Final auditions are Saturday, March 9, for the August 2013 world premiere of "Tuning In" at The University of Akron. Registration begins at 9:30 a.m. at Guzzetta Recital Hall, 157 University Ave. (across from UA's E.J. Thomas Performing Arts Hall).
- Actors, singers and dancers sought.
- Open to the UA campus and the community.
- Roles available for men and women; ages 18 and up, including older adults.
- Equity and non-Equity actors welcome.
- Bring photo and resume.
- Prepare 16 to 32 measures — preferably from the American Songbook focusing on tunes from the 1930s and 1940s.
For more information or to register for auditions, contact 330-972-8301 or concerts@uakron.edu.
"Tuning In," about a nostalgia radio station in a retirement village in Ohio., will premiere on the Thomas Hall stage Aug. 8-10. It will feature singing, dancing and a pit orchestra like Broadway musicals of the past.
Return to Big Band Era
The station is staffed by resident volunteers, all of whom had previous careers in show business. Their station and the Big Band Era they love is threatened when the corporation owning the retirement village threatens to change the format to make the station more profitable.
The residents decide to fight back to preserve what is dear to them, and to raise funds with a radiothon where they all perform.
The generation gap is closed when college volunteers interact with the senior citizens, learning mutual respect and admiration. There are passionate romances, frustrations, elations and determinations, ending in a high note at the end of the show as the performers connect with the audience.
Bringing "Tuning In" to the stage are:
- Director/choreographer: George Pinney — Tony nominee, Emmy winner
- Musical director: Terry LaBolt — acclaimed Broadway conductor
- Music and lyrics: Larry Kass
- Book: Larry Kass and Ron Newell
Media contact: Cyndee Snider, 330-972-5196 or cyndee@uakron.edu.