Note:
You will need to attend the program in order to audition for the roles. Auditions will be held at the program site at Island Girl Power in the morning of Friday, June 12, after a week of theatre activities. All potential actors will be provided with an audition sample of the role they are auditioning for. At the auditions, you will be asked to read the part for which you are auditioning. If you have a singing part, you will be asked to sing. You only need to audition to be a dancer if you are interested in the dance solo. If you want to be in the dance troupe, you do not need to audition. If you are not cast in your desired role, the expectation is that you will continue to participate in the project in other ways. It is possible to be both an Intern and an Actor and Dancer, depending on the responsibilities involved.
Pulani
Pulani is a young girl. Her age is not specified, but old enough to have this adventure. This is a "rite of passage" for her, as she learns to fulfill her responsibilities, care for others, and in the end, something about love. The actor portraying Pulani will need to be able to sing.
Guella
All the actors in this production will be the project participants, so Guella, an elderly suruhana, will have to be made to suggest her older age. The actor portraying Guella will need to be able to speak and sing in the Chamorro language. (There will be a coach if you need help.)
Gigipu
Gigipu can be a girl or a boy, and will portray a bird who can fly. Gigipu's character is somewhat of a scaredy-bird, but he (she) becomes brave in the play. Gigipu will need to be able to sing.
Duendes
Duendes is a Chamorro "imp," and this elfish character is also known in Mexico and Spanish folklore. In Chamorro mythology, the Duendes is said to kidnap little children and takes them to the jungle. In the play, he is a grumpy helper, who has been enlisted by Guella to make sure Pulani gets to Islan Guahan. He can be a boy or a girl and has no singing parts.
Ko'ko'
Ko'ko' is the flightless Guam rail, and the first creature that they meet on Islan Guahan. Ko'ko' can be a girl or a boy, is a sweet, jittery, fearful character and has minor singing parts.
Kolepbla
Kolepbla is the snake, the villain who is constantly trying to capture Ko'ko'. Kolepbla is a comic villain, who gets scared when he's yelled at. He does not have to sing or dance, but the actor portraying Kolepbla needs to be able to move in a snake-like manner.
Bunita
Bunita is a Guam deer. Her character is that of a stuck-up foreigner, who looks down on anything on Islan Guahan. She learns to value her friends through the events in the play. There are minimal singing parts, and she needs to be able to move gracefully.
Rhino Beetle
The Rhino Beetle is written as a mom because she is portrayed as doing what she does to make sure her babies get fed. It is possible that she could be portrayed by a male, and therefore, would be a dad. This character is a con artist and manipulator, telling Pulani anything to get what she wants from her.
Respetao
Respetao is a boy around Pulani's age, (an older teenager) who ends up being Pulani's apprentice because of his kindness and good heart. He sings and plays guitar. (If you get the part but cannot play guitar, we will use the guitar as a prop, and play music over it.)
Maga'lahi
The Maga'lahi is the chief of Hagatña. When we meet him, he is possessed by the taotaomonas, and once he is back to normal, he is boisterous and arrogant.
Maga'haga'
The maga'haga' is the maga'lahi's wife. She is distressed over her husband's state of possession by the taotaomona.
Manachang Mother
In contrast to Respetao's Mother, this character is frustrated and angry. She is mad at her lazy, drunk husband for not going out to fish. She is impatient with her little boy, who is driving her crazy with his demands to be fed.
Manachang Father
The Manachang Father is in contrast to hard-working Repetao's Father. This character is drunk, lazy, and selfish. Does not think of his family needs over his own desires to drink lots of tuba.
Manachang Children
In the village scene, Pulani sees a few manachang children who she wants to help. Also in the manachang village scene, a demanding little boy makes his mother lose her temper.
Respetao's Mother
Respetao's Mother is a manachang woman, very gentle and loving.
Respetao's Father
Respetao's father is a hard-working manachang, very kind and loving towards his wife and son.
Love Bird
The Love Bird is a dancer and possibly a singer, who does a solo at the end of the play. The solo can have ballet or contemporary dance moves, and will be determined by the Choreographer. It is possible that this dancer can collaborate with the choreographer on this piece.
Dancers
There are 4 major dance numbers in the play, the Butterflies, the Tangantangan, the Taotaomonas, and the Fiesta. The director will determine the casting for the dancers. In the 1989 play, the butterflies were all little kids, and the older kids did the other dancer roles. This will be decided depending on who auditions.