Footlighters is proud to announce auditions for
The Bridges of Madison County
Music and Lyrics by Jason Robert Brown
Book by Marsha Norman
Director/Choreographer: Jerry Wiesenhahn
Producers: Mary Stone and Megan Horton
Music/Vocal Director: Greg Dastillung
Audition Dates:
Sunday, July 12, 6:00 – 9:00 p.m.
Monday, July 13, 6:30 – 9:30 p.m.
Invited callbacks, if needed: Wednesday, July 15
Performance Dates: November 5 – 22, 2026 (Thursdays – Sundays)
Location: Footlighters’ Stained Glass Theatre
802 York Street
Newport, KY 41071
Note: Footlighters, Inc., is a community theater organization that performs at the Stained Glass Theatre in Newport, KY. These roles are not paid. No roles have been precast. All auditionees must be 18+ to audition for this show.
What to prepare and bring:
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Please sign up for an audition time through the SignUpGenius link below. Walk-ins are welcomed but will be assigned to the first available audition slots: https://www.signupgenius.com/go/10C0448AEAE2BABFC1-64131720-thebridges#/
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Please prepare 1 minute of a song in the style of the show that demonstrates your vocal ability. An accompanist will be provided. Make sure your sheet music is printed out, in the proper key, and has cuts clearly marked for the accompanist. Vocalizing may also take place to determine vocal range. You may also be asked to read from the script.
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There will be a brief movement call as part of your audition. Please wear shoes that you are comfortable moving in. This will take place after your vocal audition.
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Please provide a copy of your theatrical resume and headshot, if you have them.
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Please bring all conflicts between September and November 2026.
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Invited callbacks will include singing music from the show and performing cold readings from the script.
Show Synopsis:
Note: This production is rated PG-13 for content. There will be an intimacy coordinator working with the cast.
Francesca Johnson, a beautiful Italian woman who married an American soldier to flee war-ravaged Italy, looks forward to a rare four days alone on her Iowa farm when her family heads to the 1965 State Fair. When ruggedly handsome National Geographic photographer Robert Kincaid pulls into her driveway seeking directions, though, what happens in those four days may very well alter the course of Francesca's life. This musical is based on the best-selling novel and was developed by Tony Award winner Jason Robert Brown (The Last Five Years, Parade, Songs for a New World) and Pulitzer Prize winner Marsha Norman (‘night, Mother; The Secret Garden; The Color Purple). The Bridges of Madison County captures the lyrical expanse of America's heartland along with the yearning entangled in the eternal question, "What if...?" Winner of the 2014 Tony Award for Best Score and Orchestrations, this sweeping romance about the roads we travel, the doors we open, and the bridges we dare to cross will leave audiences breathless.
Roles and character descriptions:
Francesca:
A beautiful Italian woman, generous, luminous, and funny, now married to a farmer and living in Iowa.
Stage Age: 35-45
Soprano
Robert Kincaid:
A ruggedly handsome, worldly, visionary photographer.
Stage Age: 40-50
Baritone/High Baritone
Richard "Bud" Johnson:
Francesca's husband. An Iowa farmer, a good guy, diligent and dependable, but always exhausted and irritated that things haven't gotten easier.
Stage Age: 40-50
Baritone
Marian:
Robert's former wife, a musician.
Stage Age: 30-35
Mezzo Soprano
This actor will also double as Chiara (Francesca’s sister) and in the ensemble.
Michael:
Francesca and Bud's son
Stage Age: 16
Tenor
Carolyn:
Francesca and Bud's daughter
Stage Age: 14
Soprano
Marge:
Francesca's neighbor, sassy and nosy
Stage Age: 45-60
Alto/Mezzo-Soprano
Charlie:
Marge's husband.
Stage Age: 55-70
Baritone
Ensemble:
Townspeople