I knew the words “we’ll never do that show” will come back to haunt me. It only took four years.

After rather low turn outs at auditions and performances last year (excepting the second Saturday night. Wow… 170? The hillside was packed!), we decided that it was best to go mainstream again and revive interest in the show. Granted we have some regulars (we love you!), but we felt that in order to reach a newer audience and introduce more people (to get more regulars) we had to dip back into the popular shows. So, we’re going to be brave and give high school boys swords do Romeo and Juliet.

Well, the strike through isn’t entirely accurate. We will be giving boys swords, but there’s more to the show than that.  We will do some dancing, some romancing and some Shakespearing. (Shakespeare can be a verb, right? To Shakespeare or not to Shakespeare… that is the question.)

Auditions are May 10, 11 and 12 at the Historic Holmes Theatre.  Put it on your calendar.

18 roles, 10 men and 8 women. (Yes, there was some gender-bending.) We need YOU!

Two out of three ain’t bad, right?

Friday night went beautifully and it was a gorgeous night in the park and Saturday night went even better on another nice night!

Sunday there was threat of very heavy rain during the show so it was preemptively cancelled, giving the cast a much-deserved day off.

Crowds were smallish, but that is OK for an opening weekend. We’re just hoping everyone remembers that there is still another weekend to come to the show! Here’s hoping for another great weekend!!

Rehearsals have been going great.

The toughest part of working with community theatre is remembering that everyone has a busy schedule. So rarely do we have the entire cast there on the same night, which makes for interesting rehearsals.  Now that we are getting closer it’s getting easier to get everyone there, but naturally with summer in the lakes there is always someone who has a conflict.

The cast has done great with the language. The meanings of the lines are clear, and they’re comfortable enough with the lines to begin to play with them a bit, and even more meaning is coming out with that aspect. Memorization is always hard, but the cast is understanding that you have to read the part out loud (often with a partner) in order to *really* get it. On any given night you can see random cast members walking around the park when they’re not on stage rehearsing their parts in small groups. It’s kind of funny, and people strolling through the park often stop to watch.

Tonight we’ll have our first run in with Tuesdays in the Park, so we’ll have an hour to run lines before the full rehearsal gets started. It’s going to be exciting to see the final product of all of this work!!

Rehearsals have been going well!

The cast has been challenged with starting to break down the text: figuring out what is prose and what is verse, finding the rhythm in the speech, figuring out where the character’s thought patterns change… etc. and they’ve been doing GREAT!

It’s fun to see them really dig into the script and find the characters in all those words. We’re also starting to work out some of the knotty problems of the play itself… why does the Countess support Helena rather than her son? Is Bertram really a jerk? Is Helena crazy?

This is going to be a GREAT show.

Love this summer show? Want to help it grow?

YOUR support in any dollar amount helps this show go up each year. Please see our giving site at:

http://givemn.razoo.com/story/Shakespeare-In-The-Park-4

Thank you thank you thank you for your support of this crazy project!

We have a few roles still to fill!

If you are intersted please email Nikki before Saturday at: nikki@detroitlakesxcski.com.

Thanks!

Here is our current cast list! Due to low turnout at auditions we are still looking for a few more folks to fill a role. If you know of anyone, or are interested please contact the director at nikki@detroitlakesxcski.com.

Amazing set of auditions- very impressed by everyone who came out!

Katie Anderson- Mariana
Kodi Boit- Page/Attendant to the King
Daryl Frazier – King
Bobby Heimark- 1st Lord
Olivia Hoff- Helena
Allison Spurlin- Rinalda (Stewardess)
Joy Sunram- Countess
Kajsa Vave -Page/Attendant to the King

STILL NEED:
Male, any age 2nd Lord
20-35 year old male Bertram
20-35 year old male Parolles
30+ male (or female) Lafeu
30+ year female Widow
18-22 year old female Diana

Scripts will be available for pickup after Tuesday, May 17th at the DLCCC, or you can email Nikki for a copy. nikki@detroitlakesxcski.com

First rehearsal is MONDAY, MAY 23rd at 7 pm in the Holmes Theatre Conference Room. (Same room as auditions)

Good morning!

We will have the cast list up today, but due to some unforeseen circumstances it will be later than noon. We will try to have it posted by 8 pm tonight.

Our sincere apologies on the delay! Thanks for your patience!

HUGE thank you to everyone who auditioned!!!!!

One of the main things directors are looking for in auditions is not only how well you can fit potential roles, but how you can transform yourself fully into the character you are portraying.

1. First do a quick self evaluation. How do you stand? How do you talk? You will need to know this in order to compare it to the character you are portraying.

 2. Next, figure out the following items about your character:

1. How does he/she talk? Is it faster or slower than you do? What is the pitch?
2. How does he/she stand? Where are hands placed? How far apart are feet?
3. How does he/she move?

 3. Take the analysis you did of yourself and compare it to your character. What is different?

1. Try talking as your character. What is difficult for you?
2. Try walking as your character. What is uncomfortable because it is different?
3. Try standing as your character, and talking in the characters voice. Can you maintain both at the same time?

 4. Now start using your chosen audition piece. Move around a little bit as your character while reading the piece. The more comfortable you are with the piece the easier this will be.

5. Take a deep breath and close your eyes and lower your head. As you exhale, open your eyes and when you bring your head up for your next breath you are now 100% in character. Your entire physicality should shift as you bring your head up.

1. You never want to get into character as you are performing your piece. You need to start 100% in character.

6. Make sure you are fully committing to your character. Seeing someone read lines as him or herself or wobbling between himself/herself and the character is awkward. Little things like hands or feet even out of character are distracting.

7. Make sure you have a noticeable shift in vocal quality and physicality between when you put your head down to when you bring it up. Often, actors will practice just this very beginning of their audition to make sure they are fully getting into character.

1. Try do this for someone else and see if they can notice a change.

8. Stay in character for the ENTIRE piece.

1. Again this is where it is great to have someone help you and watch for the moments you break character. Those are the instants that stick out like a sore thumb in otherwise great performance. 

9. Don’t perform your audition to the walls or the side of the room.

10. Keep your hands and feet still unless you have planned gestures for them.  As Hamlet would say, “Do not saw the air thusly”.