Jan 3, 2009 – Arena Stage’s open call Finding Yolanda Casting Search was a day long affair, but at the end of nearly 12 hours, we were close to learning which talented local actress/singer/dancer extraordinaire will join the cast of Crowns, having its fourth Arena Stage production at the Lincoln Theatre from March 27th to April 26th.
Let’s see if you can predict who the winner will be.
So, who is Yolanda? She is young and fierce, the rebel – tough and powerful, yet naive and vulnerable – and innocent. It will take a special performer to play this role. Yolanda opens the show with the rousing song, “Where I Belong.” She has to knock that song out of the church’s roof, and has to grab the audience’s hearts right away.
As I entered the Lincoln Theatre at 7:45 a.m., the lines were growing as young – and not so young – actresses were registering, picking up their numbers, and those who had already signed in, were nervously sitting on the steps of the Lincoln, waiting for their 90 second moment in the spotlight, when they would sing their audition song in front of the morning judges: Crowns director Kenneth Lee Roberson, Arena Stage’s casting director Daniel Pruksarnukul, Arena Stage’s Associate Artistic Director David Dower and musical director e’Marcus Harper.
After all the morning and early afternoon auditions were over, there were 21 callbacks, and I was given the opportunity to interview them all. So, sit back, listen and enjoy and see if you can pick out the future Yolanda.
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