'Redneck Christmas' Director Offers Top 10 Audition Tips

Scott Tramel, the director of SLT’s December production of “A Good Old Fashioned Redneck Country Christmas: The Musical,” shares his Top 10 Audition Tips ahead of auditions on October 13 and 14, at 7 p.m. both nights, at Slidell Little Theatre.

 

A rehearsal schedule will be available on the evening of auditions. Performance dates are Nov. 28, 29, 30, Dec. 4, 5, 6, 7, 12, 13, and 14.

Synopsis:

What if the three wise men weren’t really all that wise? What if they were just three ordinary guys, avoiding conflicts at home, who happened upon the greatest story ever told?

Even though it’s Christmas Eve, Bill, Dave, and Jimmy decide to high-tail it into the mountains for a little hunting and a lot of beer. This protest does nothing to improve the mood of their women back in town. It’s gonna take a Christmas miracle to get these redneck families back together! Thank God one just came to town!

Scott Tramel goofing off.

 Top 10 Audition Tips

1.    Warm up a bit before you take the stage. You wouldn’t run a race without stretching out first so stretch out your vocal muscles and get yourself in the proper mind set. Sing a little, repeat some tongue twisters, and get ready to use your inner comic.

2.    Be bold. If you think you shouldn’t say something then that is exactly what you should be saying.  We need improv input to get the most out of our script.  Now is the chance to show us what you are capable of bringing so bring it!

3.    Ask questions. Feel free to ask the production crew anything about the script or characters.  Ask whatever you need to form an idea of how you want to play a character.

4.    Make eye contact and don’t hide your face.  It doesn’t matter if you stubble over a line or two during a cold read.  We want to see you interact with your other actors so you need to make eye contact.  Also, don’t hold the script over your face, drop it and do the best you can. We don’t expect you to have the words down pat at the audition.

5.    Focus. When you are on stage listen to the other actors and respond. You need to focus on what is going on so that you can have a come-back line.  Don’t be caught like a deer in the headlights because you were not paying attention.

6.    Quiet please. Please show respect to your fellow actors and keep it down when you are not on the stage.

7.    Don’t be set in your ways. Be ready to follow suggestions and make changes to how you are interpreting a character.

8.    Read the script like the character.  Don’t worry so much about getting out every word exactly as it is written.  Get into character and say the words as you think they would say them.  You could speak every word on the script but have a bad audition because you didn’t convey the character.

9.    Check out the rehearsal calendar.  Please let us know of any conflicts so that we can work around them.  We have a very limited time for stage time so we need to be as productive as possible.

10. Have fun.  No one is going to be killed and eaten.  This is your chance to show your comic chops and have a laugh.  If someone is funny on stage then by all means LAUGH. 

Characters

Lou (Louise) Wexler: Owner of the diner and wife to Bill. Intelligent and in charge. Full of home grown wisdom and always ready to share it. Only empty space in her energetic life is the lack of children.

Bill Wexler: Lou 's husband. Retired Marine Has the air of an ex - military man  and loves the outdoors.  He seems to understand women more than the other men but his knowledge is somewhat limited.

Dave Fox: Husband of Barbie John and father of two. Loves a good joke and his family. He does have a tough time with his mother in law and chooses avoidance as the best way to deal with her.

Barbie John Fox: wife of Dave and mother of two. Works at the diner. She is caught in the middle between Dave arnd her mother. She is a bit frazzled and tries hard to please everyone but is failing.

Jimmy Weaver: Co sides himself a ladies man but isn't the brightest bulb in the box. Loves the outdoors.  He is dating Darlene but doesn't consider it serious yet. His family owns a pig farm.

Darlene Fulmer: sweet beautiful and has a huge heart. Not very bright  She wants to take her relationship with Jimmy to the alter. Works at the diner and loves everything to do with Christmas.

Bob/Narrator: Truck driver that has gotten stuck in town during Christmas.  He is a philosopher and educated.  He isn't happy with being stuck but likes the story that is unfolding in front of him.

Mary Sue Archer: Single girl who has no one in the world and carries everything she owns on her back. She is pregnant but does believe that there is goodness in people. Tends to blend in to the background.

Mark Riley: Son of the local doctor and is following in his footsteps.  He is bright but a bit nerdy. Not overly comfortable in social situations.  He has a secret crush on Darlene but would never act on it.

Three Chorus Girls: They will sing backup and dancing. Several costume changes to fit with the song.

Charlie Reynolds: Cameo character that we will fill in with someone.

 

Scripts can be found here.