Auditions: Hairspray
Auditions for Hairspray at Cotuit Center for the Arts! CCftA is a non-professional community theater. Please contact Director Tristan DiVincenzo at tristan.divincenzola@gmail.com for more information.
AUDITION DATES:
Friday, October 2 from 6 to 9PM
Saturday, October 3 from 10AM to 1PM
(Auditioners may sing anything that best suits their voice. Actresses auditioning for Tracy should have the beginning of "Good Morning Baltimore" prepared)
SHOW DATES:
April 30 through May 16, 2027
PRODUCTION TEAM:
Tristan DiVincenzo, Director
Sandee Brayton, Musical Director
Meg Morris, Choreographer
THE SETTING:
Baltimore, 1962. Television is selling America an image of itself, but not everyone is allowed inside the frame.
HAIRSPRAY the hit Broadway musical, is an exuberant musical comedy about Tracy Turnblad, a fearless teenager whose dream of being on The Corny Collins Show, a local television dance party. Her audition unexpectedly places her at the center of a much larger fight. When Tracy becomes an overnight TV sensation, she discovers that the glamorous world she idolizes is carefully controlled, by beauty standards, commercial interests, racial segregation, and by those who decide who gets to be seen.
Armed with optimism, extraordinary confidence, and an instinctive belief that everyone belongs on the dance floor, Tracy challenges the system from inside it. What begins as one girl’s pursuit of celebrity becomes a joyful rebellion against exclusion.
HAIRSPRAY The Musical was adapted from John Waters’ 1988 cult classic film and opened on Broadway in 2002, ultimately winning eight Tony Awards, including Best Musical. It’s score is rooted in early-‘60s pop, soul and rhythm and blues. Hairspray wraps a serious story about the early civil rights era inside an explosion of comedy, romance, dance and unapologetic colorful theatricality.
NOTE:
HAIRSPRAY is truly an ensemble production. With the exception of Tracy and Edna, many members of the company will play multiple roles throughout the show. Every member of the ensemble is an important part of bringing the world of Hairspray to life.
This is an energetic show with significant music, movement and staging, so consistent attendance will be especially important. We encourage performers with a wide range of experience to audition — you do not need to consider yourself a trained dancer to be part of this production. Some roles have more demanding dance requirements than others, and the creative team will be looking for a variety of strengths as we build the company.
Company members will be expected to attend the rehearsals for which they are called. Early in the rehearsal process, not everyone will be called to every rehearsal.
Because of the size and complexity of the production, we will have limited flexibility with conflicts once the rehearsal schedule is established. A full production calendar will be available at auditions, and we ask that you list all known conflicts on your audition form so the production team can consider them during casting.
If you are involved in another production during the same period, please review the schedules carefully and let us know about those commitments when you audition.
Most importantly: if Hairspray sounds like a show you would love to be part of, we hope you'll audition. We are looking for a company of performers who bring different talents, backgrounds, and levels of experience to the stage.
TWO WAYS TO BE A PART OF HAIRSPRAY:
Hairspray is a big, joyful celebration of music, dance, community, and change, and we're excited to welcome performers from across our community to audition.
Because dance is central to Hairspray, this production has some different performance requirements from other shows at Cotuit Center for the Arts. We are casting both a Featured/Dance Ensemble and a Supporting Cast, with different levels of onstage participation.
Featured/Dance Ensemble
The Featured Ensemble will perform in the show's major production numbers and will require strong singing and movement skills, the ability to learn and retain choreography, and the stamina to perform demanding musical sequences throughout the show. Dance and movement ability will therefore be an important part of casting this ensemble.
Supporting Cast
We are also exploring opportunities for a Supporting Cast of performers who would like to be part of the Hairspray experience but may not be appropriate for the dance demands of the Featured Ensemble.
Supporting Cast members will appear in selected scenes and production moments as appropriate to the staging. Because Hairspray is structured around a featured group of singers and dancers, Supporting Cast members should understand that their onstage time will be more limited and that there may be significant periods during performances when they are not onstage.
We want to be transparent about that distinction while also making clear that we welcome performers of different experience and ability levels to audition. Casting will be based on the particular requirements of each role and ensemble within this production.
Cotuit Center for the Arts remains committed to creating opportunities for people throughout our community to participate in theater. At the same time, every production has its own artistic and technical requirements. For Hairspray, dance is an especially important part of the storytelling, and our casting process will reflect that.
If you'd love to be part of this exciting production, we encourage you to audition and let us know whether you would be interested in being considered for the Supporting Cast as well as the Featured/Dance Ensemble.
CASTING:
Cast Size: (25 performers),
Cast Type: ALL ETHNICITIES, BIPOC Roles, Trained Dancers, Teens, Strong Ensemble Cast, Star Vehicle Male, Star Vehicle Female, Older Character Roles.
Vocal Requirements: Actors who sing, Singers who act.
Dance Requirements: Moderate to Heavy
CHARACTER BREAKDOWN:
TRACY TURNBLAD
Our story's unsuspecting protagonist, she is large and in charge. Confident, talented, and incredibly determined. A romantic with a good heart and desire to cut up the dance floor. Always on top of the latest trends, Tracy Turnblad is a young lady with big hair and an even bigger personality! She is the hero of our story and she is sweet but also strong in her convictions. She is bigger in size than the other girls, but she isn't shy about it - she can dance with the best of them! Requires an excellent singer, dancer and actor, but most importantly, a young lady who has wonderful stage presence and can easily capture the audience's heart.
Gender Ethnicity: White Female
“Character Age”: 15 to 20
Vocal range top: G5
Vocal range bottom: G3
EDNA TURNBLAD
Edna Turnblad is Tracy's big and blonde, loving mother who doesn't spend much time outside the house. She works days and nights as a laundress in her home, and her lack of social interaction has made her a bundle of nerves. She has lost her confidence and dream to be a plus-size clothing designer. Boisterous and commanding.
This role is played by a white male actor in drag. Edna should be a proficient singer.
Gender Ethnicity: White Male
“Character Age”: 30 to 50
Vocal range top: G5
Vocal range bottom: F3
WILBUR TURNBLAD
Edna's simpleminded and loving husband and Tracy's supportive, kind father who just wants the best for his family. He owns a joke shop. He also loves his wife, Edna, very much. The actor playing Wilbur should complement Edna.
Gender Ethnicity: White Male
“Character Age”: 55 to 65
Vocal range top: A5
Vocal range bottom: A3
PENNY PINGLETON
Tracy's best friend and fun, dorky sidekick. Not the brightest girl, but she has good intentions. She is a young lady caught between her mother's very strict rules and her own wants and desires to be just another teenage girl. Bursting to get free of her mother's dominating control, she falls for Seaweed with childlike curiosity. This is a good role for an actress with a sweet voice and great comedic instincts.
Gender Ethnicity: White Female
“Character Age”: 15 to 20
Vocal range top: G5
Vocal range bottom: A3
PRUDY PINGLETON
Penny's eccentric and loving mother. Very conservative, controlling, and closed minded, she wants the best for her daughter but is extreme in her means. Prudy should be a good actress, capable of capturing the conflict of being a caring mother who can't help but be overprotective.
Gender Ethnicity: White Female
“Character Age”: 40 to 50
Vocal range top: B4
Vocal range bottom: D4
LINK LARKIN
Link Larkin is Baltimore's biggest heartthrob, and Tracy's dream guy. He is attractive and talented. Hoping to get his big break with a recording contract, he unexpectedly falls for Tracy. Link is considered the Top Man on Campus on the “Corny Collins’ Show”, a triple threat - a great actor, singer and dancer.
Gender Ethnicity: White Male
“Character Age”: 15 to 20
Vocal range top: A5
Vocal range bottom: G3
CORNY COLLINS
Corny Collins, the charismatic host of "The Corny Collins Show," is a Baltimore celebrity. Foremost, Corny is a smooth talking charmer, so this role will be played by an experienced singer and actor with great energy and who is unafraid of being in the center spotlight.
Gender Ethnicity: White Male
“Character Age”: 25 to 35
Vocal range top: A4
Vocal range bottom: D3
AMBER VONTUSSLE
Link's girlfriend and Tracy's nemesis, Amber Vontussle is a prom queen nightmare! She is pretty, thin, shallow, snobby, and racist. She is definitely "The Corny Collins Show" favorite, but she is competitive and has a bad attitude. Can't dance but is expected to win the “Miss Baltimore Hairspray” contest. Always feels the need to be the center of attention. Amber should be played by a great performer.
Gender Ethnicity: White Female
“Character Age”: 15 to 20
Vocal range top: F5
Vocal range bottom: A3
VELMA VON TUSSLE
Velma Von Tussle is a carbon copy of Amber - just twenty years older and meaner! She is the director of Corny Collin's show. She is a devious taskmaster and snobby racist. The former “Miss Baltimore Crabs” will go to any length to ensure her daughter always wins.
Gender Ethnicity: White Female
“Character Age”: 45 to 55
Vocal range top: E5
Vocal range bottom: G3
SEAWEED J. STUBBS
Tracy's classmate and friend, who is discriminated against due to his skin color. He is cocky but surprisingly lovable.
He is the object of Penny's affections, and together, they are determined to defy the segregation laws of the 1960s. Seaweed can do it all! This is a great role for an experienced young performer who can sing, dance and act well.
Gender Ethnicity: African American Male.
“Character Age”: 15 to 20
Vocal range top: D5
Vocal range bottom: F3
LITTLE INEZ STUBBS
Little Inez Stubbs is Seaweed's little sister and a great breakout role for a young actress. Little Inez gets her moment in the spotlight, she is a great singer and dancer. Inez has a quiet exterior, but can be bold when the opportunity comes.
Gender Ethnicity: African American Female
“Character Age”: 10 to 17
MOTORMOUTH MAYBELLE
Seaweed and Little Inez's mother, she also appears as the Guest DJ on the Corny Collin's Negro Day show. Big, beautiful and proud of it. She is sassy and confident.
Motormouth Maybelle is a soulful part for a performer who can play an older age. In this story, she is the face of the Civil Rights Movement and sings the beautiful anthem, "I Know Where I've Been." Maybelle needs to be a performer with a great voice and more importantly, someone who has strong stage presence.
Gender Ethnicity: African American Female
“Character Age”: 40 to 50
Vocal range top: E5
Vocal range bottom: F3
THE DYNAMITES
The Dynamites (Judine, Kamilah and Shayna) are a dynamic musical trio, iconic of the Motown era and the 1960s. Think the Supremes or The Ronnets. These three young artist, are singers and dancers who complement each other.
Gender Ethnicity: African American/ ALL Genders
Vocal range top: A5
Vocal range bottom: E4
MR PINKY
Mr. Pinky owns a ladies' clothing shop and is a salesperson inside and out. He is always the first to give a compliment.
Gender Ethnicity: White Male
ENSEMBLE
TV COUNCIL MEMBERS
(Brad, Tammy, Fender, Sketch, Shelley, IQ, Brenda and Lou Ann) are the Teenage Idols on "The Corny Collins Show.”
Students; Protestors, Gym Teacher, Cindy Watkins, Matron, Principal, Lorraine, Gilbert, Thad, Duane, Stooie, Beatnik Chick, Male Guard, Guard, Newscaster and Council Members.
These roles fill out the lively world of 1960s Baltimore. Above all this is truly a story about communities intersecting, EVERY ROLE IS ESSENTIAL!
Genders Ethnicity’s: ALL