Australians audition for Disney theme park jobs as fun film royalty

Australians are vying for Disney roles at casting calls* across the country this week.

Disney’s Shanghai and Hong Kong parks have brought the search for princesses, princes, heroes and heroines* Down Under, with open auditions* taking place in Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane.

WHICH CHARACTERS COULD ACTORS PLAY?
Following Melbourne auditions earlier this week, princesses-in-waiting who felt they could embody* the roles of Moana, Tiana, Elsa and Rapunzel had their opportunity to try for a Shanghai Disney Resort role in Brisbane on Wednesday.

Shanghai Disney was also searching for other vocally talented characters from Moana, The Princess and the Frog, Frozen, and Tangled, while Hong Kong Disney was looking for singers specifically auditioning for The Lion King, 101 Dalmatians and an array of princesses.

Lookalikes were also in with a chance. The Brisbane casting call included the search for Australian talent resembling Mirabel, Isabela, Tiana, Moana, Jasmine, Anna, Elsa, Ariel, Aurora, Belle, Cinderella, Snow White, Merida, Tinker Bell, Alice, Gamora, Captain Marvel and Black Widow.

Mirror-image actors for Captain America, Doctor Strange, Star-Lord, Thor, Loki, Oaken, Kristoff actors any Disney Prince roles were in contention.

The final auditions will be held in Sydney this coming weekend. On Saturday 31 May, aspiring talent keen for a new life in Shanghai will chase character parts from the films Avengers, Aladdin, Beauty and the Beast, Black Widow, Brave, Captain America, Captain Marvel, Cinderella, Doctor Strange, Frozen, Guardians of the Galaxy, The Little Mermaid, Moana, Pirates of the Caribbean, Princess and the Frog, Raya and the Last Dragon, Sleeping Beauty, Snow White, Tangled, Thor and 101 Dalmatians.

The Hong Kong theme park will look for actors resembling Mirabel, Isabela, Tiana, Moana, Jasmine, Anna, Elsa, Ariel, Aurora, Belle, Cinderella, Snow White, Merida, Tinker Bell, Alice, Gamora, Captain Marvel and Black Widow.

Sunday in Sydney has been set aside for singers, with the 1 June tryouts the final day for landing a Disney dream this round.

Disney Shanghai will look to fill parts from Moana, The Princess and the Frog, Frozen, and Tangled, while Disney Hong Kong will be searching for The Lion King singers to roar.

WHO COULD AUDITION?
All princes and princesses had to be aged 18 or over, hold a valid passport and be available to relocate internationally for a seven month contract beginning from mid this year.

Prince and princess look-alikes, including those with and without the ability to dance, sing and perform athletically, were urged to apply for the once-in-a-lifetime magical experience.

In exchange for featuring in stage shows and special events, the chosen few would receive a “competitive” salary as well as housing and a benefits package.

HOW DID PERFORMERS PREPARE?
If you thought becoming a prince or princess would be a fast track to a cushy future career, think again.

Aspiring* princesses at these auditions had to bring a vocal range specific to their chosen character and 16 bars with sheet music prepared in advance.

“Select songs with which you have an organic* connection, telling a story that you bring to life in an honest way,” the advertisement advised.

“Performers should be strong storytellers and demonstrate a strong and dynamic* singing voice with vocal and emotional range.”

Many of the ladies’ roles also had very specific height requirements – mostly ranging from 160cm to 173cm.

POLL

GLOSSARY

• casting call: open invitation for actors, models, or performers to audition for specific roles
• heroines: heroic females, brave girls and women or courageous girls and women in fiction
• auditions: short performance actors, musicians, dancers, singers etc. give to show they are suitable for a role
• aspiring: hoping and trying to be good and successful at a particular job or activity
• organic: natural
• dynamic: having a lot of energy and enthusiasm

EXTRA READING

A Disney theme park in Melbourne?

100 years of Disney magic: Who was Walt Disney?

Sneak peek behind the scenes at Disneyland

QUICK QUIZ

1. What are at least three of the singing roles Disney is looking to fill?
2. What are three films starring animals that are on the list?
3. What are the three requirements for all applicants?
4. An additional requirement was listed for some female roles – what was it?
5. Talent scouts for which Disney theme parks are in Australia auditioning talent?

LISTEN TO THIS STORY

CLASSROOM ACTIVITIES
1. Who would you be?
If you could play a Disney character, who would it be? Write a letter to Disney explaining, in detail, why you would be the perfect person to play the character. Remember that your purpose is to be as convincing as you can.

Time: allow at least 25 minutes to complete this activity
Curriculum Links: English, Drama, Critical and Creative Thinking

2. Extension
Walt Disney created his theme parks based on the characters that he and his company had created. If you could create a theme park based on anything you wanted, what would it be? Write a description, with a perfect name, what would be part of or in the park and why it would be fantastic! Include plans and drawings, if you want.

Time: allow at least 45 minutes to complete this activity
Curriculum Links: English, Design and Technologies

VCOP ACTIVITY
I spy nouns
Nouns are places, names (of people and objects), and time (months or days of the week).

How many nouns can you find in the article?

Can you sort them into places, names and time?

Pick three nouns and add an adjective (describing word) to the nouns.