MND Monologues

Audition monologues now posted on Rameyweb.com


With the crisp air of fall comes ... Midsummer Night's Dream auditions!


You've noticed (I hope) a quarterly rhythm developing: we do a performance project each quarter. Last time it was a monologue; now we're working on scenes.

Next quarter (Jan -- March) your performance grades will come from Midsummer Night's Dream (MND). That means every drama class student will participate in MND, either as actors or in major backstage positions (stage manager, props manager, light, sound . . . ).

Full information available on Rameyweb. This is just an overview.


AUDITION INFO
When: General Auditions: Monday, November 14th, 3:00pm
Call-backs: Tuesday, November 15th, 3:00pm

What: Prepare to read well a short speech (monologue) by one of the major characters.
List of character monologues is posted online

**You do not have to memorize the speech**
In an ideal world, you would have it memorized. But your off-book date for the scenes is the previous Friday, and I don't want to interfere with that.

Where: Drama classroom

Who: All drama students must audition for at least one role.
If you're primarily interested in a backstage job, you can tell me that on your audition form ... but I want you to audition anyway (for the experience) and I reserve the right to cast you in a role ...

Auditions are open to any student in 6th & above (see CASTING, below)

Bring: A copy of the monologue for the top role you want to try out for.


CASTING

• Major roles (the 4 "lovers"; Puck; Oberon & Titania; Bottom & Flute) will be filled primarily by drama class students and a few faculty members (we don't have enough guys w/o the faculty men). I need you drama folks to be the "backbone" of a strong cast.
  

• Minor roles (the other 4 mechanicals; Theseus & Hippolyta, Egeus; Philostrate; the "talking" fairies) are open to anybody in 6th & up who shows the necessary skills/talent at auditions and "looks" the part (a 6th grader can't play Queen Hippolyta against a faculty member playing Theseus without it just looking silly).
  

• Walk-on roles will be cast last. I need 8-10 kids to fill out the entourage of faries who hang out with Queen Titania & King Oberon. I might also pull a few of those folks to stand around and look servant-ish in Theseus's court (Act I and Act V)

• Backstage Positions are very important. [But parents can fill those spots too, so I'm going to use you onstage first, if I can.] I might approach you with a combination of a minor role and a backstage position ... but I probably won't have roles for everyone in the drama class. So you people who don't love the limelight -- this is your chance to be VERY useful.
  

Calendar (so far)
Auditions
Mon/Tues Nov 14/15

Cast List Posted
by Friday Nov 18

Table Reading of Script
Tuesday, November 29

One Rehearsal a Week
December 5-9
December 12-15

(we'll do some character exploration; do some MND improvs; describe production design & costumes; run through some pivotal scenes ... just getting your feet wet)

Off Book Date
(All lines memorized!!)
Monday, January 9
(School starts up the previous week)

Expect Two Rehearsals / Week
All of January & February

Longer Rehearsals (full run)
February 20-24

Dress & Tech Rehearsal
Sat, Feb 25 (probably 9am--1pm)

Performances
(Dates not yet certain)
Tuesday, Feb 28 (7pm)
Thursday, March 2 (7pm)
Saturday, March 4 (2pm matinee)

Cast Party
Saturday, March 4 (evening)?
Could also be on Friday ....

_________

If February looks like a bear already .... I agree with ya.
(I've got my masters' comprehensive exams on the 23rd/24th, so it's not looking too hot for me either....)

But ....
I'm going to ask the other teachers to extend grace and make sure major projects don't come due in Feburary/first week of March.
I'm also going to ask Mr. Bills about ways to provide "homework grace."
I'm definitely not assigning homework during performance week and hopefully I can get all the other teachers to do the same thing.


Despite the work, it's gonna be a LOT of fun.
can't wait ....
:)