AUDITION INFORMATION – HELLO MY BABYAudition Prep Workshops for music (in the CPA):

● Thursday, Dec. 14 (3-4 PM)

● Monday, Dec. 18 (3-4 PM)

Audition Dates (in the CPA): ● Thursday, January 4 (2 audition blocks – either 3-5 PM OR 5-7 PM)

● Friday January 5 (1 audition block – 3-5 PM)

● Please sign up for an audition block on the table by the theatre box office. These sign-up sheets will be up during lunch periods from December 4-19 and on Wednesday January 3 (first day back to school). Please sign up by Wednesday January 3. You may also see Miss Janning to sign up for auditions.

Rehearsals: ● Monday, January 8 from 3-5:30 in the CPA: Mandatory cast meeting/script read-through – scripts

and a detailed rehearsal schedule will be given out.

● Rehearsals in general will run Monday – Friday (most Fridays will be TBAs to catch up in case there is a snow day or if we are behind for any reason):

o January & February (see exceptions below) from 3:00-5:30 pm. Later in February, a few rehearsals may go until 6 PM.

o Monday January 15 (no school – MLK Day) – we will rehearse from 9 AM – 5 PM. o Friday Feb. 16 and Monday Feb. 19 (no school) – we will rehearse from 9 AM – 5 PMo March 1-9 from 3:00 – 6:30o March 12-14: Dress rehearsals – call time 5:30, run at 7 PMo Possible Saturday dance rehearsals: Jan. 20, 27, Feb. 3, 10, 24 & March 3. We will not use

ALL of these dates, but it is CRUCIAL you let us know what ALL your conflicts (including Saturdays) are so we can schedule accordingly.

● There will be no rehearsals over winter break.

● Not everyone will be called for all of these rehearsals, so is it vital that you look over ALL of these rehearsal dates and times so you can let us know of any conflicts you may have when you audition! That way we can make a rehearsal schedule that works for everyone!

Performances:

● Thursday, Friday and Saturday March 15-17 at 7:30 PM and Sunday March 18 at 2:30 PM

About the play: From debutante balls to Delancey Street, Hello! My Baby reboots the greatest hits of Irving Berlin, The Gershwins, Eubie Blake and more, weaving their updated classics and fresh, new tunes into a comic valentine set on the gritty sidewalks of New York at the turn of the last century. From Emmy Award winner, Cheri Steinkellner (Sister Act), comes a hysterical romantic farce that is fun for all ages.Mickey McKee, teen King of the Song-Pluggers, dreams of writing the next crackerjack million-selling hit-song. Only he can't write a note... until he meets Betty Gold, a seamstress in a factory, who is bursting with music and moxie. She becomes Mickey's partner/sweetheart/arch-nemesis when she pulls on the trousers that

she once sewed to be named the new King of the Pluggers. As they navigate first love, class-struggles, social reform, street-gangs, tap-shoes and ukuleles, Mickey, Betty and company make Tin Pan Alley sing and dance again, selling the songs that we're all still humming a hundred years later.

THE FEMALE ROLES:

BETTY GOLD/ A feisty teen factory-worker who passes as a boy to plug Tin Pan Alley BUDDY O’REILLY tunes. Strong comedy required, a belter who can sound like a boy.

FRANCES GOLD Plainspoken, hardworking eldest Gold sister, who discovers her romantic side with a young uptown gentleman (Junior). Strong belt/mix.

VIOLET GOLD The baby in the Gold family. Irrepressible with a strong belt/mix.

ALICE TIERNEY A whimsical debutante who falls for Buddy. Sweet lyric soprano.

ETHEL COOTS Wife of Bert, mother of Albie and Artie; the pants in the family and the boss at Coots Classic Music Publishing. Strong belter and personality.

MARIE Johnny’s mail-order bride, fresh off the boat from Sicily. Belt/mix.

FEMALE ENSEMBLE Colorful Lower East Side residents/vendors, etc. Uptown rich snobs. Lots of singing/dancing. A few with lines.

THE MALE ROLES:

MICKEY McKEE Brash and funny Lower East Side kid who dreams of becoming the next Irving Berlin; in love with Betty and fierce rival with her alter-ego, Buddy. Tenor.

JUNIOR TIERNEY An uptown Yale man who finds his love (Frances) on the Lower East Side. Baritone.

STANFORD J. TIERNEY Grandfather of Junior and Alice, a rich and powerful land baron who threatens the Golds’ neighborhood with demolition.

BERT COOTS Husband of Ethel, father of Albie and Artie; mild-mannered milquetoast (look it up) who loves Gilbert & Sullivan (look that up too). Solid character baritone with fast patter (Modern Major General)

JOHNNY GIOVANNI The bad boy/neighborhood bully who, due to a childhood accident, only speaks in rhyme. Character baritone.

MALE ENSEMBLE Colorful Lower East Side residents/vendors, etc. Uptown rich snobs. Lots of singing/dancing. A few with lines.

THE NON-GENDER-SPECIFIC ROLES (kinda sorta):

ALBIE & ARTIE COOTS Brothers, sons of Ethel & Bert. Mama’s boys who long to bring the old-fashioned family music-publishing business into the 1900s. Baritones with strong falsetto, must hold tight harmonies. (We would like boys for this, but if necessary will cast girls to play them as boys.)

DICKIE THE DUCK/ Johnny’s henchmen. Strong and funny character types. Strong dance needed.KID VICIOUS May cast girls to play as boys.

AUDITION PROCEDURES & TIPS:

● Sign up for your audition block on the table by the theatre box office no later than 3 PM on Wednesday January 3.

● You will audition in ALL three areas: singing, dancing and actingo For singing, you may choose to sing any of the audition music given. It does not have to be

memorized, but you’ll impress us more if it is. If asked, you should also be prepared to sing any of the music for other characters.

o For dancing, you will learn a short dance combination and will be asked to show that too. This show has possible tap numbers in it, so if you have ANY tap experience, please come prepared to show us that too!

o For acting, we will ask you to read a short scene as the character of your choice (does not have to be the same character you sang for). Scenes are attached. These are very big, broad over-the-top characters. DO NOT BE SHY OR HOLD BACK PHYSICALLY OR VOCALLY! For auditions, choose the role you think suits you best, but be prepared to show us other roles if we ask for them. The more roles you are prepared for, the better!

● REMEMBER:o Please arrive 10-15 minutes before your scheduled time to fill out paperwork. Be prompt! o You must bring a signed audition consent form with you to auditions (attached)o You must also bring with you a DETAILED schedule of ALL your conflicts between

January 8 – March 18.

● Remember that your audition starts as soon as you walk in the door. Being late, not paying attention, talking during instructions or during someone else’s audition, or otherwise being rude or obnoxious will not make a good impression on the directors.

● When auditioning, remember you are singing AND acting!! This is not just a singing audition - I want to see character, movement, and understanding of the words that are being sung! Don't just STAND THERE and sing!

● It won’t matter how well you can sing or how emotional your portrayal is IF WE CAN’T HEAR YOU!! If you can’t be understood because you are too soft or because your diction is sloppy, your audition form will go straight to the bottom of the pile! I can’t stress this enough – you must project!

● Last but not least, BE PREPARED FOR AUDITIONS!!!! It doesn’t matter who you are, who you know, how many shows you’ve been in, if you’re a senior, etc. etc. BE PREPARED!

IMPORTANT NOTES ON THE MUSIC and SHOW:

● Sheet music for auditions will be available around December 14. You should plan on coming to one of the music audition workshops December 14 or 18 from 3-4 PM to work with Teri!

● You can download almost all the songs from the show AND read the entire script using this link: https://www.mtishows.com/hello-my-baby-special-offer. We highly recommend you do this to help you prepare for auditions.

SCENE 1 (Mickey has stopped by Gold’s Music Hall to try to sell Frances a song. He had earlier encountered Betty (she is the “factory girl” he is talking about) and made her late for work. Betty and Violet enter later):

MICKEY: This is all that darn factory girl’s fault. This morning I was King of the Pluggers. Then she came along and threw me off my game. Now look at me, I can’t even sell a song in a Music Hall!

(realizing) What if that’s it? What if I never sell another song again? What if it was all for nothin’.

(drops to knees, looks up to Heaven, a wee bit o’the Irish creeps in) I’m sorry, Ma. Y’came all the way over from Killarney in the bottom of a boat to give your wee baby boy-o a better chance at life and this is how it ends. (collapses on floor)

FRANCES: Aww. (then) OUT!

MICKEY: Ah, have a heart, Miss. If you won’t buy a tune, the least you can do is lemme try my luck with your customers -

FRANCES: What customers?

MICKEY: One’s all I need. I feel my ginger coming back to me! I’m gonna sell a song to the very next person who walks through this door -

(Betty flings the door open, slamming Mickey behind it as she enters with Violet)

BETTY: God help the next songboy I see, Frances. I’ll rip out his song-pluggin’ tongue and shove it so far down his song-pluggin’ throat it comes out his song-pluggin’ -

(Mickey peeps out from behind door.)

MICKEY: Factory Girl?

BETTY: Songboy!

MICKEY: Y’wanna buy a song?

BETTY: Seriously? If it wasn’t for you and your stupid song, me and my sister would still have our jobs!

FRANCES: You got fired from the trouser factory?

BETTY: And docked a week’s pay. All because we got to work one song too late!

FRANCES: But tomorrow’s the first of the month, Betty! Rent is due. And we got protection money to pay.

VIOLET: Oh, don’t worry, Frances, Betty fixed everything.

BETTY: You bet I did. Me and Violet waited outside the factory ‘til closing time, then we snuck back inside and took every last pair of pants! We’re gonna finish sewing ‘em if it takes all night. And if the boss wants ‘em back in the morning, that’ll be one week’s wages -

VIOLET: Six bucks apiece!

BETTY & VIOLET: Thank you very much!

FRANCES: Well, that’s some plan, Betty. Only, how do I say this: Nice Jewish girls don’t steal pants! Oy, now I gotta worry about rent and protection and what to do when the cops show up!

VIOLET: I’m sorry, Frances.

FRANCES: Yeah, I’m sorry, too.

BETTY: Am I the only one here who’s not sorry?

MICKEY: I’m not sorry.

BETTY: Thank you. (then remembering he is there) Who are you?

MICKEY: Allow me to introduce myself. Mickey McKee, King of the Pluggers. But you can call me Songboy.

BETTY: How ‘bout I call you the louse who lost me my job?

MICKEY: Whoa-whoa! You oughtta thank me. Three smart sisters like you oughtn’t be sewin’ pants for a living. Not when you got this perfectly swell Music Hall right here.

BETTY: “Perfectly swell”? That must be songboy talk for “flat-broke”.

FRANCES: Gold’s Music Hall isn’t exactly rolling in customers.

VIOLET (bluntly; no filter): It died from the Cholera. Just like Mama and Papa.

FRANCES & BETTY: Violet!

VIOLET: Well, it might just as well have. Nobody comes in anymore. Nobody plays the piano.

SCENE 2(Frances and Violet are teasing Betty because they believe she likes Mickey)

BETTY: Stop it, both of you! I’m not sweet on Mickey McKee and he’s not sweet on me! We wrote one song together, so what? One song won’t pay the rent or protection or buy apples for lunch.

FRANCES: You just sold that one song to the very first person who heard it.

VIOLET: Yeah and if you can sell one, you can sell a million!

FRANCES: Mickey says he can get it published.

BETTY: Mickey says a lot of things. That doesn’t mean they’re true! Forget it, both of you. I’m not falling for some crazy songboy’s crazy dream. Dreaming and scheming only get me in trouble. Remember that time we snuck into the factory and stole a bunch of pants? Look where that got us. Forget dreaming. I’ve got pants to sew. (She exits.)

VIOLET: Frances, what’s wrong with having a dream?

FRANCES: Oh baby, how could a fourteen-year-old ever understand? When you’re sixteen you’ll see. A dream is just a want you can’t have.

VIOLET: Like how you read penny romances, but you’ll never meet a real prince?

FRANCES: Right. As for Betty, sure she wants to write the songs people sing faraway and forever. But dreams don’t pay, baby. And pants do. Now go on. Those things aren’t gonna sew themselves.

SCENE 3 (Artie & Albie are playing stickball on the street.)

ARTIE: And Artie Coots goes into his wind-up -

ALBIE: And Albie Coots waits for the pitch -

(Ethel enters.)

ETHEL: Ahem. What are you boys up to?

ARTIE & ALBIE (hiding stick and ball): Nothin’, Ma!

ETHEL: Stickball is the Devil’s own game, boys. I’ll have none of it on my watch! (hands them sheet music) Chop-chop, now. Work comes first here at Ethelbert Coots. And speakin’ o’ work, anyone seen my new cleaning girl?

ARTIE & ALBIE: (super excited): Girl!?!

ETHEL: Cleaning girl. So don’t get ideas.

(She exits. The minute she’s gone, the boys go back to stickball.)

ARTIE: And Artie Coots fires the ball!

ALBIE: And Albie Coots smashes it!

(Bert, their mild-mannered father, runs on, ready to play ball.)

BERT: And from out of nowhere, big daddy Bert Coots races onto the field and the crowd goes wild!

(Ethel reappears.)

ETHEL: Ahem.

BERT (instantly straightening up): Chop-chop, boys. Work comes first here at Ethelbert Coots. Am I right Ethel?

ETHEL: You are right, Bert. And speaking of the first, today it is. Which means what, Mr. Coots?

BERT: Why Mrs. Coots, it must be time once again for a new Coots Classic Musical Monthly Special. And if it’s April, it must be those savants of the Savoy, Sirs W.S. Gilbert and Arthur Sullivan!

ARTIE: Aw Ma, no one’s buying operetta no more -

ALBIE: It ain’t got a beat. Ya can’t dance to it.

ARTIE: Kids today want rag!

ALBIE: Kids today want jazz!

ETHEL: Kids today want what we’re pushin’ today. And today, kids, we’re pushin’ operetta! (handing them sheet music) I gotta unload a case of Penzance, two Pinafores, and three Mikadas by May.

ARTIE (looking at music): Aw, Ma, this is a girl’s song.

ALBIE: Yeah, Ma, go find some girls to plug it.

ETHEL: Coots Code Rule Number One: Pluggers are boys. Boys ain’t girls. Girls don’t plug!

SCENE 4(Betty has just arrived at Coots Publishing to push the song she and Mickey wrote together. There she runs into Mickey, who along with Artie and Albie have run off to plug the song, telling Betty that girls can’t plug.)

ETHEL (referring to the boys who have just run off): I thought I told those hooligans to go get pluggin’.

BETTY: Oh, those hooligans got pluggin’ all right.

ETHEL: Well, that’s somethin’ anyhoo. You the new girl the agency sent over?

BETTY: That depends. What agency?

ETHEL: I like your spunk. How’s your cleaning?

BETTY: Top-notch. Whaddaya pay?

ETHEL: Top-dollar. Eight-a-week.

BETTY: Pluggers make fifteen.

ETHEL: Pluggers are boys.

BETTY: Boys can’t clean.

ETHEL: Girls can’t plug. Eight a week.

BETTY: I need the work.

ETHEL: You got the job. Now if you’re gonna work at Coots, Girly -

BETTY: Betty.

ETHEL: Girly. Ya gotta follow the Coots Code. Rule Number One: Stay away from my pluggers. Especially that good-for-nothin’ McKee. The boy’s got one thing on the brain.

BETTY: He does?

ETHEL: And he ain’t gettin’ it from Ethel Coots.

BETTY: He’s tried?

ETHEL: Only every day since he come to Tin Pan Alley.

BETTY: He did?

ETHEL: And when he couldn’t get it from me, he went after my husband.

BETTY: Mister Coots?

ETHEL: But my Bert ain’t givin’ it up neither. Nosirree, if Mickey McKee wants to publish a song, he’ll hafta do it someplace else.

BETTY: Oh, a song.

ETHEL: Yeah, what’d ya think I was talkin’ about, a pork-chop dinner?

BETTY: …..Yes.

ETHEL: No girly, take a tip from an old nag who’s been around the track a few times. Find yourself a nice man like my Bert. The Mickey McKees of the world’ll just chew ya up and spit out the bones.SCENE 5

(Buddy (Betty disguised as a boy plugger) has just stopped Johnny and his gang from roughing up Junior for money. Johnny has his mail-order bride-to-be Marie with him. She does not speak in this scene, but should be portrayed as a beautiful Italian woman who can’t speak English. Buddy is trying to walk away. Note that Johnny always talks in rhyme.)

JOHNNY: Not so fast, new kid. I’m talkin’ to you, kid. We make a deal, you better come through kid.I need that dough for my new bride-to-be. My ma sent her over. Say “Bon giorno” Marie.

(Marie smiles, nods, speaks no English.)

That ain’t how things in this country go. When I say “talk”, you say “hello”.

(Marie nods agreeably, but remains silent.)

Mamma mia, she’s been like this all day. I’m ready to dump the bird back in the bay.

BUDDY: Whoa-whoa-whoa! Before anyone dumps any birds in any bays, maybe I can help. That is if you’d be willing to help out my friends, the Gold girls, in there.

JOHNNY: We talkin’ a little quid pro quo? You make Marie talk, I let up on the dough?Let’s see whatcha got - I’ll let you know.

BUDDY: Well it seems to me your, uh….sophisticated style of speech may be just a tad overwhelming to a poor, simple girl from the old country.

JOHNNY: Y’mean I intimidate when I articulate?

BUDDY: You terrorize when you verbalize.

JOHNNY: I shock and awe when I flap my jaw.

BUDDY: And you make it worse with the rhyming verse. But. If we set that rhyme to music, well, now that’s a different tune.

SCENE 6(Betty, disguised as Buddy, has taken Mickey’s job as a song plugger with Coots Publishing. Mickey rushes into the Gold household, looking for Betty, but instead finds Buddy with Frances and Violet.)

MICKEY (to Frances & Violet): Where’s your sister? I gotta talk to her! (spots Buddy) Boy Soprano? What are you doing here? Trying to steal my girl like you stole my job? I oughta clean your clock!

BUDDY: Mickey, it’s not what you think. I’m really -

(Frances & Violet interrupt - they don’t want her to reveal herself because they need the money she can make as a plugger.)

VIOLET: Our new boarder!

FRANCES: Buddy’s renting the room upstairs!

VIOLET: We need the money!

FRANCES: We’d be on the street without it!

VIOLET: You saved the orphans! (Frances & Violet hug her from either side. She’s stuck.)BUDDY (squished between them): A man’s gotta do what a man’s gotta do.

MICKEY: Gee, that’s downright decent of ya, pally. Only you’re paying their rent with my wages! (going for a fight) C’mon, put up your dukes, let’s go.

BUDDY: I don’t wanna fight Mickey, I wanna talk.

MICKEY: Talking’s for girls!

BUDDY: Oh, now that’s hitting below the belt.

MICKEY: No, this is hitting below the belt

(takes a wild swing at Buddy, misses badly, spins around)

And this is hitting above it.

(takes another wild swing, spins the other way and into the arms of Stanford J. Tierney, who enters with Junior and Alice.)

STANFORD: Ah, the Lower East Side. I’d forgotten its many charms.

FRANCES: I’m so sorry, Mister -

STANFORD: Tierney. Stanford J.

FRANCES: The Stanford J. Tierney who owns this building?

BUDDY: And the one next door?

VIOLET: And the two next door to that?

STANFORD: And, as of this morning, the three on the other side as well. That’s the entire block, young lady. I am instituting a major neighborhood redevelopment program.

FRANCES: You’re renovating our tenements?

STANFORD: Actually, my grandson Junior here is set to manage the project upon his graduation from Yale next month. That is, if he can manage to collect a month’s rent.

JUNIOR: Right sir, the rent sir! (to Frances) May I please speak to the proprietor of this establishment?

FRANCES: That would be me, Mister Tierney.

VIOLET: Our parents died from the Cholera.

FRANCES & BUDDY: Violet!

JUNIOR: I’m so sorry. Alice and I lost Mother and Father to the same.

ALICE: Stricken in a tenement just like this one, trying to help the poor and huddled masses yearning to breathe free.

STANFORD & JUNIOR: Alice!

FRANCIS: I’m so sorry. Alav hashalom. (off Junior’s and Alice’s confused looks) That means “peace on them”.

JUNIOR: And to you. (tries to wrap his mouth around the words) Olive-shlah-hah-hah -

STANFORD: Junior! The rent.

(Frances gives Junior the money. Their hands touch. It’s a moment. They are smitten with each other.)

FRANCES: It won’t be late again, Mr. Tierney.

JUNIOR: Thank you, Miss Gold.

STANFORD: Yes, well, our business here is done. Come along, Junior, Alice -

ALICE: Oh but Grandfather, what about the song? My brother claims there’s a certain young lady here who composes the most splendiferous tunes.

MICKEY: And...?

ALICE: And I’d hoped we might engage her to compose a special waltz for my Debutante Ball.

MICKEY: Your brother didn’t happen to mention a certain young fella and his splendiferous lyrics?

ALICE: Oh la, who knows? My head’s all a-whirl! I make my debut into Manhattan Society, Saturday next.

FRANCES: Mazel tov. That means “congratulations”.

JUNIOR (sounding it out): “Mah-zahl-tahv”. I like it.

STANFORD: Don’t, Junior. It’s not “us”.

STANFORD: I’ll explain it in the Studebaker on the way home. Alice, dearest, we’ll simply have to dance to a waltz by Strauss like everyone else. Come now.

JUNIOR: Darn shame your sister’s not here to write that new song. The ball is to be broadcast live to all of Manhattan on the new wireless radio box.

MICKEY: Broadcast?

BUDDY: On the radio?

MICKEY (to Alice): I’ll write your song!

BUDDY (to Alice): I can write your song!

MICKEY (to Buddy): You can write?

BUDDY (to Mickey): You can’t write!

MICKEY (to Alice): I’m the King of the hooks!

BUDDY (to Alice): I’m a musical demon!

ALICE: Oh, but isn’t it just too-too perfect? You two boys can write my new song together!