Maybe you'll get your chance later this year, when the Toothsome Chocolate Emporium & Savory Feast Kitchen opens at Universal Orlando's CityWalk. The replacement for the old NBA City restaurant promises a steampunk-inspired atmosphere themed around a chocolate factory and kitchen. But an audition notice just posted to Universal's website suggests something even more — shall we say — adventurous?
Universal has posted for a June 6 audition seeking two actors for "atmosphere roles" at the new restaurant. The two characters Universal is looking to cast are "Penelope Toothsome," a British woman who "has traveled the globe to gain knowledge of all things chocolate," and her "longtime robot companion," "Jaques."
For both roles, Universal is seeking actors with strong improv skills. Presumably, both characters will be interacting with guests in the restaurant, telling takes about Penelope's travels around the world.
I'll bet that some long-time Orlando-area theme park fans are salivating right now, and it's not just at the thought of all those chocolate desserts. The character of Penelope Toothsome sounds like she would have fit right in at Walt Disney World's long-closed-but-still-missed Adventurers Club on the old Pleasure Island. That nightclub featured a cast of atmosphere performers improving tales of worldwide travel, set in a turn-of-the-20th century time period.
Just like what Universal seems to be preparing to do at the Toothsome Chocolate Emporium.
Of course, there's a huge difference between pulling this off in a family-friendly restaurant versus what was essentially a bar. A few "adult" drinks go a loooong way in selling the story. And two characters might not be enough to create the immersive atmosphere that the Adventurers Club offered.
But, who cares? Talking with Penelope and Jaques sounds like a great time, whether you're drinking a martini or a milkshake. Universal's audition notice says that applicants should be available for rehearsals at the end of July, suggesting a late summer opening for the restaurant.
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P.S.: I'm sure the treats will be delicious, but the characters sound like someone's sugar overdose nightmare.
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