Butterfly's Hunt: An A Cappella Musical In Concert

By Gianna Marie Ferraro

Directed by Simone Lapierre

Thomas is a naive, aspiring screenwriter who thinks he has found the perfect inspiration for his new movie: the widow of a gangster who died under mysterious circumstances some twenty years ago. However, his widow Alcee has her own story to tell; one of survival, of love, and the scars that linger even after you’re free.

Butterfly’s Hunt illustrates the cycles of abuse through the eyes of a woman living in the mid-twentieth century, with a delicate, pulsing score orchestrated entirely by human voices.

Produced by Starry Eyed Productions LLC at Bartell Theater's Drury Stage, 113 E. Mifflin St. , Madison

Performances: September 9-10, 2023

Performance Times:
September 9th, 7 PM
September 10th, 2:30 PM

Ticket Prices: $15 (regular), $12 (student)

Call for reservations or more information.

Auditions

Auditions will be held on the following days:

5/22/2023
5/23/2023

Where are the auditions?: Bartell Theatre, Madison WI. (in the Evjue)

Dates: May 22nd- May 23rd

Time: 6:30 pm - 8:30 pm

What to sing for the audition?: 16 bar cut of a musical theatre piece A Cappella. preferably classic or contemporary musical theatre. We will also have you sing though cuts of songs from the show: https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1YNeqfgM1HmJ507CHCeWxX24wnHdmPnvM?usp=sharing

Audition Packet: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1J7hK76VOBRhG7mUBC1i2M8s_EFT8i29pMclUyLy0rfw/edit?usp=sharing

What to Bring?: headshot and resume (not required) and Audition packet.

Cast announcement: June 3rd.

Virtual rehearsal start date: June 12th.

Where will rehearsals be?: Discord and in person (TBD)

In-person rehearsals: September 4th-10th (MUST be available at least from the 5th)

Production dates: September 9th-10th

Pay: $100

IMPORTANT NOTES: For children auditioning, this show is rated R so keep that in mind. The auditions will be recorded for the casting team. The show does mention sexual assault and domestic abuse so keep that in mind. There will be a Form to fill out beforehand, it is linked from this event listing. We will have copies at the audition if you forget. 

What is Butterfly's Hunt about?

“Thomas is a naive screenwriter looking to make the next hit mafia movie. What he finds instead is Alcee, a woman who spent the second half of the 20th century under her husband Nicky’s reign of terror over her, her children, and his gang. The story she tells Thomas is one of survival, fear, and enduring love for her children as they attempt to escape the cycle of abuse.”

Butterfly’s Hunt illustrates the cycles of abuse through the eyes of a woman living in the mid-twentieth century, with a delicate, pulsing score orchestrated entirely by human voices.

Characters:

THOMAS MAYO - A scriptwriter, mid/early thirties. VOICE: Tenor

ALCEE RUSSIO - Younger Alcee, Wife of Nicky Russio, young. Lives in the 1950s-1976. Any body type VOICE: Soprano.

OLDER ALCEE - older women, late forties, widowed with two children, sassy. Lives in 1990. VOICE: Mezzo-soprano

NICKY RUSSIO - In his forties, Married to Alcee Russio, Italian. Lives in the 1950s-1976. VOICE: BARITONE.

MR. BARBIERI/CHORUS - late forties/ early fifties, Alcee’s father. A drunk. VOICE: bass/baritone

LUCCA RUSSIO - seventeen, later in his thirties, Son of Alcee and Nicky. Lives in 1970s VOICE: Baritenor

YOUNG LUCCA - Ten, lives in 1950s VOICE: Tenor

MARIE RUSSIO - Sixteen, later in her twenties/early thirties daughter of Alcee and Nicky. Lives in the 1970s. VOICE: Contralto.

YOUNG MARIE - nine, lives in the 1950s. VOICE: Soprano.

PHIL - Late forties, Nicky’s right-hand man. Part of the Wasps. Lives in the 1950s.VOICE: Baritone.

MARTY - 20-40. Bigmouth. Lives in the 1950s.VOICE: Tenor

CLYDE/BLUE - In his forties/fifties, only wears blue suits. Part of the Wasps. Lives in the 1950s.VOICE: Bass.

WALTER - Late twenties/early thirties. Bartender at ‘The Bronx Butterfly’ . Lives in the 1950s. VOICE: Baritenor.

CYNTHIA - Eighteen, Lives in the 1970s. VOICE: Mezzo-Soprano.

GINO - Works at ‘The Bronx Butterfly’ after WALTER gets kicked out. Part of the CHORUS.

TEEN 1/CHORUS - a teen. VOICE: Tenor

TEEN 2/CHORUS - a teen. VOICE: Bass/baritone 

CHORUS - made of all-singing voice types. At least two per voice part.