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RIDE THE CYCLONE AUDITION NOTICE
Workshop Theatre is thrilled to announce auditions for our first Concert Series* show - Ride the Cyclone, a wildly imaginative and darkly comedic cult musical about life, loss, and the meaning of it all.
* A concert series in musical refers to a succession of semi-staged, concert-format presentation of the musical.
Directed by Taylor Diveley
Audition Dates
Sunday, June 14 @ 3:00pm
Monday, June 15 @ 7:00pm
Location - Cottingham Theatre - 1301 Columbia College
Audition Requirements
Please prepare 16 bars (30 to 60 seconds) of a song in the style of the show that showcases your vocal range and personality.
You may be asked to perform a song from the show.
What We’re Looking For
We are seeking a diverse group of strong performers and vocalists, ages 16 and up. While the character descriptions state most of the characters appear to be teenagers, we are blind casting this show. All ethnicities, gender identities, ages, and body types are encouraged to audition.
All roles are open. While characters in the script are traditionally written and referred to using male or female pronouns (he/him or she/her), we warmly welcome performers of all gender identities.
Rehearsals
Rehearsals will begin around July 27. The rehearsal will depend on who is cast. No Conflicts after August 17.
Performances
August 21 & 22, 2026 at 8 pm
August 23, 2026 at 3 pm
About Ride the Cyclone
Ride the Cyclone is a darkly comedic, high-energy musical about six teenagers from the St. Cassian Chamber Choir whose lives are cut tragically short in a freak roller coaster accident. In a mysterious limbo, a mechanical fortune teller named Karnak offers them one final chance: one of them will be brought back to life, but they must prove why they deserve it most.
Through outrageous musical numbers spanning genres from pop and jazz to rap and operetta, each teen tells their story by revealing their hopes, insecurities, dreams, and unfinished business. The result is a hilarious, heartfelt, and surprisingly profound exploration of identity, legacy, and what makes a life meaningful.
Character descriptions
Karnak (30s-70s. Any ethnicity) A mechanical fortune teller who serves as the narrator and judge. Omniscient, eerie, and occasionally compassionate. Requires strong presence and vocal command.
-Please prepare a monologue from the provided selection in lieu of the song.
(A mechanical fortune-telling machine is revealed, circa 1920’s penny arcade. The fortuneteller is an imposing figure with a majestic beard and glowing eyes.)
Hello. I am the Amazing Karnak. This is not a boast but rather what it says on my legal patent as a precognition machine. I was designed to predict the exact cause, time, and place of someone’s death. A rather morbid function, I grant you; which is precisely why I was set on “family fun novelty mode” when sold to the Wonderville traveling fairground… Turns out… being told the place and time of your death in front of your family, with a mouthful of corndog at a fairground, is the very opposite of fun. I can even predict my own demise. I always could. Tonight in this warehouse, in a little over an hour.
[ #3 VIRGIL BASS SOLO. We see VIRGIL..] Meet my executioner, a rat I’ve named Virgil. For the last two years Virgil has been steadily chewing on my power cable. In a little over an hour, Virgil shall chew his way through the rubber, biting down on two hundred volts of electricity… instantly killing us both. As there is nothing more base than death… I’ve decided for tonight’s concert, Virgil shall play the bass.
Ocean O’Connell Rosenberg (appears to be 17. Any ethnicity) The overachieving, highly ambitious class president. Intelligent, competitive, and desperate to be extraordinary. Strong belt, alto/soprano, with comedic precision.
Noel Gruber (appears to be 17. Any ethnicity) A romantic and theatrical dreamer who longs for a more glamorous and tragic life than his small-town reality. Witty, sardonic, and emotionally layered.
Mischa Bachinski (appears to be 17-18. Any ethnicity) A Ukrainian adoptee with a tough exterior and surprising vulnerability. Passionate, intense, and capable of both comedy and sincerity. Rapper, Traditional Ukrainian Folk, Baritone. Please prepare 1 minute of a rap selection (not from a musical), in addition to your 1-minute selection of an audition song.
Ricky Potts (appears to be 16-17. Any ethnicity) Once perceived as shy and limited by circumstance, Ricky reveals a wildly imaginative inner world. A physical storyteller with transformative stage presence. Art rock, soul, electronica, krautrock, industrial, tenor/baritone.
Constance Blackwood (appears to be 17. Any ethnicity) The kind-hearted, self-effacing “nicest girl in town.” Grounded, warm, and deeply human with a powerful emotional arc.
Jane Doe (appears to be 16-18. Any ethnicity) A mysterious choir member whose head was lost in the accident, leaving her identity unknown. Haunting, otherworldly, and vocally agile with strong legit soprano abilities.
Questions? Please direct any questions to [email protected]
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Event Venue
1301 Columbia College Dr, Columbia, SC, United States
Tickets
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