‘A Christmas Carol’ Youth Auditions Open By The Goodman Theatre’s 49th Annual Production (Chicago, IL) – Young actors across the Chicago area will have a chance to become part of one of the city’s longest-running holiday theater traditions when Goodman Theatre holds auditions for its 49th annual production of “A Christmas Carol.”
The theater will host a Youth Performer Open Call on Saturday, September 19th, welcoming children and teenagers between the ages of 8 and 17. The auditions will be held from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. in the Goodman’s Alice Center.
Registration begins at 8:30 a.m. and ends at 10:30 a.m. sharp. Performers will be auditioned on a first-come, first-served basis.
Goodman officials said the casting opportunity is open to young performers of all backgrounds and abilities, and previous theater experience is not required. The theater is seeking participants representing a broad range of races, ethnicities, national origins, religions, genders, orientations and physical and mental abilities.
Those auditioning should come prepared with a poem or monologue lasting no longer than one minute. They should also prepare one verse of a song to perform without musical accompaniment, with a traditional holiday song or Christmas carol recommended.
Auditioners are asked to bring a photo and a resume or list of previous theatrical experience and training. Those without previous theater experience are still encouraged to participate.
The youth auditions are part of preparations for the Goodman’s annual presentation of Charles Dickens’ “A Christmas Carol,” a production that has become a holiday staple for Chicago families for nearly 50 years.
This year’s production will run November 13th through December 31st in the Goodman’s 856-seat Albert Theatre. Malkia Stampley will return as director, while Tim Hopper, a longtime member of Steppenwolf Theatre Company’s ensemble, will take on the role of Ebenezer Scrooge for the first time.
The production follows Scrooge, a wealthy but bitter businessman whose Christmas Eve encounters with a series of supernatural visitors force him to confront the consequences of his choices and reconsider the way he treats those around him.
The Goodman is offering tickets ranging from $34 to $178. Tickets can be purchased at the theater’s box office at 170 North Dearborn Street, by calling 312-443-3800 or online at GoodmanTheatre.org/Carol.
The theater is also planning several performances designed to accommodate audience members with different accessibility needs.
An ASL-interpreted performance will be presented December 4th at 7:30 p.m., followed by an audio-described performance December 5th at 2 p.m., with a touch tour available at 12:30 p.m. Spanish-subtitled and open-captioned performances are scheduled for December 6th, while a sensory-friendly performance will take place December 27th at 2 p.m.
The Goodman’s sensory-friendly presentation will feature softer lighting and sound and provide sensory items for audience members who may benefit from a more accommodating theater environment.
Founded in 1925, Goodman Theatre has spent more than a century developing and presenting theatrical productions in Chicago. Along with its mainstage performances, the theater operates education and engagement programs designed to introduce people of different ages and backgrounds to the arts.
For young performers interested in the September 19th audition, more information is available at GoodmanTheatre.org or by emailing Casting@GoodmanTheatre.org
‘A Christmas Carol’ Youth Auditions Open By The Goodman Theatre’s 49th Annual Production
