SINGERS WANTED!
THE 2010 SINATRA BIRTHDAY BASH
The Sinatra Birthday Bash is a musical celebration of Frank Sinatra in honor of what would have been his 95th birthday. Eight to ten of New Jersey's finest saloon singers, selected specifically for this show, will take the stage of the historic Count Basie Theatre in Red Bank, NJ, backed by the Red Bank Jazz Orchestra. The RBJO is a 17-piece professional Big Band under the musical direction of Joe Muccioli, who Jazzwise Magazine says works with, "A maximum of authenticity." The Sinatra Birthday Bash is not a costume and wig show. It's a sincere, respectful tribute in song to one of NJ's most famous sons. Those of you selected, no doubt the finest singers working in NJ today, will sing the great songs of the American Songbook, and many of the tunes associated with Sinatra during his long career.
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AUDITION & SHOW INFORMATIONThis year a brand new cast of featured vocalists, plus a possible back-up singing group that we call "the Sinatra Guys and Dolls," will be selected for the show. Males, females, small vocal ensembles and talented performers of all ages are encouraged to apply. Each featured vocalist will perform two songs (one on each set) with the band, and participate in the opening number and the finale. Performers must attend rehearsals with the Musical Director as needed, and a whole cast staging rehearsal with piano accompaniment on a date TBA, and the dress rehearsal at 2:00 p.m. on Friday, December 10, 2010, and the show on the same date at 8:00 p.m. Featured vocalists will receive an honorarium of $250 per singer or ensemble. Backup singers will receive $100 per singer. Audition is by CD (not in person).
Please send a resume, head shot, and an audio CD containing three recordings (songs) of your work in the Sinatra style to: Numa Saisselin, CEO, Count Basie Theatre, 99 Monmouth Street, Red Bank, NJ 07701. Submission deadline is August 1, 2010. Be sure to include your name, address, phone number and email address. AUDITION TIPSPlease send a CD - do not direct us to a web site or send a tape. If you burn your own CD, make sure it also plays in a standard CD player. We listen to all submissions, but a good quality recording represents your best efforts better. We encourage you to submit offbeat selections from the Sinatra and American Songbook canons; you have a better chance of standing out if your recording is not the 45th version of "Summer Wind" we're hearing. Please submit songs that are in the "Sinatra style"; rock and folk songs are listened to less seriously. Singers selected for the show will perform with a band; a cappella recordings (solo voice without instruments) are not encouraged as audition material. Due to the large volume of submissions, materials will not be returned.
The Sinatra Birthday Bash is a gala event co-produced annually by Jazz Arts Project, Inc. and Count Basie Theatre, Inc., both nonprofit organizations. Visit them on the web at jazzartsproject.org and countbasietheatre.org.
