New Story Productions
Brooklyn, NY
US
Book, Music & Lyrics: Annie Mullee
Director: Jordan Yampolsky
Music Director: Jen Sapiro
Producer: Margot New (New Story Productions)
This program has been made possible in part through the sponsorship of The Field.
Concert + Soundcheck Date: June 26, 2025
Soundcheck is mandatory - all cast members must attend from 1 pm-3 pm, then be back by 9 pm for a 9:30 pm showtime.
Seeking non-union actors/singers for a concert version of Tess, A New Musical at 54 Below. The creative team encourages performers of all ethnicities, gender identities, ages (18+), body types, and abilities to submit.
Rehearsals will be on weekends (mostly Sundays) during May and June. Not everyone will be needed for every rehearsal, but all cast members must attend soundcheck at 54 Below on June 26 from 1 pm-3 pm.
We expect everyone to come into rehearsals already knowing their vocal part - we will send the vocal score + demos at least a month in advance of the first rehearsal so that you can learn the material beforehand. We want to use our rehearsal time to polish + stylistically refine the songs so that we are 100% solid, not to teach vocal parts.
TO SUBMIT:
Please videotape a brief song (~32 bars) in the style of the show - can be folk, pop, rock, or contemporary musical theatre… think Spring Awakening, Hadestown, Come From Away. Feel free to listen to the demo album to get an idea of the sound: https://open.spotify.com/album/7Jzo92Y6EOhWHXm6tQu3h7?si=n7f4-5I4T4yMfD5Wab0Wdw.
Please make sure that your video is shared via a viewable link (YouTube, Google Drive, Dropbox, or Vimeo are best)!
Use the following form to submit your audition: https://forms.gle/VNH4a3bDszHtNtVE8
SUBMISSIONS DUE BY MARCH 15TH @ 11:59 PM.
TW: sexual assault, death, suicide, murder
Tess, A New Musical is a dark indie-folk musical adaptation of Thomas Hardy’s 19th-century novel, Tess of the D'Urbervilles - a story of burden, tragedy, and resilience. As the eldest daughter of six, Tess is forced to take on the parental and financial burdens of her flighty, irresponsible parents. When they are threatened with poverty, Tess must seek work at a local estate, where she is sexually assaulted by the Lord of the house. A resulting series of tragedies occurs, as Tess grapples with self-blame and is labeled a social pariah by her community. She finds comfort and even happiness through female friendships but ultimately is condemned to exile in a coexistence of scandal and silence. This reimagining of the classic Thomas Hardy novel uses modern folk music to paint the women of this world as dreamers, lovers, and intellectuals, exploring bodily autonomy and how it relates to gender and class.
SEEKING:
[ANGEL CLARE] 20s, any ethnicity. Folk tenor with a gentle, soulful quality. Character is male (cis, trans, and non-binary actors are welcome to submit). Angel is a sweet, gentle farmer who falls in love with Tess. His love for Tess is innocent, pure, and somewhat idealistic - he sees her as someone to protect and often acts on emotion rather than reason. However, when he learns that Tess has been sexually assaulted, he impulsively leaves her, out of fear that she is “impure”. BIPOC, MENASA, East Asian, and Latinx actors are encouraged to submit.
[LIZA LU DURBEYFIELD] 18+ to play early teens, any ethnicity. Folk soprano. Character is female (cis, trans, and non-binary actors are welcome to submit). Liza Lu is Tess’s younger sister, a dreamy hopeless romantic. Over the course of the show she learns how cruel the patriarchal world can be. BIPOC, MENASA, East Asian, and Latinx actors are encouraged to submit.
[ENSEMBLE] 18+, all genders, ethnicities, and vocal ranges welcome to submit. We are seeking performers who are comfortable singing in a folk style and can master intricate harmonies. The ensemble is featured in multiple songs, with solo singing opportunities. BIPOC, MENASA, East Asian, and Latinx actors are encouraged to submit.
(All other principal roles have been cast.)
May 4, 2025 - Jun 26, 2025
$0.00 – $0.00 per hour
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