Chester Theatre Group Holds Auditions For The Musical "Grey Gardens"

(CHESTER, NJ) -- The Chester Theatre Group will hold open auditions for the musical, GREY GARDENS on Sunday, April 17th at 2.00pm and Monday, April 18th at 7.00pm at The Black River Playhouse (corner of Grove St & Maple Ave in Chester, NJ).

Performances are planned for weekends in July, 2011 (Friday & Saturday evenings and 2 Sunday matinees).  Those interested in auditioning are asked to arrive in the first 30 minutes of the audition, and should bring music in an appropriate key (accompanist will be provided).  Each Auditioner will sing first and may be asked to stay and read from the script.  Call Backs (if needed) will be by appointment.   This CTG production will be co-directed by Jeffrey Fiorello and Mark Happel, with musical direction by Clifford Parish  and choreography by Billy Brisley.


Available Roles:

Edith Bouvier Beal (Act I) / 'Little' Edie Beal (Act II):  (Female: plays mid 40's - mid 50's).  Must be excellent actress and a singer with a large, flexible range (ability to sing both legit and belt). 

Edith Bouvier Beal 1970's (Act II):  (Female: plays 70's).  Must be an excellent actress and a singer with a strong belt style voice (and an ability to sing legit). 

'Little' Edie Beal (Act I) / Ensemble (Act II):  (Female: plays mid 20's).  Excellent singer, strong soprano mix. 

Joseph Patrick Kennedy, Jr. (Act I) / Jerry (Act II):  (Male: plays mid 20's).  Strong singer; lyric baritone. 

George Gould Strong (Act I) / Ensemble (Act II):  (Male: plays mid 30's - 40's).  Strong tenor voice; this character is accompanist of Edith Beal - piano skills are a plus, but NOT required. 

J.V. 'Major' Bouvier (Act I) / Norman Vincent Peale (Act II):  (Male: plays early - mid 70's).  Character Actor; baritone. 

Brooks Sr. (Act I) /Brooks Jr. (Act II):  (Male - African American: plays 30's). 

Jacqueline Bouvier:  (Female, 12-16 yrs old: plays 12 years old) Edith's niece; will become Jacqueline Kennedy. 

Lee Bouvier:  (Female, 10-14 yrs old: plays 9 years old) Edith's niece, a bit of a tom-boy; will become Lee Radziwell.


 GREY GARDENS is based (in part) on the Albert & David Maysels documentary concerning the relationship between Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis' eccentric aunt and cousin.  The touching and heart felt musical explores the unconventional mother-daughter relationship between former socialite Edith Bouvier Beal and her adult daughter Little Edie "body beautiful" Beal.  GREY GARDENS tells an entertaining and poignant story of two unconquerable women, once known as two of the brightest stars in the social register, who later become East Hampton's most infamous "reclusive inhabitants", sharing a rundown 28 room mansion with 52 stray cats and rabid racoons.  From the glittering high society of 1940's New York to the tabloid headlines that rocked the Kennedy clan in the 1970's, GREY GARDENS hurls you into American royalty and leaves you to ponder the questions: "when do private lives become public fascinations?; How much is too much?; and Where does it stop?"