Audition Notice:
Grindstone Theatre is holding auditions for the roles of Theo/Winslow/Argyle and Karl/Bakagi for their 2024 production of Die Harsh: A Christmas Musical.
About Grindstone Theatre:
Grindstone Theatre is an indie/professional non-profit arts organisation based in Edmonton Alberta whose work is rooted in improv and musical comedy.
Past productions include A Gentleman’s Guide to Love and Murder, Rocky Horror Show, Die Harsh: A Christmas Musical, Jason Kenney’s Hot Boy Summer, The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee, Thunder(CATS), King of the Hill, Whose Rhyme Is It Anyway?, The 11 O’clock Number the award winning Improvised Musical, Urinetown The Musical, The Adventures of Chucky and Reggie, Here Lies Henry, The Complete Works of Shakespeare Abridged, HONK! The Ugly Duckling Musical, and Shakespeare’s Henry V.
About the Show:
Sexy German criminal Alan Rickman-I-mean-Hans-Shmuber leads an international gang of terrorists who seize an office tower during a Christmas party. John, a cop from New York, is trapped on the upper floors. He’ll need a Christmas miracle to save his power-suit dressing wife Holly and the other hostages. This Die-Hard-Christmas-Carol is about as stupid as it sounds with action packed comedy, tap dancing FBI agents and heartbreaking flashbacks of kids who are coughing too much. This musical satire is back, bigger and better than ever, for its second year as Edmonton’s newest holiday tradition.
Rehearsals begin November 25, 2025
Opens December 11, 2025
Closes December 28, 2025
Rehearsals and performances will take place at the Orange Hub in Edmonton.
Audition Details
Dates: October 6th, 7th & 9th
Time: Those selected for an audition will be provided an audition time.
Location: The Orange Hub (Zoom auditions or video submissions will also be accepted.) Audition space is accessible.
Audition Requirements:
-Perform provided songs and sides: https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/18K-1UeX1hfMUH7w2r2_4WwiHrOJKCBjB?usp=sharing
About the Audition Process:
-Auditions will be conducted in a friendly and supportive atmosphere.
-Accompanist will be available at the audition.
-You may be asked to stay for a brief interview following your audition
-If auditioning through Zoom or a video, feel free to use the audio tracks provided
Who We’re Looking For:
THEO/ARGYLE/WINSLOW
Black/African Canadian
Tenor or high baritone
German accent
THEO: Hans’ nephew, the technical expert (nerd) on the heist crew.
ARGYLE: An up-beat, weed-smoking limo driver. Based on the character of the same name in Die Hard, Argyle plays the role of the Ghost of Christmas Present.
AL WINSLOW: A gun-shy beat officer with a pregnant wife who plays a buddy cop role to John. Based on the role of Sgt Al Powell in Die Hard.
ENSEMBLE roles: a caroler, Marco the German henchman, a ghost, a bully in an orphanage, Mary the pregnant secretary, a hostage.
Please prepare:
THEO’s lines on page 16
ARGYLE’s lines on pages 46-47
WINSLOW’s lines on pages 29-29
The cut of Another Year Another Heist (THEO)
The cut of Let’s Take a Ride (ARGYLE)
KARL/BAKAGI
Asian
Tenor (B♭5)
German accent
KARL: A loyal and violent lieutenant, KARL patiently carries out Hans’ many commands. He begins the show with a kind of sung narration.
JOSEPH BAKAGI: CEO of Origami Corp, a level-headed Japanese businessman. He returns after his murder as the Ghost of Christmas Past to guide Hans through his previous Christmases.
ENSEMBLE roles: a caroler, a ghost, a cloud, John’s consumptive daughter Little Lucy, FBI Agent Johnson
Please prepare:
THEO’s lines on page 16
ARGYLE’s lines on pages 46-47
WINSLOW’s lines on pages 28-29
The cut of Die Harsh (KARL)
The cut of I Give You the FBI (AGENT JOHNSON)
Additional Information:
Actors who are Equity members will be put on an equity contract for the productions through the Equity DOT Agreement.
How to Sign Up:
Please fill out the google form here: https://forms.gle/N8wUDtAMbMcMf51C7
We look forward to seeing you!
