FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Date: June 14, 2004
Contact: Christa Skiles
Public Relations Director
513-345-2242, ext. 232

CINCINNATI PLAYHOUSE IN THE PARK TO HOST
CHILDREN'S AUDITIONS FOR A CHRISTMAS CAROL ON JULY 16

Deadline to submit materials for consideration is July 2

(CINCINNATI) – The Cincinnati Playhouse in the Park is calling all budding young actors — with a knack for perfecting British dialects — who would like to participate in a favorite Tristate holiday tradition. The theatre will hold auditions on Friday, July 16 for children interested in performing in the 2004 production of Charles Dickens’ A Christmas Carol, presented by The Stona Fitch Family, Gradison McDonald and KeyBank.

Nine area children will be cast to fill speaking and non-speaking parts in the annual production, with roles available for boys and girls ages eight to 13 years old. Additionally, the part of Tiny Tim requires a boy five to seven years of age. Those cast in previous productions of A Christmas Carol will need to audition again to be considered for this year’s show. To be eligible, children must not turn 14 before December 30, 2004.

Children should submit a resume of any experience to the Playhouse, along with a photograph (a good quality school or family photo is acceptable). The resume and photo must be submitted again even if they have been sent in the past, and the resume must indicate exact birth date and height. At the audition, children will be asked to share a one-minute monologue, story or poem.

Interested children must be available for all rehearsals, most of which are scheduled around school hours. Rehearsals for A Christmas Carol begin in mid-November. Children also must be available for all performances of the show, which are scheduled Tuesdays through Sundays and which include some weekday student matinees. Performances of A Christmas Carol run from December 1 through December 30, 2004.

Headshots and resumes should be sent to the Cincinnati Playhouse in the Park, ATTN: AUDITIONS, c/o Michael Haney, P. O. Box 6537, Cincinnati, Ohio, 45206. To be considered, all photos and resumes must be received at the Playhouse by Friday, July 2.

Those selected to audition will be contacted by telephone to schedule specific times. All auditions will be held at the Playhouse, located in Eden Park at the edge of Mt. Adams.

Adapted by Howard Dallin, A Christmas Carol is a faithful retelling of Charles Dickens’ tale of a miserly sinner given one last chance at redemption by four persuasive spirits. A Christmas Carol’s heartwarming message, along with hundreds of costume changes and thrilling special effects, make the show one of the Playhouse’s most popular productions year after year. Tickets for the production go on sale August 23 to 26 for subscribers to the Playhouse’s 2004-2005 season and in mid-September to the general public.

Delta Connection Comair is the Playhouse’s official airline.

The Playhouse is supported, in part, by the generosity of the tens of thousands of individuals and businesses that give to the Fine Arts Fund.

The Ohio Arts Council helps fund the Playhouse with state tax dollars to encourage economic growth, educational excellence and cultural enrichment for all Ohioans.

The Playhouse also receives funding from the City of Cincinnati.

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