Don't Let The Pigeon Drive The Bus Auditions
Thank you for auditioning for the Marriott Theatre! Please read all audition information before submitting!
Click/Tap the character name(s) to view all scenes and music. Video submissions will be due NOVEMBER 15th at 11:59pm CT. Please submit via our Google Form found HERE.
Videos must be received as an unlisted Youtube link or Vimeo link. We are looking for understudies for every role.
If you need an extension, please reach out to Kavin Moore at the email address listed below.
In-person callbacks will be in Lincolnshire, IL during the days of December 11th - 12th. Please indicate on the form if you are not available during those days. All cast members must be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 in order to appear at an in-person callback and be cast in the show. “Fully vaccinated,” as defined by the CDC, is more than 14 calendar days following receipt of a final dose of an FDA or World Health Organization authorized or approved vaccine.
If you have questions, please email Kavin Moore at Kavin.Moore@MarriottTheatre.com
First Rehearsal: June 27th, 2024
First Preview: July 12th, 2024
Opening: July 20th, 2024
Closing: August 11th, 2024
Director: Lorenzo Rush Jr (He/Him)
Choreographer: Matthew Weidenbener (He/Him)
Artistic Director: Peter Marston Sullivan (He/Him)
Executive Producer: Peter Blair (He/Him)
Associate Artistic Director: Katie Johannigman (She/Her)
Artistic Coordinator: Kavin Moore, CSA (He/They)
DIRECTOR’S NOTE:
Don’t Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus tells the nonsensical yet sincere story of Pigeon, a soul-searching, self-contemplative, fanatical bird who is just looking for his purpose in the world. He happens upon a brandish and self-regarded bus driver whom he asks an extremely outlandish request. His earnest pursuit leads them both on a journey of unforeseen predicaments while meeting some severely scheduled characters.
This story is a reminder that “the mighty oak is already on the inside of the little acorn.” With love, encouragement, and time to grow your purpose will always manifest itself. Mo Willems’ writing style gives so much storytelling and makes each character's “want” very clear and strong. There are no average or midpoint expressions with these characters. They believe harshly everything that they are saying and feeling in those moments. Unlike some adults, they don’t have sub-text nor do they portray one emotion over what they are feeling. Every single character feels their emotion at 100% and full throttle. So that puts the work on the actor to maintain high energy while still keeping every choice grounded and motivated by objective.
We are so excited to tell this beautiful story. We encourage you to make bold and unique choices. Don’t let the titles or traditions of these characters lock you into one way of thinking about what they sound like, how they move, or how they interact with other characters. Now is the time to bring out those different crazy personas that we all keep locked inside for the fear of looking bonkers. We want to meet them and see how they can live in this world.
A Note About Casting, Kavin Moore CSA
Our goal is to create a warm and welcoming casting process. We strive to lead with respect, kindness, and generosity. We recognize the oppressive practices of theatre-making and we are working to decolonize these destructive forces that have been barriers to the historically marginalized. In regard to the character descriptions provided, they serve as portrayals of the characters found in the script, developed in collaboration with the creative team. They are not intended to be all-encompassing in determining the performers for these roles, as our aim is to cast inclusively and purposefully. We acknowledge that the majority of characters in the script are traditionally presented as either male or female (using he/him or she/her pronouns). However, we warmly welcome submissions from individuals who identify as gender non-conforming, genderqueer, transgender, or non-binary for the roles that resonate most with their identity. We will include the race/ethnicity of a role when it is explicitly relevant to the character. Please let us know if you have any questions, concerns, or if there are any accommodations we can provide.
While we are currently not able to provide transposed versions of the audition music, we have found a google plug-in called Transpose on Chrome browsers that will transpose songs simply and without having to purchase anything (https://transpose.video/). If the songs provided don’t showcase you at your best, you can submit another song in the world of the show.
We also welcome performers with disabilities to submit. Please reach out to Kavin Moore at Kavin.Moore@MarriottTheatre.com if you have any questions or access needs.
ROLES
Click/Tap the character name(s) to view all scenes and music
ACTOR 1: The Pigeon (Puppeteer), 18-30s, Open to all gender identities, Open to all ethnicities. The snappy, sassy, and demanding bird who never gets what he wants, but is ever the most persistent of creatures. Strong vocal agility that stems from their passion for whatever is their current short-lived objective.
ACTOR 2: The Bus Driver, 30s-40s, She/Her, Open to all ethnicities. Strong, Brassy, “Driven” but with a genuine nurturing side. The epitome of the bus driving professional who loves her job and is ALWAYS on time.
ACTOR 3: Hot Dog Vendor/Business Person/Airplane Engine, 20s-30s. Open to all gender identities. Open to all ethnicities. (Hot Dog Vendor) A culinary wizard who enjoys providing hot dogs to the people of the city. Has a tempestuous relationship with Pigeons. (Business Person) A Rigid, Stern, No-Nonsense Professional who cannot be late for work.
ACTOR 4: 2nd Pigeon (Puppeteer)/The Duckling (Puppeteer)/The Bus Engine/The Bus (Puppeteer) Bus Driver's Mom/Puppy (Puppeteer) 20s-30s. Open to all gender identities. Open to all ethnicities. The actor should have the ability to create and maintain strong, clear, versatile characters. Beatboxing ability is a plus.
ACTOR 5: City Worker/Teenage Passenger, 20s-30s. Open to all gender identities. Open to all ethnicities. The actor should have the ability to create and maintain strong, clear, versatile characters.
ACTOR 6: Little Old Lady Passenger, 20s-60s. Open to all gender identities. Open to all ethnicities. The actor should have the ability to create and maintain strong, clear, versatile characters.
We are seeking understudies for each role.
