RIDE THE CYCLONE — Audition Materials
Depot Theatre Academy | Westport, NY
We’re so excited you’re auditioning for RIDE THE CYCLONE, a Depot Theatre Academy production! Everything you need to prepare your video audition is on this page. Read the instructions carefully, download your materials below, and have fun with it — we can’t wait to see what you bring to these characters.
SELF-TAPES ARE DUE: Friday, June 19 at 8:00 PM
If you have any questions, email Gigi Mason (Director) at gmason@depottheatre.org or Aaron Jodoin (Music Director) at aaron@depottheatre.org.
HOW TO FILM YOUR SELF-TAPE
You do not need fancy equipment — a phone propped on a shelf works great. Just follow these guidelines:
- Slate first. Begin your video by looking into the camera and stating your name, age, and the role(s) you’re auditioning for.
- Film horizontally (landscape), framed from roughly the chest up. Make sure we can see your face clearly.
- Find good light and quiet sound. Face a window or lamp (don’t stand in front of one), and pick a quiet room. We need to hear you more than we need to see a fancy background — a plain wall is perfect.
- For your song: Sing with the provided accompaniment track playing from a separate speaker or device (not the one you’re filming on, if possible). Do not sing a cappella.
- You do not need to be memorized, but know the material well enough to get your eyes off the page.
- One take is fine! We’re not looking for perfection — we’re looking for you. Don’t film 30 takes. Pick one you like and send it.
HOW TO SUBMIT
Upload your video file directly using our Dropbox File Request link — no Dropbox account needed:
CLICK HERE TO UPLOAD YOUR AUDITION VIDEO
If you can, name your video file with the performer’s name and role(s), like this: FirstName-LastName-Role.mov — but don’t worry if you can’t (we know renaming files on a phone is tricky!). The upload form will ask for your name either way. Just be sure to submit by Friday, June 19 at 8:00 PM.
Submissions for performers under 18 should be uploaded by a parent or guardian.
AUDITION MATERIALS BY CHARACTER
Each folder below contains the sides (scenes), sheet music, and an accompaniment track for that character. You may audition for more than one role.
OCEAN O’CONNELL ROSENBERG — Click here to access materials
NOEL GRUBER — Click here to access materials
MISCHA BACHINSKI — Click here to access materials
RICKY POTTS — Click here to access materials
JANE DOE — Click here to access materials
CONSTANCE BLACKWOOD — Click here to access materials
THE AMAZING KARNAK — Click here to access materials
PRODUCTION INFORMATION
RIDE THE CYCLONE
A Depot Theatre Academy Production
Music, Lyrics & Book by Jacob Richmond and Brooke Maxwell
Directed by: Gigi Mason
Music Direction by: Aaron Jodoin
Venue: The Depot Theatre, Westport, NY
KEY DATES:
Self-tapes due: Friday, June 19 at 8:00 PM
First rehearsal: Wednesday, July 8
Performances: Friday, July 17 & Saturday, July 18
Full rehearsal schedules are included in the audition packets in each character folder above. Please make sure you are available for the rehearsal and performance dates before submitting.
SYNOPSIS: When the Cyclone roller coaster derails at the Wonderville fairgrounds, the six teenage members of the St. Cassian High School Chamber Choir find themselves in limbo — where Karnak, a mechanical fortune teller, offers them a strange game: one of them may return to life, but the group must decide who. Equal parts hilarious and heartbreaking, RIDE THE CYCLONE gives each character one song to make the case for their life.
CHARACTER BREAKDOWNS
All roles are played by youth performers. Don’t let a vocal range or style scare you off — we’re happy to adjust keys where needed, so audition for the character who excites you most.
OCEAN O’CONNELL ROSENBERG — The self-appointed leader of the choir: a hyper-achieving, hyper-competitive perfectionist who is certain she deserves to win… and learns otherwise. Requires strong comedic instincts and a powerful contemporary belt.
NOEL GRUBER — The only gay kid in his small town, who dreams of a life far more glamorous and tragic than the one he got. His showstopper is a smoky French-cabaret fantasy. Requires fearless commitment and theatrical flair.
MISCHA BACHINSKI — Adopted from Ukraine as a teenager, Mischa presents as the school’s tough-guy “bad boy” rapper, but underneath is a hopeless romantic devoted to his online fiancée. Requires rap/hip-hop delivery and a genuine, soaring romantic side.
RICKY POTTS — Silent in life due to a degenerative illness, Ricky’s imagination is anything but quiet: in the afterlife he finds his voice as an intergalactic space hero. Requires physical comedy and rock vocals.
JANE DOE — The mystery of the group: a girl who lost her head (literally) in the accident and was never identified. Haunting, strange, and otherworldly. Requires a strong legit soprano.
CONSTANCE BLACKWOOD — “The nicest girl in town,” Constance is endlessly overlooked — including by herself — until she discovers what her ordinary life actually meant to her. Requires warmth, honesty, and a powerful pop-rock voice.
THE AMAZING KARNAK — A mechanical fortune-telling machine who hosts the evening’s proceedings with dry wit and dwindling time. Karnak knows how everything ends — including his own story. Requires deadpan comic timing, vocal control, and command of the stage. A primarily spoken role, perfect for a strong actor.
We can’t wait to see your auditions. Break a leg!
— Gigi Mason, Director & Aaron Jodoin, Music Director
The Depot Theatre
