The Little Mermaid GENDERBEND Audio Drama / Musical
Project Overview
Hey all, thank you for stopping by.
This casting call is for a genderbend version of The Little Mermaid.
For those that are unfamiliar with the plot:
Rebellious 16-year-old mermaid Ariel is fascinated with life on land. On one of her visits to the surface, which are forbidden by her controlling father, King Triton, she falls for a human prince. Determined to be with her new love, Ariel makes a dangerous deal with the sea witch to become human for three days.
For the most part, the plot will remain faithful to the Disney classic and to the musical. The most substantial change, as the name suggests, is a gender swap for many of the roles.
This is a passion project. As such, as of right now, roles are unpaid. However, in the event that this makes any sort of profit (for whatever reason), it will be shared amongst the cast.
RULES AND STIPULATIONS
1. Ariel's name is pronounced as "Ahr-ee-ell". Kind of like how Sebastian says it in the original movie.
2. Please provide your discord with your audition; the server link will be posted in an update.
3. The songs and dialogue in this project will be both from the Disney movie and the musical.
4. Some roles are locked to one gender, others are not.
5. Some auditions contain both singing and acting components.
6. Some auditions will have a choice of transpositions for you to choose from. You can choose the backing track that fits your voice the best. You can use the original song's key as well! No key/transposition gives an advantage in auditions over another.
7. Please only submit one take of the singing part, and up to two takes for each line. Failure to do so will cause your audition to be disregarded. Also, please do not slate your auditions.
8. EXCEPT FOR ARIEL, playing the backing track with your audition is not required, but is heavily encouraged nonetheless. Auditions for Ariel MUST have one of the backing tracks provided.
9. Casting and production for this will not take place for quite a while, so I ask that everyone stays patient with the entire process.
10. This project will go through a shortlisting process.
11. The images for the roles are the original, non-gender-swapped characters. This is to avoid confusion.
As a side note, if you're submitting an audition, I highly recommend submitting one in the "ensemble" category at the bottom as well.
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(Pronounced "Ahr-ee-ell", like how Sebastian normally pronounces it)
Please read the rules and stipulations before submitting an audition.
Character description (courtesy of Writeups.org):
Ariel is a headstrong, free-spirited, teenager. Rebellious towards his mother's authority, learning about the world and trying to find where he fits in it. He has lofty dreams of getting out and exploring the world. A strong desire compels Ariel to discover that other world above the ocean waves.
The backing track for Part of Your World can be found here. Please use any key you like. Please remember, the backing track is required if auditioning for Ariel.
[Referring to the fork / dinglehopper] "Oh my gosh! Have you ever seen anything so wonderful in your entire life?"
[To FLOUNDER] "You're not getting cold fins now, are you? I'm going inside. You can just stay here and - watch for sharks ... Oh, Flounder! Don't be such a guppy!"
[To SCUTTLE, talking about ERICA] "No, look! She's breathing. She's so ... beautiful."
[Please start the backing track (linked above) at around 1:54 at your desired key]
What would I give if I could live out of these waters?
What would I pay to spend a day warm on the sand?
Bet'cha on land they understand
Bet they don't reprimand their own sons
Bright young children, sick of swimmin'
Ready to stand
And ready to know what the people know
Ask 'em my questions and get some answers
What's a fire and why does it, what's the word?
Burn?
When's it my turn?
Wouldn't I love, love to explore that shore up above?
Out of the sea
Wish I could be
Part of that world
Please sing Ariel's signature measure. See this link and timestamp: https://youtu.be/8b1DcPL3tqU?t=78
Please read the rules and stipulations before submitting an audition.
Sheet music for Under the Sea: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1oa4MJTAd3YM-9FFw-mY6euPbZnfo-bnT/view?usp=sharing
Backing track: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZFfPmhurdQc
Character description (courtesy of the Disney Princess wiki):
Sébastienne is the king's royal court composer and holds a rather passionate love for music. While usually carefree, Sébastienne is often seen to be very grumpy and worrisome. This is mostly due to Ariel's stubbornness, who she is found with regularly. She is also prone to having panic attacks and fearing Queen Athena will murder him if she slips up on a task. Like the other sea inhabitants, Sébastienne holds a great fear of the sea queen, Athena. Despite the fear, she still shows great respect and they are obviously on good terms, friendship wise.
Ariel has the most beautiful voice . . . (aside) If only he'd show up for rehearsals once in a while.
And he's only got three days. Just look at him. On legs. On human legs! My nerves are shot. This is a catastrophe! What would his mother say? I'll tell you what his mother'd say, she'd say she's gonna kill herself a crab, that's what his mother'd say! I'm gonna march meself straight home right now and tell her just like I shoulda done de minute- [Ariel grabs her.] . . . and don't you shake your head at me, young man.
The seaweed is always greener
In somebody else's lake
You dream about going up there
But that is a big mistake
Just look at the world around you
Right here on the ocean floor
Such wonderful things surround you
What more is you lookin' for?
Under the sea
Under the sea
Darling it's better
Down where it's wetter
Take it from me
Up on the shore they work all day
Out in the sun they slave away
While we devotin'
Full time to floatin'
Under the sea
Please read the rules and stipulations before submitting an audition.
Sheet music for One Step Closer (end measure 26): http://lvjcc.org/clientuploads/Stagemakers/One%20Step%20Closer%20Sheet%20Music%20Audition.pdf
Backing track: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HDOd3Q1QejU
Character description:
Erica is a seafaring, dog-loving, hopeless romantic. She appears to be quite shy around guys, though she does believe her true love certainly exists. While her commitment towards romance stays strong, her shyness disappears by the end of the plot.
Isn't this great? The salty sea air, the wind blowing in your face . . . a perfect day to be at sea!
Believe me, Grim, when I find him I'll know - without a doubt. It'll just - bam! - hit me - like lightning.
You know, I feel really bad not knowing your name. Heh - maybe I could guess. Is it, err, Seymour? (Chuckle) Okay, no. How 'bout - Benny? Michael?Dancing is a language that is felt instead of heard
You can whisper, sing or shout without so much as a word
Try it, go on, like so...
Just let your emotions tell your body what to do
See how much a single gesture can reveal!
And ev'ry little step
Ev'ry single step
Is one step closer
To saying what you feel
Please read the rules and stipulations before submitting an audition.
Sheet music for (S)he's in Love (Measure 63 - Measure 91): https://www.broadwayartistsalliance.org/wp-content/uploads/2012/06/shes_in_love.pdf
Backing track (1:52 - 2:40): https://youtu.be/aLnTm9Z9ngg?t=113
Character description:
Flounder is Ariel's sincere and sensitive best friend who is loyal to the end. Though easily frightened, nervous, and jittery, they'll always see through help Ariel when in a tight spot. Also has a powerful solo for "He's in Love".
[To ARIEL] "Who, me? No way. It's just, it, err . . . it looks - damp in there. Yeah. And I think I may be coming down with something. Y-yeah, I got this cough." (Coughs unconvincingly).
"I'm not a guppy. This is great - I mean, I really love this. Excitement, adventure, danger lurking around every cor- YAAAAHHHHHHHH!! Ariel!!"
[Please start the backing track around 1:52 - Link above]
And he sighs, and he swoons
And he's hummin' little tunes
Even has a sorta glow
What on earth could it be?
...
Oh, no!
He's in love!
He's in love!
See his hips
How they swish! (Well, well, well)
(Don't you wonder who's the lucky seafood dish?)
He's in love!
He's in love!
See his blush!
See his grin!
Got to be love he's in!
Ariel-and-someone swimmin' in the sea!
K-I-S-S-I-N-G!
Backing track for Poor Unfortunate Souls: https://youtu.be/yhE5mupTt8k?t=166
Character description:
Ursulus' character is very consistent. He is shown to be a power-hungry, ambitious, manipulative warlock with a tendency to excuse his own behaviour, but he's also very flamboyant, is clearly comfortable in his own skin, and has a very sassy sense of humor. Poor Unfortunate Souls might be the most powerful song in this entire musical, and Ursulus is certainly the part for it.
Come in. Come in, my child. We mustn't lurk in doorways - it's rude. One MIGHT question your upbringing. . . . Now, then. You're here because you have a thing for this human. This, er, princess gal. Not that I blame you - she is quite a catch, isn't she? Well, angel fish, the solution to your problem is simple. The only way to get what you want - is to become a human yourself.
]Please start the backing track around 2:46]
Come on, they're not all that impressed with conversation -
True ladies will avoid it when they can.
But they dote and swoon and fawn
On a man who is withdrawn;
It's he who holds his tongue who gets a gal!
Come on, you poor unfortunate soul
Go ahead!
Make your choice!
I'm a very busy warlock
And I haven't got all day
It won't cost much
Just your voice!
You poor unfortunate soul
It's sad
But true
If you want to cross a bridge, my sweet
You've got to pay the toll
Take a gulp and take a breath
And go ahead and sign the scroll!
Flotsam, Jetsam, now I've got him, gals!
The boss is on a roll
This poor unfortunate soul.
Backing track for Human Stuff: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5cM7oEMudGQ
NOTE: I will also be casting two to five Seagulls for this number. - they may be picked from the Scuttle auditions!
Character description (courtesy of the Disney wiki):
Scuttle is possibly the most eccentric of Ariel's circle of friends. Like Ariel, he/she has a love for human objects and collects a number of them. They are a identified expert on humans. Though his knowledge on the human world is quite minuscule, he/she does possess more than the average sea creature.
[Looking through the telescope the wrong way, shouting.] Whoa! Mermaid off the port bow! Ariel, how you doin' kid? [Lowers telescope to reveal ARIEL at wing's length.] Whoa, what a swim!
It's a dinglehopper! Humans use these little babies . . . to straighten their hair out. See - just a little twirl here an' a yank there and - voila! You got an aesthetically pleasing configuration of hair that humans go nuts over!
Say thatcha wanna have a hairdo
Like the folks who live up there do
That'll flap their wigs!...
Well, you'll look absolutely dandy
If you use one of these handy
Little thingmajigs!...
Pick up the dinglehopper, just like so!
Twirl it the way I'm twirling now!
Give it a little yank, and there ya go!
You're what they call "the dog's meow"!
Please read the rules and stipulations before submitting an audition.
This role is a play on King Triton.
Character description:
Athena is a flawed but caring mother. She is a strict disciplinarian whose overprotective nature towards her sons has been the source of conflicts between her and Ariel, especially due to Ariel's obsession with humans. She is known to have an explosive temper when provoked. Genuinely, she is a kind mother, and has a soft spot for Ariel - her youngest child.
[To ARIEL] I just don't know what we're going to do with you, young man. How many times must we go through this? You could've been seen by one of those barbarians - by - by one of those humans! They're dangerous. Do you think I want to see my youngest son snared by some fish-eater's hook?
Not another word - and I am never, NEVER to hear of you going to the surface again. Is that clear?[To SÉBASTIENNE] Do you, er, think I - I was too hard on him?
Backing tracks for Les Poissons (choose one): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6HAp80n00Eg OR https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=agCsTLGscUc
Character description (courtesy of the Disney wiki):
An eccentric chef with a French accent, Louis is obsessed with cooking and clearly takes great pleasure in it, dancing and spinning around their kitchen while singing about the things they're cooking up. He/She's got a hair-trigger temper, which flares up and causes them to get in trouble with Charles.
[To SÉBASTIENNE] Come out you little pipsqueak and fight like a man!
[To CHARLES] Well - I - I was just - er, er, I'm sorry, monsieur.
Les poissons
Les poissons
How I love les poissons
Love to chop
And to serve little fish
First I cut off their heads
Then I pull out the bones
Ah mais oui
Ca c'est toujours delish
Please read the rules and stipulations before submitting an audition.
Character description:
Grimsby is Princess Erica's guide and caretaker. She believes that Erica has more important duties (such as returning home and assuming her mother's throne), than romance. Overall, Grimsby is perceptive, thoughtful, and protective.
Erica, this talk of merpeople is nautical nonsense!
Ah, Erica, I think you've swallowed a bit too much seawater. Off we go.
[To ARIEL] Come come come, you must be famished. Let me help you my dear boy. There we go - ah - quite comfy? [To ERICA] Uh. It's - It's not often that we have such a lovely dinner guest, eh Erica?
Please read the rules and stipulations before submitting an audition.
Character description (courtesy of the Disney wiki):
Charles is Princeess Erica's servants and one of his most loyal friends. When Erica brings Ariel into her castle, Charles gives Ariel a bath and has a suit washed for him.
Washed up from a shipwreck. Oh, the poor thing. We'll have you feeling better in no time!
Why, Erica, that's the first time I've seen you smile in weeks.
Oooh, you're gonna love it. Chef's been fixing his specialty, stuffed crab!
Please read the rules and stipulations before submitting an audition.
This is for an ensemble, which includes the sailors, the sea creatures, the seagulls, the Merbrothers / Mermen that sing in "He's in Love", Flotsam and Jetsam, etc. Many individuals will get casted. The more, the merrier!
Please sing a major scale, starting from C and ending at C at the octave above.
Please see this video for clarification: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vTJhpjIA0Fc
Feel free to attach a singing demo after your scale. This is not a required step.
I desperately need someone to help me with the audio mixing. Multiple people may be cast for this. The more, the merrier.
Say something you think would fit
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