AUDITION NOTICE: Hello, Dolly! - Savoyards Musical Comedy Society

Title: Hello, Dolly!

Presented By: Savoyards Musical Comedy Society Inc.

Genre: Musical Theatre – Golden Age Comedy

Synopsis: Set in 1890s New York City, Hello, Dolly! is a bold, brassy musical comedy that follows the charming and meddlesome widow Dolly Gallagher Levi – a professional matchmaker with a penchant for meddling. On a mission to find a match for the wealthy and grumpy Horace Vandergelder, Dolly orchestrates romantic chaos not only for him but also for his two love-hungry clerks. Bursting with energy, wit, and unforgettable tunes including “Put on Your Sunday Clothes”, “Before the Parade Passes By” and the iconic “Hello, Dolly”, this classic musical celebrates love, adventure, and the joy of seizing life’s opportunities.

AUDITION DETAILS:

Audition Dates: Friday 27th June – Monday 30th June, 2025

Audition Times:

• Friday 27 June – Savoyards Hall, Manly: 7pm – 10pm (Principal Auditions)

• Saturday 28 June – Wynnum SHS, Manly:

  • 9am – 12:30pm (Principal Auditions)

  • 1pm – 1:45pm (Basic Dance Call)

  • 1:45pm – 2:30pm (Advanced Dance Call)

  • 2:45pm – 5pm (Principal Auditions)

• Sunday 29 June – Bayside Dance, Wynnum:

  • 9am – 12:30pm (Principal Auditions)

  • 1pm – 1:45pm (Basic Dance Call)

  • 1:45pm – 2:15pm (Ensemble Singing)

  • 2:15pm – 3pm (Advanced Dance Call)

  • 3pm – 5pm (Principal Auditions with accompanist)

• Monday 30 June – Savoyards Hall, Manly: 7pm – 10pm (Principal Auditions)

AUDITION REQUIREMENTS

Required Age: 16+

Ensemble Singing – Group Audition:

• Sunday 29th June, 2025: 1:45pm – 2:15pm

• No preparation required; a song excerpt will be taught during the audition

• Please arrive 15 minutes early to register and receive a number allocation

• No movement component – please also register for a dance call

Basic Dance Call – Group Auditions:

• Saturday 28th June or Sunday 29th June: 1:00pm – 1:45pm

• Movement video provided upon registration – please familiarise yourself in advance

• Wear clothing suitable for movement and appropriate footwear

• Please arrive 15 minutes early

Advanced Dance Call – Group Auditions:

• Saturday 28th June: 1:45pm – 2:30pm

• Sunday 29th June: 2:15pm – 3:00pm

• Routine taught on the day – no prior preparation required

• Please warm up and stretch beforehand

• Wear clothing suitable for movement and appropriate footwear

• Please arrive 15 minutes early

Principal Auditions – By Appointment:

• Prepare 2 x 90-second song excerpts (at least one comedic and ideally from the era/Golden Age musicals)

• Be prepared for a vocal range test

• Cold reads will be provided on the day – come open to play and explore

• Bring a completed audition form listing all clashes with the show calendar

• Provide a non-returnable colour headshot (minimum size 10cm x 15cm)

• If using the accompanist (available Sunday 29th June, 3pm–5pm), bring clearly marked sheet music in a display folder

• If using backing tracks, bring an aux cable–ready device

Audition Registration: To register, email auditions@savoyards.com.au 

Audition Pack: Click here to access the audition pack

SCHEDULING

Rehearsal Dates: Commence Sunday 6th July, 2025 at Wynnum High School, Peel Street, Manly.

Rehearsal Times:

• Sundays: 12pm – 5pm

• Mondays: 7pm – 10pm

• Wednesdays: 7pm – 10pm

Performance Dates: At Iona Performing Arts Centre, 85 North Road, Wynnum West:

• Saturday 27th September, 7:30pm

• Sunday 28th September, 1:30pm

• Saturday 4th October, 1:30pm & 7:30pm

• Sunday 5th October, 1:30pm

• Saturday 11th October, 1:30pm & 7:30pm

Creative Team:

• Director: Kristen Barros

• Musical Director: Jacob Cavanough

• Choreographer: Bec Swain

• Vocal Director/Assistant Director: Julie Eisentrager

Production Website: savoyards.com.au/audition

Other information:

• Callbacks will be held Wednesday 2nd July, 2025 from 7pm – 10pm at Wynnum SHS. If you are required for call backs, you will be notified at the end of the audition weekend via your mobile contact.

• Savoyards is a volunteer-run community organisation. All cast members are expected to contribute to bump-in, bump-out, and other backstage elements throughout the production.

• Notification of offers:

  • Offers via phone

  • Unsuccessful notifications via email

  • Social media blackout applies for successful cast until approved

CHARACTER BREAKDOWN: (All character roles require a principal audition)

DOLLY GALLAGHER LEVI

• A charismatic and resourceful widow who makes a living through matchmaking and meddling. Dolly is the heart and soul of the show—bold, brilliant, and full of life. Needs excellent comic timing, warmth, and commanding stage presence.

• Stage Age: 35–50

• Vocal Range: Mezzo-soprano

• Dance Ability: Some

HORACE VANDERGELDER

• A gruff, wealthy feed store owner from Yonkers. Set in his ways and not easily impressed, but ultimately won over by Dolly’s exuberance.

• Stage Age: 40–60

• Vocal Range: Baritone

• Dance Ability: Some

CORNELIUS HACKL

• Vandergelder’s chief clerk. Naïve but earnest, with dreams of love and adventure in New York. A hopeless romantic with strong comedic instincts.

• Stage Age: 30–35

• Vocal Range: Baritone

• Dance Ability: Strong

BARNABY TUCKER

• Cornelius’s younger assistant. Innocent, enthusiastic, and impressionable. Offers comic relief through his sweet, boyish charm.

• Stage Age: 17–20

• Vocal Range: Baritone

• Dance Ability: Strong

IRENE MOLLOY

• A stylish and sophisticated milliner who owns a hat shop in New York. A widow who longs for more excitement in her life.

• Stage Age: 30–35

• Vocal Range: Soprano

• Dance Ability: Strong

MINNIE FAY

• Irene’s young assistant. Talkative, quirky, and high-energy. A comedic role that requires great timing and physicality.

• Stage Age: 17–20

• Vocal Range: Mezzo-soprano

• Dance Ability: Strong

AMBROSE KEMPER

• A well-meaning young artist, slightly anxious but determined to marry Ermengarde despite her uncle’s disapproval.

• Stage Age: 19–23

• Vocal Range: Tenor

• Dance Ability: Strong

ERMENGARDE

• Horace’s melodramatic, tearful niece who is desperately in love with Ambrose. A character role with exaggerated comedic moments.

• Stage Age: 17–20

• Vocal Range: Mezzo-soprano

• Dance Ability: Strong

RUDOLPH REISENWEBER

• The proud, precise, and commanding maître d’ of the Harmonia Gardens. A comedic supporting role with strong presence.

• Stage Age: 40–60

• Vocal Range: Bass

• Dance Ability: Some

ENSEMBLE / DANCERS

This will be a true ensemble-driven production, and we are seeking strong singers, actors, and dancers to play a wide variety of featured roles and help bring the world of the musical to life. Ensemble members will portray: Townspeople, Yonkers Band Members, Harmonia Gardens Patrons, Polka Contest Contestants, Lodge Members…and more!

AUDITION PACK