Ragtime Auditions
Auditions Announced
Higgs Theatricals is proud to announce auditions for a special one-night-only presentation of the sweeping and powerful musical Ragtime.
Set at the dawn of a new century, Ragtime weaves together the stories of people from vastly different walks of life, united by their hopes, struggles, and dreams in an ever-changing America. Featuring one of the most breathtaking scores in modern musical theatre, Ragtime is a story of justice, resilience, love, and the pursuit of a better future.
This one-night-only concert presentation will feature iconic songs such as “Make Them Hear You,” “Wheels of a Dream,” “Back to Before,” and “Till We Reach That Day,” offering performers the opportunity to explore one of the most moving and musically rich scores in contemporary musical theatre in a focused, collaborative setting.
Several principal roles have already been precast; however, we are searching for a stunning company of approximately 30 performers to help bring this unforgettable story—and its incredible music—to life onstage. In addition, Higgs Theatricals will begin its search this summer for a chorus of at least 50 performers to join this powerful production.
Auditions: Sunday, May 31, beginning at 5:00 PM
Callbacks: later that evening if necessary
Location: Rensselaer City School District Auditorium, 25 Van Rensselaer Drive, Rensselaer NY
Performers auditioning should prepare a 32-bar cut of a musical theatre song that best showcases their vocal ability, storytelling, and performance style (an accompanist will be provided).
If you are ready to tell a story that matters—one that speaks to hope, justice, change, and the enduring pursuit of the American Dream—we encourage you to audition.
Join us as we bring the powerful story of Ragtime to life.
About the Production Team
Andrew Higgs - Stage Director
Gabriel Morris - Musical Director
Gabriel Morris - Musical Director
ANDREW F. HIGGS is a Capital District based director, performer, and educator. He has directed over 100 Capital Region productions over the past 18 years and is thrilled to be back in the directors chair. BROADWAY EVENTS: ANASTASIA, THE SECRET GARDEN, JOSEPH AND THE AMAZING TECHNICOLOR DREAMCOAT, and THE SCARLET PIMPERNEL with Manhatta
ANDREW F. HIGGS is a Capital District based director, performer, and educator. He has directed over 100 Capital Region productions over the past 18 years and is thrilled to be back in the directors chair. BROADWAY EVENTS: ANASTASIA, THE SECRET GARDEN, JOSEPH AND THE AMAZING TECHNICOLOR DREAMCOAT, and THE SCARLET PIMPERNEL with Manhattan Concert Productions at Lincoln Center. Andrew looks forward to returning to Lincoln Center in February to join the chorus of Manhattan Concert Productions Jane Eyre. NYC THEATRE: Cory/Man 2 (MAD ABOUT THE BOY; NYC Reading) & El Gal (CHOICES; NYC Staged Reading). OTHER THEATRE: Jojo the Whale (A BRONX TALE), Priest (BARE), Thenardier (LES MISERABLES), Edna Turnblad (HAIRSPRAY), Narrator/Mysterious Man (INTO THE WOODS), Geronte (SCAPINO!), Patsy (SPAMALOT!), Santa (A CHRISTMAS STORY: THE MUSICAL), Miss Agatha Trunchbull (ROALD DAHL'S MATILDA) and Barry Glickman (THE PROM). Andrew has also hosted several guest artists and teachers across the Capital Region including: Adam Pascal, Andrew Keenan-Bolger, Felicia Finley, Brynn Williams, Allie Trimm, Nicholas Masson, Becky Gulsvig, Kirstin Wyatt, Angie Schworer, Derek Klena, Adam Kaplan, and Kyle Dean Massey. He would like to thank his parents for their amazing support.
Gabriel Morris - Musical Director
Gabriel Morris - Musical Director
Gabriel Morris - Musical Director
GABRIEL MORRIS is very excited to be part of this production of Broadway Musical Magic! He has been involved in musical theatre for many years and has had the pleasure of collaborating with Andrew on numerous productions. A recent graduate of the Crane School of Music at SUNY Potsdam, Gabe is now a music teacher in Albany County and is pa
GABRIEL MORRIS is very excited to be part of this production of Broadway Musical Magic! He has been involved in musical theatre for many years and has had the pleasure of collaborating with Andrew on numerous productions. A recent graduate of the Crane School of Music at SUNY Potsdam, Gabe is now a music teacher in Albany County and is passionate about inspiring the next generation of music lovers through his teaching and directing. He thanks Andrew Higgs for asking him to be involved with the show and for putting together such an amazing performance.
Stephen Menard - Backdrop Design
Gabriel Morris - Musical Director
Stephen Menard - Backdrop Design
Based out of Gainesville, Florida Stephen Menard is a Scenic, Costume, and Graphic Design for the Live Entertainment Industry. Menard is best known for his high concept design work, as well as his classic extravagant style.
Recent projects include designing sets for Jersey Jack Pinball's collaboration with The Wizarding World of Harry Po
Based out of Gainesville, Florida Stephen Menard is a Scenic, Costume, and Graphic Design for the Live Entertainment Industry. Menard is best known for his high concept design work, as well as his classic extravagant style.
Recent projects include designing sets for Jersey Jack Pinball's collaboration with The Wizarding World of Harry Potter, Disney's The Little Mermaid with Emerald City Theatrical, as well as RENT with University of Florida. Menard is also best known for creating high quality scenic backdrop packages for theatres all of the world.
To see more of Stephen's work, visit www.stephenmenarddesign.com
Instagram: stephensstuff
About the Authors
Book by Terrence McNally
Music by Stephen Flaherty
Music by Stephen Flaherty
Terrence McNally had a remarkably far-ranging career, including a new work on Broadway in each of the last six decades. In 2018 he was inducted into the American Academy of Arts and Letters. He is a 2019 recipient of a Special Tony Award for Lifetime Achievement. He also received the Dramatists Guild Lifetime Achievement Award and the Lu
Terrence McNally had a remarkably far-ranging career, including a new work on Broadway in each of the last six decades. In 2018 he was inducted into the American Academy of Arts and Letters. He is a 2019 recipient of a Special Tony Award for Lifetime Achievement. He also received the Dramatists Guild Lifetime Achievement Award and the Lucille Lortel Lifetime Achievement Award. He won four Tony Awards for his plays Love! Valour! Compassion! and Master Class and his musical books for Kiss of the Spider Woman and Ragtime. He wrote a number of TV scripts, including "Andre's Mother," for which he won an Emmy Award. He received two Guggenheim Fellowships, a Rockefeller Grant, four Drama Desk Awards, two Lucille Lortel Awards, two Obie Awards, and three Hull-Warriner Awards from the Dramatists Guild. In 1996 he was inducted into the Theater Hall of Fame. He wrote the libretto for the operas Great Scott and Dead Man Walking, both with music by Jake Heggie. Other plays include Mothers and Sons; Lips Together, Teeth Apart; The Lisbon Traviata; Frankie and Johnny in the Clair de Lune; A Perfect Ganesh; The Visit; The Full Monty; Corpus Christi; Bad Habits; Next; The Ritz; Anastasia; It's Only a Play; Where Has Tommy Flowers Gone?; and The Stendhal Syndrome.
Music by Stephen Flaherty
Music by Stephen Flaherty
Music by Stephen Flaherty
STEPHEN FLAHERTY is the composer of the Broadway musicals Ragtime (Tony, Drama Desk, OCC Awards, two Grammy nominations), Seussical (Grammy, Drama Desk nominations), Once on This Island (Tony nomination, Olivier Award, Best Musical) and Rocky. Additional Broadway includes Chita Rivera: The Dancer's Life (original songs) and Neil Simon's
STEPHEN FLAHERTY is the composer of the Broadway musicals Ragtime (Tony, Drama Desk, OCC Awards, two Grammy nominations), Seussical (Grammy, Drama Desk nominations), Once on This Island (Tony nomination, Olivier Award, Best Musical) and Rocky. Additional Broadway includes Chita Rivera: The Dancer's Life (original songs) and Neil Simon's Proposals (incidental music). Stephen has also written four musicals at Lincoln Center Theatre: The Glorious Ones (OCC, Drama Desk nominations), Dessa Rose (OCC, Drama Desk nominations), A Man of No Importance (OCC, Best Musical, Drama Desk nomination) and My Favorite Year. Other theater includes In Your Arms (Old Globe), Little Dancer (Kennedy Center), Lucky Stiff (Playwrights Horizons) and Loving Repeating: A Musical of Gertrude Stein (Chicago's Jefferson Award, Best New Musical.) Film includes Anastasia (two Academy Award and two Golden Globe nominations), the documentary After The Storm and Lucky Stiff. Mr. Flaherty's concert music has premiered at the Hollywood Bowl, Boston's Symphony Hall, Carnegie Hall, the Guggenheim Museum and Symphony Space. This year celebrates Stephen's 32-year collaboration with lyricist-librettist Lynn Ahrens. Stephen and Lynn are members of the Dramatists Guild Council and co- founders of the Dramatists Guild Fellows Program. In 2015 they were inducted into the Theater Hall Of Fame. Upcoming: the stage adaptation of Anastasia. AhrensAndFlaherty.com.
Lyrics by Lynn Ahrens
Music by Stephen Flaherty
Lyrics by Lynn Ahrens
Lynn Ahrens won Tony, Drama Desk and Outer Critics Circle Awards and received two Grammy nominations for Broadway's Ragtime. For Twentieth Century Fox's animated feature film Anastasia, she was nominated for two Academy Awards and two Golden Globes. She and longtime collaborator Stephen Flaherty received the Oscar Hammerstein Award for L
Lynn Ahrens won Tony, Drama Desk and Outer Critics Circle Awards and received two Grammy nominations for Broadway's Ragtime. For Twentieth Century Fox's animated feature film Anastasia, she was nominated for two Academy Awards and two Golden Globes. She and longtime collaborator Stephen Flaherty received the Oscar Hammerstein Award for Lifetime Achievement, and in 2015 they were inducted into the Theater Hall of Fame. Broadway: Anastasia; Once On This Island (Olivier Award, Best Musical; Tony nominations, Best Book and Score); Seussical (Grammy nomination); My Favorite Year; Chita Rivera: The Dancer's Life; Rocky; Madison Square Garden's A Christmas Carol; Ragtime (2010 Broadway revival). Off-Broadway and regional: Lincoln Center Theater's Dessa Rose, The Glorious Ones (both Drama Desk-nominated) and A Man of No Importance (Outer Critics Circle Award, Best Musical); Lucky Stiff; Little Dancer (Kennedy Center world premiere). Film and television credits include A "Christmas Carol" (NBC-TV); Camp (IFC Films); "Schoolhouse Rock" (ABC-TV) and others. (Emmy Award and four Emmy nominations). She is a Council member of the Dramatists Guild of America, a co-founder of the Dramatists Guild Fellows Program, and a Lilly Award winner for Lyrics. www.ahrensandflaherty.com