Gallery Players announces auditions for upcoming AEA showcase (approval pending) production of Little Women; Book by Allan Knee; Music by Jason Howland; Lyrics by Mindi Dickstein; Based on the novel by Louisa May Alcott.

Director Barrie Gelles; Producer Justine McLaughlin / Gallery Players; Music Director Yi-Hsuan Sobina Chi; Choreographer Barrie Gelles

Please note: we believe in color-conscious and diverse casting that will reflect the world we live in now. We do not need all the members of the March family to look the same. We are looking for the right actors for the roles and truly welcome all actors to audition.

Rehearsals begin Friday, November 1, evenings and weekends (possibly some weekdays depending on actor availability). Runs December 6 ­through December 22, Thursdays at 8pm, Fridays at 8pm, Saturdays at 2pm & 8pm, and Sundays at 3pm. All auditions, rehearsals, and performances at Gallery Players, 199 14th Street, Brooklyn, NY 11215.

Open call auditions for all characters will be held:

• Monday, October 7 from 7-10pm
• Saturday, October 12 from 12-4pm
• Tuesday, October 15 from 7-10pm

Sign-in will open half an hour before each audition and will close thirty minutes before the end of each audition. AEA priority. No submissions necessary for open calls; just show up. Callbacks will be on Sunday, October 20. Equity/Non-Equity. No pay.

Actors should bring 16 bars of a musical theatre song in the style of the show. The music is lush and demands precision and musicality. Bring sheet music in the correct key, no lead sheets. Dance auditions will take place at callbacks. All roles open.

Seeking 14-16 cast members. All roles are open to all actors. We are looking to audition Arab, Asian, Black, Latino/a/x, Multi­-Racial, Native, Pacific Islander and White, Female­-Identifying, Male­-Identifying, and Gender-Non-Conforming performers, of all abilities, for all roles. We are looking for actors who can play the age of the character, they do not need to be the actual age of the character. You must be 18 years or older to audition for the show.

Jo March – character is female, ages 18-23 throughout the show
The second in the line of March sisters, Jo knows exactly who she is but struggles in a world where she doesn’t quite fit. Jo is often caught between a desire to rebel against the world or escape entirely. Jo is headstrong and bold but not fearless; she feels things too deeply. She is book-smart and a late bloomer. She is a talented writer who creates melodramas for page and stage. Vocal range top: A5 / Vocal range bottom: E3

Professor Bhaer – character is male, age 34
Friedrich Bhaer is an immigrant who was an accomplished professor in Germany but is now barely scraping by in New York City. He is an excellent writer and an intellectual, favoring philosophy over most other subjects. He is sensitive and gentle, but reserved with his outward displays of emotion. Friedrich Bhaer is honest and perceptive and has an uncanny ability to inspire people to be the best version of themselves. Vocal range top: F#4 / Vocal range bottom: G2

Amy March – character is female, ages 14-18 throughout the show
The youngest of the March sisters, Amy dislikes being the baby and so she has taken it upon herself to be precocious, refined, and “grown” before her time. Amy is very pretty and has always been told as much. She is not vain but, rather, honest and forthright about her qualities (and everyone else’s). She sparkles and charms everyone with a grace that comes naturally to her. Amy has a fierce heart, a fearless nature, and unmatched determination. She is a talented visual artist and it informs how she sees the world. Vocal range top: Gb5 / Vocal range bottom: A#3

Meg March – character is female, ages 21-25 throughout the show
The eldest of the March sisters, Meg is kind, gentle, and strong. She leads by example and hopes to be as much like her mother as possible. She is a romantic and believes in love, but is tempered by her responsible side. This is why she is caught between a love of acting and a talent for teaching. Both use similar aspects of her personality, but one is a dream and one is a practicality. Vocal range top: Gb5 / Vocal range bottom: A#3

Beth March – character is female, ages 17-21 throughout the show
Born third in the line of March sisters, Beth is the peacemaker, the listener, and everyone’s “person.” She has a profound ability to make people feel seen and to love them unconditionally. She believes in giving love generously and is happy with her role in the family. Beth is unusually talented at creating music and plays the piano with instinctive skill. Vocal range top: G5 / Vocal range bottom: A3

Marmee March – character is female, age is flexible, can be in the 45-55 range
She is a woman who fell in love and created a family with the father of her children. This is different from saying she is a “wife and mother.” She has the endurance and fortitude of someone who has been through the labor intensive years of having four small children close in age. Now, with all of her teenage children still living at home, she is savoring motherhood. Vocal range top: Eb5 / Vocal range bottom: Eb3

Mr. Laurence – character is male, age is flexible, can be in the 60-70 range
Mr. Laurence is a wealthy man in a time when many people are struggling to make ends meet. He is mistaken for a curmudgeon because of his serious nature, but he has a good heart. He might just surprise you when you get to know him.

Laurie Laurence – character is male, ages 18-22 throughout the show
Laurie is an only child and has spent most of his life around adults. He is well-read and has a quick mind. He is generous, kind, and wants to be brave but his cautious nature gets the best of him. Laurie is educated, wealthy, good looking, and the world is his oyster. But he wishes someone would see him the way he sees himself. Vocal range top: Bb4 / Vocal range bottom: Bb2

Aunt March – character is female, age is flexible, can be in the 45-60 range
She is a woman who wants for nothing and considers herself the authority on everything related to decorum, class, and propriety. Aunt March has good intentions even if her motives are manipulative. Vocal range top: F5 / Vocal range bottom: E3

Mr. John Brooke – character is male, age is flexible can be in the 25-35 range
Mr. Brooke is a tutor hired for Laurie, meaning he is equally well-read but of a lower economic standing. He is thoughtful and industrious, capable and steady. He has a surprisingly romantic side. Vocal range top: F#4 / Vocal range bottom: C#3

Mrs. Kirk – character is female, age is flexible
Mrs. Kirk runs the boarding house where Professor Bhaer and Jo March live in New York City. The character is a self-sufficient woman and can be interpreted in a variety of ways depending on the actor who plays the role. This actor will also be in the ensemble.

Clarissa – character is female, age is flexible
Clarissa is the ingenue of the melodramas that Jo writes. She is winsome and brave but often finds herself in dangerous situations due to one villain or another. The characterization will reflect the acting style of the time, when melodrama was very popular.

Braxton – character is male, age is flexible
Braxton is a melodrama villain – dashing and dastardly at the same time. He may or may not be twirling his mustache. The characterization will reflect the acting style of the time, when melodrama was very popular.

Rodrigo – character is male, age is flexible
Rodrigo is the hero who swoops in to save the day in the nick of time. He is strong, brave, and honorable. The characterization will reflect the acting style of the time, when melodrama was very popular.

Knight – character is male, age is flexible
The knight is mysterious and old, he stands for all that is good and noble. The characterization will reflect the acting style of the time, when melodrama was very popular.

Hag – character is female, age is flexible
The hag that lives in the forest from fairy tales. She is vaguely threatening, probably a witch, and may have a candy house somewhere. The characterization will reflect the acting style of the time, when melodrama was very popular.

Troll – character is any gender, age is flexible
The troll from fairy tales who serves as gatekeeper to the bridge, comically greedy but you wouldn’t want to risk angering them. The characterization will reflect the acting style of the time, when melodrama was very popular.

Rodrigo 2 – character is female, age is flexible
Rodrigo 2 is a female in disguise in a plot twist that is worthy of a sensational melodrama. The characterization will reflect the acting style of the time, when melodrama was very popular.

A note about the ensemble: The ensemble will play many roles throughout the story—the melodrama characters in Jo’s stories as well as townspeople (i.e. dancers at the ball, ice skaters, beachcombers). We are looking for actors who are excellent movers and work well with devised narrative movement pieces. The ensemble will be performing transitional movement pieces that will convey the passage of time, season, mood, and the affect of memory. In some ways, the ensemble is a memory chorus.

Little Women

Based on Louisa May Alcott’s life, Little Women follows the adventures of sisters Jo, Meg, Beth, and Amy March, their strong and compassionate mother, and the boy next door, Laurie, who becomes connected to the family. Jo is trying to sell her stories for publication, but the publishers are not interested in fiction written by a woman – when her friend tells her that she has to do better and write more from herself. Begrudgingly taking this advice, Jo weaves the story of herself and her sisters and their experience growing up in Civil War America, and the musical unfolds with lush music and stirring memories that explore the strength of women and the power of family.

Gallery Players is located at 199 14th Street in Brooklyn. Take the F, G, or R train to Fourth Avenue / 9th Street.