Songs by
Book by Brian Hill & Ahmed Moneka
Orchestrations by Neil Bartram
Direction by Brian Hill
Choreography by Marc Kimelman
Music Supervision by Neil Bartram
Theatre Companies: Theatre Aquarius, Thousand Islands Playhouse
Audition location: The Creative School Chrysalis at Toronto Metropolitan University (43 Gerrard St East, ON, M5G 2A7)
Audition date: Sunday March 9th, 2025
Submission Deadline: No submissions
Contact: auditions@theatreaquarius.org
Contact name: Jenny Weisz
Contract Type: CTA Workshop
Workshop Dates/Location: The Creative School Chrysalis at Toronto Metropolitan University Workshop- Aug 5-24th 2025
Cities for Response: All of Canada
NO SUBMISSIONS NEEDED
OPEN CASTING CALL
Please arrive at The Creative School Chrysalis at Toronto Metropolitan University (43 Gerrard St East) for sign in between 9am-1pm. CAEA members will be seen first at open calls. Please do not attend open call if you have an appointment at Theatre Aquarius. Please note there are a limited number of slots and not everyone will be guaranteed a time.
WHAT TO BRING:
Please bring a headshot and resume stapled together and your sheet music prepared in a binder. Please be prepared to wait.
STORYLINE:
With songs from the iconic catalogue of The Tragically Hip and a book by Brian Hill and Ahmed Moneka, It’s a Good Life If You Don’t Weaken tells the story of a family in turmoil facing the revelation of long-guarded secrets, and the resilience they find through a group of friends in the micro-mosaic of Toronto’s Kensington Market.
SEEKING:
Seeking exceptional rock/folk/country/indie singers with a unique sound and strong acting chops. Good movement skills are required and instrumental skills are a bonus.
AUDITION REQUIREMENTS:
Prepare a 32-bar cut of two contrasting songs in any of the above genres that show off your individual vocal style (you may be asked to sing only one). Piano accompaniment will be provided (please keep that in mind when choosing material). You also have the option to accompany yourself on the instrument of your choice, including piano. Songs of The Tragically Hip are welcome but not necessary.
AVAILABLE ROLES:
MOSAB (40ish) – Middle-Eastern or SWANA
Born in Baghdad. Came to Kensington in 2003 with his wife Maryam. Former journalist. Real estate broker. Proud. Stubborn. Aggressively refuses to talk about his life before Kensington.
No need to submit online for open call.
MARYAM (40ish) – Middle-Eastern or SWANA
Born in Baghdad. Came to Kensington in 2003 with her husband Mosab. Former psychologist. Social worker. Maintains a magnetic pull to her life before Kensington and a desire for her daughter Tara to know the secrets Mosab won’t reveal.
TARA (19) – Middle-Eastern or SWANA
Born in Toronto. Lived in Kensington her whole life with her parents Maryam and Mosab. Student. Rabidly interested in history and Kensington immigrant origins, especially her own.
ROBERT (40ish) – Black
Born in Saskatoon. Came to Kensington in 2008. No-nonsense, high-end government worker – possibly CSIS but no one really knows. Mosab’s best friend who pulled government strings to bring them to Canada from Baghdad.
AVIVA (20ish)
Born in Toronto. Lived in Kensington her whole life. Runs the Jewish bakery that has been in her family since her Grandmother’s mother’s mother fled Poland in 1943.
JANIS (40 – 50ish)
Born in Norman, Oklahoma. Dispensary owner. Came to Kensington in 2002. Tornado-belt American. Once sold pot in the alleys of Kensington but now owns a legal dispensary. Guitar skills are welcome.
MAXIME (40 – 50ish)
Born in Trois-Rivières. Came to Kensington in 2010 after walking away from the Montreal corporate world. French-Canadian, grungy street musician. Excellent guitar skills are welcome.
EDDIE (30 – 40) - Asian
Born in Toronto. Returned to Kensington after university in Kingston in 2012.The struggling restaurant that he inherited after his parents died is the frequent watering hole for these eight main characters.
Theatre Aquarius and Thousand Islands Playhouse encourage any and all who self-identify as members of equity-seeking groups to audition. This includes, but is not limited to, any individuals identifying as IBPOC, LGBTQ2IA+, d/Deaf, living with disabilities, and/or facing other systemic barriers in our industry. Those who would like to self-identify in their submissions are welcome to do so, however it is voluntary and not required.
The audition, rehearsal, and performance spaces are accessible and free of physical barriers. If you require additional assistance during the audition process, please let us know so we can accommodate individual needs. We ensure a safe, respectful process built on consent and comfort.
Audition location: Theatre Aquarius, Hamilton Ontario (190 King William Street, Hamilton, Ontario, L8R1A8)
Audition dates: March 11, 12, 13, 14 and callbacks/movement 15th, 2025
Submission Deadline: Tuesday February 25th 5pm
House Type/Rates: CTA Workshop
Workshop Dates/Location: The Creative School Chrysalis at Toronto Metropolitan University Workshop- August 5-24th 2025
Cities for Response: all of Canada
Seeking exceptional rock/folk/country/indie singers with a unique sound and strong acting chops. Good movement skills are required, and instrumental skills are a bonus.
HOW TO SUBMIT:
PLEASE SUBMIT VIA CASTING WORKBOOK.
-Please note if the artist’s point of origin is Hamilton or Kingston.
-Please note if the artist is based outside of Ontario.
-Please note if the artist requires a self-tape.
-Please note if the artist has a preferred audition date/time due to conflicts.
-Please no double submissions.
Please only submit via email if you do not have Casting Workbook. If submitting via email, please follow instructions below:
Headshot and Resume:
Please submit a headshot and resume labelled with “FIRST NAME-LAST NAME-ROLE” in one pdf file to auditions@theatreaquarius.org. Due to the number of submissions, emails with separate headshot and resumes files will unfortunately not be considered- one file only please.
Email Subject:
Please label the submission email subject “IT’S A GOOD LIFE- ROLE- FIRST NAME-LAST NAME” with the role you are interested in being seen for by Tuesday February 25th 5pm
Email Body
In email body, please first list:
-Full name, role submitting for, Equity or Non-Equity, email address, agent & agent email if applicable
-If play guitar (for Janis and Maxime)
Please bring a headshot and resume stapled together and your sheet music prepared in a binder.
Prepare two contrasting songs in any of the above genres that show off your individual vocal style (you may be asked to sing only one). Piano accompaniment will be provided (please keep that in mind when choosing material). You also have the option to accompany yourself on the instrument of your choice, including piano. Songs of The Tragically Hip are welcome but not necessary.
Monologue sides will be provided prior to the first call.
Born in Norman, Oklahoma. Dispensary owner. Came to Kensington in 2002. Tornado-belt American. Once sold pot in the alleys of Kensington but now owns a legal dispensary. Guitar skills are welcome. Please note if the artist plays guitar on submission.
Born in Trois-Rivières. Came to Kensington in 2010 after walking away from the Montreal corporate world. French-Canadian, grungy street musician. Excellent guitar skills are welcome. Please note if the artist plays guitar on submission.
Born in Toronto. Returned to Kensington after university in Kingston in 2012. The struggling restaurant that he inherited after his parents died is the frequent watering hole for these eight main characters.
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DEADLINE: NOV. 30, 2023