Welcome to San Francisco Children’s Musical Theater! We have compiled a list of frequently asked questions to help give you more information about participating in SFCMT’s production of “Disney Spectacular!”. Before signing up to audition, we suggest that you take the time to read the following list thoroughly.

The San Francisco Children’s Musical Theater (SFCMT) seeks local youth ages 5 – 25 who love to sing and dance! If you like the music of “Disney” you’ll love “Disney Spectacular!”, the all singing, all dancing musical revue, celebrating 75 years of Disney movie magic!

11 Saturday Rehearsals: Our convenient program with “Saturday only” rehearsals makes participating in SFCMT shows fun and easy for busy Bay Area families. Most cast members rehearse for 1.5 hours per Saturday in San Francisco. May 26th – August 11th. (Our flexible program allows you to miss some rehearsals to accommodate summer travel plans) Ages 5-8 from, 1:30pm-3:00pm, Ages 9-11, from 3:00-4:30pm, Ages 12-25 from 4:30-6:00pm.

5 public performances over 1 weekend in August: Perform on stage for 5000 people at the beautiful Palace of Fine Arts Theater in San Francisco. (August 11th and 12th)

San Francisco Auditions: Saturday, May 19th and 20th. Ages: 5 – 9 @ 10:00 a.m. Ages: 10 – 13 @ 1:00 p.m. Ages: 14 – 25 @ 3:00 p.m.

Location: King George Hotel 334 Mason Street San Francisco, CA 94102

How do I make an appointment to audition?: We will begin taking audition appointments on April 1, 2012. Join our mailing list to receive audition updates. Prior to making an appointment to audition, please be comfortable with our rehearsal, registration, costume and ticket requirements.

Where do rehearsals take place? Rehearsals are held at City Dance Studios, 32 Otis Street. San Francisco, CA 94103. City Dance Studios is a convenient location right off 101, and is ideal for youth dance programs.

When and where are performances held? Saturday, August 11th at 2pm and 6pm, and Sunday, August 12th at 11am, 2pm and 6pm. The Palace of Fine Arts Theater, a 1000 seat performing arts theater located in the Marina District at 3301 Lyon Street, San Francisco, CA 94123.

How do we prepare for auditions? Prepare to sing 16 bars (around 45 seconds) of any song (without music). Select a dynamic song that really shows off your personality, sense of humor and voice! We suggest you sing a “Disney” that shows off your range. We like big and bold songs. Be sure to decide on a song before the audition. Even if it’s “Happy Birthday”, be ready to sing it with confidence. Make that first impression count, by giving it your all.

Bring your calender and a photo: Please bring your calendar to note any rehearsal conflicts, along with a photo/print out of your child. A photo helps us remember your child when it comes to casting.

What if my child is afraid to sing at auditions? If your child is not interested in a singing role, he/she may skip the singing portion of the audition and just register for the program on May 19th or 20th. Not everyone has to sing to be a part of the show!

What type of roles and parts do you offer? As “Disney Spectacular!” is a musical revue, we offer singing and dancing roles. All cast members will sing and dance to a variety of full cast numbers, as well as production numbers with kids in their age group. The show offers over 75 singing solos, and anyone who is interested in trying out for a solo will get a chance to do so. Singing solo auditions will also take place during the rehearsal process, allowing all cast members to practice with our show CD weeks prior to auditioning for a solo.

What if I have a schedule conflict? All known schedule conflicts must be noted on your audition form. Our flexible program allows you to miss some rehearsals to accommodate summer travel plans.

How much is the participation fee? If chosen to participate, the fee is $285 per child. ($30 discount per sibling).

The participation fee includes:

Ready wear costume (excluding shoes, tights, socks and undergarments) To make things easy, we provide you with a ready to wear costume, that is created especially for your child.

12 weeks of instruction with 5 teachers.

5 public performances for an audience of 5000 people over one weekend at the Palace of Fine Arts Theater in SF.

Color head shot.

When do I pay? To ensure your child’s placement in the show, the registration fee can be paid at either auditions on May 19th and 20th, or at our parent/cast registration meeting the week of May 21st. Checks can be made out to “SFCMT”. Please note that registration and ticket fees are non-refundable for those who drop out or are removed from the show.

Do you offer scholarships or financial aid? At this time we do not offer any financial aid or scholarships.

Are all kids cast in the show? Yes, in most cases. We do our best to include all who audition, however sometimes scheduling conflicts may prevent a child from being cast in a production.

How many kids are typically cast in an SFCMT show?: Our cast sizes range from 75 to 200, however we only rehearse in smaller groups of 40-65 kids at a time (grouped by age), allowing all kids to get quality time with our production team of 5 teachers. All cast members come together during the last few rehearsals when we put the show segments together. To get a better idea of our cast and group sizes, we recommend watching the video on our home page.

Tickets: In addition to the participation fee, each family is also responsible for selling a “ticket package” consisting of twenty-five $16 tickets to help underwrite production expenses. As family members of the cast do not receive free tickets, a portion of your “ticket package” tickets will be used for your own family to see the show, thus lowering the amount of tickets to sell to friends, teachers and co-workers. In most cases our cast members end up selling more than 25 tickets, so finding people to support your child is usually not an issue.

As a parent, am I required to work on the show? No. Unlike many children’s theater groups, we do not require that you build sets or babysit 100 excited theater kids. However, many parents find helping with our shows to be a very rewarding experience, as well as a fun way to get a closer look at what goes into putting on a live theater production. We welcome any parent that would like to help and offer a variety of volunteer jobs to those parents looking to take a more active role in our productions. Volunteering for an SFCMT show is a great way to meet other families, make friends, and help our productions shine!

How long has SFCMT been in business? We have been creating and producing shows for 25+ years in the SF Bay Area. SFCMT Artistic Director and Founder, John Bisceglie, has directed and choreographed hundreds of community, commercial, and professional productions featuring actors of all ages. For nine years, Bisceglie held the title of Artistic Director for San Jose Parks and Recreation’s Young People’s Theater, and has been serving Gilroy’s Community Services Department in the same capacity for the past nineteen years. Visit our “Creative Team” page to learn more about our team.

What else should I know?

1. SFCMT is a fun and safe place for young talents ages 5-25.

2. SFCMT strives for excellence. We work to achieve the highest standards of professionalism possible, while still involving cast members at a level where they can achieve success.

3. Children’s musical theatre is the vehicle for helping everyone involved to grow personally and learn about being a member of an excellent team.

Our shows require teamwork, support and flexibility from everyone. Being a part of our productions is a rewarding experience that requires participants and their families to make them a priority within their schedules. If you have any questions that have not been answered here, please email us at sfcmtheater@gmail.com

We look forward to seeing you on stage or in the audience for “Disney Spectacular!”

Best Regards, John Bisceglie
Artistic Director/SFCMT Founder