JUNIE B. JONES: TOOTHLESS WONDER

By Allison Gregory

Direction by Anne James-Noonan, Scenic & Lighting Design by Denise Karczewski

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Directing Projects and Junie B. Jones: Toothless Wonder (Frosh-Soph Play) 

Auditions 2025-2026

All interested New Trier students are encouraged to audition for the Directing Projects presented by the Theatre 4 students in the curricular Theatre program. 

All interested New Trier freshmen and sophomores are encouraged to audition for Junie B. Jones: Toothless Wonder presented by the extracurricular Performing Arts Division. 

The audition process has been combined for both productions. Freshman and sophomore students will automatically be considered for both projects unless they indicate otherwise on the audition form. 

General Auditions

FRESHMEN AND SOPHOMORES 

Thursday, January 8, 2026 between 3:40 and 8pm, Hayes-McCausland Theatre, Winnetka. Students will be seen in 30-minute time slots. Signup for a time slot on the Audition Form. (Form available by January 5)

Snow Date (if needed) Saturday, January 10, 9-12pm

JUNIORS AND SENIORS

Friday, January 9, between 3:40 and 8pm, Hayes-McCausland Theatre, Winnetka. Students will be seen in 30-minute time slots. Signup for a time slot on the Audition Form. (Form available by January 5)

Snow Date (if needed) Saturday, January 10, 9-12pm

Callbacks (for Junie B. Jones: Toothless Wonder only)

If needed: Wednesday, Jan 14 3:30pm to 7pm in the McGee Theatre, Winnetka.

New Trier welcomes the participation of all individuals in our programs, including those with disabilities. If you have an IEP or 504 plan with reasonable accommodations that pertain to this activity, please indicate your request on the audition form. Please indicate your IEP case manager or adviser (504 plan) so we can coordinate any supports deemed necessary. 

WHAT IS JUNIE B. JONES: TOOTHLESS WONDER ABOUT?
This performance centers around six-year-old Junie B. Jones and her adventures in first grade. In Toothless Wonder, one of Junie B. Jones’s top front teeth is loose! Only Junie B. is not that thrilled about this development.  Even worse, everyone in her class except for her has been invited to her classmate’s birthday party. Will Junie B. land that surprisingly elusive invitation? Return to Junie B.’s charming and witty world in JUNIE B. JONES: TOOTHLESS WONDER.

There are 18 roles total. Each cast of 9 actors will have a performance at a sender elementary school and a performance on Saturday, February 28. The cast is comprised of adult characters (i.e., Mom, Teacher Principal) and elementary school characters (i.e., Junie B., May, Grace etc.)

WHAT IS A DIRECTING PROJECT?
Directing Projects are the culminating activity for Theatre 4 students. Students design, stage, and present a short play of their choosing during their assigned class period. Student performers attend no more than 20 rehearsals, including one mandatory technical rehearsal and one mandatory dress rehearsal within 2 weeks prior to the performance date. Students will be excused from up to 1.5 blocks of class on the day of the performance in order to prepare, present, and regroup. A wide variety of plays will be presented, each promising to provide a unique opportunity for student actors and directors alike. The Directing Projects are an advanced classroom assignment and some deal with mature subject matter such as body image, violence and prop weapons, sexual activity, substance abuse, race, and religion. Copies of the play will be available in the Thespian Advocacy Group course on Canvas. If you don’t have access to that course, please email Ms. Kirsch (kirschH@nths.net) and she will add you. The Directing Projects have at least 50 roles to be cast during this process. It is possible for students who participate in this production to also be in the Freshman-Sophomore Play.

WHEN ARE REHEARSALS? 

FROSH/SOPH PLAY: Rehearsals start on Tuesday, January 27 and run from 3:30-6 on weekdays and 9am-12pm and/or 1pm-4pm on Saturdays. Not every student will be called every day. There will be no rehearsal February 13 - February 16. Beginning on Wednesday, February 18 through February 27, weekday rehearsals extend to 8pm. Performances are in New Trier's McGee Theater on Saturday, February 28 at two elementary schools on Monday, March 2 and Thursday, March 5. It is possible for students who participate in this production to also be in the Directing Projects. 

DIRECTING PROJECTS: Each play will have 18-20 rehearsal sessions between the end of January and the assigned performance date in March or April. Rehearsals are scheduled depending on the availability of the cast members and directors. The director and cast will agree to a rehearsal schedule within one week of casting. Once the rehearsal schedule is established, students and parents will be asked to approve the schedule with their signature. Excessive excused or unexcused absences from scheduled rehearsals or inappropriate behavior may result in dismissal from the cast at the discretion of the instructor. 

PLEASE NOTE: It is possible for students who participate in clubs, sports, or in the cast or crews of Freshman Play, Choir-Opera, Frosh-Soph Play, and Spring Play to also be in the Directing Projects. Students in these activities may only audition if they are available for Directing Project rehearsals at least two evenings a week and/or on Sundays. 

HOW DO I AUDITION?  

1. Complete the Parent/Guardian Consent/Conflict Form (COMING SOON!) and bring it to the audition.
2. Complete the AUDITION FORM. Form will be available on or before January 5. It will close on January 9. NOTE: The Audition form for the Directing Projects AND Freshman Sophomore Play are the same. You’ll see more information about that on the form. 
3. Read How to Audition for a New Trier Production from the Performing Arts webpage and this information in the packet carefully.  
4. Memorize and prepare one of these monologues. See the “What about the monologue” section for additional information. 
5. Come to the audition about 15 minutes before your appointment. We will check you in and you will present your monologue for the directors. Bring your completed Consent/Conflict form. 

WHAT SHOULD I WEAR TO THE AUDITIONS?  

Wear clothes that you can move in and make you look and feel good. Make sure your hair is out of your face. Do not wear costumes.

CALLBACKS

The Freshman Sophomore Play callbacks will be held on Wednesday, January 14  3:45 - 6:00 PM in the McGee Theatre, Winnetka.

The callback list will be emailed by 6pm on Tuesday, January 13 

There are no callbacks for Directing Projects.

FROSH/SOPH CASTING
Freshman-Sophomore Play will be cast by the director, Ms. James-Noonan. Conflicts with the set rehearsal schedule, as well as a student’s history with conflicts in previous productions, will be taken into consideration. Students are expected to be at every scheduled rehearsal. 

DIRECTING PROJECT CASTING
Student directors will identify student actors with the skills and schedules that are most appropriate choices for their projects. However, the casts for each project will be determined by the members of the Theatre faculty. You will audition in front of the student directors and faculty directors/producers/mentors. The student directors are not permitted to discuss any part of the audition or casting process with students who are not members of their class. Please respect the confidentiality and responsibility required in this process and avoid any perception of trying to influence or gain information from the directors, even as a joke. 

WHEN DO THE CAST LISTS GO UP? 
Please note: Casting for so many projects takes time. The Directing Project and Freshman-Sophomore Play cast lists will be emailed on or before Tuesday, January 27. Students cast in Directing Projects will be contacted, within one week, by their director regarding the date of their first rehearsal. Directing Project rehearsals can begin as early as January 29. Frosh-Soph Play rehearsals will begin Tuesday, January 27. Thank you for your patience. 

CREW APPRENTICESHIP
All performers are required to fulfill the Crew Apprenticeship Program within one year after being cast in their first NT production. Current Theatre 1 and Technical Theatre and Design students fulfill their CAP in class. Please see the NTHS Guidebook or Performing Arts website for more information. 

WHAT IS THE DIRECTING PROJECTS SHOWCASE?
Directing Projects are usually presented a second time as part of the Directing Project Showcase if the producer approves the director’s application for Showcase. Shows will be assigned one Showcase performance time between May 13 and May 21. In preparation for this performance, 2-5 additional “brush up” rehearsals will be scheduled between the in-class performance and Showcase dates. 

WHAT IF I’M NOT CAST IN BUT I STILL WANT TO BE INVOLVED? 
Stage Crew is a great way to get involved with the productions. All crews are open to anyone interested, and they are a LOT of fun – no prior experience is necessary. If you are interested in joining crew, please visit www.ntstagecrew.org. Looking ahead, auditions for the Spring Play are in March.

QUESTIONS

If you have any questions about Freshman Sophomore Play or Directing Projects process or schedule or concerns about the plays, please contact Ms. James-Noonan jamesnoa@nths.net for FSP and Ms. Kirsch at kirschH@nths.net for Directing Projects.

Ms. Kirsch will be available to offer feedback on your audition and answer questions for one week after the cast lists have been posted. Please contact her via email for an appointment. 

PLEASE NOTE: The student directors are not permitted to discuss any part of the audition or casting process with students who are not members of their class. Please respect the confidentiality and responsibility required in this process and avoid any perception of trying to influence or gain information from the directors, even as a joke. 

WHAT ABOUT THE MONOLOGUE?
Pick one of these monologues for your audition. All selections should be memorized. The monologues may not be from the Directing Projects or the Freshman-Sophomore Play but were chosen from plays with similar language, styles, or characters. YOU MAY PERFORM ANY OF THE MONOLOGUES, REGARDLESS OF GENDER. CHANGE PRONOUNS AS NEEDED. After you perform your monologue, you may be asked to start it again with a different intention or focus. It’s not because your first interpretation was wrong. Instead, the directors are interested in learning more about your range as a performer and how you respond to direction. Think of it as a mini callback, as callbacks will not be held for the Directing Projects.