Audition – The Yeomen of the Guard

THE YEOMEN OF THE GUARD
or
The Merryman and his Maid

The Cape Town Gilbert and Sullivan Society who brought you the outstanding and lavish productions of My Fair Lady, H.M.S. Pinafore – The Musical, Annie and most recently the highly acclaimed production of Fiddler on the Roof, will stage Gilbert and Sullivan’s classic tragic-comedy The Yeomen of the Guard at the Artscape Theatre in June 2012. Thereafter, it is intended that the production will transfer to the International Gilbert and Sullivan Festival in Buxton, UK during August 2012. Yeomen is the nearest that Gilbert and Sullivan got to achieving something close to “real” opera. It is a wonderful work with stunning chorus work and beautiful solos and ensembles, all accompanied by full symphony orchestra, and the story- line is believable and dramatic with underlying typical Gilbertian comedy mingled with tragedy on this occasion. Gilbert said that he regarded it as ‘…the best thing we have done’ and Sullivan declared that it was his favourite of all their joint works.

Director Teddy Davies and musical director Alastair Cockburn who have collaborated in bringing so many wonderfully successful Savoy Operas to Cape Town audiences in the past are once again teamed up. The CPO will again play for this production.

Generally, several of the lead principal cast require trained “operatic” voices and good singers are needed for the splendid four-part harmony chorus work. Please go to the Society website www.gilbertandsullivan.co.za for full particulars. (If for some reason the information does not appear on the Home Page – click on Productions – then click on the 2012 window)

The principals are required to sing a number from the score (on website) pertaining to the particular character for which they wish to audition and the chorus may sing a piece of their own choice, generally and preferably in “classical” style. Several chorus numbers from “Fiddler on the Roof” for example would suffice, but pop songs in an American accent should be avoided. You may download and complete the Audition Form and bring it with you, or you may complete one at the audition venue. All the above may be found on the website.

All those auditioning must be available to perform in Buxton, UK in the beautiful Victorian Opera House on Thursday 16 August (was Monday 13). The plans are currently intended for the G&S Society to subsidise participants by paying half the travel costs and the full accommodation costs in Buxton. Special consideration will be given to Society members who wish to perform in the production but are unable to commit themselves to Buxton.

Auditions will be held at the Artscape Theatre Complex, Rehearsal Room 301 (entrance via the stage door) in November on the following days: Chorus: Saturday 19 and Principals: Sunday 20 both from 10.00am. Recalls will be as follow: Chorus: Saturday 26 and Principals: Sunday 27 both from 2.00pm. You are kindly requested to email yeomen.auditions@gmail.com giving your name and contact number to book an audition time.

THE CAST

The Yeomen of the Guard
(Set in the Tower of London in the 15th Century)

Vocal Ranges and Vocal Descriptions of the Principals

Elsie Maynard : (A Strolling Singer/Minstrel girl.) A lyrical, young, bright soprano. Must have excellent diction and attention to detail whilst able to create a beautiful line. (Top B-flat required)

Kate: (Dame Carruthers’ niece.) A cameo soprano role. Must have a musical ear and excellent ensemble singing ability. Also sings with the chorus sopranos. (Top G required)

Phoebe Meryll : (Sergeant Meryll’s daughter.) A very light, easy and young mezzo. Higher notes (top C to F) must come relatively easily but must also be strong and resonant all the way through the lower range of the voice. Could be a soprano with a strong lower register. (Bottom A-flat below middle-C required)

Dame Carruthers : (Housekeeper to the Tower of London.) A mature, rich, resonant contralto or mezzo. Good strong low notes with real power in the higher register. (Range from G below middle-C to top F)

Colonel Fairfax : (Prisoner in the Tower – under sentence of death.) A strong, secure and clear tenor. Must have a strong presence in the higher register (top A-flat required), but not too overpowering or ‘heavy’ – this tenor must be able to navigate in the head voice with ease and delicacy.

Leonard Meryll : (Son of Sergeant Meryll.) A light tenor who is very at ease with the top notes (top A-Flat required) and excellent ensemble singing ability.

1st and 2nd Yeomen: Two of the chorus Yeomen who have solo lines, one is a high baritone (or tenor) and the other a bass-baritone.

Jack Point: (A Strolling Jester and friend of Elsie Maynard.) A comic light baritone with a good solid range. Light and easy at the top, rich and resonant at the bottom. Must have impeccable diction and an easy, light, but very secure voice. (Range from A below middle-C to top F)

Wilfred Shadbolt : (Head Jailor and Assistant Tormentor – Torturer – in the Tower of London.) Solid baritone with a bit of weight to it. Not too ‘heavy’ especially as the voice ascends into his upper register. (Range from A below middle-C to top E)

Sir Richard Cholmondeley : (Lieutenant of the Tower of London.) A nice rich, pleasant bass-baritone voice but still is relatively flexible and not too ‘heavy’. Good ensemble singing required. (Range same as Wilfred Shadbolt – see above)

Sergeant Meryll : (Sergeant of the Yeomen of the Guard of the Tower of London.) Bass-baritone or bass. Very secure rhythmically. Must have depth and richness to the voice and sound very weighty and mature. (Range from low G to top E-flat)

1st and 2nd Citizens: Two members of the male citizen chorus with solo spoken lines.

1 Male and 1 Female Strolling Players: These are two youngish dancers and also members of the Citizens Chorus.

Chorus of Yeomen: The Yeomen comprise mature men divided up into 1st and 2nd tenors and 1st and 2nd basses for their male-voice choruses. Otherwise they join the full chorus of citizens, singing tenor and bass. The Yeomen need to have good choral voices and the ability to sing ensemble (male-voice choir) well.

Chorus of Citizens: The large chorus of Londoners generally has stunning music to sing – the best choral music in the entire G & S repertoire. The chorus comprises ladies and men (sopranos, altos, tenors and basses) of all ages, shapes and sizes and offers the opportunity of creating wonderful individual characters from sophisticated ladies and men to street urchin type youngsters.