ROLL ON! – A Gospel Musical
CATEGORY: Musical
TAGS: PAID WORK Actor's Equity and Non-Equity
EXPIRES: Friday, June 24, 2022
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Producer
ROLL ON! Productions, LLC
Production Description
CASTING CALL-ROLL ON! PRODUCTIONS, LLC- A creative think tank promoting actors, writers, and otherinnovative artists!-- Is conducting a casting call for Roll On! - A Gospel Musical book by Marshall Opie &
score by Dr. Daniel Spr uill with additional music by Rickey Payton, Sr. and Alphonzo Boone, Jr., being directed by Eric Ruffin and presented by ROLL ON! Productions, LLC.
Roll On! is a musical about family and faith, and what happens when trust is lost or broken. It tells the story of a teenage boy who wants to become pastor of his family's church, but life's cares and family secrets choke his goal. Along the way, he meets and falls in love with the woman of his childhood dreams, recalls that true love forgives, and learns that forgiveness empowers, enabling him to
move on and fulfill his destiny.
While there are many references to the Gospel, Roll On! is not didactic but a play that triumphantly reveals many heartfelt, universal themes. There are no "DIVAS" written in the play. It is an ensemble piece in which each character's arc yields importance to the story. The play spans a total of 25 years.
Actors must convincingly play a broad range of ages.
Post reading plans and future opportunities for the cast include a touring show to initiate in November, following the October 2022 DMV opening launch..
Roles
Pearl Johnson (Principal Lead - Strong Understudy Needed): African American Female, 42 - 67
Pearl is a simple character yet complexed. Simple in the fact that she appears to be and is a good wife and mother, as well as, a working class, Christian woman. Her faith overshadows her fears, gives her a confidence that won't allow her to back down when she confronts injustice, and shields her
inadequacies, personal desires, and secrets. She is complex because she is hurting and has only God to whom she is willing to share the depths of her secrets that she is committed to take with her to the grave.
Ethnicity: African-American
Required skills: Experienced strong actor. Superior singer with a broad vocal range Soprano (G3- to C6 optional E6 and F6 lyrical belt).
Required: Headshot and resume
Earl Johnson (Principal Lead): African American Male, 42
A physically strong and mentally strong-willed working-class man, husband and father blinded by the lack of ability or desire to multi-task or to think outside of his own, self-made box. At times he appears to be far more religious than spiritual. His single-minded nature makes him unfit and sadly incapable of analyzing his own self-proclaimed, prophetic dreams. His strong-willed nature cripples him from achieving the sincere, good intentions of his heart.
Ethnicity: African American
Required skills: Experienced, strong actor; Capable of singing Baritone (G2-G4)
Required: Headshot and resume
Rev. Charles Daniels (Principal Lead): Male, 55-80
He is pastor and founder of the church in which the play centers. He uses a cane as result of a stroke – a stroke he experienced prior to the passing of his wife and one that he deems as a merciful reminder of God's judgment and a consequence for the sins of his youth. As a widower, he strives to laugh more, revere life, and make peace with his cane, his parishioners, and beloved friends. A simple wink from his eye tells many stories and reveals his true, kindhearted nature. He is a man who has learned the difference between sympathy and empathy. He can be touched by the infirmities of others; but he governs himself and the church that he oversees by its Holy Bible, bi-laws, and constitution.
Ethnicity: African-American
Required Media: Superior singing voice; Baritone (G2-G4) strong actor.
Required: Headshot and resume
Joshua Johnson (Principal Lead): African American Male, 17 - 42
Teenage character: An athletic, bright, scholarly young man - practically birthed and raised up in the church, becoming a minister at 17 years of age. He is quite wet behind the ears and couldn't find trouble if he wanted to, but trouble always has a way of finding him. He is comical, honest to a fault, and troubled.
Adult character: A Ph.D., progressive minded, youthful hearted minister that is in search of a church to pastor. He sees himself as a change maker, an activist, and a man called by God to serve. His greatest fear is his past and the anger in his heart that is caused by it. His greatest love is God and his wife, Cheri, who at times plays the role of not only lover but counselor, friend, advisor, and a savior of sorts.
There are very few things that he cannot do well when he puts his mind to it, except easily forgiving someone who has deceived, betrayed him, or angered him to no end.
Ethnicity: African-American
Required skills: Superior singer with a broad vocal range; Tenor (F3-D5 lyrical belt) strong actor.
Required: Headshot and resume
Cheri Johnson (Lead): Caucasian Female, 39
A pregnant, clinical psychologist in her third trimester. She is a witty, intelligent, southern woman, and a force not to be reckoned with. She will stand by her husband's side at all costs. As her husband is devoted to her, she is indebted and devoted to him. Once a waitress, she worked and helped her husband, J.E., go to and finish college, who then entered worked and helped her go and finish her undergraduate, masters, and Ph.D. Like her husband, she has a low tolerance for dishonesty or deception. Her greatest fear is to hold back her husband from being the man that she knows he is destined to be. Her greatest love is preparing and serving unique, intimate meals for any and everyone who will sit at her table and enjoys just sitting, eating, and chatting.
Ethnicity: Caucasian
Required Media: Superior singing voice; Soprano (G3- to C6 optional E6 and F6 lyrical belt) strong actor.
Required: Headshot and resume
Ruth (Lead/Chorus): African American Female, 22 - 47 Double Cast as Mother Proctor
Ruth is a private, no-nonsense yet liberated woman who knows the pleasures of sexual freedom, intimidating to the average man or woman, exuding a level of confidence that suggests that her heart cannot be penetrated or pierced. She is calculating. Her behaviors are intentional and seemingly mechanical, robotic yet clear and conscious. Friends and friendships for her are expendable. Only two things can hurt her and cause her to fall to her knees: not achieving one of her calculated goals or watching her mother sacrifice or be compromised. She is the only daughter of Earl and Pearl, and she serves as the Chairman of the Board
of the Calvary Missionary Church's Pulpit Search Committee.
Mother Proctor is a sweet church mother, African-American female, 80 to 85 "years-young."
Ethnicity: Preferably African-American
Required Media: Experienced, strong actor; Capable of singing on pitch both in a lead or choral capacity. Alto (Bb3-Db5)
Required: Headshot and resume
Mrs. Katy Green (Lead/Chorus): Female, 50 - 75
Pearl's next-door neighbor, member of the pulpit search committee.
She is "Mrs. Katy Green" because she prides herself in being the widow of the late Henry Green, (African American), and she has always loved and liked being Katy. If she were a red wine, her attack would bite, her body would be full, delicious, and sweet, and her finish would leave an odd, vintage,
unique, oaky, and impactful punch to one's soul. If Pearl had a friend to confide, her next-door neighbor, Katy, is it. Katy is shrewd, discrete, tactful, graceful, trust-worthy and a great cook.
She has peace because she has known love. She is militant when her love or peace is threatened.
Ethnicity: All Ethnicities
Required Media: Mezzo-Soprano (D4-F5)
Required: Headshot and resume
Shirlie Mae (Chorus): Female, 22 – 47
Deacon Willie's wife, pulpit search committee secretary. She is a life-long friend of Ruth and the Johnson family. She is sweet as pie, adorable, and loveable. She is an oddity in the world of this play filled with strong, domineering personalities. Her genuineness and kindness is the secret to her
resilience and strength and the sense of purpose in which she lives her life.
Ethnicity: All Ethnicities
Required Media: Experienced, strong actor; Capable of singing on pitch both in a lead or choral
capacity. Alto, Bb3-Db5
Required: Headshot and resume
Mabel (Chorus): African-American Female, 49 - 74
Church agitator, choir director, pulpit search committee member. She is cantankerous for no apparent reason at all except that she was born Black, her momma was Black, her daddy was Black, and she has no intentions of changing the fact that she is Black, and she is Mabel – "take it or leave it!" She is raw and honest. She is probably the one character that could cause Ruth to crack a smile, bow her head, and shake it once or twice. She will speak her mind, will not hold her tongue, and will not turn a cheek or be
crossed easily. She is one of the last people you might expect to see in heaven but will be one of the first
persons standing there, looking at you when you arrive.
Ethnicity: African-American
Required Media: Rich singing voice; strong actor. Alto (Bb3-Db5)
Required: Headshot and resume
Trustee Willie Barnes (Chorus): African American Male, 30 - 55 Doubled Casted as Junior Willie: The Chorus serves as a Greek Chorus of sorts, and members of the Pulpit Search Committee.
Willie is one of those Deacons who was once a church member who was known for smelling like a liquor bottle on a Sunday morning. Now reformed, he is instrumental in getting church folk to look at the world through a different pair of lenses. He is an empathetic character and one who can be trusted
with handling his business and the business and secrets of others.
Junior is the eldest and estranged son of Earl and Pearl Johnson. Joshua looks up to, worships and adores him, even though in the eyes of many others he is a disappointment because of his recreational use of substances and inability to keep a job. He serves as Joshua's big brother, mentor, and protector.
Ethnicity: Preferably African-American
Required Media: Experienced, strong actor; Capable of singing on pitch both in a lead or choral capacity. Tenor (F3-D5 lyrical belt)
Required: Headshot and resume
Rehearsal and Production Dates & Locations
Auditions and most of the scheduled rehearsals will be conducted at Center City Brightwood Campus , 6008 Georgia Avenue, NW, Washington, DC .
The In-person auditions will be held on June 25 and 26, 2022 , from 10:00 a.m. - 2:00 p.m.
Audition details: This project is calling for union and non-union actors.
Please submit a headshot/clear photo and resume to www.rollonproductions.com
Once your info is received you will be placed into a block of times (10-11:30 a.m.; 11:30-1:00 p.m.; 1:00-2:00 p.m.) on a first received first serve basis.
Venue: Center City Brightwood Campus, 6008 Georgia Ave NW
Casting notification will be sent out on or before July 1, 2022.
First Day of Rehearsal: Monday, August 15, 2022
Scheduled rehearsals continue weekday evenings, 6:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m. and long, flexible Saturday hours, requiring actors to give the rehearsal and production process full-time commitment and to reside in the DMV from August 15 to October 30, 2022 .
Performance dates and venue: Sunday, October 9 through Sunday, October 30, 2022, at THEARC Theater, 1901 Mississippi Avenue, SE, Washington, DC. There will be 6 to 7 performances/week to include matinees. Actors will be assured two consecutive days off/week.
Note: Submission of headshots and resume communicates your ability to commit to the rehearsal and production demands and schedule.
Compensation
This project is calling for union and non-union actors. Though the initial rehearsal schedule does NOT entail full-time hours, it does require full-time, flexible availability of an actor as scheduled or called, given 24-hour notice, to rehearsals. Compensation for actors will range from $300/week to
$800/week.
Key Details
We are looking for talent that lives or can personally obtain living accommodation in the Washington, Metropolitan area. Special accommodations may be arranged for exceptional, experienced out of town
actors.
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