Till There Was You
Written by various composers and playwrights
Directed and choreographed by Christopher Ryan
Till There Was You will be an evening of song, dance, acting, and instrumental music, celebrating the disciplines housed in the School of Performing Arts and will come together around the theme of longing and romance. There will be opportunities for folks to be involved in one or multiple numbers that make up the evening of performance, as we inaugurate this beautiful new theatre on campus.
REHEARSALS: January 19, 2026 - April 4, 2026 Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays from 6-10 PM, and some Saturdays scheduled during the 10 AM - 2 PM window.
NOTE: not everyone will be called to each rehearsal, as we will work scene by scene. Only once we begin running the show from top to bottom (around March 23, 2026), will everyone will be needed for each rehearsal.
TECH: April 6-9, 2026
SHOW: April 10, 2026
Please note: performers must attend all tech rehearsals.
CASTING NOTE: This production is open to all students at RIT of any size, race, and ethnicity. Although the gender of the characters cannot generally be altered beyond what is listed below, auditions and casting are open to all students, staff, and faculty regardless of gender identity.
Deaf, hard of hearing, and hearing actors are invited to audition for any of the below roles.
Note: while each of these roles may be cast with a different performer, there is the possibility that more than one of the below roles will be played by a single performer.
CHARACTER BREAKDOWN:
As Long As You’re Mine
from the musical Wicked, by Steven Schwartz
- Dancer Elphaba (any gender lyrical dancer) will dance the role of Elphaba in this lyrical dance piece. This dancer will partner with Dancer Fiyro in partnering, including lifts.
- Dancer Fiyro (any gender lyrical dancer) will dance the role of Fiyro in this lyrical dance piece. This dancer will partner with Dancer Elphaba in partnering, including lifts.
Pitter Patter
from Much Ado About Nothing Act 2, Scene 3. This is a call and response spoken word and tap dance piece with no music. The Shakespeare text is interposed with a cappella rhythm tap dance in the form of a dance chorus.
- 3-5 Tap Dancers (any gender) These dancers will dance in response to the spoken Shakespearean text. While tappers of any experience level will be considered, the nature of this piece necessitates that the dancers often dance in unison without any musical accompaniment (relying on breath to inform timing) so more advanced tap dancers will be prioritized.
Can You Feel The Love Tonight
from the musical The Lion King, by Elton John and Tim Rice.
- Choir (all genders) This song will be presented with a choir of singers made up of soloist singers from other numbers as well as ensemble singers not cast as soloists.
One Second and a Million Miles
from the musical Bridges of Madison County, by Jason Robert Brown.
- Dancer Francesca (female presenting lyrical dancer) While the singers are stationary for much of this song, the dancers will dance the story on stage in lyrical choreography. Dancer Francesca should be prepared for partnering work, including lifts with Dancer Robert.
- Dancer Robert (male presenting lyrical dancer) While the singers are stationary for much of this song, the dancers will dance the story on stage in lyrical choreography. Dancer Robert should be prepared for partnering work, including lifts with Dancer Francesca.
CONTENT DISCLOSURE:
In the scene from The Glass Menagerie, the two characters will share a kiss supported by an intimacy director. There will be physical connection (weight sharing and weight bearing) in the dance duets seen in As Long as You’re Mine, and One Second and a Million Miles.
If you have questions, please email Christopher Ryan.
