reporter, works hard to make a name for herself as a legitimate journalist in a time when women aren’t taken seriously. Quick, funny, and resourceful, she boldly captures the voice of a new generation rising in her coverage of the newsies’ strike. While she generally has no time for cocky, streetwise young men, she makes an exception for Jack Kelly. Though she only has a brief dance solo in “King of New York,” Katherine should have a great contemporary pop voice with a high belt – diction is key. (Vocal Range A3-F5)

Medda Larkin: Female, Age 25-45, Inspired by vaudeville performer Aida Overton Walker, this big-voiced saloon singer and star of the Bowery offers her theater as a safe haven for the newsies. An astute entertainer with great comic delivery, she’s a good friend to Jack and stands firmly behind the newsies in their fight for justice. (Vocal Range F3-E5)

Joseph Pulitzer: Male, 35-50, A pompous businessman through and through, owns the World and is concerned solely with the bottom line. Katherine’s no-nonsense father, Pulitzer doesn’t sympathize with the strikers, but he does eventually – and grudgingly – respect Jack. (Vocal Range F4-C3) 

Newsies: Age 10-20, Including Albert, Buttons, Elmer, Finch, Henry, Ike, Jo Jo, Mike, Mush, Race, Romeo, Specs, Splasher, and Tommy Boy, are some of the hard-working kids of New York City that go on strike for a livable wage. May be cast male or female. Vocal ranges vary but generally sit in the tenor range. If high notes are in your repertoire (A4-C5), please be ready to show them.

Spot Conlon: Male or Female, Age 17-20, The proud leader of the Brooklyn newsies, boasts an intimidating reputation and a short singing solo in “Brooklyn’s Here.”

Darcy: Male or Female, Age 15-20, The upper-class kid of a publisher who sides with the newsies. Can double as a newsie.

Bill: Male, Age 15-25, The son of William Randolph Hearst who joins the newsies’ cause. Can double as a newsie.

Wiesel: Male, Age 35-50, Or “Weasel,” runs the distribution window for the World and knows most of the newsies by name. Assisted by the intimidating Delancey brothers, who keep order by any means necessary, Wiesel is Pulitzer’s disgruntled paper-pusher. 

Oscar and Morris Delancey: Male, Age 15-20, Tough brothers who work at the distribution window for the World, take the side of the publishers in the strike and are known to use their fists to make a point. 

Pulitzer’s Staff: Seitz – Male or Female, Editor, advises Pulitzer, but ultimately admires the kids’ newspaper; Bunsen – Male or Female, Age 35-50, Pulitzer’s bookkeeper, comes up with the ideas to raise the newsies’ price per paper; Hannah – Female, Age 20-40, Pulitzer’s practical and insightful secretary; Nunzio – Male, Age 30-50, Pulitzer’s barber.

Snyder: Male or Female, Age 45-65, The crooked and sinister warden of The Refuge, a filthy and horrible orphanage, is concerned only with catching enough kids to keep his government checks coming.

Mr. Jacobi: Male or Female, Age 35-55, Allows the newsies to congregate in his restaurant to plan their strike – when he doesn’t have any paying customers, that is.

Governor Teddy Roosevelt: Male, Age 50-65, A well-respected lifelong public servant, inspires Jack to stand up to Pulitzer.

Female Ensemble: Newsies, Nuns, The Bowery Beauties, Scabs, Stage Manager, Photographer, Customers

Male Ensemble: Newsies, Guards, Policemen, Mayor, Goons, Scabs

Student Ensemble: Ages 10-18, Newsies, Scabs, Nuns

Ain’t Misbehavin’

André: An unrepentant party hound. A flirt and a bit of a seducer.

Gender: Male

Ethnicity: Black

Age: 25 to 45

Vocal range top: E6 

Vocal range bottom: G2 

Armelia: A strong-willed woman who is unafraid to share her thoughts. She is confident and at ease 

in her body. 

Gender: Female

Ethnicity: Black

Age: 25 to 45 

Vocal range top: C6 

Vocal range bottom: G3 

Charlaine: A sweet, young lady. Very innocent. 

Gender: Female 

Ethnicity: Black

Age: 18 to 25 

Vocal range top: G5 

Vocal range bottom: G3 

Ken: Jovial, cheerful, and loud. Larger than life. 

Gender: Male 

Ethnicity: Black

Age: 25 to 45 

Vocal range top: C6 

Vocal range bottom: D3

Nell: Confident and charming. A knowledgeable woman of the world. 

Gender: Female 

Ethnicity: Black

Age: 30 to 45 

Vocal range top: F5 

Vocal range bottom: F3