Audition for the 2025 Lawyer Show
ABOUT THE LAWYER SHOW
Nightwood Theatre is accepting audition submissions for our 16th annual Lawyer Show! Over 35 members of the legal community take the stage, supported by a team of professional directors, designers and vocal coaches – while raising funds for Nightwood, one of Canada’s most vital and vibrant theatre companies.
No previous acting experience is required – all are welcome! Full casting will be announced in December 2024.
BENEFIT FUNDRAISER
The Lawyer Show remains Nightwood’s main annual fundraising event, and as we continue to recover from the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic and launch our new home at 877 Yonge St., we rely significantly on this production to raise funds for Canada’s flagship feminist theatre company.
The Lawyer Show costs Nightwood Theatre upwards of $140,000 to produce and our goal is to net at least $50,000, which will be used toward funding our season productions. All lawyers in the cast are expected to assist our small team with fundraising initiatives, including connecting us to potential sponsors, soliciting businesses for silent auction donations, and promoting ticket sales. The breakdown of revenues is as follows: Participant buy-in (16%), Ticket sales (55%), Sponsorship and ad sales (24%), 50/50 draw and silent auction (5%).
Audition Information
Please click through the tabs below for all the information on auditioning for the 2025 Lawyer Show!
ANNIE the Musical
Book by Thomas Meehan | Music by Charles Strouse | Lyrics by Martin Charnin | Original Production Directed by Martin Charnin
Based on LITTLE ORPHAN ANNIE® by permission of Tribune Content Agency, LLC
Directed by Andrea Donaldson
Music Direction by Athena So
Assistant Directed by Lee Stone
Based on Little Orphan Annie, the popular comic strip by Harold Gray, Annie has become a worldwide sensation. Winner of seven Tony Awards, including Best Musical, the beloved show features a wonderful score written by Charles Strouse and Martin Charnin, including the Broadway smash hit, “Tomorrow”.
With a perfect combination of street-smarts and optimism, Annie warms the hearts of the audience as we witness her rise from next to nothing in New York City. She is determined to find her parents, who left her at the orphanage years ago. Though things don’t quite work out the way she has planned, she does manage to thwart the plans of Miss Hannigan and find a new family with billionaire Oliver Warbucks, his secretary Grace Farrell, and her lovable pooch, Sandy.
ANNIE is presented through special arrangement with Music Theatre International (MTI). All authorized performance materials are also supplied by MTI. www.mtishows.com
ANDREA DONALDSON, DIRECTOR
Born and raised in Toronto, Andrea Donaldson has directed productions for theatres across the country including Soulpepper, Factory Theatre, Tarragon Theatre, Theatre Passe Muraille, Theatre Direct, Great Canadian Theatre Company, Festival Players in Prince Edward County, NTS, Summerworks, St. Lawrence Shakespeare Festival, Shakespeare in the Ruff, Espace René-Provost, Toronto Fringe, Red Sky Performance, and Nightwood Theatre. For two decades, Donaldson has played a pivotal role in fostering new works for the stage, both in her role as Tarragon’s Associate Artistic Director and as the Program Director for Nightwood Theatre’s Write From The Hip program – a unit for exceptional emerging playwrights, in which she developed Rose Napoli’s Lo (or Dear Mr. Wells), Grace by Jane Doe, and Every Day She Rose by Andrea Scott and Nick Green.
Andrea was invited into The Stratford Festival’s Michael Langham Workshop in Classical Direction, and was honoured with Stratford’s Jean Gascon Award for Direction. She won the Best Director Award at the International Youth Drama Month in Shenzhen, China for Mistatim, which has played to over 750,000 children internationally. Andrea has been nominated twice each for the Pauline McGibbon Award, the John Hirsch Directing Award and the Gina Wilkinson Award, as well as for numerous Dora Awards. Andrea received a Dora Award for Outstanding Performance & Outstanding Production for performing in the Urge Collective collaboration And By the Way, Miss (Theatre Direct).
ATHENA SO, MUSIC DIRECTOR
Athena So is a music director, pianist, and arts educator based in Toronto. She is well-versed in all musical theatre styles and has a strong passion for storytelling and collaboration within different artistic mediums.
Athena was first introduced to music at the age of five, training as a classical pianist, where she developed a love for musical storytelling. Athena holds a BFA in Music and a Bachelor of Education in Music and History from York University. During her post-secondary years, she began exploring a career in musical theatre, beginning as a rehearsal pianist and pit musician, and transitioning into music direction shortly after, working on both existing works as well as workshopping new musicals around Canada and the US. Since then, Athena has played on stages such as the Shaw Festival and Second City, and has been a faculty member of Randolph College, Bravo Academy, and The Second City Training Centre. Most recent, Athena is the Music Intern for Shaw Festival’s 2024 season, and has been working on shows such as My Fair Lady and a new adaptation of The Secret Garden. Athena is thrilled to be a part of this year’s Lawyer Show at Nightwood Theatre!
LEE STONE, ASSISTANT DIRECTOR
Lee Stone (they/them) is a queer/polyamorous, trans/non-binary, white American of German, Jewish-Ukrainian, and Armenian descent. They are a graduate of the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa (2013) with a focus in directing, producing, and teaching. Their inspiration has always been about engaging with stories and voices of and for social change through the lens of intersectional feminism. In 2022 they were awarded the Toronto Arts Council, Newcomer and Refugee Artist Mentorship Grant for the purpose of founding Dead Name Theatre (DNT), which uplifts and centres the voices, experiences and talents of trans, non-binary and queer creatives in Toronto (deadnametheatre.weebly.com). They are currently a director for the fourth-year, mainstage production with the joint program of Sheridan College and the University of Toronto, Mississauga. They also work as a Patron Services Associate for Theatre Passe Muraille and as a teacher and director for Young People’s Theatre, Drama School.
Selected Director & Producer Credits:
I, Joan (Director – Sheridan College & UTM, IN PROGRESS)
The Sound of Music (AD – Nightwood Theatre, Lawyer Show, 2024)
Hermaphroditus (Producer – Dead Name Theatre, Toronto Fringe Festival, 2023)
Into the Woods (Director &Producer – Dead Name Theatre, 2023)
Richard II (AD – Stratford Festival’s Langham,
DWP, 2019)
AMANDA WONG 黄婷婷, SET & COSTUME DESIGNER
Amanda Wong is an award winning Toronto based set and costume designer. Amanda earned the outstanding design award in Toronto’s summerworks festival for two consecutive years collaborating with directors Severn Thompson and ted witzel. She has worked with the prominent theatre companies Soulpepper, Tarragon, Obsidian, Modern Times Stage Co, Aluna, Canadian Stage, Nightwood, and Canadian Stage. Amanda is currently Canadian Green Alliance’s first eco design mentee. She is passionate about sustainable design and finding new structures for creation with minimal environmental impact.
ANDREA NELSON, LIGHTING DESIGNER
Andrea Nelson is a professional lighting designer and technician who has been working in the Toronto theatre scene since 2011. She is a Theatre Production and Design graduate from York University and has worked as an LD on independent productions such as; The Resurrectionists (Theatre Parallax Toronto), King of the Castle (House of Rebels), The Shape of Things (Theatre Bassaris), Solo: A Boy’s Journey (Red Canoe Studio), Solferino (Rogue and Peasant Theatre). She worked as an assistant lighting designer with the Canadian Opera Company and is also a stagehand and member of IATSE Local 58. She is excited to be back working with Nightwood Theatre for her third lawyer show!
PIP BRADFORD, PRODUCTION MANAGER
Pip Bradford (she/her) is an independent producer, production manager, and stage manager who works with many companies in Toronto, including the Luminato Festival, Anandam DanceTheatre, The Toronto Comic Arts Festival, Nightwood Theatre, Red Sky Performance, 7a*11d Performance Art Festival, and SummerWorks. Pip also works as a member of Means of Production, a collective of freelance production staff advocating for equitable, values-based working conditions and providing resources to the independent production community. She also has an installation practice building interactive spaces with her art partner Rebecca Vandevelde as Art Is Hard Productions; their installation BLANKET FORT will be part of the Theatre Centre’s 10 for 10 Programming this November.
TIMBIT (SANDY, THE DOG)
Timbit is a Yorkshire Terrier and very good boy. He currently resides in North Carolina with his mom. This will be Timbit’s theatrical debut, although he’s always known he was destined for stardom. He feels very honoured to be cast in the Lawyer Show, and will be trying method acting to prepare for the role. He takes his job very seriously!
Rehearsal and Performance Schedule
Rehearsals Begin: Sunday, March 2, 2025
Rehearsal Schedule (subject to change):
Sundays 10:00 AM – 6:00 PM
Wednesdays 6:00 PM – 10:00 PM
Plus – Tuesday, April 15 & 22 (6 PM – 10 PM) & Tuesday, May 13 & 20 (6 PM – 10 PM)
There are no rehearsals on April 20 and May 18, 2025.
Tech Week: Sunday, June 1 – Saturday, June 7, 2025 at the St. Lawrence Centre for the Arts
**You will be required for at least one full day of tech rehearsal (Typically Wednesday 11 am – 11 pm and possibly Thursday 11am – 5pm)
Performances:
Thursday, June 5, 2025 at 7:30 PM
Friday, June 6, 2025 at 7:30 PM
Saturday, June 7, 2025 at 1:30 PM and 7:30 PM
AUDITIONS
Step 1: Complete this Google form by October 1, 2024.
Step 2: Auditions – please choose one of two options:
Option 1: In-Person Auditions – October 7 and 8
Location: Daniels Spectrum, Aki Studio – 585 Dundas Street East, Ground Floor
If you haven’t worked with Nightwood on a previous Lawyer Show or would prefer to audition live, please choose this option.
In-person auditions will take place on the evenings of October 7 & 8, booked in 15-minute slots. You will be notified by October 3rd of the details of your scheduled audition time. If you’re unavailable on these days, please email ashley@nightwoodtheatre.net asap to schedule a time for an audition on Zoom.
Option 2: Self-Tape Audition Due October 1
If you are a Nightwood Lawyer Show alum, you are welcome to submit a self-tape audition instead of attending in-person auditions.
Please follow the same format as below when submitting your self-tape, keeping the video under 2 minutes. Submissions can be sent via WeTransfer to ashley@nightwoodtheatre.net by October 1st.
Head to the Audition Materials tab to see what to prepare.
PLEASE SUBMIT YOUR GOOGLE FORM BY OCTOBER 1ST
Step 3: Callbacks (as requested) – October 16 AND 17, 2024
In-person callbacks will take place on October 16 and 17 between 6 PM – 9 PM at the Daniels Spectrum. You will be notified by October 9 if we’re scheduling you for callbacks and you will be sent the materials at the same time with further instructions.
Not being called back does not mean you are not being considered for a role!
Step 4: Casting
We will send out offers and finalize all casting decisions in November 2024. The cast will be announced publicly in early December, just before tickets go on sale.
Preparing to Audition
Whether you choose to audition via in-person or Self-taping, please prepare the following:
1. Sing a maximum of one minute from ONE of the following songs:
- “I Think I’m Gonna Like It Here”
Recommended for GRACE or ENSEMBLE for sopranos
- “Easy Street”
Recommended for MISS HANNIGAN, ROOSTER, LILY, or adult characters from the ENSEMBLE
- “You’re never fully dressed without a smile”
Bars 8 – 38 Recommended for WARBUCKS, BERT HEALY, or characters from ENSEMBLE
Bars 50 – 67 Recommended for BOYLAN SISTERS
- “Tomorrow”
Recommended for ANNIE or any CHILD character
Or, any song from any musical that you’re comfortable singing. Choose something that strongly tells a story and allows you to showcase your abilities as a performer.
CLICK HERE for Sheet Music & accompaniment tracks – you’re welcome to perform either with the track or sing acapella, whichever you’re more comfortable with
2. Monologue – if you’re interested in a LEAD or SUPPORTING role, deliver this song as a monologue, as the character you’d like to be considered for.
If you’re only interested in being in the ENSEMBLE or a smaller featured role, you do not need to perform the monologue.
A street-wise orphan; she is eventually taken in by Oliver Warbucks. Spunky, friendly, big-voiced.
Oliver Warbucks – Lead, Baritone
A successful businessman with a warm heart. Rich, stiff-collared, bullish.
Miss Aggie Hannigan – Lead, Alto
The orphanage matron who hates children but is fond of liquor. Very disillusioned, bitter, and cold.
Grace Farrell – Lead, Soprano
Faithful secretary to Mr. Oliver Warbucks. Poised, kind, gentle.
Lily St. Regis – Supporting, Soprano
Rooster’s girlfriend, who is also out for a quick buck. A not so bright con woman.
Rooster Hannigan – Supporting, Tenor
Miss Hannigan’s no-good brother looking for a quick buck. A sleazy, slick con man.
Bert Healy – Featured, Tenor
The ultimate radio personality. He helps Annie by broadcasting about the search for her birth parents.
Fred McCracken – Featured, Spoken
Radio performer
Boylan Sisters – Featured, Soprano
Radio performers
Franklin D. Roosevelt – Featured, Baritone
The 32nd President of the United States. A Democrat and friend of Warbucks.
ENSEMBLE
Orphans – The others in the orphanage with Annie. They are gritty, neglected and vulnerable, yet basically honest and potentially loveable. Includes (but not limited to):
Duffy – Supporting, Mezzo-Soprano
July – Supporting, Mezzo-Soprano
Kate – Supporting, Mezzo-Soprano
Molly – Supporting, Mezzo-Soprano
Pepper – Supporting, Mezzo-Soprano
Tessie – Supporting, Mezzo-Soprano
Warbucks Staff – The ‘servants’ at the Warbucks mansion. Includes (but not limited to):
Mrs. Greer – Featured, Spoken
Mrs. Pugh – Featured, Spoken
Cecile – Featured, Spoken
Drake – Featured, Baritone
Annette – Featured, Spoken
FDR’s Cabinet – President Roosevelet’s staff. Includes (but not limited to):
Harold Ickes – Featured, Baritone
Cordell Hull – Featured, Baritone
Frances Perkins – Featured, Mezzo-Soprano
Justice Louis Brandeis – Featured, Spoken
Henry Morganthau – Featured, Baritone
Louis Howe – Featured, Baritone
Other Ensemble – Including “The Hooverville-ites”
Bundles McCloskey – Ensemble, Spoken
Sandy – (Dog) Ensemble
Lt. Ward – Ensemble, Spoken
SONG BREAKDOWN
Act One
- “Maybe” – Annie
- “It’s the Hard-Knock Life” – Annie and The Orphans
- “It’s the Hard-Knock Life (Reprise)” – The Orphans
- “Tomorrow” – Annie
- “We’d Like to Thank You, Herbert Hoover” – Sophie, The Hooverville-ites
- “Little Girls” – Miss Hannigan
- “Little Girls (Reprise)” – Miss Hannigan
- “I Think I’m Gonna Like It Here” – Grace & Servants
- “N.Y.C.” – Warbucks, Grace, Annie & Ensemble
- “Easy Street” – Miss Hannigan, Rooster, Lily
- “You Won’t Be an Orphan For Long” – Grace, Warbucks, & Servants
Act Two
- “You’re Never Fully Dressed Without a Smile” – Bert Healy, Boyland Sisters
- “You’re Never Fully Dressed Without a Smile (Reprise)” – The Orphans
- “Easy Street (Reprise)” – Miss Hannigan, Rooster, Lily
- “Tomorrow (Cabinet Reprise)” – Annie, FDR, Warbucks and the Cabinet
- “Something Was Missing” – Warbucks
- “I Don’t Need Anything But You” – Grace, Servants, Warbucks and Annie
- “Maybe (Reprise)” – Annie
- “A New Deal for Christmas” – Annie, Warbucks, Grace, FDR, Cabinet, Servants
Have more questions?
Watch our Lawyer Show town hall video or check out our Frequently Asked Questions below! If you need more support, please connect with Ashley at ashley@nightwoodtheatre.net
Lawyer Show Town Hall
Frequently Asked Questions
We do our best to limit the chorus rehearsals to 4 – 8 hours per week, when possible. When we begin to run the entire show all the cast may be called to rehearsals more frequently. Downtime at rehearsal is expected when we call the full cast – you’re welcome to bring your laptop, a book, or chat with friends in the Greenroom when you’re not needed in the rehearsal studio. Schedules will be posted a minimum of 2 weeks in advance. We will do our best to work around most schedules and conflicts within reason.
Please note: The Lawyer Show is a benefit fundraiser. Each cast member is responsible for their $1,000.00 (CAD) participation, which includes:
- A charitable donation tax receipt worth $750.00
- 10 tickets to the show, valued at $25.00 each ($250.00 total value)
Payment plans are available. Please reach out to Naz at naz@nightwoodtheatre.net if you have any questions regarding the buy-in fee.
The ten tickets for your buy-in are yours to distribute how you wish. You can resell the tickets or gift them to friends and family. Once public Ticket sales begin, you or your guests can book directly through the Box Office at the St. Lawrence Centre for the Arts using a code.
In exchange for your buy-in you will also receive many other benefits including participating in a professionally led three-month musical theatre process: professional voice and acting coaching; the opportunity to connect with your peers; and the opportunity to support Nightwood Theatre!
Funds are raised through firm sponsorships, program ad sales, a 50/50 draw and a robust silent auction. We count on the Lawyer Show cast to advocate and assist us in securing Sponsorship and Ad Sales for the digital programme and to help solicit businesses for Silent Auction items. Please email Charlene at charlene@nightwoodtheatre.net to discuss fundraising initiatives. The Lawyer Show 2025 Sponsorship Package will be available by the end of September.
All participants must follow NIGHTWOOD THEATRE COVID & ILLNESS POLICY. This Policy addresses how our space(s) and productions respond to any form of infectious illness, whether COVID-19, colds, flus, or other maladies. Our COVID and Illness Policy is available upon request. Nightwood has the right to change, modify or revoke all or part of this Policy and protocols, including by enhancing the protections in place and implementing supplementary policies which may be applicable to specific venues or activities at any time.
Broad Guidelines include:
- Masking – Face masks are encouraged but optional. No individual shall be discouraged from wearing a mask.
- Symptom Monitoring and Prevention – If you are feeling any COVID-19 or cold/flu symptoms, please do not come on site without first conferring with your supervisor and/or the Executive Team for condition assessment and to determine actions.
- Actions could include staying at home, masking onsite, distancing, restricted on site presence, and increased sanitization.
- Return to work Protocols include symptom screening and assessment, and return protocol specific to unmasked performers and musicians, as well as protocols for all other personnel.
“The Lawyer Show was one of the highlights of my first year in the legal profession. I thrived here because I found people like me—lawyers in Toronto who were born to perform! The charisma of the cast and band always rejuvenated me, even after a full day of work. I am very grateful to Nightwood for its creative direction over the show, and I am eager to participate in the next production.”
– Joshua Zung, 2022 Lawyer Show clarinetist, Blake, Cassels & Graydon LLP
“I was thrilled to be involved in the production. I learned a great deal… and was very proud of the lawyers. Doesn’t get better. It does my heart good to see our profession being showcased so well and for a good cause.”
– The Hon. Justice Gloria J. Epstein, 2016, 2017 & 2018 Cameo Appearances
“I cannot express just how much this whole experience has meant to me. I very rarely get to meet a group of people who are so welcoming and supportive. I loved every minute of it.”
– Jennifer A. Whincup, 2017 & 2019 Cast Member, ADP Canada Co.
“The Lawyer Show is more than just a ‘show’; it’s an experience. Thank you to the Nightwood team and to my colleagues / cast mates for being talented, supportive, and for setting the bar incredibly high. This experience has made my first year as a member of the profession a monumental one.”
– Marco Figliomeni, 2016 & 2019 Cast Member, Shaw Rocket Fund
“When I tell people how wonderful my life is, a part of me deep inside is screaming “Explain about the Lawyer Show!” But even as I try, I fail to really explain what it is, because some things cannot be explained. Some things must be experienced…”
– Dany Horovitz, 2014-2021 Cast Member, TD Bank