So you want to audition for the Muppets?

[KermieBaby47]

LA DATE CONFIRMED:
Friday, September 23. Call time 10:00 am, Screenland Studios 10501 Burbank Blvd. N. Hollywood, CA 91601. Call backs are on Sept 24th.

Characters they are looking for people to be able to perform are:
Kermit
Piggy
Fozzie
Gonzo
Statler
Waldorf
Dr. Bunson Honeydew
Beaker
Pepe
Animal
They may not be against hearing some other characters, but these are really the ones that the company is casting for.

Hey Fozzie!

Did you get the L.A. date directly from Todd? I haven't heard anything, but I'm sure it'd be nearly impossible to call everyone back. I just wanted to double-check before I book my flight and stuff.

Also, from talking to Todd, did you get a feeling (or ask outright) of "the more the better" when it came to character voices (I would think so, to save on payroll, but I also think they would want the best match for each character)?

I ask because I really only do Kermit spot-on, with a moderate Rowlf and Dr. Teeth (who aren't even on the list!), an okay Gonzo & Bunsen, but a severely close Animal!

Thanks for any (more!) info you can provide!

 

[Melonpool]

I would think putting your best foot forward would be the thing to do. Why would they want to hear a voice that was only "sort of" what they were looking for? If you do a great Animal or Kermit, put everything you have into those voices. More than likely, the first day will consist of 30 seconds to a minute of their time. They won't listen to your whole schtick, especially if there are thousands of us there.

I, on the other hand, seem to blessed/cursed with being able to do Richard's characters. I do a great Scooter, Janice and a passable Statler, but I'm going to go down and try anyway. At least I don't have to book a flight, though.

Steve

 

[Kynan Barker]

Heya Kev. It's so cool that so many people are chiming in on this debate. MHC's plan to cast multiple performers is a big decision and it's really important that fans talk about the issue like this.

I totally agree with the spirit of your post. I disagree with MHC's specific plans -- I think they're going about this in the wrong way.

I think understudies are a good idea, too. The Matt Vogel/Carroll Spinney situation is a great example. Trouble is, that's not what MHC is doing. Matt worked alongside Carroll on a daily basis. Matt only appears as Big Bird when Carroll is genuinely unavailable. Carroll is the final arbiter on all character decisions. But MHC is casting performers all across the country, performers who won't be mentored one-on-one by the Muppeteers, and performers who will be on call to perform concurrently, even simultaneously to the established guys.

You're almost certainly right in assuming the understudies will start out by showing up on TV shows, commercials or films. But once the understudies are cast and working, there's nothing stopping them from doing so. Additionally, I don't think there's a distinction between 'small' appearances like mall openings and 'large' appearances like TV interviews. If Kermit shows up at a graduation ceremony, Steve takes that every bit as seriously as when Kermit appears on Good Morning America. And the thousand or so people in the college crowd are watching Kermit just the same as the million or so who'd see him on TV. Where do you draw the line? Is there a formula based on the number of people likely to be watching? That doesn't make sense.

"They're Disney. ... They aren't going to lose all the money they just spent on the characters by running off the fans."

I think that MHC is underestimating the level of caring and intelligence in the Muppet community. I also think that they're going to want to justify all the money they just spent by turning some profit pretty quickly. And the quickest way to that profit is to franchise the characters. A Kermit at EVERY college graduation is easy money for Disney, and an easy way to turn the Frog into just another disposable corporate mascot.

 

[OverUnderAround]

I think it's important to not draw conclusions as to what Disney wants to do.
Kynan makes it seem as if there will be many, many Gonzos and Kermits and Piggys etc all over the country performing.

We have no proof of that.

What we do have proof of is that Todd told us that this is for an “Occasional” appearance.

Occasional could be once every three weeks or once a month for example, or maybe even less.

And performing a Muppet that rarely leads me to believe that they will end up casting:
1 Gonzo
1 Kermit
1 Piggy
1 Fozzie
…And so on.

And if Disney does pick one performer for each character, I expect Disney would eventually want these new Occasional Muppeteers (O.M.) to meet the regular performing troop and shake hands and share knowledge and skills. That makes sense to me. That the O.M. would eventually meet their star Muppeteer counterparts and hopefully in time they would become a family of performers and perhaps 1 or 2 O.M. might eventually be upgraded to the main troop. Sort of like having the big league and the minor league use each other ‘occasionally’ to tap each other for talent.

Let’s not let this thread become the Titanic.
We don’t know the details of how many will be cast and if the O.M. could be employed only 6, 7 or 8 times only a year. We don’t know, no one knows yet.

So let’s not say the apples are rotten at the bottom of the barrel until the barrel has been opened and all apples examined.

Once this is all resolved we might end up with some yummy Apple Pie!

.

 

[Speed Tracer]

I do a pretty mean Janice, but I'm 15. Oh well.

"Like, wow, I do a pretty mean Janice, for sure, okay!"

 

[Sweetums74]

Los Angeles Audition Info: CONFIRMED!

The Los Angeles audition location/time has been confirmed.

September 23: Open Call 10am
September 24: Call Backs

Screenland Studios
10501 Burbank Blvd.
North Hollywood, CA 91601

Break out your Thomas Guide or visit the following for directions:
http://maps.google.com/maps?q=10501...lywood,+CA++91601&spn=0.032719,0.058545&hl=en

Those of you who have already called the hotline, 407/828-1087, will probably start hearing from Todd pretty soon if you haven't already!

Good luck to all!
Chris
-----------------------------
EDIT: Just realized that Foz posted this info in his archive of audition info a bit ago. If the mods wish to duplicate this posting due to it almost being a duplicate, thats OK!

 

[a_Mickey_Muppet]

hey Foz man and all you out there...

I just got off the phone with Todd and he sayed that Sesame Work Shop wants in on this casting stuff too, but he sayed thay told SW they got 1st dibs on who they pick, so SW is goin to be there aswell, in NYC i guess, i mean i could be wrong but NYC is all he sayed to me. Here's who SW is casting for:

Elmo
Guy Smily
Bert
Ernie
Grover

I know I sayed Guy Smily?!! on the Phone to Todd and he laughed and sayed Yep Guy. I told him the last time he talked was b4 Jim died? Iam I right? I can do ALL the "Disney Muppets" but NOT , so I have 9 chances there and 4 chances for "Sesame Muppets" but NOT Elmo so all togeather I have 13 chances!

 

[Fozzie Bear]

Information is updated in 'Post 51.' (It's on Page 4, or you can click below to see that particular post).

http://forum.muppetcentral.com/showpost.php?p=300481&postcount=51

 

[Kynan Barker]

OverUnderAround, let me share a big slice of delicious, hot apple pie with you for taking the time to think about this stuff! You are absolutely 100% correct: "It's important to not draw conclusions as to what Disney wants to do."

Having said that, I don't think we can assume, based on the available information, that MHC is only planning to cast one understudy per character. If that were the case, wouldn't they want the successful auditionees to relocate? Having a guy on standby to play Pepe at a moment's notice when Bill isn't around, becomes a lot less convenient if that guy is living in Toronto.

The idea that MHC would fly their one new Kermit understudy around the country for one or two appearances a month just doesn't make economic sense. And if there's one thing we can assume MHC is trying to do, it's make economic sense.

"I expect Disney would eventually want these new Occasional Muppeteers to meet the regular [performers] and shake hands and share knowledge and skills. That makes sense to me." It makes sense to me, too, but I'm not assuming it's going to happen.

That's the big reason I want assurances from MHC: We can't assume the worst of this, but we also can't assume the best.

 

[OverUnderAround]

...I don't think we can assume, based on the available information, that MHC is only planning to cast one understudy per character. If that were the case, wouldn't they want the successful auditionees to relocate?

That's why it's 'occasional'... no need to relocate. Disney will just fly you to the event.

The idea that MHC would fly their one new Kermit understudy around the country for one or two appearances a month just doesn't make economic sense. And if there's one thing we can assume MHC is trying to do, it's make economic sense.

Henson Muppeteers fly around the country for one-day events as well. Kevin Clash and others have done this many times. Fly to an event for one day, and then fly back home. Does it make economic sense? No, not at all. But that’s marketing and publicity for you.

By the way, when I spoke to Todd a few weeks ago, he did say that the Occasional Muppeteer would be given two or three weeks advance notice of an event they would like them at. I guess that would give them time to learn a script and receive their travel itinerary. So it doesn't look (at least right now) that these Occasional Muppeteers will be called to work on a moments notice.

Kynan, I notice your in Australia... Here's a question no one has asked you. If you were here in the USA...would you audition? Such a Muppet fan as your self should audition. C'mon! We need folks as your self to audition to preserve the true Muppet spirit.