NURTURING TALENT THROUGH SUCCESSFUL AUDITIONS
Plus, your weekly round-up of theatre news you may have missed!
Welcome to The Scene, your weekly round-up of theatre news you may have missed. In this week’s email:
BROADWAY BEAT- Step Inside The Shark Is Broken's Starry Opening Night on Broadway | Comedic Broadway Scene Stealer Jennifer Simard Says She Prefers the Drama | Sony Masterworks Broadway Releases Remastered Versions of Sondheim's Company, Sweeney Todd, Into the Woods, Assassin | Love Letters to Return to Irish Rep With Matthew Broderick, Brooke Shields, Victor Garber, More in Limited Runs
HOT TOPICS - Hillsborough schools cut back on Shakespeare, citing new Florida rules | Aaron Sorkin’s Mockingbird Adaptation Can Be Staged Anywhere, Judge Says | Can These Three Much-Loved Musicals Ever Be Truly Revived? | US love affair with stage faces crisis: ‘Hardest time to be producing theater’ | Hamilton announces partnership with a gaming company to launch a ‘Hamilton Simulator’ on Roblox
WEST END WATCH - Rachel Tucker to Share Role of Norma Desmond in London Sunset Boulevard With Nicole Scherzinger | Attendance Is Up at 2023 Edinburgh Festival Fringe; 1,000,000 Tickets Sold So Far | Watch West End's Jocasta Almgill Perform Grease's 'There Are Worse Things I Could Do' | The story behind Elvis’ musical revolution makes it global debut
THE BIG IDEA – Nurturing Talent through Successful Auditions
PLAYSCRIPTS FREE READS - Free Reads for August 2023
The Broadway Beat
STEP INSIDE THE SHARK IS BROKEN'S STARRY OPENING NIGHT ON BROADWAY - Christian Slater, LaChanze, Tuc Watkins, and more caught Alex Brightman, Ian Shaw, and Colin Donnell in the comedy set behind the scenes of the original Jaws film.
COMEDIC BROADWAY SCENE STEALER JENNIFER SIMARD SAYS SHE ACTUALLY PREFERS THE DRAMA - The two-time Tony nominee is currently starring in the Britney Spears jukebox musical ‘Once Upon a One More Time’ at the Marquis Theatre.
SONY MASTERWORKS BROADWAY RELEASES REMASTERED VERSIONS OF SONDHEIM'S COMPANY, SWEENEY TODD, INTO THE WOODS, ASSASSINS - The late composer and lyricist consulted on the series of remixed and remastered cast recordings before his passing in 2021.
LOVE LETTERS TO RETURN TO IRISH REP WITH MATTHEW BRODERICK, BROOKE SHIELDS, VICTOR GARBER, MORE IN LIMITED RUNS - The drama following two friends exchanging letters over time had a sold-out run last spring.
Hot Topics
HILLSBOROUGH SCHOOLS CUT BACK ON SHAKESPEARE, CITING NEW FLORIDA RULES - The decision is aimed at better performance on state tests and avoiding sexual content found in some of the Bard’s work.
AARON SORKIN’S MOCKINGBIRD ADAPTATION CAN BE STAGED ANYWHERE, JUDGE SAYS - A federal judge ruled that a competing theater company no longer has exclusive rights to produce ‘To Kill a Mockingbird’ in community and school theaters.
CAN THESE THREE MUCH-LOVED MUSICALS EVER BE TRULY REVIVED? – ‘Candide’ in an opera house. ‘Spamalot’ and ‘Rent’ cheek by jowl with Shakespeare. But treating them as classics may not be doing them justice.
US LOVE AFFAIR WITH STAGE FACES CRISIS: ‘HARDEST TIME TO BE PRODUCING THEATER’ - With audience attendance still down, many theaters across the US are struggling to adjust to a post-pandemic landscape.
HAMILTON ANNOUNCES PARTNERSHIP WITH GAMING COMPANY TO LAUNCH ‘HAMILTON SIMULATOR’ ON ROBLOX - The simulator is an immersive online experience inspired by the Tony-winning musical.
West End Watch
RACHEL TUCKER TO SHARE ROLE OF NORMA DESMOND IN LONDON SUNSET BOULEVARD WITH NICOLE SCHERZINGER - The revival of the Andrew Lloyd Webber musical, directed by Jamie Lloyd, begins in September.
ATTENDANCE IS UP AT 2023 EDINBURGH FESTIVAL FRINGE; 1,000,000 TICKETS SOLD SO FAR - As the festival nears its halfway point, early data is showing encouraging recovery from the effects of the pandemic.
WATCH WEST END'S JOCASTA ALMGILL PERFORM GREASE'S 'THERE ARE WORSE THINGS I COULD DO' - Nikolai Foster again directs Jim Jacobs and Warren Casey’s '50s-set musical in London.
THE STORY BEHIND ELVIS’ MUSICAL REVOLUTION MAKES IT GLOBAL DEBUT - A new musical, which makes its global debut, explores how the king of rock' n roll changed popular music forever.
The Big Idea
Nurturing Talent through Successful Auditions
Auditions are the gateway to discovering raw talent and unleashing the creative potential within our students. As you prepare yourself and your students for the next auditions, The Scene is here to help by offering some guidance on conducting successful auditions for your next high school production. Let's start this journey together and help ensure a prosperous and inclusive experience for all.
Step 1: Set the Stage
Creating an environment that fosters trust and encouragement is crucial. From the initial casting announcement to the audition day, communicate your expectations clearly and often. Provide ample information on the play or musical, the roles available, character descriptions, the audition process, selection criteria, and any required materials for preparation. Encourage students of all experience levels to participate, emphasizing that auditions are an opportunity for growth and self-expression.
Step 2: The Audition Process
During auditions, creating a warm and welcoming atmosphere where students feel comfortable showcasing their talents is essential. Promote a supportive environment by encouraging students to cheer on their peers(if they stay in the room during auditions). Remind them that auditions are not just about individual success but also about creating an ensemble that harmonizes as one. Also, remind them that you, as the director, not only want them to be successful.
Step 3: Communicating with Parents
Parents play a vital role in supporting their child's passion for the arts. Establish open lines of communication by hosting a parent meeting early on in the rehearsal process, if not before auditions. Once in rehearsal, send occasional newsletters and emails that outline the audition process and provide details on other topics such as casting, trial, and production schedules, and of course, other activities in which parents can also be involved. Everyone has many extra events and activities, so encourage parents to be involved and offer their support.
Step 4: Celebrating Success and Managing Disappointment
After auditions, it is essential to communicate the results with sensitivity and care. Celebrate the achievements of those who secured roles and offer constructive feedback to those who did not. Emphasize that casting decisions do not reflect an individual's worth but rather a complex puzzle that strives to create the best possible ensemble for the production. Encourage disappointed students to channel their energy into other production areas, such as stage crew or assisting with set design, fostering a sense of belonging and purpose.
Step 5: Nurturing the Ensemble
Once the cast is selected, it is time to embark on the rehearsal journey. Establish clear expectations and a supportive environment where collaboration and creativity can flourish. Please encourage students to connect, fostering a sense of camaraderie that will strengthen their performances on stage.
Remember, you teach students about the arts and impart valuable life skills such as teamwork, discipline, and resilience. Each student who walks through your audition doors possesses unique potential waiting to be harnessed. As you embark on this rewarding journey, remember that auditions are just the beginning. The true magic lies in the transformative power of the arts, where students discover their voices, explore their passions, and create memories that will last a lifetime.
FREE READS
Read entire plays for free! These titles are perfect for your theatre, school, and competition performances. Simply scroll over the title, click on the "READ NOW" button, and enjoy!
Santa Claus Might Not be Coming to Town
by Don Zolidis
THE STORY: Dipsy the Elf is fed up with the way Santa’s Workshop is run. And she’s not the only one—tired of an increasingly long Christmas season and the demand for more complicated toys, Santa Claus leaves the North Pole, escaping to a glacier with a legion of penguins who worship him. Now, it’s up to Dipsy and her misfit friends to find Santa and teach him the true meaning of Christmas: good working conditions for all.
One act | 35 - 45 minutes | 20 Any (16-24 actors possible) | Set: Flexible
A Wicked Christmas Carol
THE STORY: The Wicked Witch of the West wasn't always that way, and when a ghostly figure whisks her away on a journey through her past, present, and future, she may find a second chance on Christmas Eve. Can familiar faces help to melt the Witch's heart, or is she doomed to melt away herself? A Christmas classic gets a thrilling transformation, set in the magical world of L. Frank Baum's Oz books.
Holiday | 110 - 120 minutes | 14 W, 10 M, 7 Any (10-40 actors possible: 7-37 W, 3-33 M) | Set: Simple set pieces representing various locations in Oz.
World War II Radio Christmas Play
THE STORY: This moving holiday show recreates the experience of attending a recording of a 1940s radio show broadcast on Christmas Eve during World War II. Using period songs and stories inspired by actual veterans, World War II Radio Christmas transports the audience to another time, brought to you by such generous sponsors as Vaseline Hair Tonic and Ipana Toothpaste. An inspiring look at strength in the face of hardship, this play is a reminder of the importance of coming together for the holidays.
Live Radio Play with Music | 60 - 70 minutes | 4 W, 4 M, 1 Any (6-16 actors possible: 3-8 W, 3-8 M) |Set: A sound stage with two or three microphones, labeled with call letters of the radio station; "On The Air" and "Applause" signs; chairs for actors not in sketches; cart with sound effects props, outfitted with a microphone. Musical accompaniment can range from a simple piano to a full band.
Unbreakable Timmy Cratchit
by Tyler Dwiggins, Kathryn Funkhouser
THE STORY: There are people who are excited about Christmas, and then there's Tiny Tim Cratchit - he's never met a seasonal sweater he didn't love. When he discovers his overworked parents could use some extra cheer this year, the oddball optimist drafts his skeptical sister Belinda into a last-minute quest to make enough money to buy the perfect gifts. The entitled customers, pushy elves, and ruthless carolers shopping on Christmas Eve are enough to test the most festive soul, but generosity comes from unlikely places in this galloping, joyful reversal of A Christmas Carol.
Comedy | 30 - 35 minutes | 14 W, 9 M, 23 Any (9-40 actors possible: 0-40 W, 0-40 M) | Set: Flexible.
Polar Twilight
THE STORY: When three candidates are called to interview for a PR position at the North Pole, they expect to find a dream job gift-wrapped for them. But all that changes once they meet Big Red himself -- suddenly, everything they thought they knew about him is proven terrifyingly wrong. Even if this revelation has sucked all the life out of the legend for them, the alternative is worse: what would happen if everyone knew? Can they help Santa maintain his jolly public image, or could this be the end of Christmas as we know it?
Comedy | 20 - 25 minutes | 3 W, 3 M, (6 actors possible: 0-5 W, 1-6 M) | Set: Simple staging.