TWO VIEWS FROM THE SYLVIA (Two one-act musical plays)

“Sylvia’s Hotel”, musical theatre production. Book by Deborah Vogt and lyrics and music by Britt MacLeod.
“The Hotel Sylvia”, by Cathy Moss and Kelsey Blair.
Director: Chris King
Choreographer: Shelley Stewart Hunt

TWO VIEWS FROM THE SYLVIA is an exciting musical and theatre production of two original one-act plays about The Sylvia Hotel. The hotel’s walls, like the pages of a journal, reveal tales in which Vancouver’s history comes to life. 

The first play, “Sylvia’s Hotel”, is set in Vancouver in 1912. It brings to life the origin of Vancouver’s iconic hotel and the story of the Ablowitz-Goldstein family who built it. Both young Sylvia Goldstein and Joe Fortes, the beloved lifeguard who taught Vancouver children to swim, experience the challenges of those who didn’t quite “belong” in the Vancouver of the time.

In the second play, “The Hotel Sylvia”, the story continues as we meet the characters whose lives and loves became interwoven with the story of The Sylvia over her one hundred year history. 

Auditions for TWO VIEWS FROM THE SYLVIA will be held on July 3 and 5, 2017 (afternoon /evening) at 2785 West 31st Avenue, Vancouver.  Kol Halev Performance Society is inviting submissions from performers from all ethnic, religious and cultural backgrounds.

Production Venue: The show will run from November 8th through November 12, 2017 at The Waterfront Theatre on Granville Island. 

Rehearsals will take place in August at 2785 West 31st  Avenue.  First rehearsal date TBA.

Characters to be cast include:

For Sylvia’s Hotel:

  • Sylvia Goldstein : age12 years (Young adult actors invited to audition/singing role).
  • Joe Fortes, a native of Trinidad and Tobago, 40 to 50 years. Singing role.
  • Abraham Goldstein, Sylvia’s father, 40 – 60 year old Jewish male with the dream of building a hotel on the shores of English Bay where all will be welcome. Singing role.
  • Sarah Goldstein, Sylvia’s mother, a middle class, 40 – 60 year old Jewish mother  (immigrant from New Zealand). 
  • Cyril Goldstein, Sylvia’s 11 year old brother, extremely bright, talented musician .
  • Piano skill an asset.(Young adult actors invited to audition). 
  • Aileen Goldstein, Sylvia’s precocious 9 year old sister. 
  • Glen, a leading member of the Vancouver “establishment” and decision maker with influence at City Hall 
  • Charlie, an ambitious member of the Vancouver “establishment” who wants to steal Abraham’s hotel out from under him.

For The Hotel Sylvia:

Present Time

  • Franny – Hotel employee/front desk. An attractive, likeable, slightly discombobulated young woman in her late 20’s  – early 30’s with  more gravitas and insight than she realizes. 
  • Clark – Hotel guest. A thoughtful, congenial and well preserved man in his late 70’s who is dealing with the recent death of a friend. 
  • Steve –  Hotel guest. A struggling, truculent man in his mid to late 30’s who is avoiding dealing with the loss of his job and a crisis in his marriage.
  • Roxy – Hotel guest. Steve’s wife. A likeable woman in her 30’s whose marriage is on the brink. 
  • Gloria –  Hotel guest. A good natured, open and charming woman in her mid 70’s who has come to the hotel on a personal pilgrimage. 
  • Mr. Lowry – Hotel assistant manager. Late 40’s. The hotel is his whole life. But his desire to do a good job has made him demanding, harried, and impossible to please.
  • Mrs. Peabody – The hotel day manager. Early 60’s.  Tough, but fair minded.
  • Laura – Hotel guest. Mid 40’s.  Business dress. Clearly successful but stressed. She has no time for calls from her sick mother. 
  • Huguette – front desk clerk  over many decades. (mid 30”s)

1920’s 

  • Cyril Goldstein, son of Abraham Goldstein. Early 20’s. Attractive, focused and ambitious. He’s leaving Vancouver for what he hopes is a brighter future in California.
  • Mike – Cyril’s Asian-Canadian friend . Early 20’s. Lively. Genuine. He’s sad to see his friend leave the city.
  • Mr. Chen –  Chinese fruit seller on the street. Early 50’s. 

1930’s

  • Sandy – Businessman. Mid 40’s.  Disappointed that he couldn’t pay his bank loans and has had to take on a partner. Singing an asset.
  • Walter Roberts  – Business man.  Late 40’s. Full of confidence in his own abilities and the future. Singing an asset.
  • a busker  mid 20’s singing role.

Chorus: singing and dancing roles.

To request an audition, email your resume / headshot to SylviaHotelMusical@gmail.com.

Please be aware that only selected actors will be scheduled to audition.  Additional questions can be addressed to the above email.

For singing roles, please come prepared with two contrasting songs, one ballad and one upbeat, and be prepared to read an excerpt from the script. Audition may involve a movement /dance call. 

This is a non-equity production. Equity members cast in this production will be engaged under an Equity form of contract. CAEA members: please bring your membership card to the audition.