After two years of delayed or canceled shows, zoom auditions, and virtual casting, Musical Theatre West will hold the first live, in person auditions of their new season the week of May 10 for their upcoming production of Grease. Auditions and rehearsals will be held at the MTW’s rehearsal hall: 4350 E 7th Street, Long Beach, CA 90804. Performances will be held at the Carpenter Performing Arts Center: 6200 E Atherton St, Long Beach, CA 90815.
Long Beach, California, is regularly hailed as one of the most culturally diverse cities in the United States, and Musical Theatre West strives to reflect that diversity in all of their productions. That will be particularly true for Grease, in which the cast will represent a typical Long Beach High School. Performers of any gender identity, age, religion, sexual orientation, race/ethnicity, language, physical ability or diverse viewpoint are welcome and encouraged to audition.
All roles are open in the cast of 20, and all actors will be paid. Both union and non-union talent will be considered. MTW is particularly seeking young and energetic talent. A full list of character descriptions is posted on the MTW website and at the end of this article.
MTW operates under the guidance of AEA’s MOU regarding COVID-19 Pandemic Reopening Process. All company members must be Fully Vaccinated for COVID-19 by the start of the rehearsal process. Proof of vaccination will be required.
One of the world’s most popular musicals, this highly anticipated production of Grease will be helmed by Snehal Desai, who joins the team fresh from the run of East West Players’ critically acclaimed production of Assassins at the David Henry Hwang Theater in Los Angeles. Musical direction will be provided by Jan Roper, whose musical América Tropical was a winner of the Raise Your Voice Award for diversity and inclusion. Rounding out the team is multi-talented choreographer Corey Wright, who is currently directing and choreographing Pippin at UCLA.
Snehal Desai is the Producing Artistic Director of East West Players, the longest-running and largest Asian-American theater company in the country. He has directed plays everywhere from The Old Globe in San Diego to Boom Arts in Portland, Oregon, to the Old Vic in London, and he’s worked at more than a dozen theaters in New York City. Recent projects include Assassins, Mamma Mia, the first post Broadway production of Allegiance starring George Takei, The Who’s Tommy, Free Outgoing and A Nice Indian Boy. Desai serves on the board of the Consortium of Asian American Theaters and Artists (Caata), the National Alliance for Musical Theatre (NAMT) and Theater Communications Group (TCG).
Among various positions he has held, Desai served as resident director of Theater Emory, participated in the Lincoln Center Directors Lab and was a literary fellow with London’s Royal Shakespeare Company. A Soros Fellow and the recipient of a Tanne Award, Desai was in the Inaugural Class of Theater Communications Group’s (TCG) “Spark” Leadership Program and the Inaugural Recipient of the Drama League’s Classical Directing Fellowship where he was in residence at the Old Globe in San Diego. Snehal is on the faculty of USC’s graduate program in Arts Leadership. He is a graduate of Emory University (BA) and Yale University (MFA Directing).
Jan Roper is a composer and music director. After many years as a singer/performer, she launched her theater career with the full-scale production of her own original rock opera, Jerusalem A.D. Another original work, City of Light, was chosen for the ASCAP Stephen Schwartz workshop (2016) and the sheNYC Festival (2017), where it won Best Score. Her latest work, The Path to Catherine, had a critically acclaimed world premiere at Brick House Theater in NoHo in the spring of 2022 where it enjoyed a 6-week run. Another current new work in development, América Tropical, was the winner of the Raise Your Voice Award for diversity and inclusion in 2020 and recently had a staged reading produced by McCoy Rigby Entertainment at the La Mirada Theatre. Jan stays busy as a faculty accompanist and teacher at AMDA College of the Performing Arts, and music director in the local theater and cabaret community of Los Angeles. She won the L.A. Scenie Award for Best Music Director in the 2019-2020 season.
Corey Wright’s world in the arts all connects to one thing: storytelling. From Louisiana to NYC, to L.A., Corey has worked with the Verdon-Fosse Estate on a reconstruction project that began in 2012. His original choreography for Chicago at Moonlight Amphitheater earned him a Craig Noel nomination. Corey was also assistant choreographer on a production of Chicago with Plan B entertainment. Other choreography credits include: Pippin, “Conan O’Brien,” “General Hospital,” and Within (a virtual reality company.) As a former teacher for Broadway Connection, he’s had the opportunity to share his love of dance and storytelling with students from all over the U.S.
Audition Dates
• Female-Identifying Dance Call (ECC): Tuesday, May 10 at 9 am
• Male-Identifying Dance Call (ECC): Tuesday, May 10 at 11 am
• Performers who don’t identify with either gender are welcome to attend the dance call of their choosing.
• Principal Auditions (EPA): Tuesday, May 10, 2 pm – 10 pm (both Equity and Non-Equity Actors are encouraged to attend!)
• Agent Appointments and Callbacks: May 12 & 13, 2022
