By Nathanael and Anna Fisher, Emerald Coast Theatre Company
After shows like Jersey Boys, Million Dollar Quartet and Wonderettes, we often receive questions such as, “How long has this cast toured together?” and “Where are they going next?” Anna and I always smile when we get these questions, because it speaks to the quality of the show. But, the reality is that all the mainstage shows at Emerald Coast Theatre Company (ECTC) are auditioned, produced and directed by ECTC staff. It’s a year-long process that begins right after we settle on a season.
After a season is chosen and we procure the production rights from the publishing companies, the work begins. Take Season 12 Shows: Jersey Boys, Baskerville: A Sherlock Holmes Mystery, All is Calm, Every Brilliant Thing, Little Shop of Horrors, Always a Bridesmaid and Legally Blonde the Musical—to produce all of those shows plus our Family Theatre production of Go Dog Go, we have to find and hire more than 60 actors to fill those character roles.
Our first step as a casting team (Anna, Emily, Trenton and Nathanael) is to consider our local actors and what parts we feel are right for those who live in the region between Panama City and Pensacola. We then start compiling a list of roles for actors that we know we will have to audition and cast from out of town. Take Jersey Boys for example: We were pretty sure we didn’t have any local young men who could sing falsetto like Keenan Lyons, the actor who plays Frankie Valli. Once we have a clear idea of what roles we need to cast for, we begin the auditioning process.
Each February, the Unified Professional Theatre Auditions, otherwise known as “UPTAs,” takes place in Memphis, Tenn. This is where over 100 theatre representatives and more than 800 actors come together for four days of auditions. In sports terms, this is where we “scout” for talent. Trenton and I head to Memphis with our list of needed roles and look specifically for the talent that we might need to bring in. We’ll keep our list of prospects until we are ready to start casting later in the year. For Jersey Boys, we brought in six guys from all over the country. Each actor was hired for his specific look and skill set, including vocal range, dance experience, character choice and believability.
Over the summer, the incredible production team begins working on the first few shows of the season. This includes production design meetings with the director to discuss the overall vision of the show and how each designer will execute their part of it. Beca drafts the set design; Taylor begins researching and building costumes; Emily starts choreographing the dances; and Ora engineers props. This all takes place simultaneously while our summer EDU programs are in full swing, during which they are also designing, building, choreographing and executing those summer shows as well.
In July, we will hold our first round of local auditions for the season. We would love to cast every role locally and do everything we can to work with local actors and their schedules. The casting team then gets to work finalizing and contracting a combination of local and out of town talent to make our shows shine! We start by prioritizing the first several shows of the season (Jersey Boys, Baskerville, and All is Calm). Then, later in the year, start focusing on casting the other shows. Our focus in casting Jersey Boys, for example, was to find a group of four young men that looked the part, could sing the part and could act well—four guys that looked like best friends and would cohesively tell the story of Frankie Vallie and the Four Seasons.
A huge thanks is due to partners like the Howard Group (with the Grand Boulevard Hotels), Ocean Reef Resorts, and a few generous patrons, who assist in providing accommodations for our out of town actors during rehearsals and performances. This is a partnership that allows us to specifically cast each role with the right actor, no matter where they are from.
Now comes the work! We have 15 rehearsal days to bring our entire cast of Jersey Boys together to create a cohesive, well-executed show. Keep in mind that many of the cast members have never met each other before. The six actors brought in from out of town are not a traveling troupe like many assume. They meet on the first day of rehearsal along with the rest of the cast. The next 15 days are packed! Prior to rehearsals, the cast receives the script and music, so they can essentially have lines and music memorized at the beginning of the rehearsal process—what we call “off book.” On the first day of rehearsals Tom Baroco, our Music Director extraordinaire, starts working with the cast on all of the music, including those beautiful harmonies. Emily Bainbridge, our top-notch choreographer, starts teaching the choreography that she has created and worked on for hours ahead of time in preparation for rehearsals. The first two or three rehearsals are totally focused on the music and choreography – they are such important parts of a musical like Jersey Boys. At the second rehearsal, Trenton (Assistant Director) and I give our pep talks. Trenton shares with the cast how they can expect to collaborate with us and our expectations of them, then I share my vision of the show from a storytelling perspective.
Anna and I have recently been discussing the idea of “Co-Creation.” It is amazing that we can take a formless idea of a show that has no set, no props, no costumes, no actors, and no choreography, to a collaboration with our production team and cast that creates an unforgettable live experience. Along the way, the director and the production team are answering questions like: How is the cast interacting with the set and props? Are the costumes cohesive to the storytelling of the show? Where does the cast need more work in learning music or choreography? Are we remaining authentic in our storytelling throughout the show? The last four or five days before opening are simply called “tech week.” This is where we are focused on technical elements like lights, sound, costumes, and scene transitions. Finally, the last element is executed, where either the director or choreographer stages curtains call- that wonderful moment where the audience shows their appreciation to the performers. For Jersey Boys, Emily choreographed the curtain call and that spectacular finale to Jersey Boys. These final touches are put on the show during tech week and the actors magically pull everything together in a seamless, beautiful final product- a “co-creation” that every cast member along with the production and tech crew has contributed to and brought to life.
All of this work culminates in OPENING NIGHT! We had a stellar, sold out opening night performance of Jersey Boys. The cast was professional, collaborative, and incredibly prepared for opening night. The audience was buzzing with excitement for the show. It was a live phenomenon that happened in real time and will never happen the same way again- truly unique and truly epic!
Recently, a gentleman came up to me after the show and started to speak, but couldn’t get the words out as he became emotional. I could see in his eyes the memories, the joy, the special experience he had watching our show. He wanted to say more, but all he could manage as he grabbed my hand with his two hands and held it securely was, “Thank you, just thank you!” I’ve been really digging into Hebrew text recently and recently discovered the word “Tohu wa-bohu,” meaning “without form and void.” It’s very gratifying to think about how Jersey Boys was “without form and void.” It was a piece of paper, a thought, a dream. Over the course of the months of preparation and planning, the weeks of rehearsals with our staff, creative team and many incredible performers, we co-created a work of art that left a man speechless. I would be remiss if I didn’t mention the most important part of that co-creation—you. We don’t exist without you, without our audience. That’s truly why we always say “The heart of ECTC is you.”
