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Dickens Christmas Fair 2007 September Missive #3 - Auditions, etc.
(sent September 26th 2007)

As usual, please contact the individual posters about the items below, including me where specified...

Just a few things today. First a reminder that Pirates auditions are this evening (there may be more) and Legion Fantastique auditions are tomorrow evening. I've also included a notice regarding our need for a pianist at the V&A that can be posted wherever it might be helpful. It's already on a couple of lists and up at Craig's List.

Also, I've added a number of downloadable files and copyable text on my missives page at http://www.cattaylor.com/missives.html Here's what's there:

Dickens Fair Web Coupon (pdf)
Dickens Fair Web Coupon (smaller jpg)
Book Character Audition Announcement (pdf)
Book Character Audition Announcement (text)
Book Character Audition Form (pdf)
Pirates of Penzance Audition Announcement (pdf)
Pirates of Penzance Audition Form(pdf)

Thanks everybody!

Cat

In This Missive:
Pianist Needed for the V&A - Very Important!
Auditions for  for "Pirates of Penzance" - Tonight!
Auditions for La Legion Fantastique! - Tomorrow Night!



Pianist Needed for Great Dickens Christmas Fair
Rehearsal & performance pianist needed for a 60 minute adaptation of "Pirates of Penzance" and other shows on the Victoria and Albert Music Hall stage at  The Great Dickens Christmas Fair. Must be able to play Gilbert & Sullivan music as well as improvisatory melodrama style. Compensation TBA."

The Great Dickens Fair will be open 11:00AM  - 7:00PM every weekend day between Thanksgiving and Christmas (November 24th - December 23rd), plus the special opening day, Friday November 23rd. It takes place in the lower buildings of San Francisco's Cow Palace, in which we build Victorian London.

Pianist is needed for the The Victoria & Albert Theatre, which has shows from approximately 11:30AM to 6:00PM, with breaks during non-musical performances.

Please contact Cat Taylor at cat@redbarnproductions.org and include resume or webpage and references if possible.

For more information on the Great Dickens Christmas Fair, please see http://www.dickensfair.com/



Auditions for  for "Pirates of Penzance" Wednesday September 26th
Co-directors Cat Taylor & Robert Young are holding auditions for selected roles in the revival of their widely acclaimed 60-minute production of Gilbert & Sullivan’s  "Pirates of Penzance" performed last at the Dickens Christmas Fair in 2002. Originally adapted by Cat Taylor and  John Cole for the 1987 Dickens Christmas Fair, the production will be performed once a day on the Victoria & Albert Music Hall stage, each day of the fair. The Great Dickens Fair will be open 11:00AM  - 7:00PM every weekend day between Thanksgiving and Christmas (November 24th - December 23rd), plus the special opening day, Friday November 23rd.

This production is a largely volunteer effort for everyone involved and we will be asking the performers involved to help out as much as possible with costuming. We are currently checking to see what costumes, props and scenery pieces are available from the 2002 production, but will certainly need help on some items. Pirates costumes can be adapted from Renaissance Faire costumes and much of the remaining we will be creating ourselves or finding it wherever we are able to do so.  If you are not cast in the production but would like to help out, we will be extremely pleased to have your help in costume production, set construction and in other behind-the-scenes capacities.

The available roles are:

Mabel, soprano. She knows what she wants (Frederic) and how to go about getting it. Considering there is much musical parody of Verdi’s Violetta (in La Traviata) -- especially Mabel’s Act I cadenzas -- she must have excellent coloratura and power, a soaring lyric soprano. There are numerous high B-flats throughout the score.

Edith, soprano. She has a couple of short but important solos and a bit of dialogue in Act I. Requires a strong soprano voice. Also a member of the chorus.

Kate, mezzo. Has one short solo and a bit of dialogue. Also a member of the chorus.

Isabel. No solo singing, but a few lines of dialogue. Also a member of the chorus.

Female Chorus are all wards of Major General Stanley, unattached young ladies.

Male Chorus all sing Act I as members of the pirate band. In Act II, the tenors continue as pirates, while the basses become police!

If you are auditioning for the chorus, prepare one verse of a song, which displays your range, projection, diction, and ability to sing on pitch. It can be from G&S (preferred) or something similar, or even your favorite national anthem -- anything simple and straight forward which will give us a chance to compare your voice with others we hear.

If you are auditioning for a principal role, prepare a solo number for the character in Pirates you hope to play, or a solo from any opera or light opera for a character which requires a similar voice. Please bring sheet music for your pieces. You will also be asked to read some dialogue from Pirates.

Auditions will be held in San Francisco on Wednesday September 26th, starting at 7:00. The 15 minute auditions will be by appointment only, audition location will be given at the time of scheduling (it's in a private home)

Please contact Cat Taylor at cat@redbarnproductions.org to schedule an audition.


Auditions for La Legion Fantastique!  Thursday, Sept. 27th
Blending the scientific with the incredible, La Legion Fantastique is a unique attraction exploring the science fiction works of Jules Verne. We are currently seeking talented souls who can be big and wild, and have a love for Victorian science fiction
A list of characters we are looking for can be seen here:
http://mrphileasfogg.wordpress.com/2007/09/06/actor-auditions/
Here are some helpful links:
http://www.julesverne.ca/hetzelpos…cters.html
http://www.jules-verne.co.uk/
You can also find links to complete texts of Verne’s novels online. Wikipedia is a great place to start.
If you would like to audition, please email our director, Peter Overstreet, at: poverstreet@gmail.com.
Please let me know what character(s) you are interested in playing and evenings you are available. I will contact each of you with audition times and location.
Thank you.
-Pete


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