Fame: The Musical
Auditions: Sunday, February 15 at 7pm and Monday, February 16 at 7pm
Performances: May 15-23
Director: Bradley Watts
Music Director: Ardi Bonham
Due to adult content, you must be 17 years old & up to participate in this play.
Auditions will include acting, singing and dancing. The ability to play a musical instrument is also a plus. Acting audition will include cold readings from the play. Prepare a 1980s song that shows your range, but be prepared to be cut off by the musical director. Bring your own accompaniment. Tracks can be played from phones. All tracks must be instrumental only (no vocals). Dance auditions will have short choreography taught at the audition.
To prepare for auditions:
Prepare a 1980s song that shows your vocal range.
Wear comfortable clothes and shoes for dancing.
Bring a list of conflicts and your audition form printed and filled out. (Download the form below)
Fame the Musical features a deliberately diverse cast to reflect the multicultural environment of New York City's High School for the Performing Arts. Please see the character list, as the musical features suggested racial breakdowns.
Student characters:
Carmen Diaz: (Hispanic/Latina female) A confident, sassy, triple-threat dancer obsessed with the idea of fame, determined to make it big at all costs. She develops a crush on Joe Vegas and a relationship with Schlomo Metzenbaum.
Tyrone Jackson: (Black/African-American male) A charismatic and talented hip-hop dancer who is functionally illiterate and comes from a poor background. He struggles with academics and a difficult relationship with Iris Kelly. The show uses his character to explore issues of racial prejudice and class.
Joe "José" Vegas: (Hispanic/Latino male) An energetic acting student, the class clown who uses comedy to hide his insecurities and comes from a difficult home life. He is a self-proclaimed ladies' man and has a crush on Carmen.
Mabel Washington: (Female) A loud, funny, and soulful dancer/singer who struggles with her weight and loves food but wants to be a size zero ballerina. She provides advice to others and performs "Mabel's Prayer".
Iris Kelly: (often portrayed as white female, but casting is flexible) A talented, classically trained ballet dancer who initially seems wealthy and haughty. It's later revealed she is not wealthy, and she develops a complex relationship with Tyrone Jackson, helping him with his reading.
Schlomo Metzenbaum: (often portrayed as white male, Jewish) A sensitive, likable classical violinist from a musical background. He sets up the rock band and acts as a caretaker for his classmates, harboring a crush on Carmen.
Nick Piazza: (White male) A serious, ambitious classical actor who is very focused on his craft and determined to be a "real" actor. He has a hidden romantic interest in Serena Katz.
Serena Katz: (White female, often Jewish) A shy, enthusiastic, yet insecure actress who is in love with Nick. She gains confidence throughout the show.
Grace "Lambchops" Lamb: (Female) A quirky rock-chick drummer with a lively personality.
Goodman "Goody" King: (Male) A musician (trumpet/saxophone/guitar player) in Schlomo's band.
Ensemble: students who act, sing, dance or possibly play musical instruments
Teacher roles:
Miss Esther Sherman: (Female, often Black/African American) The stern, traditional English/homeroom teacher who emphasizes academics but deeply cares for her students, often clashing with Ms. Bell.
Ms. Greta Bell: (Female) A vibrant, artistic dance teacher who inspires her students, especially in ballet and modern dance, and pushes them to achieve their potential.
Mr. Myers: (Male) A laid-back, psychology-focused drama teacher who is fascinated by his students' human development.
Mr. Sheinkopf: (often portrayed as white male) A distinguished, European-accented music teacher who favors classical music and dislikes rock and roll.
While certain roles have specific ethnic identifiers, production notes allow some latitude in casting, provided the character's background and story are respected or adapted appropriately.
Auditions at ACT
ACT encourages everyone to come and audition. Requirements for each production can differ. Please select the production you are interested in for requirements and necessary forms.
Scripts for plays are sometimes available to borrow from the box office within 3 - 4 weeks of auditions with a $10 deposit. Scripts must be returned before auditions. Deposits will be refunded for scripts returned in good shape. We do not lend librettos for musical productions but will provide information regarding the music on the audition page for each respective musical.
Productions at ACT are cast without regard to ethnic heritage unless a specific background is essential to the theme and meaning of the play (contextually specific/playwright’s requirements). The majority of productions are contextually neutral, including historical works.
ACT cast and crew positions are open to all members of our community. If actors of a particular ethnic heritage must perform roles, it will be indicated in the character description.
Interested in auditioning or joining a production crew? Download one of our forms. Print and bring the form to auditions or email it to info@aikencommunitytheatre.org.
Future Auditions
You Can't Take It With You (Comedy) Sunday, Jan. 25, 2026 at 3pm and Monday, Jan 26 at 6pm
Fame (Musical) Sunday, Feb. 15 at 7pm, and Monday, Feb. 16, 2026 at 7pm
Sherwood: The Adventures of Robin Hood (Comedy) Sunday, May 3 at 3pm, and Monday, May 4 at 7pm