The Stephen Foster Drama Association
United States, KY
US

CONTACT NAME

Bronson Norris Murphy

DESCRIPTION

DESCRIPTION

Now in its 67th Season, The Stephen Foster Drama Association is committed to providing a quality entertainment experience while sustaining the legacy and music of America’s first great composer, Stephen Collins Foster and the community that influenced his life and career. His interpretation of the African American experience of the time, as well as his desire for family, friendship and love served as inspiration for his enduring and meaningful songs.

The amphitheater, located in historic Bardstown, Kentucky – voted "The Most Beautiful Small Town in America" by Rand McNally & USA Today - is a very special resource for the productions, providing a beautiful setting for outdoor theatre. In the 2026 summer season, the SFDA will present a mainstage rotating repertory season of "The Stephen Foster Story," & “Annie” For more information, visit: www.StephenFoster.com

Compensation package includes furnished apartment-style housing for out-of-town actors. 3-5 performances per week with no additional non-performance related duties.

- TO SUBMIT AN AUDITION:
To streamline your experience auditioning with us, we are requesting you to record our audition materials for your initial submission. Linked below is a folder with our casting breakdowns, scenes, songs and tracks for each character in either show. Please select the character you feel best suits your skillset. Once you have recorded the scenes and songs for your character, please upload them via the instructions in your character’s folder. Please submit a maximum of two times. One role per show. Video submissions are due no later than March 15, 2026.

AUDITION INFORMATION, INSTRUCTIONS AND MATERIALS

- TO SUBMIT FOR A MANAGERIAL/TECHNICAL POSITION:
Please e-mail [email protected] with subject line: "2026 Managerial/Technical Submission" Please send your note and resume along with the position(s) you feel best qualified to fill.
We are currently accepting submissions for all managerial and technical fields including: Stage Management, Technical Director, Master Electrician, A1 & A2, Head of Props, Carpenters, Paint Charge, Scenic Artists, Stitchers & Dressers.

Available Roles:

THE STEPHEN FOSTER STORY

[STEPHEN COLLINS FOSTER]
(20s-30s / MALE / BARITONE)
A YOUNG POET AND GENIUS SONG-WRITER WHO BATTLES HIS FAMILY'S INSISTENCE ON STABILITY WITH HIS DESIRE TO MAKE A LIVING AS A GREAT ARTIST. SEEKING AN EXCEPTIONAL SINGING ACTOR WITH EMOTIONAL AVAILABILITY TO PORTRAY A RANGE FROM YOUTHFUL HOPE AND JOY TO SULLEN, OUTCAST AND LOST. PRINCIPAL.

[JANE McDOWELL]
(18-20s / FEMALE / SOPRANO)
STEPHEN’S MUSE. BRIGHT, DETERMINED, AND STRONG-WILLED. AS A YOUNG WOMAN OF MARRYING AGE IN THE 1850S, JANE'S PRACTICAL NATURE AND THE SOCIETAL EXPECTATIONS PUSHED ON HER BY HER MOTHER ARE OFTEN AT WARE WITH THE PASSIONATE, MUSIC-FILLED SHE SECRETLY DREAMS OF FOR HERSELF. PRINCIPAL.

[JOE AIKINS]
(20s – 50s / MALE / BARITONE)
THE MCDOWELL’S CARETAKER; BIG-HEARTED, JOVIAL, LOYAL AND KIND. A CLOSE CONFIDANT OF STEPHEN. CHARACTER IS BLACK/INDIGENOUS/PERSON OF COLOR. PRINCIPAL.

[LIEVY PISE]
(20s-40s / FEMALE / ANY VOICE TYPE)
THE FOSTER’S CARETAKER; PRAGMATIC, MATERNAL, NURTURING AND LOVING. CHARACTER IS BLACK/INDIGENOUS/PERSON OF COLOR. PRINCIPAL.

[MARTIN DELANY]
(20s-50s / MALE / ANY VOICE TYPE)
MEDICAL APPRENTICE TO DR. MCDOWELL, A JOURNALIST, SCHOLARLY, CHARMING & ASTUTE. CHARACTER IS BLACK/INDIGENOUS/PERSON OF COLOR. PRINCIPAL.

[DUDLEY MORTON]
(20s-30s / MALE / BARI-TENOR)
A RISING YOUNG LAWYER; CRISP, CLEAN CUT AND MUSTACHED; IN LOVE WITH JANE. A BIT OF A POMPOUS COMEDIC FOIL. PRINCIPAL.

[BANJO / GUITAR PLAYER]
(ANY AGE, ANY GENDER, ANY VOICE PART)SINGER/ACTOR/INSTRUMENTALIST WITH BANJO/GUITAR SKILLS. PLEASE SUBMIT PERFORMANCE REEL – NO SIDES OR SONGS PROVIDED.

ANNIE

[OLIVER WARBUCKS]
(30s – 50s / MALE / BARI-TENOR)
“DADDY” WARBUCKS IS A POWERFUL, SELF-ASSURED BILLIONAIRE WHO ALWAYS HAS HIS MIND ON BUSINESS. SEEMINGLY GRUFF AND ABRUPT, HE HAS A KIND HEART. AT FIRST, HE IS AWKWARDLY AFFECTIONATE TOWARD ANNIE, BUT HE SOON FINDS HIMSELF COMPLETELY CHARMED BY HER. NOTE: AS DEPICTED IN THE ORIGINAL CARTOON, THIS CHARACTER IS BALD AND CLEAN SHAVEN. THE PERSON CHOSEN TO PLAY THIS ROLE WILL BE REQUIRED TO SHAVE HIS HEAD AND NO FACIAL HAIR WILL BE ALLOWED. THIS ROLE IS OPEN TO ANY ETHNICITY.

[GRACE FARRELL]
(20s – 30s / FEMALE / MEZZO-SOPRANO)
GRACE IS THE LOYAL PRIVATE SECRETARY TO OLIVER WARBUCKS. SHE IS MATURE, CALM AND CLASSY. SHE IS BUSINESSLIKE WHEN DEALING WITH MISS HANNIGAN, YET EXTREMELY WARM AND MATERNAL TOWARD ANNIE. THIS ROLE IS OPEN TO ANY ETHNICITY. DANCE EXPERIENCE A PLUS.

[MISS HANNIGAN]
(30s – 50s / FEMALE / CHARACTER BELT)
HANNIGAN IS THE ORPHANAGE MATRON. HER DISTASTE FOR HER JOB AND THE CHILDREN IS OBVIOUS IN EVERY MOVE SHE MAKES AND EVERY LINE SHE DELIVERS. SHE IS PREDICTABLE AND FUNNY, IN HER RIDICULOUS, CRUEL WAYS. THIS ROLE IS OPEN TO ANY ETHNICITY.

[ROOSTER HANNIGAN]
(20s – 30s / MALE / HIGH BARITONE)
ROOSTER IS MISS HANNIGAN'S DESPICABLE BROTHER. HE IS FLASHY AND SELF ASSURED. HIS “MOVES” ARE AS SMOOTH AS A GAMBLER’S: SLY AND DECEIVING. THIS ROLE IS OPEN TO ANY ETHNICITY.

[LILY ST. REGIS]
(20s – 30s / FEMALE / BRIGHT MIX)
LILY IS ROOSTER’S AIRHEAD GIRLFRIEND. SHE IS ALWAYS DISTRACTED, ALTHOUGH SHE MANAGES TO PICK UP ON ANY CONVERSATION INVOLVING MONEY. THIS ROLE IS OPEN TO ANY ETHNICITY.

FOR BOTH SHOWS

[ENSEMBLE DANCERS]
(ALL GENDERS / 18-30s / ALL VOICE TYPES)
SEEKING DANCERS TO BE A PART OF THE 2026 SEASON. STRONG BALLET & PARTNERING TECHNIQUE. MUST HAVE ENSEMBLE SINGING EXPERIENCE. DANCERS MAY PERFORM (OR UNDERSTUDY) SUPPORTING AND FEATURED ROLES IN "THE STEPHEN FOSTER STORY" AND “ANNIE.” PLEASE MAKE NOTE OF ANY MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS YOU PLAY IN YOUR SUBMISSION.

STORYLINES:

[THE STEPHEN FOSTER STORY]
THE STEPHEN FOSTER STORY HAS BEEN DELIGHTING AUDIENCES AT THE J. DAN TALBOTT AMPHITHEATRE SINCE 1959. THE SHOW IS SET IN THE MID-19TH CENTURY AND FOLLOWS AMERICA’S FIRST GREAT COMPOSER STEPHEN COLLINS FOSTER AS HE PAVES THE ROAD FOR FUTURE SONGWRITERS THROUGH LOVE, HEARTACHE, AND THE STRUGGLES OF THE TIME. FEATURING DOZENS OF FOSTER’S GREATEST COMPOSITIONS SUCH AS “OH! SUSANNA”, “CAMPTOWN RACES”, “BEAUTIFUL DREAMER”, “HARD TIMES (COME AGAIN NO MORE)," & KENTUCKY’S STATE SONG “MY OLD KENTUCKY HOME," THE STEPHEN FOSTER STORY CAPTURES THE ESSENCE OF A BY-GONE ERA THROUGH SONG, DANCE, BREATHTAKING COSTUMES, AND THE PICTURE-PERFECT SETTING OF MY OLD KENTUCKY HOME STATE PARK IN BARDSTOWN, KY.

[ANNIE]
BASED ON THE POPULAR COMIC STRIP BY HAROLD GRAY, LITTLE ORPHAN ANNIE CHARMS EVERYONE'S HEARTS DESPITE A NEXT-TO-NOTHING START IN 1930S NEW YORK CITY. SHE IS DETERMINED TO FIND THE PARENTS WHO ABANDONED HER YEARS AGO ON THE DOORSTEP OF A NEW YORK CITY ORPHANAGE THAT IS RUN BY THE CRUEL, EMBITTERED MISS HANNIGAN. WITH THE HELP OF THE OTHER GIRLS IN THE ORPHANAGE, ANNIE ESCAPES TO THE WONDROUS WORLD OF NYC. IN ADVENTURE AFTER FUN-FILLED ADVENTURE, ANNIE FOILS MISS HANNIGAN'S EVIL MACHINATIONS AND EVEN BEFRIENDS PRESIDENT FRANKLIN DELANO ROOSEVELT! SHE FINDS A NEW HOME AND FAMILY IN BILLIONAIRE, OLIVER WARBUCKS, HIS PERSONAL SECRETARY, GRACE FARRELL AND A LOVABLE MUTT NAMED SANDY.

DURATION

May 28, 2026 - Aug 8, 2026

SALARY

$300.00 – $450.00 per week

APPLY ONLINE

https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/13bBTj9pvDNtYroTzUSePzadoWDjIyFLJ?usp=drive_link