AUDITIONS: Sherlock Holmes
and the mystery of the Crown Jewel
It’s the 1890s and a chime from Big Ben rings out over the bustling and crowded streets of Victorian London. The game is afoot! World-famous, brilliant, consulting detective Sherlock Holmes, along with his most faithful boon companion, Doctor Watson, are given a case by Queen Victoria herself to solve a mystery that could affect the very future of the British Empire! This original musical based on the popular stories by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle leads you on a merry goose chase from 221B Baker Street all the way to the Tower of London.
Book,Music, and Lyrics by
Janet Yates Vogt and Mark Friedman
Based on the books by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle
Director: Kristie Mattsson
Choreographer: Jenna Lockwood
Music Director: Rachel Lamell
All actors must be fully vaccinated with up to date boosters
or provide a doctor’s certification of a vaccination waiver.
AUDITIONS
Auditions will be held on:
Monday, November 11 from 4pm-6:30pm
Tuesday, November 12 from 4pm-7:00pm
No appointment needed. Actors only need to attend one day of auditions.
CALLBACKS on Thursday, November 14 from 4:00 to 7:00pm .
**You will be notified via email by 11/13 if you are needed for callbacks and given a schedule.
All auditions, and any necessary callbacks, will be held at the
2627 Pico Boulevard, Santa Monica, CA
Street parking available.
Venice Family Clinic’s parking lot is available on weekends and on weekdays after 6 p.m. Do not park at our neighbors AAMCO/Viking Motors or SGI or you will be towed.
PREPARE
Prepare 32 bars (a verse and chorus) of any song in the standard musical theatre style and BRING accompaniment on an iPhone, iPad or the Android equivalents. Please do NOT sing pop songs, liturgical music or country western.
Be prepared to dance with comfortable clothes and dance shoes or sneakers.
PEFORMANCE DATES
Weekends: January 25 through February 9, 2025; Saturdays and Sundays at 11:00 am
School Shows: Friday, January 31 and Wednesday, February 5 at 9:15am and 11:15am
School shows will require actors to miss their morning classes, but some schools give community service credit. Please note that actors MUST be available for all performances, including all school shows.
This is non-negotiable!
REHEARSALS
Rehearsals will begin either Sunday, 11/17 or Monday 11/18 based on theatre scheduling.
All other rehearsals will be held during the time frames of Monday through Fridays from 4:00 to 6:30pm as well as Saturday midmorning or afternoons and Sunday early evening depending on theatre availability. A calendar with more specific time slots will be available at the audition.
Actors are not called for all rehearsals, only ones where they are being used for a scene/music/dance. Typically, large cast rehearsals are held on weekends. We will try to limit most actors to 4-5 rehearsals a week until we reach the last few weeks. Rehearsals will be worked around actor schedules as much as possible and also worked around youth workshop commitments.
BRING
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Accompaniment music on an iPhone, iPad or the Android equivalents. Do not sing without music accompaniment.
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A printed copy of your vaccination card with updated booster listed.
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A picture (school picture or snapshot is fine) *even if you have done shows with us before, we need a new one
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Resume or list of shows done.
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Your conflicts for the rehearsal period. All conflicts MUST be submitted prior to callbacks using the calendar provided on the audition form.
CONFLICTS
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At the audition, all actors must fill out a calendar form with all potential conflicts.
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PRIOR to auditioning, make sure to check with your school choir/band/theatre director, your sports coach, any pending field trips, or any other adult who schedules your time.
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We anticipate some conflicts around winter breaks. We will accommodate if possible but an extended conflict may result in not being cast.
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Weekends are KEY TIMES for rehearsals – more than 3 conflicts on those days may result in an actor not being cast.
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NO conflicts will be accepted after casting. If they do arise it may result in an actor being replaced.
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Note: There is a tech rehearsal on Monday, 1/20 (MLK day) NO ABSENCES are allowed
CHARACTER DESCRIPTIONS
Please note: in this particular script, gender on the binary is utilized within the plot and so to be most effective, the pronouns and genders originally dictated by the playwrights should be portrayed as written. The character descriptions that follow are written accordingly, with he/him and she/her pronouns.
Our casting seeks to be as inclusive as possible and we invite gender non-conforming, genderfluid, transgender and non-binary actors to submit for the roles they most identify with.
The ages listed under the roles indicate what must be played convincingly and have descriptors such as: “Adult”, “Child”. This is to show what age the CHARACTER is written to be, and is not intended to limit the age of the actor trying out.
All auditioners are encouraged to consider any role/s that most excite and delight them. While ultimately the role “presents” a certain way, the character choices that the auditioner brings to the role are paramount, and the thing we are most interested in seeing if you are called back to read for a role.
We are actively committed to casting an inclusive show that reflects the community.
Note: Ages eligible to audition for this cast are: 8-18 years
SHERLOCK HOLMES
Gender: Male/Male Presenting, Age: Adult, Vocal range: Baritone/Tenor (med-high)
The world-famous consulting detective. He has solved some of the most complex and perplexing cases. A very eccentric and moody character, prone to fits and bouts of depression. Although meticulous of mind and strategy, he can be untidy. Plays violin while he marinates on his investigations. Highly observational, with lightning quick deduction, and only a little pompous.
DOCTOR WATSON
Gender: Male/Male Presenting, Age: Adult, Vocal range: Baritone/Tenor (med-high)
Holmes’ faithful companion and biographer. Modest and intelligent. A patient and sensitive observer.
PROFESSOR MORIARTY
Gender: Male/Male Presenting, Age: Adult, Vocal range: Baritone/Tenor (medium)
The Napoleon of Crime. By all accounts is the only match for Holmes’ intelligence and powers of deduction. Cunning, resourceful, sophisticated, and commits crimes to prevent boredom. Moriarty is the only adversary that Holmes genuinely fears and admires.
TILLY
Gender: Female/Female Presenting, Age: Young Adult, Vocal range: Alto (med-low)
Shady character in the employ of Professor Moriarty. Fancies herself to be much smarter than the Professor gives her credit for, and isn’t afraid to sing about it. Not as stealth as she thinks herself to be.
MRS. HUDSON
Gender: Female/Female Presenting, Age: Adult, Vocal range: Alto (low)
Holmes’ and Watson’s loyal housekeeper. She has borne witness to Holmes and Watson on many of their former cases, and says that she could have helped solve these curious capers, if they'd only listened to her.
INSPECTOR LESTRADE
Gender: To Present as Written, Ages: Adult, Vocal range: Open
The clueless Scotland Yard police officer who frequently overlooks clues, and is fairly incompetent.
GEORGIE
Gender: Female/Female Presenting, Age: 12-ish, Vocal range: High Alto/Soprano
(Georgiana Andrea Elizabeth Catherine, Third Duchess of York)
A girl of 12-ish with her hair tucked up in a cap spends most of the show effectively disguised as a boy. Tells Wiggins (s)he an orphan who has come to London to make their way in the world. Doesn’t know she’s royalty.
WIGGINS
Gender: Male/Male Presenting”, Age: 15-ish, Vocal range: High Alto
Boy of 15ish and leader of the Baker Street Irregulars. Holmes’ “eyes and ears” about the City of London. A colorful character who aspires to be a master detective one day.
PIP
Gender: To play male, Age: “Child”, Vocal range: Open
Baker Street Irregular
ALFIE
Gender: To play male, Age: “Child”, Vocal range: Tenor/Alto (medium)
Baker Street Irregular
JACK
Gender: To play male, Age: “Child”, Vocal range: Open
Baker Street Irregular
QUEEN VICTORIA
Gender: Female, Age: Adult, Vocal range: Open
Queen of England and Empress of India
QUEEN’S BODYGUARD
Gender: Any, Age: Child/Teen, Vocal range: Open
Tall, Regal, Imposing
LONDON BOBBY (POLICEMAN)
Gender: Any, Age:Adult, Vocal range: Open
ENSEMBLE: 4-6 ACTORS TO PLAY TOWNSPEOPLE & BAKER ST. IRREGULARS
Gender: Any to play boys, Age: Any, Vocal range: Any
The "Baker Street Irregulars" are a group of young street urchins- they are invisible to most and this allows them to be Sherlock Holmes' eyes and ears on the streets of London. They help in solving some of Holmes' most baffling cases.
Non-Equity, there is no pay.
Questions? Contact producer Eve Keller at eve.keller@morgan-wixson.org.