History of Arguable Consequence: The Undertold Stories of the American Civil War
Komi-Ken for Little Drummer Boy
The Little Drummer ($15): Lead/Male/Young. North American/American, Yankee/Northern accent. Possibly light Midwestern or light Southern accent. There is no particular character here, rather "Little Drummer" is a description of the voice we need to do the narration for an R.H. Stoddard poem called "The Little Drummer" (click on the link for the full text). For the greatest emotional effect, we'd like it to be read by a very young man, around the age of 12 (pre-voice changing). However, if you read the lines and feel inspired to show us a different interpretation, we're open for it!
ABOUT THE ROLE: This role is part narration, part character acting, and we're open to interpretation. The one thing we're really wanting from this audition is an emphasis on the end line of each verse -- the rat-tat-too. We'd like this to be read as if you're verbalizing an actual drum beat -- the words should be spoken sharply, as if your voice is the strike of the drum. For even greater effect, as the tone and tempo of the poem becomes more comber, the rat-tat-too should become a little slower, as if the dying drummer is losing his energy to beat the drum.
Along with the Little Drummer Boy, voice actor awarded this part will also be asked to perform lines for several other very minor characters (drummer, young boy and voice in a crowd).
'Tis of a little drummer,
The story I shall tell.
Of how he marched to battle,
And all that there befell.
Out in the West with Lyon
(For once the name was true),
For whom the little drummer beat
His rat-tat-too.
His comrades dropped around him
By fives and tens they fell.
Some pierced by minie bullets,
Some torn by shot and shell;
They played against our cannon,
And a caisson's splinters flew;
But still the little drummer beat
His rat-tat-too!
The ball had spent its fury:
" A scratch," the surgeon said,
As he wound the snowy bandage
Which the lint was staining red,
“I must leave you now, old fellow."
" O, take me back with you.
For I know the men are missing me,
And the rat-tat-too!
