Julie
Generes, director of SLT’s production of William Shakespeare’s A Midsummer
Night’s Dream, shares her Top 10 Audition Tips and a description of characters
ahead of the upcoming auditions.
Auditions will be held on Sunday, November 30
and Monday, December 1, at 7 p.m. both nights, at Slidell Little Theatre.
Auditions are open to the public and to all ages.
A rehearsal
schedule will be available on the evening of auditions. Performance dates are January
16, 17, 18, 23, 24, 25, 29, 30, 31 and February 1.
Synopsis:
Lysander loves Hermia, and Hermia loves Lysander. Helena
loves Demetrius; Demetrius used to love Helena but now loves Hermia. Egeus,
Hermia's father, prefers Demetrius as a suitor, and enlists the aid of Theseus,
the Duke of Athens, to enforce his wishes upon his daughter. According to
Athenian law, Hermia is given four days to choose between Demetrius, life in a
nunnery, or a death sentence. Hermia, ever defiant, chooses to escape with
Lysander into the surrounding forest. And then things get really
complicated.
Top Ten
Audition Tips
1.
READ
THE PLAY. If some of the Shakespeare-speak is baffling, No Fear Shakespeare
online gives you modern text right next to the original text. It is MOSTLY
accurate and will give you a feel for how to say the lines
2.
Be
prepared for cold readings from the script. No monologues required.
3.
Don’t
even show up to auditions if you like your Shakespeare stuffy. This is going to
be fun. I mean it.
4.
Please
do not stab, gun down, or run over anyone with your car who you perceive to be
your competition. I hate that.
5.
We
need lots of fairies. If you are not given a speaking role, please consider it.
Fairies will be very busy in this show, If you have a young child who wishes to
be a faerie, they will not be required
at all rehearsals, and will never stay late until tech week. Small children
must audition, but I’m not telling ANY little kid they aren’t cast. So if they
show up, they’re in. It’s up to you if you share that last bit with them.
6.
I
like to be told how pretty I am
7.
I
may ask you to stop and read something in a totally different way. This is not
me messing with you. I want to see that you can take direction. I also have
wacky ideas for this play
8.
Consider
smaller roles. ALL the roles in this show are fun. Even Hippolyta. Actually,
especially her. Consider not just putting “Puck or nothing” on your audition
sheet.
9.
If
you wear flip flops to auditions, I will make you take them off. Barefoot is
preferable to that flappy noise
10.
Dress
comfortably (except for flip flops), try not to be nervous, BREATHE, come to
have fun.
Midsummer
Character Breakdown
Theseus - Duke of Athens. Age 20-50 Regal,
full of himself
Egeus - father to Hermia. Age 35-100
Typical Dad who wants his daughter to marry who he tells her to – or die.
Lysander - in love with Hermia. age 16-30
Demetrius - in love with Hermia. Was in love
with Helena, but that was like ages ago. At least a week or two. Age 16-35
Philostrate - Master of the revels to Theseus.
Age -20-100
Quince, Snug, Flute, Snout,
Starveling- These
are the Mechanicals. Any Age. Their sole purpose in the play is to rehearse and
perform a show for Theseus on his wedding night. They do this in an hysterical
manner.
Bottom - Friend and fellow thespian of
Quince, Snug, etc. Accepts fantasy as being just as tangible as reality. Any
age
Hippolyta - Queen of the Amazons. Engaged to
Theseus. Age 20-40
Hermia -daughter to Egeus, in love with
Lysander. Age 16-30
Helena -in love with Demetrius. Age 16-30
Oberon- king of the fairies Age 20-100
Titania - queen of the fairies. Age 20-100
Robin Goodfellow (Puck) - Maker of mischief. Age 16-100
Peas-blossom, Cobweb, Mustard-seed - fairies with speaking roles. Will
also dance. Age-10-100
Lots and lots of fairies- Boys, girls, men, women. Any age.
Wear crazy costumes, irritate and entertain the audience. Throw candy, dance,
acrobatics, silliness, and whatever else we think up.
The Northshore’s premier community theatre since 1963, Slidell
Little Theatre is a 501
(c) 3 nonprofit, all-volunteer organization dedicated to engaging, educating,
and involving members of the community in high quality theatrical productions.
SLT is supported by a grant from the Louisiana Division of the Arts, Office of
Cultural Development, Department of Culture, Recreation and Tourism in
cooperation with the Louisiana State Arts Council as administered by the St.
Tammany Commission on Cultural Affairs.
--30--
A
resident of Slidell for the past 34 years, Glenn Dieterich is a self-trained
artist. A graduate of Loyola University with a Bachelor’s Degree in
Communications, his career began in the art department of WWL-TV eventually
leading to the position of television director for 22 years.
