Posted on November 6, 2007 at 2:44 pm
[Hail, fine people. This entry is old and has now been superseded by another entry. If you want more information about auditioning for “13”, then go hither and follow the instructions therein.]
You’ve heard about my new show, 13. You’ve heard rumbles that there’s going to be a Broadway production. You’ve listened to the songs on my website. You’ve read the incredible reviews from the LA production. You’re between 11 and 17 years old, or you’re the parent of an extraordinarily talented 11-through-17-year-old. You think this show is everything you’ve ever dreamed of and you want to arrange an audition.
Great!
I would love to tell you more details about our production schedule, our creative team, our audition process, all of it. But I can’t tell you anything. Why? Because our producer employs seven very large men with truncheons for the sole purpose of keeping me from shooting off my mouth before he’s ready to announce anything. And he’s apparently not yet ready to announce anything.
BUT!
If you have a legitimate question about casting (particularly if you were one of the kids we called back earlier this year from the summer camp auditions), our casting director has thrown out a lifeline.
Mark Simon – beloved by all, feared by many – is in charge of casting 13, and he has agreed to field whatever phone calls come his way about auditions for the show. He won’t answer emails, but he will answer phone calls (or at least return them). So, this is his office phone number:
Redacted. Sorry. Too late.
It’s very generous of Mark to take this on, so be nice to him.
I’ll add a small personal caveat, and I hope I don’t sound too harsh about this: whenever I tell anyone about this show, the first thing they ask about is the parents. “Oh my God,” they say, “you must have some good stories about stage parents!” Actually, I say, we don’t. And the reason we don’t is that the minute a parent gets out of line, we take their child out of consideration. Since we’re going to be stuck with the parent if we cast the child, we don’t want to take the chance of being imprisoned with unpleasant or inappropriate people for the length of a contract (or even for the length of a rehearsal process). So if you suspect that you’re even a little bit of Mama Rose, take your Paxil before you call, and don’t forget that, in this particular instance, you actually are reflecting on your teenager. Okay?
That’s the news, y’all. I’ll be back with another blog soon!
All best,
Jason Robert Brown
19 comments
Thank you! I cannot wait to see this show!
I’m so excited. I already called up and asked for information. Thank you!
HAHAHA! I love the last paragraph! I’m in a stage management class and today we were discussing the wonderful joys of parents who forget to take their Paxil!
Love your work, and can’t wait to see the show!
Question, question!
Can we audition if we live in England? 😉
Good luck to everyone who goes for it in the end!
We saw it in L.A., it was amazing. A mutual actor friend of ours played Lucy (?) and we were absent-mindedly standing next to you after the show, and didn’t even realize we were standing next to Jason Robert Brown until you started to leave.
You probably get questions like this a lot, but just in case you don’t, we were the ones who asked if Parade had any revival plans. Because the Broadway run was way too short-lived for the amazingness of that show.
Some days, I just thank God that I managed to get through life without talent. My mother didn’t start taking Paxil until I was at least 16, and if I’d had the talent to encourage her to discuss how wonderful-yet-awful I was to any more strangers, I would have jumped off some random cliff in some random town before some random birthday long before the one coming up this month.
Regardless of all that nonsense, I can’t wait until 13 makes it to Broadway and I can actually see the show. I’m still kicking myself for missing the LA production. 🙂
I am actually auditioning for this show after you scouted me at my camp! I am so scared because this is my BIG audition. I just picked up dancing and I hope I have even the slightest chance. I may not be the best at singing or anything, but I have a damn good time doing it! I love the song “What It Means To Be A Friend.” It always gets stuck in my head. Can’t wait for your next blog. Thanks!
I’m so excited for 13! I would definitely love to audition, even though I probably look far too old (I’m almost 17).
Many years ago when Oliver! was on Broadway the stage mothers were not allowed into the theatre. They dropped their children off at the stage door and picked them up after the show came down. It worked well.
Do you have any idea what the maximum height for auditioning will be? Are there any parts for bari-tenors?
[FROM JRB: The whole point of that phone number up there is to give you someplace you can call with your questions. So pick up the phone and ask whatever you need. Thanks!]
Hey there – it was great to see you at Georgia’s concert last night.
I’m way too old to audition for 13, but I so enjoyed it the two times I saw it the Taper that I am eagerly awaiting the Broadway production.
I remember doing children’s theater and high school theater, and would have had a blast putting up a show about, by, and for, teens. (“By” as in performed by, not written by, although your inner teen was clearly present in the writing process!) Thank you for making such a much-needed contribution to the musical theater repertoire!
Now please, more news re Honeymoon in Vegas. I know that will be such a riot! Any chance that might debut at the Festival of New American Musicals here next spring in the Los Angeles area?
I’m trying to get an audition for this…I hope it works!
I turned 16 a couple of months ago…I hope I dont look too old either! 😀
Hey there! I’m in NYC all the way from Jackson Hole WY! Here to audition for 13! (TODAY!!!) Can’t wait! I have heard so many fantastic things about this show! Hope to see you later today… Thank you so much for this opportunity! -Sascha
Awww man! I always miss when auditions come around! Dammit!
Oh well, hope to see it!
Is it possible that there will be another round of auditions if you don’t find the right people?
I called over the weekend and they told me send my headshot and résumé, and he can’t make any promises, but I might get an audition. I don’t think they found the right people just because they are still accepting résumés and headshots, but you never know.
I hope they are still accepting résumés and headshots…I’m having to get my headshot made so I won’t get to send my info in for about 12-14 days…
Are there any height minimums for the casting?
I think the cast for the reading has been set – will you be having more auditions later?
Hello, I’m a humongous fan of yours. I love everything you’ve done. Last Five Years is amazing and I’m very upset that I wasn’t able to go see “13”. Which is funny because I got to high school and befriended a girl who just happened to be in the show.
Right now, I am trying to get an agent and go out on auditions. I want to be an actor because that’s what I love to do. It’s people like you who inspire me to be follow what I love to do. Auditioning for this show would be amazing but I don’t think I have enough credits yet. Acting and Singing are the two things that have made me who I am today!
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