Teens on Stage presents
Water for Elephants
High School Edition
Book by Rick Elice
Music and Lyrics by PigPen Theatre Co.
Directed by Lynne Czajka
Choreographed by Cedric James
Ages: 13-18 (18 year olds must be currently enrolled in high school)
Tuition: $450 (each participant entitled to two complimentary tickets)
AUDITIONS
Saturday October 11 at 10AM
Sunday October 12 at 7PM
Tuesday October 14 at 7PM (callback if needed)
REHEARSALS
Rehearsals are 3- 5 times a week November 1- February 12*
Most week day rehearsals meet 5:00-8:30PM. Most weekend rehearsals meet 10AM-1PM. This is subject to change depending on cast availability.
Tech Week: Sunday February 8- Thursday February 12, 2026 from 5-10PM
*Actors will receive a calendar of potential rehearsals at the audition. Once the show is cast, a specific rehearsal schedule will be distributed. Most participants will be called for all rehearsals. Be prepared to list your potential conflicts from 11/1-2/22 at the time of your audition.
PERFORMANCES
Friday February 13 at 8PM, Saturday February 14 at 3PM, and Sunday February 15 at 3PM
Friday February 20 at 8PM, Saturday February 21 at 3PM, and Sunday February 22 at 3PM**
**Cast is required to participate in strike after the final show.
NOTE: All participants must attend all of tech week and every performance. Call times for performances are an hour and a half before the curtain goes up. Please bring your schedule to the audition and be prepared to list all conflicts.
IMPORTANT AUDITION DETAILS- PLEASE READ CAREFULLY
This is a Teens on Stage Workshop. Anyone interested must first audition. Once cast, cast members must register and pay for the workshop online.
Water for Elephants: Teen Edition contains mature content and explores sensitive topics such as domestic violence, sexual infidelity, animal cruelty, and murder. Participants must be at least 13 years old at the start of classes. Parents are encouraged to determine whether the show is appropriate for their teen before their teen auditions. A synopsis can be found here: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Water_for_Elephants_(musical)
Auditions will be held on Saturday October 11 at 10AM and Sunday October 12 at 7PM. Those auditioning only need to come to one of these dates. Auditions will happen on a first come, first served basis. Callbacks will take place on Tuesday October 14, 7PM and are by invitation only.
Water for Elephants is a musical with dancing and circus arts. Please note: Dance and circus skills ARE NOT REQUIRED for all characters. There are also non-singing roles for dancers/circus performers. Due to this, please read the initial audition requirements carefully:
Please prepare a 32-bar cut of a musical theater song in the style of the show. Please provide sheet music for the accompanist or bring a backtrack- our WiFi is not reliable, so we recommend downloading any tracks. A cappella auditions will not be allowed.
OR
2. Please prepare a 40-60 second dance or circus arts demonstration choreographed to music. Please bring your music downloaded as our WiFi is not reliable.
AND
Be prepared to stay for 30-45 mins in order to read as well. Please bring your schedule and be prepared to list any and all rehearsal conflicts. All roles are open to all gender identities.
If you have a relevant skill that cannot be demonstrated at auditions (ex. Aerial silk skills, advanced tumbling, etc.) please feel free to send a video to Lynne at lynne.czajka@gmail.com in addition to whatever you prepare for auditions.
If you cannot attend either audition date, please reach out to Lynne at lynne.czajka@gmail.com for instructions no later than Wednesday October 8.
We are committed to diverse casting. We strongly encourage people of any gender identity, persons of color, and LGBTQ+ individuals to audition.
AUDITION FORM- coming soon
Click the link above.
Please read all instructions carefully and type or print legibly to complete. Bring your completed copy to the audition. We will have blank copies to fill out at auditions.
PRODUCTION DETAILS
Book by Rick Elice
Music and Lyrics by PigPen Theatre Co.
Water for Elephants, based on the bestselling novel by Sara Gruen, is a dazzling, heart-filled musical about Jacob, a young man desperate to escape his past, who jumps aboard a moving train uncertain of the road ahead. Finding himself on the ride of a lifetime, Jacob joins the colorful company of a traveling circus and is hired by the imperious ringmaster, August, as caretaker to the animals. Jacob soon develops an unspoken attraction to the star performer and August’s wife, Marlena. A last-ditch effort to save their struggling show brings an elephant into the troupe, drawing Marlena and Jacob dangerously close, forever changing the circus’s fate. –Broadway Licensing, with whom Water for Elephants: High School Edition is presented through arrangement.