This production is a co-production with multiple theatres, including Alley Theatre in Houston, TX and Berkeley Repertory Theatre in Berkeley, CA.
WHAT:
Alley Theatre is holding understudy auditions for Cambodian Rock Band via digital submissions. Auditions will be for AEA and Non-AEA adult actors, ages 18 and older.
This production is a co-production with multiple theatres, including Alley Theatre in Houston, TX and Berkeley Repertory Theatre in Berkeley, CA. Casting of these Understudy roles includes the Alley Theatre and Berkeley Rep run.
Those wishing to audition must be available for rehearsals and performances November 29, 2022 – April 2, 2023.
REQUIREMENTS:
For the first round of auditions, actors will be asked to tape themselves playing their instrument(s) and singing. Specific instrument and song requests will be sent once an actor has confirmed interest/availability and what role the actor would like to audition for by sending an email with a headshot and resume to auditions@alleytheatre.org.
We are auditioning for 3 understudy roles. The instruments required for each character are in parentheses:
Understudy to CHUM (Lead Guitar)/ DUCH
Understudy to LENG (Bass Guitar)/ TED/ ROM (Drums)
Understudy to NEARY/ SOTHEA (Lead Vocals)/ POU (Keys/ Percussion)
These Understudy roles require an actor to have both singing and instrument skills. A Character Breakdown can be found below.
WHEN:
Actors will need to submit a taped audition, current headshot, and resume to auditions@alleytheatre.org before Friday, September 9, 2022.
CHARACTER BREAKDOWN:
*ALL CHARACTERS ARE OF CAMBODIAN DESCENT EXCEPT FOR TED, WHO IS THAI, WHO IS THAI. ARTISTS OF ANY AAPI DESCENT ARE ENCOURAGED TO AUDITION.
CHUM: (M, late teens / early 20’s, early 50’s) Chum is the lead guitarist of the Cyclos. As a young man, he has an exuberant sense of humor and deep love for his friends. He lives for their camaraderie and the music they make together. As a prisoner in S21, he is resilient and deeply moral, even as he fights to survive. As an elderly man, he is fiercely protective of his daughter, Neary, and uses humor and wit to shield her from the painful truth about his past.
DUCH: (M, mid 30’s & 66) Duch is the head of the notorious S21 prison in Phnom Penh. A gifted bureaucrat, Duch makes terrible moral compromises in order to thrive under the Khmer regime. Doubts haunt him, but he is ruthless in pursuing control over his destiny.
NEARY: (F, 20’s) Neary is Chum’s American-born daughter who has relocated to Phom Penh where she works for an NGO investigating war crimes. Her piercing intellect indicates a thirst for truth—both about life under the Khmer regime, and her own roots. The actor playing Neary also plays Sothea.
SOTHEA: (F, late teens / early 20’s) Sothea is the lead singer for the Cyclos. She is a passionate young woman who finds purpose and freedom in her role as musical leader of her best friends’ band. The actor playing Sothea also plays Neary.
POU: (F, late teens / early 20’s) Pou is the keyboardist for the Cyclos. She is a sardonic pragmatist who relishes the acceptance she finds among the Cyclos. She is driven by a need for love and community.
ROM: (M, late teens / early 20’s) Rom is the drummer for the Cyclos. A playful dreamer, Rom yearns for connection with friends, loves art, and seeks peace.
LENG: (M, late teens / early 20’s) Leng is the bassist for the Cyclos. He exudes youthful cockiness and is devoted to his country, his friends, and especially his beloved, Sothea. After the rise of the Khmer Rouge, Leng hides his identity and embraces life as an S21 guard in order to survive. The actor playing Leng also plays Ted.TED: (M, 20’s) Ted is an NGO worker and Neary’s Canadian-born boyfriend. A caring man who exudes confidence, Ted admires Neary and shares her passion for discovering the truth about the Khmer Rouge. The actor playing Ted also plays Leng.