The Beautiful City Project is seeking submissions from Non-Equity, Chicago-based performers for the following one-night-only performances in our 2026 season:

IGNITION (Monday, March 16th)
THE BLACK BOOK - An Immersive Murder-Mystery Original Play (Monday, May 18th)
FAME: THE MUSICAL (Monday, June 29th)
Musical In Concert - TBA (Monday, August 31st)
SAYING OUR GOODBYES - A William Finn Tribute (Monday, October 19th)

The Beautiful City Project is committed to diversity and encourages performers of all ethnicities, gender identities, body types and ages to submit.

PERSONNEL:
Director/Music Director - David Fiorello (Founder & Artistic Director)
Executive Producer - Elizabeth Bushell
Casting Associates - Abbey Loria, Jacob Alexander, Gabriella Longo, Kate Turner

THE BEAUTIFUL CITY PROJECT is an organization committed to using musical theatre as a tool to give back to the Chicagoland community, with funds & awareness being raised for a different charitable organization each show. Performers give their time & talent freely as a way to give a gift to this mission. We realize this is not in everyone's personal mission, so we partner with performers who are of like mind, always grateful for their donation.

IGNITION
Ignition is a Musical Theatre Dance Concert of sorts, but with all singing performed live, as if the songs are lifted straight out of the production. Covering a wide variety of styles, genres and eras, performers/dancers will be cast in only one number, with rehearsals for that song only. 12 musical numbers will have 12 different choreographers, with no recreated work, all original.

CHARACTER BREAKDOWN
Characters will be decided with song selection. Possible characters from The Tap Dance Kid, Movin' Out, Pacific Overtures, Smile, etc...all to be determined post-submissions, but pre-callbacks.

THE BLACK BOOK: An Immersive Murder Mystery Original Play
Written by David Fiorello

CHARACTER BREAKDOWN
Roles will be written with performers that are cast in mind. The show is a memorized piece, with a full cast opening scene & closing scene, and a 5 small 10-minute scenes, which actors participate in one of, and gets performed 5 times in a row as the audience changes location. Looking for strong actors with good memorization skills. Not an improv piece. The show will be performed in a gorgeous Lincoln Park Mansion.

FAME: THE MUSICAL
Book by Jose Fernandez
Music by Steve Margoshes
Lyrics by Jacques Levy

CHARACTER BREAKDOWN
For the general submission, we're looking for talented performers that can effectively portray students (high school age) and teachers (adults). The show has heavy dance, acting, singing, and musical instrument components, though often separated by "school department", so you don't need to be able to do all. But certainly looking for a handful of strong actors/musicians.

We will utilize understudies and swings for this production.

MUSICAL in CONCERT (TBA)
TBCP is finalizing the rights, but won't announce until it is official. We will have separate callbacks for this show once announced, based on submissions for our season. To be held at the Athenaeum Center for Thought & Culture.

CHARACTER BREAKDOWN
TBA

We will utilize understudies and swings for this production.

SAYING OUR GOODBYES: A William Finn Tribute
A cabaret of songs by the late, great William Finn, Composer/Lyricist of shows like FALSETTOS, A NEW BRAIN, THE 25TH ANNUAL PUTNAM COUNTY SPELLING BEE, ELEGIES, etc...This show will be a memoriam of sorts, paying homage to not only Bill's incredible legacy, but our dear departed theatre colleagues in the last handful of years.

CHARACTER BREAKDOWN
Performers will appear as themselves in this cabaret setting.

AUDITION INSTRUCTIONS
These shows span a calendar year, and you may not be available (or interested) for all projects. Please submit 2 contrasting 60-second song cuts (in the styles of shows you are interested in), a 60-second monologue, and a headshot/resume, noting in your email to us which shows you are interested/available for.

If interested in FAME, and you play an instrument proficiently, please record a short selection on that instrument to include with your submission.

Similarly, if you have a dance reel, please include that as well.

THIS IS A FULL SEASON, GENERAL SUBMISSION process. From here, there will be specific callbacks for the shows individually. Those callback dates and times will be decided in the near future.

REHEARSAL COMMITMENTS:
Will be determined for each show, but usually a handful of weekend mornings - usually allowing folks in performances of shows to still be available for productions.

Again, as is the case with all Beautiful City Project's programming, this is a volunteer organization, wherein performers volunteer their time and talent. There is no pay attached to this project. If that is not for you, we COMPLETELY understand, and wish you luck in all your artistic pursuits!