The Hollywood Melody of 1933 by Louise Richardson

The Hollywood Melody of 1933
by Louise Richardson

Aug. 08 - Aug. 16

Auditions for a role in The Hollywood Melody of 1933 with Louise Richardson on Aug 08 through Aug 16.

“Hollywood Melody of 1933” --a new musical comedy

AUDITIONS 8/9, 8/16 2026 at 2:00, 3:00, 4:00

Contact Louise at lrcaliche@gmail.com

Characters:MIKE O’SHAUGHNESSY (JIMMY MURPHY) and DENIS MARCONI (JACK JENNINGS)Two brash young Broadway actors on the run from a jealous gangster. They are of Irish and Italian immigrant stock, respectively. (late 20's, early 30's)

ELMORE JOHNS (ARTHUR)Retired veteran African-American entertainer who has become wealthy from playing comic stereotypical negro characters in vaudeville, silent movies and early talkies. (late 50's, early 60's)

MARY MCGONIGAL (PAMELA VAN HORN)Successful Broadway playwright, white of course, whose most recent production was ruined when a jealous gangster's henchmen chased away a brash young actor and his understudy with gunfire. (late 30's, early 40's)

EMMA CHARLES (MAISY)MARY McGonigal's African-American housekeeper and confidante. Opinionated and outspoken, she is technically a maid, but in later more enlightened times, her duties would make her a personal assistant. (mid-30's to mid-40's)

OLIVER MCGONIGALMARY's ex-husband, white of complexion and attitude. He has been successful as a producer of musical comedies on Broadway, but a failure in transferring his talents to Hollywood. (early to late 40's)

ROCCO "THE RAT" DIROCCOCartoonish and jealous New York gangster who wants to help his girlfriend to become a Hollywood star, no matter who gets hurt. (early to late 40's)

LOUIE and FRANKIEStereotypical henchmen for a jealous New York gangster. (mid-30's to mid-40's)RITA ROMAINE (TRIXIE)OLIVER McGonigal's "dumb blonde" girlfriend. (early 20's to early 30's)

RUTHIE ROMAINE (ROXIE)Identical twin sister of RITA ROMAINE. She is a gangster's moll and would be starlet. (same as RITA: early 20's to early 30's)

JOE (AL JOLSON), BETTY (GRACIE MAY) and GEORGE (DONALDSON, SAM)Audience members watching an ELMORE JOHNS movie at a cinema in the Watts section of Los Angeles. Later GEORGE is DONALDSON, OLIVER's butler at the Hollywood party and JOE is AL JOLSON and later SAM, a doorman in the film "Manhattan Melody”. (mid-30's to mid-40's)ROGER (HORACE)A drunken Hollywood character actor at OLIVER's costume party. In the film "Manhattan Melody" he is HORACE VAN HORN, a harried multi-millionaire and speakeasy patron. (late 50's to late 60's)

DONALDSON (GEORGE)OLIVER McGonigal's unflappable butler. The part is played by the actor who plays GEORGE in the movie audience scene. (mid-30's to mid-40's)

AL JOLSON (JOE)The superstar, himself, a habitual and over-the-top performer. He is seen at OLIVER's party in “blackface” as is ELMORE, which is actually just normal makeup with maybe some glitter to set it off. The other characters see “blackface” but not the audience. I would cast the actor who plays JOE in the movie audience scene as JOLSON. (early to mid-40's)

GRACIE MAY (BETTY)Powerful torch singer in the party scene and in the finale of “Manhattan Melody”. She is played by BETTY from the “Harlem” scene.

TRIXIE (RITA) and ROXIE (RUTHIE)RITA and RUTHIE, respectively, playing a song and dance team in “Manhattan Melody”.

JIMMY MURPHY (MIKE) and JACK JENNINGS (DENIS)MIKE and DENIS, respectively playing club owners in “Manhattan Melody”.

HORACE (ROGER) and PAMELA VAN HORN (MARY)ROGER and MARY, respectively, playing rich New Yorkers in “Manhattan Melody”.

ARTHUR (ELMORE) and MAISY (EMMA)ELMORE and EMMA, respectively, playing a Harlem couple.

SAM (GEORGE)GEORGE from “In Harlem”, a fellow Manhattan doorman of ARTHUR’s in “Manhattan Melody”.

MOVIE AUDIENCE, COSTUMED PARTY GOERS, CHORUS GIRLS, etc.Musical numbers:

1. “The Happy Side” (beach) - Mike and Denis

2. “Sweet Emma” - Elmore

3. “Blackface” - Elmore and Emma

4. “Fickle Nature” and “Fickle Nature” (reprise) -

Rita and Ruthie

5. “Revenge Song” - Mary

6. “In Harlem” - Emma, Joe, Betty, George

7. “Hollywood and Vine” - Chorus

8. “Gracie’s Blues” - Gracie (Betty)

9. “Back To My Mammy” - Elmore and Jolson

10. “Ruby”- Jolson

11. “The Happy Side” (Jolson) - Jolson

12. “Sweet Emma” (reprise) - Elmore and Emma

13. “Tops In Taps” - Trixie and Roxie (Rita and Ruthie)

14. “Top That” - Jimmy and Jack (Mike and Denis)

15. “King of Lenox Avenue” - Arthur and Maisy

(Elmore and Emma)

16. “Manhattan Melody” - Chorus

17. “The Happy Side” - Gracie (Betty)

18. “Auld Lang Syne” - Chorus, Cast