Here are gender fluid roles we cast for in Alpha Shows.
Note that many of our characters originated from ideas as a collaboration between Alpha’s writer/producer and the actors that first played the part. Their heritage might have resulted in a character being created that isn’t appropriate for you to play. We honor this by allowing follow up characterizations to embrace your heritage or to be adaptable to the types of roles appropriate for you to play, given your cultural and ethnic background. We would never ask someone to perform something that results in any type of cultural appropriation – however, there is a line where this becomes untenable or non-sensical. All acting is ‘appropriation’, as you are always playing a role that is not yourself. We cannot always cast completely in alignment with all cultural and ethnic backgrounds of our characters and balance these sensitivities by also incorporating the general principle of ‘merit based casting’, and cast appropriately within those constraints. Accents or ideas for characters are suggestions only, usually based on an appropriate performance from the past. Every production we produce (and re-produce) is done with great care to responsibly represent the diversity of Australian culture.
Gender neutral/fluid Roles
BEAUTY AND THE BEAST
Luminaire / Jiggins: Character/comedy role. Must move and sing well.
Luminaire is the French servant who was turned to a candle. A candle on each hand and on head. Extremely physical role. Luminaire delivers the Emotional Process to Beast and has some lengthy dialogue. It also a highly comedic role and requires good comedic timing.
Jiggins is Gaston’s cool sidekick, very cheeky and hilarious, and quite slapstick.
THE HUNCHBACK OF NOTRE DAME
Phoebus / Father Tourangeau: Character / comedy role. Improvisation skills and good comedic timing required. Must move and act well. Character singing vocals. Phoebus is a full suit crocodile costume, including head. Phoebus has a nasal Australian accent, and Father typically has an Irish accent.
Hugo / Jiacomo: Character role. Jiacomo is the narrator of the story. Narration required in French accent.
Must act and move well. Some singing required. Chance for quite a bit of comedy. Hugo is a ghost with a British accent. Hugo does the Emotional Process part of the show, but also a comedic role.
HERCULES
Hades Villain. All about the deals! Hades plots and plans and is quite taken with himself, but really just wants to upgrade his place to Olympus. Strong mover. Only song is a rap, so character vocals required.
ALADDIN
Abu Sidekick/comedy role. Abu is a cheeky young kid essentially, so there’s lots of chances for fun and comedy in this role. Face showing with costume/ears. Must be cute but also wicked as well. Flexible mover is preferred for cartwheels, high kicks etc. Character vocalist.
Genie Comedy role. Genie is the fast talking, hilarious eccentric Genie, also performs the emotional process to teach how to ‘wish’ for things. Very strong singer and mover required
KING ARTHUR
Merlin / Murky / Terry the Fish Character/Comedy role. Merlin is the narrator at parts but also the guide to Arthur, performing some stage combat (staff fight) and allowing himself to die to prove immortality exists. Also does the emotional processing part of the show. Murky is a hilarious goblin, lots of improv and silliness, similar to Veg in Sleeping Beauty. Terry the Fish is a puppet in one scene, with a similar vocal style to Randy the puppet, but a bit higher and more exaggerated. Character singer.
Lancelot / Mordred Principal/Character/Villain role. Actually just the one character, but we have Lancelot turn into Mordred through Morgana’s bewitching and lures. Very very complicated and tough role acting-wise, to win an audience over then turn evil and then have to come back from the ‘dark side’ at the end. Not required to be a strong singer.
LITTLE MERMAID
Geeves / Yabbi Comedy role. Geeves is the Prince’s aide, over the top, possibly in love with the Prince. Lots of comedy and fun, but also helps the Prince with his issues. Yabbi is like Steve Irwin, King Neptune’s sidekick, pretty funny, and doesn’t mind giving the King a bit of lip. Yabbi is a suit character. Character singer.
Natalia the Sea Witch / Nanny Neptune Villain / Character. Natalia has a Russian accent, although can be flexible based on what you’re comfortable doing. Incredibly angry with men and wants to get back at them all, especially King Neptune. Nanny Neptune is King Neptune’s mother, and is that English Panto Dame kind of character. Silly, fun, but also does the emotional processing with Ariel. Must be a strong singer and move well.
