Every year, Truckee’s local community theater, Truckee Community Theater (TCT), puts together a fall production for 7th-12th graders interested in acting. This year, many teens were excited to hear that the musical was going to be Chicago.
“I was super excited when I found out that the musical was Chicago,” Lucy Greenwood, a senior at Truckee High School who is involved with theater, said. “I think it’s a fun show, and the community has many talented people who will be great as the lead roles.”
Chicago’s plot is based on two murderesses. Velma Kelly and Roxie Hart. Both who crave stardom. While both are in jail, they hire a lawyer, Mr. Billy Flynn. Something special about Flynn is that he does not mind breaking his morals to help them out and is willing to do whatever it takes to take them to the top.
Through lying, cheating, and manipulating journalists’ emotions, both Hart and Kelly compete to emerge victorious. Towards the end of the story, both of the murderesses decide to work together and make each other celebrities through their combined reputations.
The show is more mature due to the themes shown throughout the musical. With the dances, lyrics, costuming, and plot, the theater decided to change the age requirements to audition.
To audition, there are a few things needed to prepare.
1- An audition song. The casting crew requests a one-minute cut of a musical theater song that matches the “vibe of Chicago” (Jazzy, 1920s, upbeat).
2- An audition monologue. Preferably drama or comedy.
3- Lastly, the star of the show, the dance auditions.
The dancing is critical because Chicago is a dance-heavy musical, filled with tap and jazz. Almost every song in the musical has an advanced dance break.
The casting crew decided to split up the auditions into two days. One for singing and acting, and the other for strictly dancing.
The dancing is so important that Truckee Community Theater and Inner Rhythms, a local dance studio, set up two dance workshops to help further support the students wanting to succeed in the audition process.
“The dancing is so helpful for auditions.” Ruby Makoutz, a student who is regularly involved with TCT, said, “I learned a lot from the workshop, and feel very prepared for when the dance workshop happens”.
The show is going to contain around 30 teenagers, all of whom will be rehearsing at least twice a week, with the goal of the production being a success.
Show dates are February 20, 21, 22, 27, 28, and March 1. Be sure to make it and support local teenagers in the arts!
