Wanting the Music – Audition Information

Wanting the Music – a Choral Musical of the Michigan Festival is a new musical based on the Michigan Womyn’s Music Festival, which took place in the woods of Michigan from 1976-2015. In this musical we follow the lives of 2 lesbians who see each other at the festival over the course of the many years. The chorus will sing songs that were sung at Michigan, while the actors will live through some of our Midwest lesbian herstory.

Performances will be Saturday January 28 and Sunday January 29, 2017

Characters and requirements:

Linda, female, must play early 20s – late 50s. 2 solos, 1 duet, mezzo soprano, folk style (possibly can divide to 2 actors, 1 20s-30s, 1 40s-50s).

Sandy, female, must play early 20s – late 50s, butch in appearance. 1 solo, 1 duet, mezzo soprano, folk style (possibly can divide to 2 actors, 1 20s-30s, 1 40s-50s).

Summer, Linda’s daughter, female, must play teen – mid-30s, femme in appearance. 1 duet, musical theater style.

Ashley, Summer’s girlfriend, female, 20s – 30s. 1 duet, musical theater style.

Kali, Summer and Ashley’s daughter, 9 yrs old. 1 solo.

Jennifer, Sandy’s girlfriend, female, 30s – 50s.

6 chorus members will also have small speaking roles.

Send an email to ledwalds@hotmail.com to let us know you if you wish to audition. You’ll be asked to bring a resume of your acting experience. Prepare a 1-2 minute monologue in the voice of a woman in her 20s (let us know if you need a monologue). Also prepare one of the following songs:

• Cris Williamson’s Song of the Soul

• Holly Near’s I Am Willing

• Pat Humphries’ Never Turning Back

• Russell, Willis & Bray, What About Love (from the musical “The Color Purple”)

Auditions will include reading from the script.

Rehearsals for actors will start in October. More frequent rehearsals will be required in January, and there’s a full week of tech, dress rehearsals and performances January 23-29.

If you’d like to join as a chorus member, we’d love to have you. Find information about joining Artemis Singers here.

Actors will not be paid in money but will be showered with love and respect!

Stay up to date on the Musical! Join our mailing list specifically for information on the musical by clicking here. 

View the main page about the musical. 

The next Artemis Singers new member night is Thursday, February 9. We will be preparing for our Family of Friends, Pride concert and dance, to be performed June 17, 2017.

If you are a woman, love to sing, have Thursday nights free, and want to be part of a lesbian feminist chorus, consider joining us!

We currently rehearse on the northwest side of Chicago but are looking for possible other venues that are more accessible by CTA train lines (we are currently accessible by CTA bus and Metra). If you have a lead on a rehearsal space, please let us know!

Please get in touch by using the Contact Us form and we will get back to you with more details.

June 11, 2016, at 7:00pm in Lakeview (concert and dance are both wheelchair-accessible).
June 18, 2016, at 7:00pm in Hyde Park (concert and dance are both wheelchair accessible).

The June 18 Concert and Dance is co-hosted by our friends Affinity Community Services. Affinity Community Services is a social justice organization that works with and on behalf of Black LGBTQ communities, queer youth, and allies to identify emergent needs, create safe spaces, develop leaders, and bridge communities through collective analysis and action for social justice, freedom, and human rights.

Tickets for either concert are $15 in advance and $20 suggested donation at the door. $10 for seniors (65+) and children (12 and under). The ticket price includes admission to both the concert and the dance with live DJ. Click the links above to buy tickets in advance.

Join us to share the Pride and celebrate with a community dance!

In this “Voices of Joyful Rebellion” concert, we present songs of rebellion, including “Goddesses’ Rage” by Chicago composer Paula Walowitz, the source of our concert title: “This violation of all that is holy must stop. It’s gone on too long. Voices of joyful rebellion are swelling. The power of life is again growing strong.” Read more, including the press release.

In the proud tradition of Artemis Singers, we will be performing woman-affirming choral music written or arranged by women, providing opportunities for lesbians to be visible, expressing sometimes-radical political perspectives, and being an integral part of the Chicago feminist women’s community.

Saturday, June 11 at Broadway United Methodist at 3338 N. Broadway, Chicago (at Roscoe)
Saturday, June 18 at First Unitarian Church at 5650 S. Woodlawn, Chicago.