[MusicTlk] Fwd: Casting Notice: Seeking Blind/Low Vision Actors for Opera Birmingham

[Katelyn MacIntyre]

~Katelyn MacIntyre, M.M.
www.katelynmac.com
www.facebook.com/KatelynMacMusic
@KatelynMacMusic
President, National Federation of the Blind Performing Arts Division

Begin forwarded message:

> From: Access Acting Academy <info at accessacting.com>
> Date: November 11, 2022 at 4:11:29 PM EST
> To: katelynmacmusic at gmail.com
> Subject: Casting Notice: Seeking Blind/Low Vision Actors for Opera Birmingham
> 
> 
> 	
> Casting Notice: Seeking Blind/Low Vision Actors for Opera Birmingham (Non-Union)
>  
> Happy Friday everyone
> 
> Here’s another casting notice to jump start your weekend.
> 
> As always, please let casting know you heard about the role from Access Acting Academy (AC3).
> 
> Break legs!
> 
> SEEKING BLIND/LOW VISION ACTORS FOR OPERA BIRMINGHAM
> 
> Project Title : Touch (opera about Helen Keller and Anne Sullivan)
> 
> Project Type : Theater
> 
> Project Description: Touch is a chamber opera, commissioned by Opera Birmingham to premiere in January 2024, about the life of Helen Keller, celebrated 20th century deaf and blind author and activist, and Anne Sullivan Macy, her confidant and friend. The opera Touch picks up where the play The Miracle Worker ends, exploring the complicated relationship between Helen Keller, Anne Sullivan Macy, John Macy (Anne’s husband), and Peter Fagan (Helen’s interpreter and star-crossed lover). The production features three principal singing roles (Anne Sullivan Macy, John Macy, and Peter Fagan). An actor plays the role of Helen Keller, and there is an ensemble of seven singers, representing Helen’s voice and doubling in secondary roles. Helen’s Choir may be onstage at times, other times they may be offstage or in the pit. For this production, we are particularly interested in casting artists with operatic training who may be Blind, Deaf, low-vision and/or low-hearing, as well as artists who know American Sign Language or are comfortable with fingerspelling. Casting will also be racially and ethnically diverse, and may include Deaf and/or Blind actors performing in tandem with a singer.
> 
> Union Status: Non-Union
> 
> Network/Studio/Production Company : Opera Birmingham
> 
> Director :
> 
> Writer: Composer/Co-Librettist Carla Lucero and Co-Librettist Marianna Mott Newirth
> 
> Character Breakdown (Age, Gender Identity, Disability, Race, Ethnicity, etc.) : 
> 
> Helen Keller (Leading Role)
> 
> Character: woman in her 20s (in her 50s by the end of the opera), DeafBlind; a force of nature, keenly insightful of everything and everyone around her, who could be mischievous and temperamental at times.
> Voice: actress (no singing required), with Helen’s thoughts and text sung by a rotating choir of voices
> 
> Helen’s Voice (Leading Role – soprano voice in Helen’s Choir throughout opera) Voice: light lyric or coloratura soprano (E4 to C6), with a range of expression from playful to angry (reflecting Helen’s broad moods)
> 
> Anne Sullivan (Leading Role)
> Character: woman in her 30s (in her 60s by the end of the opera) with low vision; put together and precise in everything she says and does, with great dignity counterbalancing her childhood which was anything but
> Voice: lyric soprano (D4 to C6), legato lines and clear diction
> 
> John Macy (Leading Role – also in Helen’s Choir for some scenes)
> Character: middle-aged male; Boston academic, passionate, bleeding heart liberal and a hopeless drunk
> Voice: lyric tenor (D3 to A4), lyrical legato and capable of piano singing in upper voice; could also have a darker color reflecting his temper and alcoholic tendencies
> 
> Peter Fagan (Leading Role – also in Helen’s Choir for some scenes)
> Character: young man in mid 20s; love-sick idealist, and intellectual who teaches himself finger-signing in case he should meet Helen Keller (Peter is a prime character to be paired with a Deaf/Blind actor)
> Voice: lyric tenor (D3 to A4) with a sweet and youthful sound
> 
> Kate Keller (Featured Role – also in Helen’s Choir for some scenes)
> Character: Southern lady in her 40s; fierce and compassionate
> Voice: lyric mezzo soprano (A3 to A5) with a warmth in her voice reflecting her maturity
> 
> Polly Thompson (Featured Role – also in Helen’s Choir for some scenes)
> Character: woman in her early 30s; a bit mousy, sees an opportunity when it presents itself and makes things happen
> Voice: lyric mezzo soprano (A3 to G5) with a younger/brighter sound than Kate
> 
> James Keller (Feature Roled – also in Helen’s Choir for some scenes)
> Character: Helen’s half-brother, 16 years older than Helen; chip off the old block of his father Arthur Keller
> Voice: lyric tenor (C3 to A4), can have a fuller sound to reflect the anger his character shows is most of his scenes
> 
> Arthur Keller (Featured Role – also in Helen’s Choir throughout the opera)
> Character: Helen’s father, a Southern gentleman in his 40s; privileged and unaware
> Voice: Bass, or bass-baritone (F2 to C#4), full sound in lower voice to give weight and gravitas to Helen’s thoughts, also able to sing with lightness and flexibility in more playful sections
> 
> Rate of pay?: $5,000 for the rehearsal and performance period
> 
> Audition dates?: auditions are virtual, materials should be submitted by December 31, 2022
> 
> Callback dates?: Virtual callbacks will be scheduled if needed.
> 
> Shoot dates?: January 3 through January 21, 2024 (inclusive of rehearsals and performances)
> 
> Location?: Birmingham, AL
> 
> Local Hires only?: No
> 
> Travel/Housing provided? : Yes
> 
> Submission Instructions and Contact info: If interested in auditioning for the role of Helen Keller or as an actor (to pair with a singer for other roles), please submit a monologue between 90 seconds and three minutes. You may be asked to submit additional sides from the opera at a later date.
> 
> If interested in one of the singing roles, please submit 2 classical pieces along with your headshot and resume.
> 
> Please e-mail all submissions to keith at operabirmingham.org with TOUCH submission in the subject line.
> 
> Feel free to reach out with any additional questions!
> 
> ——————————————————————
>  Access Acting Academy (AC3) Notes
> -Please submit only if you are right for this role.
> -Please feel free to pass on this notice to your community or someone who fits the breakdown and might like to submit. 
> -Please submit to the contact email listed in the notice. 
> -Please do not submit to Access Acting Academy. Neither Marilee nor AC3 has any further information about this project than what is listed above.
> -When submitting, please let casting know you heard about the role from Access Acting Academy and/or Marilee
>  
> Access Acting Academy
> C/o Mverse Inc
> Sam Francisco CA 94110
> United States
> 
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