Theater News

Calling All Kids! Paper Mill Playhouse to Hold Open Auditions for Upcoming Production of Oliver!

The New Jersey regional theater is looking for a group of orphans to beg for “Food, Glorious Food.”

Production artwork, courtesy of Paper Mill Playhouse
Production artwork, courtesy of Paper Mill Playhouse

Paper Mill Playhouse of Millburn, New Jersey, is seeking children for its upcoming production of Oliver! The theater will hold an open-call audition on Saturday, September 7, for boys (or girls who can play boys) who appear to be between the ages of 10 and 14. Successful auditioners will play the orphans in the musical’s opening number, “Food, Glorious Food.”

“Students who have appeared on the Paper Mill Playhouse stage have gone on to have major careers onstage, in movies and on television,” said Mark S. Hoebee, Paper Mill Playhouse’s producing artistic director. “This is a wonderful opportunity for young people to be a part of a professional production and perform on the legendary Paper Mill stage.” Among the theater’s notable alumni are Tony Award winner Laura Benanti (Gypsy), Academy Award winner Anne Hathaway (Les Misérables), and recent Tony Award nominee Rob McClure (Chaplin).

Audition signup will begin at 9:00am in the Paper Mill lobby. Children should arrive with a photo and résumé and will be seen on a first-come, first-served basis, with no guarantee that every child will be seen. During the audition, children will be taught a short piece of music from the show and may be asked to dance as well, so appropriate footwear is a must. Callbacks will take place later that same day.

Adapted from Charles Dickens’ classic novel Oliver Twist, Oliver! has become one of the most beloved musicals of all time, with iconic numbers including “I’d Do Anything,” “As Long As He Needs Me,” and “Consider Yourself.” The Paper Mill production is scheduled to run from November 21-December 29, with rehearsals set to begin on October 28 in New York City.

For more information, click here.

Click here to read TheaterMania’s Special Report: “How to Audition for a Musical.”

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Oliver!

Closed: December 29, 2013