he Dickens Carolers has been auditioning, training and booking costumed, acappella, SATB, Christmas caroling quartets since 1978. We are the largest and longest running caroling organization in the northwest. Auditions are held in early August every year. September through November, we rehearse twice a week (every Sunday evening plus one more TBA). The performance season runs Thanksgiving through Christmas and your personal performance hours are largely determined by your availability. We generally have 40-50 singers who make $25-35/hr. Someone cast into a full-time quartet usually makes $1750-2500 for the season. Someone cast into a part-time quartet (evenings and weekends) usually makes $750-1500.

What to expect:

The audition will last about 10 minutes and has three parts:

1. We want to know how you might speak to an audience as a caroler. Please prepare a holiday monologue, approximately 30 to 60 seconds in length. You could share your thoughts or memories of a favorite holiday experience. You could give an introduction to the song you're going to sing, explaining what it means to you. You could share a bit of a favorite holiday poem, reading or lyric and explain what it is that makes it special to you. We want you to be yourself; this is not a traditional “actors monologue” or “in character.”
   
2. We want to hear your singing voice. Next, you’ll sing a verse of a Christmas song of your choosing, a cappella, unaccompanied, any style. Choose a song you're comfortable with rather than a song that you think will impress us. Be aware that we may ask you to sing a few bars of another familiar carol if we want to hear another side of your voice.
   
3. We want to get a sense of your level of musicianship. Finally, we’ll have you sight-read a song or two with a quartet. There is no expected or required level needed to qualify. We just want to get a rough idea of how well and how quickly you’ll be able to learn music.
   

Please:

• Arrive 15 minutes prior to your audition appointment to fill out paperwork.
• Bring your calendar. Part of the paperwork is a schedule of your availability for the season.
• Pencil the callback date into your calendar, so you’ll be available if we need to see you again.
• Callbacks will be Sunday, August 17, 2008, 6:00-9:00pm.
• Bring a resume and headshot if you have them.

Location:

Auditions are held at the Bellevue Church of Christ, 1212 104th SE, Bellevue, WA 98004

From the north (or from Seattle via 520): (E on 520) S on I-405 Exit at NE 4th St W on NE 4th L on Bellevue Way Past Main St R on SE 11th St. L into the parking lot

From the south (or from Seattle via I-90): N on I-405 W on I-90 Exit at Bellevue Way N on Bellevue Way L on SE 11th St L into the parking lot

There are three churches on that block when you turn onto SE 11th.
It’s the second one on the left, the Bellevue Church of Christ.
Once you're in the parking lot, we’re in the building furthest from the street.

Phone numbers where you can reach us the night of auditions are:

206-941-8188 (Nathan)
or 206-579-4039 (Jason)
(We give more than one because reception at the church is notoriously bad.)

I want to audition. Now what?

Call the office at 206-320-7007 to schedule an audition appointment. If you're calling between January and July, you'll most likely get our voice mail. Be sure to leave us a message so we can get back to you. Give us your name, phone number(s), and voice part. Year-round, we keep a list of people who are interested in auditioning. We then call everybody back in July or August to set appointments.

Feel free to call us with additional questions as well. This page is intended to answer most of your questions but we know there may be others.

Thank you for your interest! We look forward to meeting you!