Thursday, October 10, 7-10pm
Friday, October 11, 7-10pm
Callbacks (as needed) Friday, October 18.
all are at
First Baptist Church Sudbury
162 Landham RD, Sudbury, MA
If you are auditioning for a lead/named role, you are welcome to fill out the Cast Sign-Up Form following casting decisions. Those primarily interested in the unauditioned chorus should fill out this form prior to October 12th.
How to Audition:
- Sign up for an audition slot using the Signupgenius linked above. When you arrive, a greeter will check you in. Individuals will then be called in to audition individually in the order they arrive, and excused after. There is no dance call. While sign-ups are required, every effort will be made to accommodate walk-ups as time allows.
- Fill out the online audition form. If you are auditioning for a named singing role (lead) or would like to be considered for a featured ensemble, please fill out an audition form online. Printed blank forms will also be available at auditions for those who need them.
- The Sudbury Savoyards cast named singing roles through a competitive audition process. The audition will consist of 2 parts:
- Music
If you would like to audition for a named singing role or featured small chorus group (see below), please prepare the selection from “Ruddigore” recommended by the directing team for your preferred role or voice part. (Click on “Audition Music” under the character below for the musical selection for that character.) You will be considered for all roles, unless you have indicated you would not like to be considered for additional roles. If you are interested in multiple roles, you are welcome (but not expected) to prepare an additional piece. If you only wish to be considered for a small chorus group singing opportunity, pick one of the recommended selections for the other characters that is in your range of your choosing.
If you would prefer to prepare a song not from the show and/or the recommended list of pieces, you may do so. Please bring your own sheet music and prepare a selection approximately 32 bars long. An accompanist will be provided. We recommend that it is in a similar style to the show and showcases your voice for your preferred role. - Readings from the script
You will also be asked to read (a) short selection(s) from the script associated with your role(s) of interest. (Click on “Audition Side” under the character below for the script reading for that character.)
P.S. Note that while “script” comes after “music” alphabetically, this is musical theater! The director is looking for you to act while you perform your musical selection(s).
- Music
What to do if you wish to be a chorus/ensemble member:
We are proud of the Sudbury Savoyards‘ strong tradition of an open chorus/ensemble. You do not need to audition to participate! Those who would like to participate as a chorus/ensemble member are encouraged to submit a Cast Sign-Up form by Saturday, October 12 and (please!) no later than October 31.
Featured Small Chorus: There will likely be opportunities for smaller group singing moments in our staging of Ruddigore 2025. If you are interested in being featured during these moments in the show, we would like to see you at our “Named Singing Role” auditions. Please follow instructions to audition above.
Rehearsals & Important Dates
Rehearsals will be Monday, Wednesday, and Friday evenings at First Baptist Church – Sudbury (162 Landham RD, Sudbury).
The first rehearsal is November 11, 2024.
Specific call times will be provided following casting and be based on cast availability given known conflicts submitted via audition form. Not every cast member will be called every day. Chorus members should plan on being called at least two out of the three rehearsal days per week until February when call times may increase.
There will be NO REHEARSAL:
Wednesday, November 27, 2024
Friday, November 29, 2024
Monday, December 23, 2024
Wednesday, December 25, 2024
Friday, December 27, 2024
Monday, December 30, 2024
Wednesday, January 1, 2025
Performance Details
Performances will be February 22 – March 1, 2025 at Lincoln-Sudbury Regional High School. Tech Week begins February 15, and Strike is March 2.
Tech week:
Saturday, February 15, 2025 – Thursday, February 20, 2025 (daytime on Saturday & Sunday, evenings on weekdays)
Performances:
Saturday, February 22, 2025, 1:30 PM & 7:30 PM
Sunday, February 23, 2025, 1:30 PM
Friday, February 28, 2025, 7:30 PM
Saturday, March 1, 2025, 1:30 PM & 7:30 PM
Other important dates:
First rehearsal: Monday, November 11, 2024
Orchestra Rehearsal with Named Roles: Sunday, February 2, 2025
Sitzprobe: Sunday, February 9, 2025
Put-In: Saturday, February 15
Brush-up rehearsal: Wednesday, February 26, 2025
Strike: Sunday, March 2, 2025
Artistic Visions
Briana Bensenouci, Stage Director
I look forward to collaborating with this wonderful artistic team and welcoming the Ruddigore 2025 cast and crew. Together, we will draw on our experiences and imagination to craft a production that is not only fun but also artistically fulfilling.
Ruddigore is a story about stories and provides a unique opportunity for us to delve into the intricacies of character creation, definition, and transformation. As an ensemble and as individual performers, we will explore what defines and alters a character.
The fantastical and magical elements of Ruddigore allow us to stretch the reality of our world and bring a sense of wonder to the stage. I am especially excited to have Nadine Sa on the artistic team as our Assistant Director and Stage Manager. With her technical background and past experience working with the group, she will enhance our capacity for performer support and help us work as one team with our production staff and crew to create an enchanting experience for our audience.
I look forward to playing in a grand, spooky sandbox where we will create a world where witches are real and ghosts show up to give you a piece of their mind. We will draw inspiration from a wide range of mediums—animation, fairy tales, farce, cinema, and theme parks—to explore the mechanics of storytelling and how changes in character impact audience expectations.
I do believe in spooks!
Aldo Fabrizi, Music Director
As a music director, I am particularly drawn to conducting Gilbert & Sullivan’s “Ruddigore” due to its rich blend of humor, romance, and supernatural elements. It offers a delightful challenge to bring its unique story and lively characters to life. The operetta’s intricate musical composition and witty lyrics provide an excellent platform to showcase the talents of the cast and orchestra, creating a vibrant and engaging performance. Additionally, the timeless appeal and imaginative plot of “Ruddigore” promise to captivate audiences, making it a rewarding and fulfilling experience for everyone involved.
Nadine Sa, Assistant Director
I am overjoyed and honored to be working with this directorial team on Ruddigore 2025. The story of Ruddigore excites me because it allows for the actors and the production team to look at what is real and whether things and people are always as they appear. I look forward to seeing this production come to life and working with each production team member and actor on this.
Synopsis
“Ruddigore, or The Witch’s Curse” was the 10th collaboration between Gilbert and Sullivan. The operetta is a parody of the stock melodrama — the villain who carries off the maiden; the priggishly good-mannered poor-but-virtuous-heroine; the hero in disguise, and his faithful old retainer who dreams of their former glory days; the snake in the grass who claims to be following his heart; the wild, mad girl; the swagger of fire-eating patriotism; ghosts coming to life to enforce a curse; and so forth. But as one critic noted, Gilbert turns the moral absolutes of melodrama upside down: Good becomes bad, bad becomes good, and heroes take the easy way out. The Baronets of Ruddigore are cursed. Anyone who succeeds to the title has to commit a crime every day — or perish in inconceivable agony. Robin Oakapple, a young farmer, loves Rose Maybud, but both are too shy to tell the other. But Robin has a secret. He is really Sir Ruthven Murgatroyd, the rightful Baronet of Ruddigore, in disguise. His younger brother, Despard, believing Ruthven to be dead, has assumed the title. Robin’s foster brother, Richard, seeking Rose for himself, tells Despard of Robin’s deception, and Robin is forced to accept his true position, losing Rose to Richard in the process. Now the Baronet of Ruddigore, Robin is confronted by the ghosts of his ancestors who step from their picture frames in the gallery of Ruddigore Castle to confront him for failing to conscientiously commit his daily crime. Robin eventually finds a way of satisfying his ancestors demands whilst continuing to live a blameless life.
Character Descriptions
Featured ensemble include “Ghost Baron/Baroness” & “Bridesmaids Union” and may prepare a musical selection of their choosing. Those interested only in “Chorus” need not audition and should simply fill out the Cast Sign-Up Form.
Sir Ruthven Murgatroyd | Playing age 18-40 Singing Range: Light Baritone, low B flat (A if possible) to E above middle C. Character: Ruthven (pronounced “Rhiven”) starts the show as self-effacing “Robin”, a modest farmer. They are actually Sir Ruthven Murgatoyrd, heir to the Murgatroyd curse and a villain-in-waiting. Whilst their character switches from “good” to “evil” between acts, they manage to be remarkably unconvincing as “the bad guy”. The role requires excellent comic timing and some fast patter-singing. Ruthven/Robin guides the primary theme of the show: what defines us? |
Rose Maybud | Playing age 18-40 Singing range: Lyric Soprano, 2 octaves to top B flat. Character: Guided in life, to an absurd degree, by a book of etiquette, Rose Maybud is a heroine in search of their hero. The only problem is that in this village, we can’t seem to figure out who the hero is. Rose wants to play by the rules, but the people around them keep eschewing clear guidelines. With their heart as the village’s most esteemed prize, what happens when there is no clear “winner”? When Rose’s hand in marriage keeps changing hands, the role they play in the village—the romantic lead—unravels, leaving us to wonder who Rose really is beneath all those manners and betrothals. |
Richard Dauntless | Playing age 18-40 Singing Range: Tenor, up to a high B flat. Character: Richard (Dick) is a charming, flirtatious, larger-than-life sailor and spinner of tales who manages to look out for their own interests while playing the role of earnest wingman. They follow their heart, but their heart suspiciously leads them in the direction of whatever seems best for good ol’ Dick at that moment. |
Sir Despard Murgatroyd of Ruddigore | Playing age 18-40 (needs to read older than Ruthven) Singing Range: Baritone, low A to E above middle C. Character: The looming Bad Baronet of Act 1. An imposing villain with a soft, squishy interior. Despard was not born to inherit the Murgatroyd curse, but assumed the duty when their elder brother Ruthven was presumed dead. They undergo a substantial character transition when relieved of their villainous duties. They finally get to be good, but is being good actually really all it’s cracked up to be? |
Mad Margaret | Playing age 18-40 (should play older than Rose) Singing Range: Mezzo, low A to F two above middle C. Character: A young woman who has lost their chance at love has no place in this village. So what else is there to do for a woman scorned but to go bananas? Mad Margaret leans into the “crazy” betrayed woman trope. But when presented with their opportunity to once again be a respectable lady, Mad Margaret reveals that maybe being a “mad woman” was actually a lot more fun. |
Dame Hannah | Playing age 40+ (needs to read 20+ years older than Rose), Singing Range: Mezzo/Contralto, low A flat – E two above middle C. Character: Dame Hannah has a certain ‘panto dame’ style about them. A narrative lynch pin, Dame Hannah oversees the much discussed romantic pursuits of her charge, Rose, informs the village (and audience) about the villainous shadow of the Murgatroyd curse, and drives home the longheld impact of the curse on the village through the ill-fated, but longed for romance between with Ruthven’s uncle and former Bad Baronet, Sir Roderic. |
Old Adam Goodheart | Playing age 50+ (needs to read 20+ years older than Ruthven) Singing Range: Bass, Low E flat (below the bass stave) to D above middle C. Character: Loyal servant of Ruthven, all Old Adam wants is to be able to call their beloved charge by their true name. When their employer is called to villainy, they might take to the job with more zest than their sworn Baronet. With only the briefest of singing moments, this is a wonderful character role. |
Sir Roderic Murgatroyd | Playing age 30+ (flexible) Singing Range: Bass-baritone, low A flat to D above middle C. Character: Provides humanity, humor, and empathy to the Murgatroyd curse. Leads one of the show’s key numbers “When the Night Wind Howls”. His tragic, unfulfilled romance with Dame Hannah demonstrates how the curse has impacted previous generations of Murgatroyds and the village. |
Zorah | Playing age 18-40 (Should be around the same age as Rose) Singing Range: Soprano, with easy G. Character: Professional bridesmaid. Has truly Had-it-Up-to-Here with Rose and Ruthven/Robin’s will they/won’t they romance. She can’t get married or fulfill her job bridesmaids duties until Rose gets married. Think less Bridesmaid and more Wedding General. She didn’t get to be head of the Bridesmaid’s union by sitting on her gown. |
Ghost Baron/ Baroness | A group of 8 prior Bad Baronets/Baronesses. Small group singing opportunity. Will also be chorus members. (Please note that the inclusion of “Baronesses,” which diverges from the script, is dependent on audition turnout, chorus sign ups, and identifying/creating suitable choral arrangements and is not yet guaranteed.) |
Bridesmaids Union | A core group of Bridesmaids. Small group singing opportunity. Depending on chorus size and make up, may be the sole bridesmaids. Will also be chorus members. (Please note that this is primarily for staging purposes, and that the full “women’s chorus” will still be singing the majority of parts labeled “Bridesmaids” in the score. This opportunity is not confirmed and will depend on audition turnout and chorus sign ups.) |
Chorus | Bridesmaids/Wedding Party, Villagers, Spirits of Ruddigore Castle, Gentry |
Additional Information
If you have any questions regarding Auditions for Ruddigore 2025, please contact the Artistic Producer, Graham Daley, at chair@sudburysavoyards.org.
Director’s Note: The Sudbury Savoyards thrive in the joy of live performance, community, and song. Don’t overthink it. We are rooting for you. Show up and enjoy, learn, meet new friends, see old friends, sing, move, and perform in community. We can do impressive things, work hard, and have fun.
For our COVID policy, please see our Attendance, Illness, and Conduct Policy here which will be updated by October 10th.
About The Sudbury Savoyards
The Sudbury Savoyards are a community theater organization founded in 1961. We became an independent non-profit 501(c)(3) organization in 2016. Since first production we have performed the light operas “operettas” of W. S. Gilbert and Arthur Sullivan (G&S). Today our motto is “Gilbert and Sullivan on a Grand Scale,” and we perform with a large orchestra and cast in addition to full staging, lights, and costumes.
Charity has been an important component of our company and in the 30 years prior to 2016, we donated over a quarter of a million dollars to world hunger relief. Today we continue to work within the limits of being a non-profit arts organization to support hunger relief through collaborations with other organizations.
We are a volunteer organization and welcome your commitment to our purpose.