Journal

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Christmas show

I had not planned on doing a Christmas show. I had been in rehearsal, show, or studying lines since February. The first opportunity I was asked to consider was being the foley artist for “It’s a Wonderful Life” radio show. I was considering that. That would have been a lot of fun.

Next was “Yes Virginia, There is a Santa Claus” at New Dawn Theater. They are in need of a lead male.

Third offer yesterday was doing multiple supporting roles in “A Christmas Carol” by the Gypsy Theatre Company in Cumming. They had someone drop out and are in need of an actor.

So, I had 2 companies asking me to do a show. I was forced into making a decision. So 4 options (the 4th being nothing at all).

Things to consider: I have season tickets to the Gwinnett Gladiators and doing a show means missing games which I have already paid for.

I also wanted a rest break from doing shows, but lately I have been feeling antsy. I believe I was ready to do another show.

Finally, I do want to audition for New Dawn’s production of “The Great Gatsby” which rehearsals start in January and shows in February. So this would mean 4 strait months of rehearsals/shows starting now (assuming I landed a role in Gatsby).

Other considerations: Mercury at Gypsy Theatre Company is one of the best directors I have every worked with. Also there is a stipend for doing “A Christmas Carol”.

Weighing all options I decided to go with the lead role in New Dawn’s “Yes Virginia, There is a Santa Claus”.

No, I am not going to justify my reasoning. Deal with it.

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Audition: The Woman in Black

The Woman in Black
adapted by Stephen Mallatrat, from the book by Susan Hill
Directed by Michael Harrison

Auditions: Sunday August 17 from 6 – 9PM.
Callbacks: Monday August 18 at 6pm.

Non-Union. Non Paying.

Please prepare a 1 – 2 minute dramatic monologue for this audition. You might also be asked to do cold readings from the script. British accents will be used in the show. Please do not feel you need to do a monologue with an accent though. Please bring a headshot and resume if available. Appointments only. To sign up for an audition appointment or if you have any other questions about the auditions, please email ouroborostheatreproductions@gmail.com. Rehearsals begin the week of September 8th. A tentative rehearsal schedule will be available at the audition.

Performances are October 17 – 19 & 24 – 26.
Fridays & Saturdays at 8pm, Sundays at 3pm.

Auditions as well as all rehearsals and performances will be held at The Dancing Goat Theatre, 10700 State Bridge Road, Suite 6, Alpharetta, GA 30022.

Synopsis of Play:
The play is based on the book of the same name, which was written in 1983 by Susan Hill. It is notable for only having two actors perform the whole play. The plot remains faithful to Hill’s book, but adds an extra dimension of a play within a play. The book follows the story of Arthur Kipps, a junior solicitor, as he journeys to the small market town of Crythin Gifford to attend the funeral of a client, Mrs Alice Drablow. At the funeral, he sees a young woman with a wasted face, dressed all in black, standing in the churchyard. Bemused by the villagers’ reluctance to speak of the woman in black, Arthur goes to Eel Marsh House, Mrs. Drablow’s former abode, an old building in the middle of a marsh cut off at high tide. Sorting through Mrs Drablow’s papers, he finds a box of letters, and ultimately discovers the dreadful secret of the Woman in Black – to his own terrible cost.

Roles:
Kipps – late 20’s/early 30’s man
Actor – 40’s-50’s man
Woman

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MASH Song

At the end of the play, the case sang the “MASH Song” at curtain call. For the cast party, STEVEN MILLER (Hawkey) and KARIN GOSS (Hotlips) re-wrote the song for the cast:

Sherry guides and leads us.
She keeps us all in check.
Without her fine direction,
The show would be a wreck!

(refrain:)
Oh, I don’t want no more of army life.
Gee, M*A*S*H, I want to go home.

Each night we have a meeting.
You’d better not be late.
Unless you’re dead or dying,
Her wrath will be your fate.

(refrain)

Sherry wants us quiet
When waiting in the wings.
No cell phones are permitted
Or E-lectronic things.

(refrain)

“Good and Plenty” licorice
Is Sherry’s fav’rite treat.
So if you want to bribe her,
Just buy her something sweet!

(refrain)

For sound effects and lighting,
You’ll want a Sherry there
To help the floor in sighting
A Bonwit derriere.

(refrain)

When ev’ry set piece fits in,
We’ll know who heard the call.
And, look!  It’s an Ingbritsen;
We always call in Paul.

(refrain)

To change the set, don’t dally!
And so, without a doubt,
We’ll call upon our Kallie,
Till she’s all tuckered out.

(refrain)

Amidst the olive green’ry
And ringing of a bell,
To help in shifting scen’ry,
There’s Megan and Michelle.

(refrain)

We need a handy fella
Who knows what goes in clothes.
Let’s call on Bruce Saarela,
And pay him through the nose.

(refrain)

Agnes, Fritzi, Mitzi —
They need to look their best
In something itsy-bitsy
With stitching by Celeste.

(refrain)

The war in poor Korea —
It hardly was a romp.
But ev’ry day there’d be a
Martini in the Swamp.

Oh, I don’t want no more of army life.
Gee, M*A*S*H, I want to go.
Fin’lly, they’ll let me go.
Gee, M*A*S*H, I want to go home.

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Keeping Character on Stage

Sometimes an actor wants to make a spontaneous change on stage. Here are the reasons why that is a bad idea.

1. An author works really hard to get a script written to his liking. A show may even be produced while he is making edits. He can see what is being done onstage and change the things that do not work. If the author wanted a particular moment (dialog, movement, expression) he would have written it in. That is why it is so important to your fellow actors and to the spirit of the play to learn it as close as is possible to what is in the script.

2. The director, as you know, will make changes to the script to fit the stage or the target audience (such as removing curse words), etc. If the director wanted a particular moment to occur, she would have added it.

3. Your fellow actors have learned (or should have learned) the play as the author has written it and as the director has directed it and try hard to be consistent in every moment every show.

Ninety-nine percent of the moments should have been discovered in rehearsal where it is OK to try new things. The other 1% of discover will happen for things like they way we deliver a line or how we may react. But it should never be changing a line or doing something different without the director’s approval and your fellow actors knowing what will be different.

Doing something different or unexpected or changing a line without your fellow actors knowing can destroy a moment. It could cause your fellow actor to break character which breaks the illusion we are creating for the audience.

A lot of actors, myself included, work very hard on creating a character and the moments that character is involved in. Once in character, small things can break moments for that for the actor. You will notice that sometimes your fellow actors do not want to chat before or during a show so they can focus on becoming that character. One night I forgot a line, but recovered, simply because part of another actor’s costume fell off in the previous scene as was still on stage and I got distracted. It doesn’t take much.

Having respect for your fellow actors and what they are trying to achieve is all part of being a professional actor. Being professional is not just about how good your are but includes all the things that go into a production: Knowing your lines. Knowing your stage directions. Respecting your fellow actors. Being at the right place at the right time. Respecting the crew. Respecting the patrons. That is the most important part. You are there to entertain the patrons. By being professional about everything else, your respect for the patrons will be evident. And the respect from your fellow actors towards you will be evident as well.

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Audition Notice: MASH

New Dawn Theater Company will be holding OPEN AUDITIONS for “MASH” on Sunday / Monday, June 16 and 17, 2013 at 7pm

Auditions will consist of cold readings from the script. All are welcome regardless of experience. Headshots and resumes are welcome but not required.

ALL roles are available.
All roles are for adults, or older teens that can pass for at least 18…
Need both male and females.

New Dawn Theater Company
3087 Main St
Duluth GA 30096
www.newdawntheatercompany.com
678-887-5015

Performances will be August 22-25, 29-31 and September 1, 5-8, 2013 – Thursday, Friday, Saturday nights at 8PM and Sunday Matinees at 2PM.

Sherry Ingbritsen
President/Artistic Director