Fox Valley play auditions

To submit a listing, fax to (847) 608-0849 or e-mail foxvalley@dailyherald.com.

To take the first leap onto the road to stardom, the Fox Valley can be a great place to step off. The following auditions have been set.

McHenry County Youth Orchestras: Auditions for the 2008-2009 season will be held from 3:30 to 8:30 p.m. Tuesday, Sept. 2 at the Dole Mansion, 401 Country Club Road, Crystal Lake. For audition requirements, visit Web site www.mcmusic.org. There is no audition fee. Rehearsal and concert schedules also can be found on the Web site. Rehearsals take place in the Sage Gallery at the Dole Mansion, also known as Lakeside Legacy Arts Park. Most of the concerts are held at the Raue Center for the Arts in historic downtown Crystal Lake, just a block from the train station. The Symphony Orchestra, the advanced full orchestra, is planning a tour to Spain in June 2009 and you still have time be a part of this wonderful tour. If you are interested in scheduling an audition, call Cathy at (815) 356-6296.

Geneva Underground Playhouse: The Geneva Underground Playhouse is holding auditions for the two-act play, "Inherit the Wind," at 7 p.m. Wednesday, Thursday and Friday, Sept. 3, 4 and 5 at the site of the new playhouse, 524 W. State St., in downtown Geneva.

Tryouts are for two performances, at 2:30 and 7 p.m. Oct. 18 in the rotunda of the Old Courthouse, Third and James streets in downtown Geneva.

The show is being produced by the Geneva Underground Playhouse in conjunction with the Kane County Bar Association, as part of the bar association's 150th celebration. Eric Schwartz is the director.

The company is looking for six or seven female parts, and between 14 and 18 male parts. That may vary if some parts are cast without regard to gender, and if some are double cast.

Those trying out will be required to do only a cold reading from the play itself.

For information, contact Eric Schwartz via e-mail at gagreflexnews@yahoo.com, or (630) 232-7683, or e-mail at firststreetproduction@yahoo.com.

Noble Fool: The Noble Fool Theatricals Performing Arts Academy invites local youth ages 11 to 18 to audition for a role in the youth ensemble's fall production of "Godspell" at Pheasant Run Resort, 4051 E. Main St., St. Charles.

Open auditions will be held on the Preservation Hall Studio Stage at Pheasant Run from noon to 5 p.m. Sept. 7 and 5 to 9 p.m. Sept. 10. No appointment is necessary.

Interested children should prepare and memorize a one-minute monologue and 16 bars of a song that best displays their talent. An accompanist will be provided, so children should bring sheet music. Everyone will be taught a dance combination at the audition; previous dance training is helpful but not required. Children may also be asked to do a cold reading from the script. Everyone should bring a headshot and a resume to the audition.

"Godspell," an archaic spelling of the word gospel, is a 1970 musical by Stephen Schwartz and John-Michael Tebelak. The structure of the musical is a series of parables that are interspersed with modern music set primarily to lyrics from traditional hymns, with the passion of Christ treated briefly near the end of the performance.

The NFT Youth Ensemble will present Godspell for the public between Nov. 29 and Dec. 20 on the main stage at Pheasant Run. The director is St. Charles resident Tracy Whiteside, and musical director is Kenneth H. Jones of Wayne. This will be the seventh NFT Youth Ensemble production, which keeps growing in size and talent with past shows such as "Oliver!" and "Footloose." They are currently preparing "Once Upon a Mattress" to be performed Aug. 9-30.

The NFT Youth Ensemble is an exclusive, audition-only education program for the best and brightest young talent. Participants are responsible for memorizing lines, music and choreography. Members learn the craft of theater through the process of preparing for live performances. Youth Ensemble performances are produced, directed and performed on the main stage in the same manner as Noble Fool's professional theater productions.

"Godspell is a very popular show that every child would love the chance to perform. The kids have been asking us to present this production, and we are happy to be able to provide them the opportunity to participate!" stated Whiteside, who is also education manager of Noble Fool Theatricals.

The Noble Fool Performing Arts Academy is a non-profit organization. The academy features some of the Chicago area's most respected teachers, directors, actors and musicians. Classes are for adults, children and business professionals looking to learn from the people who are working at what they love to do.

For information on the NFT Performing Arts Academy or the audition, visit www.noblefool.org/education, call (630) 364-0550, or email education@noblefool.org. Additional theater information may be obtained at www.noblefool.org.

Black Box Theatre: The Black Box Theatre at McHenry County College will hold auditions for the outrageous English comedy "Table Manners" by Alan Ayckbourn. General auditions will be held from 6 to 9 p.m. Monday and Tuesday, Sept. 8 and 9. Bring a two to three-minute comedic monologue and you must use a British accent. If you do not have a monologue, a reading will be provided. Roles are available for three men and three women and no experience is necessary. This production will be directed by Chicago area director Dan Scott.

No experience is necessary. Callbacks will be held from 6 to 10 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 11. Scripts are available in the MCC library. Rehearsals will begin the week of Sept. 15 and performances will be held the first three weekends of November. For more information, call Jay Geller, Department Chair of Communications Studies at MCC, at (815) 455-8746 or e-mail jgeller@mchenry.edu.

Albright Theatre Company: The Albright Theatre Company will hold auditions for "Doubt: A Parable" at 7:30 p.m. Sept. 14-15 at the Batavia Government Center, 100 N. Island Ave., Batavia. Auditions will be for three women (25 to 60, including one African-American) and one man (25 to 40). It will consist of cold readings from the script. Show dates are Nov. 7-9, 14-16, and 21-22. For details, call (630) 406-8838 or visit the Web site at www.albrighttheatre.com.

Albright Theatre Company: The Albright Theatre Company will hold auditions for "The Legend of Sleepy Hollow" at 7:30 p.m. Sept. 16-17 at the Batavia Government Center, 100 N. Island Ave., Batavia. Auditions will be for six male and six female rolls, age teens to 40s. It will consist of cold readings from the script. Show dates are Oct. 17-18 and 24-25. For details, call (630) 406-8838.