Marmalade Atkins In Space: Easter Production 2023
Welcome to the audition page for the Easter Production: Marmalade Atkins
MARMALADE ATKINS IN SPACE – A DEVISED, SILLYCOMEDY
EASTER 2023 SCHOOL PRODUCTION – SET IN THE 1980S
JOIN THE MARMALADE AUDITION TEAM USING THIS CODE: 80li4tl
Bad Girl Warning!
Marmalade Atkins is a comedy about the worst girl in the world. She has already been expelled from 10 schools. When she sews Sister Conception to the altarcloth, and superglues the headgirl to a seat, the time has come for drastic action. Mrs Allgood, of the helping professions, has the answer: Very Extreme Treatment, which involves blasting bad girls into space, where they must be bored into submission.
This is PURE COMEDY. Performers must create huge, monster creations of exaggerated hilarity.
Think Horrible Histories meets Matilda meets Pixar, cartoon energy. Think Pantomime.
You must be a big, bold and FUNNY performer.
I also need a team of 80s dancers.
We will be adapting chapters from this book written by Andrew Davies in the 1980s: LINK TO MARMALADE BOOK
The script exists in sketch form from the 1980s TV show Warning: 1980s retro clips from the TV series for kids - you may find some language from the 80s inappropriate
Bits of the draft script- which currently has some inappropriate 80s legacy terms – can be found here - SILLY DRAFT SCRIPT - TO BE EXTENDED FROM THE BOOKS
WHAT DO I HAVE TO DO TO APPLY?
BE ENTHUSIASTIC! LOVE THE 1980S! ENJOY COMIC SILLINESS!
READ THIS AND JOIN THE MARMALADE AUDITION TEAM: CODE 80li4tl
EVERYONE MUST FILL IN THE FORM HERE MARMALDE AUDITION FORM
ENSEMBLE AND SPEAKING ROLES AND DANCE TEAM - FILM AND UPLOAD YOUR VIDEO AUDITION VIA TEAMS BY WEDNESDAY 28 SEPTEMBER 8PM
I NEED TO SEE YOUR FUNNY
I NEED TO SEE YOUR 80S GROOVE
WHAT ARE THE KEY DATES AND DEADLINES?
1st Round Submission of FORMS FOR ALL AND VIDEO FOR PERFORMERS 8pm WEDNESDAY 28 SEPTEMBER
2nd Round Recalls (PERFORMERS ONLY) - Monday 3 OCTOBER 4-5.30PM IN DS2
There is nothing to prepare for the recall. You may be redirected on your original characters or asked to improvise with other students.
Casting – Roles will be allocated on MONDAY 10 OCTOBER
First Rehearsal for all cast and crew – FRIDAY 14 OCTOBER 4-5.30PM
WHAT TECHNICAL/CREATIVE/BACKSTAGE ROLES CAN I APPLY FOR?
ROLES WITH TIME COMMITMENT
ASSISTANT DIRECTOR- with writing responsibility
There are TWO AD positions available. These are extremely demanding roles as the AD must be at every rehearsal. The AD must be bold, brave and unapologetic. They must be able to command a rehearsal room with their peers and have excellent diplomacy and empathy. They must work alongside the Director and have excellent admin skills and invention. They support the Director in all aspects of the work. At least ONE AD must like scripting and writing as chapters of the book need to be adapted for the stage version.
DSM
The DSM must like observing; have an instinct for organisation and be very organised. The DSM keeps the rehearsal book and writes down all the lighting and sound cues so they can control the technical rehearsal. They will have all the moves for each actor written down. They must work very well under pressure and be meticulously organised at communication, and logical organisation. They will keep all lists for every aspect of the production. There will be FOUR rehearsal DSMS. The team of DSMS can rotate rehearsals but must all be available after half term on Fridays and some Sundays. One DSM will call the show and the other DSMs will turn into Stage Management – with the backstage organisation on the show.
MOVEMENT DIRECTOR AND CHOREOGRAPHER
This person can be in the show too- but must choreograph and teach a dance to students and be able to make videos of the choreography. There are LOTS OF DANCES. 1980 HITS- MADONNA, WHITNEY ETC. The stage must look like an MTV video.
THE 1980s BAND + SINGERS + 1980S STYLE DJ
The onstage band must be part of the whole show. Eliott JD will be organising this band and the singers. The whole vibe is 1980s pop hits. I am also searching for someone who can DJ Live for pre and post-show DISCO
ASMS
These people love observing, supporting and problem solving in rehearsal. They will set up the space and organise rehearsal props.
TECHNICAL ROLES REQUIRING SMALLER TIME COMMITMENT
SET AND SCENIC ARTISTS
Working alongside Set Designer for the week before and the week of the show
PROPS MAKERS
Making and painting Props
COSTUME, HAIR AND MAKE-UP TEAM
Helping to do quick changes, organise costumes, iron, basic sewinG, tidy and sort costumes. Create the hair and make-up for all the cast.
LIGHTING AND SOUND DESIGN CREW
To help Ryan rig cables and lanterns and operate the sound and lighting
PRODUCTION PHOTOGRAPHER
To attend some rehearsals and the productions to document the rehearsals and help with marketing
VIDEO AND MARKETING
Someone with a passion for film making and video editing. Will need to create VIDEO trailers for marketing and social media releases. Plus video diaries of rehearsal and show week footage.
FRONT OF HOUSE CREW - 1980S COSTUMES
Not needed until the performances – to greet audience and operate the catering tent.
Must be able to do ALL performances
WHAT PERFORMING ROLES CAN I APPLY FOR?
1980s Dance Team - you need to be a good mover and pick up dance steps quickly: you will need to learn dance choreography and will provide the whole vibe of the show.
Ensemble Multi- characterisation – these performers will play: astronauts, nuns, schoolkids at Eton; space ships and random silly animals – these roles may have small chorus lines but demand slapstick instinct and physically big energy
Speaking Roles- to be played by any gender / any age
Marmalade Atkins- a bad girl, not malicious but more than naughty; likeable 10 years old
Sister Purification – terribly strict
Sister Conception- terribly violent
Mrs Allgood- kind and warmhearted, desperate – any accent at all
Colonel Perry- astronauts – american; british??? Who knows?
Captain Conch- comedy double act with Perry
Mr Atkins- rather like Mr Wormwood – enormously rich- dodgy business links
Mrs Atkins- rather like Mrs Wormwood – obsessed by diamonds- Essex-style perhaps?
Cherith Ponsonby- Head Girl – cut glass poshness
Head of Eton- super super posh
Signora Bandolini- Italian Head of School
Miss Bloss – sporty Headteacher of St Florindas- obsesses by Lacrosse
Captain Crust – huge (scottish? ) outdoor education teacher
WHEN WILL REHEARSALS TAKE PLACE?
FRIDAY 14TH OCTOBER 4-5.30PM WHOLE CAST FIRST MEET
LINE LEARNING OVER HALF TERM
§ SUNDAY 30TH OCTOBER - Principal Roles 10-3PM - LAST Sunday of Half Term
§ FRIDAY 4 NOVEMBER 4-5.30PM – Whole cast
§ FRIDAY 11 NOVEMBER4-5.30PM- Whole cast
§ FRIDAY 2 DECEMBER- Principal Roles 4-5.30pm
§ WEDNESDAY 14 DECEMBER 4-5.30pm– Whole cast
§ FRIDAY 6 JANUARY – PRINCIPAL ROLES, BAND, DANCE TEAM
§ SUNDAY 8 JAN 10-3PM Whole Cast
§ FRIDAY 13 JAN 4-5.30pm
§ SUNDAY 15 JAN 10-3PM Whole Cast
§ FRIDAY 20 JAN 4-5.30PM
§ SUNDAY 22 JAN 10-3PM Whole Cast
§ FRIDAY 27 JAN 4-5.30PM
§ SUNDAY 29 JAN 10-3PM Whole Cast
§ FRIDAY 3 FEB 4-5.30PM Whole Cast
§ SUNDAY 5 FEB – 10-5PM Whole Cast
§ FRIDAY 10 FEB 4-5.30PM – WHOLE CAST RUN THROUGH
§ FRIDAY 24 FEB 4-5.30PM
§ SUN 26 FEB 10-5PM WHOLE CAST
§ FRIDAY MARCH 3RD 4-5.30PM WHOLE CAST
§ SUNDAY 5 MARCH 10-5PM WHOLE CAST
§ MONDAY 6 MARCH 9-6PM WHOLE CAST
§ TUESDAY 7 MARCH 4-9PM WHOLE CAST
§ SHOWS: WEDNESDAY – SATURDAY 8-11 MARCH
WHAT DO I SUBMIT FOR THE AUDITION?
I NEED TO CHECK YOU’RE BIG, BRAVE FUNNY!
I NEED TO CHECK YOUR 80s GROOVE !
SPEAKING ROLES AND ENSEMBLE MULTI-CHARACTERISATION AUDITION – SUBMIT 1 AND 2 VIA VIDEO ON TEAMS
DANCE TEAM ONLY – SUBMIT 2 VIA VIDEO ON TEAMS
1. READ THE SCRIPT EXTRACT BELOW: YOU WILL SEE THERE ARE MANY ROLES INDICATED. I NEED YOU TO PERFORM ON CAMERA - ALL THE ROLES IN THE EXTRACT USING AS MANY VOICES AND PHYSICAL CHANGES AS YOU CAN .......IT DOES NOT MATTER ABOUT GENDER OR AGE or accents – DELIVER YOUR BEST: MARMALADE, MRS ATKINS, MR ATKINS, MRS ALLGOOD, CHERITH PONSONBY, SISTER CONCEPTION AND SISTER PURIFICATION ….....YOU MUST PLAY ALL THE ROLES (You can stick the script up – no need to learn it) - but try and do it in ONE TAKE!!!! (If you want to show off you could do Italian and Scottish for the stage directions) YOUR AIM IS TO MAKE ME LAUGH
2. WATCH 1 MINUTE OF THE 80S Cyndi Lauper song: GIRLS JUST WANNA HAVE FUN - JUST DANCE - CYNDI LAUPER - GIRLS JUST WANNA HAVE FUN - either copy the DANCE MOVES on the video and perform your BEST 80S GROOVE or if you are feeling brave - create your own choreography and / or sing it!!!! I ONLY WANT 1 MINUTE NOT THE WHOLE SONG