What I Did: Week Ending 2009-05-03

  • Hate work sometimes. Gonna be one of those days. #
  • @GMHForLiberty Yes. Sometimes I feel that way too. in reply to GMHForLiberty #
  • @KrisAWinchell welcome to Twitter.. #
  • @KrisAWinchell welcome to Twitter.. #
  • @cathybaron: Well the ECHL Gwinnett Gladiators hockey team did not make it past the first round. nothing else matters. #
  • http://twurl.nl/3jzmit <– Office 2007 Service Pack 2 #
  • listening to streaming radio from Yorkshire (Leeds), just to hear additional British North accents. Have an audition in a few hours. #
  • I have not practiced as much as I should have on the accent, but I think I can do it well enough for the audition. #
  • On a side note, I did get my wordpress blog to act like the rest of my website. Javascript conflict between two libraries. #
  • Did not hear back from my audition on Sunday for The 5th Great Ape at Emory. It did sound like they had everybody they needed already. #
  • I believe I have 2 stage shows (June and August performances) and the audition tonight and on May 16th both fit perfectly between those two. #
  • Rehearsals for Once in a Lifetime (June performance) starts this Saturday. And I am 90% sure I have a role in the play for August. #
  • Streaming radio Yorkshire UK. It’s after 10PM and it’s all music I have heard before, but feels very different because of is source location #
  • In case you were wondering, Leeds United Reserve Team won their championship game today. #
  • I have a call back for the role of Major Metcalf in The Mousetrap. #
  • Of three people up for Major Metcalf – Bob Smith, George Crolius and myself, I am, in my mind, the least likely looking British Army Retiree #
  • @TJSanson Welcome to Twitter! #
  • Off to what may be my last Advanced Scene Study class until August. #
  • This should be interesting: #ToplessTwitterDay this Friday! You don’t wanna see me topless. #
  • RT @t_b_j: Offering a #toplesstwitterday pact with @Swayward to skip the event. <– DONE! #
  • RT @atlartevents: So long folks. This account will be closed due to downsizing. <– D’OH!! #
  • RT @BartenderOne: looking at the coolest portable bar ever… http://www.evolverbar.com <– very nice. #
  • RT @Foodimentary: Did you know that raisins, grapes, and avocados are poisonous to cats? http://tiny.cc/9Rqjn #
  • @wcdarling I hope it recovered. in reply to wcdarling #
  • Well I am off to callbacks for The Mousetrap at Red Clay Theater. #
  • I screwed up on my second reading at the callbacks. I was doing well until then. FUDGE!! #
  • At least I think I was doing well until then. #
  • They asked if I would be willing to shave my head again. Been asked that a lot. Maybe I should go back to that look. I miss being bald. #
  • @Kerriana This Saturday gig. What are the times? I HAVE to be at the Alliance by 6:30PM. What are they looking for looks wise. #
  • RT @crazeegeekchick: Internet Running out of Space? (no way jose) http://tinyurl.com/cfz56f <– the bit that broke the internet’s backbone #
  • @amberlrhea I do hope all is OK. Just remember that today is May Day and No Pants Day. http://www.nopantsday.com/wp/ #
  • RT @Ihnatko: Tomorrow is Free Comic Book Day! http://bit.ly/3KYLYL <– I miss my comics. I need to find some money to renew this hobby. #
  • RT @Foodimentary: “Always do sober what you said you’d do drunk. That will teach you to keep your mouth shut.”~Ernest Hemingway #TGIF #
  • That is if I can remember what I said I would do drunk. #
  • @TJSanson Saw some of your photos in the lobby at Red Clay Theater. Very nice. #

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Auditioned for The Mousetrap

I auditioned for The Mousetrap at Red Clay Theatre Tuesday. My appointment was for 7:25 but I arrived early and was able to do my audition early. I was immediately approached by a guy I have seen in various auditions around town. Could not remember his name at the moment, but I know now: Bob Smith. Nice guy.

At the sign in table was a “Guest Artist” from Barefoot in the Park, the DELIVERY MAN was such a small role, that Button Theatre decided to sale the role. I don’t remember her name. I am so bad with names.

Once in the theatre to audition, the auditors were Ginny Lockhart (Assistant Director of Barefoot in the Park) and Kelly Knowlton (Stage Manager for Barefoot in the Park). They had me do a dramatic monologue and then the same monologue with a British accent. I had been working on a British Northern accent (Yorkshire) so I did that. The stopped me about half way though and said that is all they needed to see. Very quick.

I did find out that because so many people wanted to audition for the play, Monday night was added a an additional night for auditions. That is great.

Today, I received an email inviting me back for Thursday’s callback for the role of MAJOR METCALF. There were two other recipients on that email: Bob Smith mentioned above and George Crolius who I have seen at auditions around town as well. There may be more than the three of us called back for that role.

Of the three, I think I look least like I have retired from the British Army. I can add makeup and age myself. I may do a little of that for the callback.

Audition Notice: The Mousetrap

Button Theatre is holding non-equity auditions for Agatha Christie’s The Mousetrap on Tuesday, April 28 from 7 to 10pm at The Red Clay Theatre in downtown Duluth.

Please prepare a one minute dramatic monologue and be prepared to perform a small section in a Brittish accent.

Call backs will be held on Thrusday, April 30 from 7 to 10pm. You may be asked to do a cold reading at either the audition or the call back.

Reherasals will begin in June. The show will run from July 17 to August 2.

All actors will be paid. To make an appointment, please call 678-407-0772 or email MC at mconti (at) button theatre . com.

For character descriptions, directions and other information please visit us at www.buttontheatre.com

Character Descriptions:

* Mollie Ralston – proprietor of Monkswell Manor, and wife of Giles. Although initially above suspicion, it later transpires Mollie made a secret trip to London on the same day Maureen Lyon was murdered.

* Giles Ralston – husband of Mollie who runs Monkswell Manor with his wife. The very first suspect, as Giles enters the stage dressed in clothing similar to that worn by the killer. It transpires Giles also made a secret trip to London on the day Maureen Lyon was murdered. Even Mollie begins to suspect Giles, when she realises she has known him just a year and knows nothing of his background.

* Christopher Wren – the first guest to arrive at the hotel, Wren is a hyperactive young man, who is depicted as acting in a very peculiar manner. He admits he is running away from something, but refuses to admit what. The audience quickly leaps to the conclusion he was one of the abused children, driven schizophrenic by repeated abuse and now a murderer. Wren claims to be named after the architect of the same name.

* Mrs Boyle – a critical older woman who is pleased by nothing she observes. A former magistrate, we discover she had placed the three children in Maureen Lyon’s care. Shortly afterwards she is murdered and therefore the only character above suspicion.

* Major Metcalf – retired from the army, little is known about Major Metcalf. Suspicion falls upon him once it is revealed that the father of the three siblings was in the army at the time their mother died, which led to them being put into care.

* Miss Casewell – a strange, aloof woman who speaks offhandedly about the horrific experiences of her childhood. Refusing to give any more away, the natural conclusion is that she is one of the abused children, here to seek a terrible revenge.

* Mr Paravicini – a man of unknown provenance. He appears to be affecting a foreign accent and artificially aged with make-up. Who he is or where he comes from remains a mystery and his refusal to answer a direct question only underlines this point. The audience is encouraged to theorise he is the children’s father, disguised as an elderly foreigner and returned from the army to wreak a terrible revenge.

* Detective Sergeant Trotter – a policeman who arrives in a snow storm saying he has come to protect the guests from the murderer.

* Maureen Lyon (unseen in the play) – the first victim. Mrs Lyon’s real name is Mrs Stanning and she was imprisoned for abusing three siblings – the Corrigan children – left in her and her husband’s foster care. Mr Stanning died in prison and upon her release, Mrs Stanning, seeking anonymity under the name of Maureen Lyon, moved to London where she was murdered.

A False Start

Last nights performance of A Streetcar Named Desire was canceled. At about 5 minutes to curtain, the director and cast received word that Red Clay decided to cancel the show. I don’t believe anyone got a good explanation. Apparently there were only two people who booked ahead of time and showed up. And there was proof of at least one person being turned away with rumors of more.

This upset several cast members as well as the New Dawn Theatre Company Board Members for several reasons: First, New Dawn believes is should be the choice of New Dawn and not Red Clay; Second, the actors were willing to perform for 2 or two hundred. Third, those few could potentially induce others to come see the show… or not see the show.

And Finally, because we had not “Opened” yet, it turned into another night of rehearsal. The entire cast and crew was going to be there anyway. If this was not the official opening it would have been a rehearsal and indeed it turned out to be one.

Besides, could it have hurt to have that ticket money in the pocket? Will those people who were turned away even come back? What is there impression of being asked to leave? Will our heroes even get to perform? Stay tuned.

Really, in the end for last nights fiasco, the fault falls with both Red Clay and New Dawn. Both should have done everything they could to get the word out. I don’t know that they didn’t, but I have not seen evidence that they have ether.

This was a first for me, as far as I can remember. I have performed shows where the cast was larger than the audience, but we still performed. I do hate having small audiences, but at least they were there. They made an effort to come see us and so we performed.

I am used to having small audiences. It happens that way during a run: you can have a large audience one night and a small one the next. But having a show canceled. Now I am worried that all the shows will have a small audience or that another night might be canceled. Not good. It makes me wonder whether I want to work with ether of these groups again. Not only the people who were turned away have a bad impression, but now I do as well.

Anyway, we will try again tonight. Fingers crossed.

A Streetcar Named Desire opens tonight

Tonight we open. The first dramatic role I have had. I have done mostly comedy and family plays with some hints of drama, but not a full on drama. I have been wanting to do one of these for a while. And to have one of the lead roles, even better.

I love playing MITCH. A naive character with lots of emotion. He is very trusting of people and cares a lot for the people around him.

The Red Clay Theatre is nice space for actors. Separate Men’s and Women’s dressing rooms, very large.

I do hope we get good crowds. 15 shows on three weekends. Thursday through Sunday with two shows on Saturday.

More info here.