Description:

Kerfuffle is seeking adventurous and enthusiastic performers for the world premiere of Bookworms, an interactive play for very young children and their caregivers that will tour to libraries, children's museums, and preschools throughout Chicagoland and Nebraska this fall. Bookworms is written by Jeff Sachs and directed by Jamie Macpherson.

Kerfuffle is seeking an inclusive and diverse company of five performers, at least one of whom is a musician, who are interested in creating non-traditional and adventurous theatre for children ages 3-6 years old. In the play, children will be invited to a typical storytime by an engaging and effervescent Storyteller. When two mischievous bookworms appear (played by two puppeteers), adventure is to be had! Children are centered as heroes in the story as they venture "beyond the bookshelves" with the Storyteller to save the stories.

Performers should be excellent collaborators. Prior experience or interest in working with and/or teaching very young children and/or physical theatre and/or devising is preferred, but not required. Performers should feel comfortable with close interaction and improvisation with children and families.

Kerfuffle encourages performers of all ethnicities, gender identities, sexual orientations, sizes, ages, abilities, and experiences to audition.

Characters:

A Storyteller: An engaging, effervescent and mysterious storyteller! The storyteller should be extremely comfortable working with young children and telling stories to a crowd of 25-50 people. Ideally, they have experience facilitating creative drama, music, movement or theatre with young children and/or improv and/or crowd work.

Two Bookworms: The bookworms, to be portrayed as puppets and brought to life by two puppeteers, are mischievous and excited creatures that live inside the books! Although they seem like troublemakers, they're here to warn the Storyteller about something...

A Musician: A compatriot of the Storyteller, the musician is here to comment on, add to, and explore the story too! The ideal musician is a sound designer capable of creating and performing the sound elements for a play (sound effects, underscoring, atmospheres) in a quasi-improvisational manner, using any combination of musical instruments, live foley, and computer software as suits the play and their skill set.
We are also casting an Understudy for all roles listed.

To audition for the Storyteller:
Please submit a link to a youtube or vimeo video. In the video, please read the Storyteller side (link below) and follow it with a 1-minute physical interpretation of your favorite children's story. This can be verbal or nonverbal. When introducing yourself, please include a short explanation of what draws you to theatre for the very young.

Storyteller Side: https://tinyurl.com/storytellerside

Please email your video link, headshot, and resume to Ashley at casting@kerfuffletvy.com.

Callbacks will be held in-person on Sunday, August 18 between 1:30 p.m. - 4:30 p.m. at The Edge Theater, 5451 N. Broadway. You will be notified by Sunday, August 11 of your callback time.

To audition for the Musician:
Please submit a link to a youtube or vimeo video of yourself playing one or more musical instruments, focusing on your storytelling and musicianship. Please highlight the instrument that you are most comfortable with, as well as an instrument that may not be traditionally an instrument (e.g., a picture book; pencils; a lampshade). You may sing if you want.

Please email your video link, headshot, and resume to Ashley at casting@kerfuffletvy.com.

Callbacks will be held in-person on Sunday, August 18 between 1:30 p.m. - 4:30 p.m. at The Edge Theater, 5451 N. Broadway. You will be notified by Sunday, August 11 of your callback time.

To audition for the Bookworms:
In-person auditions will be held on Saturday, August 17 between 9:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m. at The Edge Theater, 5451 N. Broadway. Come prepared to share a 1-2 minute physical interpretation of your favorite children's story. If you have a puppet, please bring it with you to incorporate into your story. If you do not have a puppet, we encourage you to bring an object to puppeteer / bring to life like a lampshade, writing utensil, sock, cellphone, etc.

Please email Ashley at casting@kerfuffletvy.com with your resume, headshot or photo, and time preference between 9:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m. on Saturday, August 17.

Callbacks will be held in-person on Sunday, August 18 between 1:30 p.m. - 4:30 p.m. at The Edge Theater, 5451 N. Broadway. You will be notified on Saturday, August 17 if you are invited to the callbacks. Pay
$1,200 stipend (+ travel, housing, and per diem for the Nebraska tour)