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Dickens Christmas Fair 2006 October Missive #1
(sent October 4th, 2006)

Hello everyone! Happy October!

Lots of audition notices and other goodies in this missive. Please remember to contact the individual posters of notices, rather than replying back to me

In This Missive:
Character Auditions October 5th and 6th
More Movie Versions of Oliver Twist
Alice in the Streets
Request for Replacements for Stolen Costumes (High School)
Scrooge is Looking for Wheels & Gigs
Dickens Family Parlor/Tavistock House Casting
Help the Great Race and Get Your Who's Your Daddy T-Shirts Online (Deadline This Thursday)


Character Auditions October 5th and 6th
Character Auditions start this Thursday, here in San Francisco. We are most especially looking for actors to play:

Mrs. Cratchit (Christmas Carol)
Tiny Tim (Christmas Carol)
Several Cratchit children (Christmas Carol)
Ghost of Christmas Past (Christmas Carol)
Topper (Christmas Carol)

Nancy (Oliver Twist)

Sam Weller (Pickwick Papers)

Smike (Nicholas Nickleby )
Madeline Bray (Nicholas Nickleby )
Kate Nickleby (Nicholas Nickleby )
Charles, Edwin & Frank Cheeryble (Nicholas Nickleby )

James Steerforth (David Copperfield)
Wilkins Micawber (David Copperfield)
Emma Micawber (Mrs) (David Copperfield)
Clara Peggotty (David Copperfield)
Betsy Trotwood (David Copperfield)

Philip "Pip" Pirrip (Great Expectations)
Herbert Pocket (Great Expectations)
Mr. Wemmick (Great Expectations)
Abel Magwich (Great Expectations)

The previous (and more complete) list is available at http://www.cattaylor.com/090606.htm There may have been a few changes since that was posted, when in doubt about a specific character, the above list is the more current.

Book character auditions will be held on October 5th and 6th starting at 7:00PM at my home in San Francisco. Since I don't really want to publish my home address in a missive, you will be given the address when you sign up for a time for your auditions. The location is easily accessible by public transportation and there are no pets for those of you with allergies. No smoking, please.

If you would like to audition for one of these roles, please email Robert Young at robert@redbarnproductions.org with the following information:

1. Your full name, email address and phone number
2. The character(s) you would like to audition for. (Please prepare a bit of the dialogue for that character - see web resources above - and be prepared to improvise as that character.)
3. Your first, second and third choice of audition time on October 5th or 6th. The auditions will be scheduled at 15 minute intervals, please be patient as we sometimes get a bit behind when auditioning promising actors.
4. Optional: A brief note of any experience you would like us to know about. We will have applications and accept resumes (not required) at the auditions.


More Movie Versions of Oliver Twist
(from Robert Young)
1) 1982 version with George C Scott and Tim Curry has considerable merit.
2) 1948 version with Alec Guinnes as Fagin and Anthony Newley as Doger.
3) Full length story: 1985 TV mini-series (6 Hrs - 12 epsds) with Eric Porter as Fagin, Michael Attwell as Sykes
    (and Miriam Margolys as Mrs. Corney!)
4) 1922 version with Lon Chaney as Fagin and Jackie Coogan as Oliver is definitely worth a viewing.

There's also a 1999 TV mini-series that I haven't seen.  The one with  Andy Serkis as Sykes, Michael Kitchen as Brownlow and Keira Knightley as Rose (368 minutes  in 4 - 1.5 hr epsds). Reviews suggest that this one does not follow the book particularly strictly, but that the background detail is excellent.


Alice in the Streets
Hi! Are you looking for something fun to do at Dickens? Come and join the cast of Alice in Wonderland.
I am casting for the parts listed below. Please know that some of the parts have already been cast and many will be double cast due to work schedules and the such. I am looking for people who are very outgoing and have strong improve skills.
If you have a crazy schedule don't worry we can figure it out! If you are interested you can contact me via email at *alicedirector@sbcglobal.net *or via cell phone* 925-864-9039.*
*List of characters to be cast*:
Cards (4 people)
Door Mouse
March Hare
Alice #2 ( must be between ages 7-9)
White Rabbit
Thanks and Good Luck
Robyn Agpalo-Barnett
alicedirector@sbcglobal.net


Request for Replacements for Stolen Costumes (High School)
Over the summer, my high schools drama department was vandalized. We lost most of our costumes. I was hoping that people may be able to donate costumes of almost any era that would fit a highschooler. You can give them to me at workshops or Dickens Fair.
Katherine Pruyn
kat.ryn.ronoh@gmail.com
925-328-0177


Scrooge is Looking for Wheels & Gigs
To help make ends meet I looking for contacts with Schools, libraries or Christmas events who may be interested in my dramatic reading of Dickens shorter version of A Christmas Carol, takes about one and half hours.

Also I'm looking for anyone who may be able to help me regarding a set of wheels while I'm there as I have to be in so many places, not easily serviced by public transport.
Thanks!
Martin Harris
martinharrisusuk@hotmail.com


Dickens Family Parlor/Tavistock House Casting
Dickens Family Parlor/Tavistock House is looking for young men in their early teens to mid 20s to portray 5 of Dickens' sons. Specifically looking to cast:
 
Francis Jeffrey (Frank) Dickens - early/mid 20s; 5th child also known as "Chickenstalker"; curious and energetic he will later go on to become a police inspector.
 
Alfred D'Orsay Tennyson Dickens - late teens/early 20s; 6th child also known as "Skittles"; will eventually immigrate to Australia
 
Sydney Smith Haldimand Dickens - mid-late teens; 7th child; eager to please his father and will eventually join the Navy
 
Henry Fielding (Harry) Dickens - early teens; 8th child - very athletic and a keen sportsman; will eventually go on to practice law
 
Edward Bulwer Lytton Dickens - early teens; 10th child - also known as "Plorn"; will eventually leave his family at 16 and join his brother Alfred in Australia
 
We're looking for young actors who are energetic, eager to create an engaging character, and have some experience with improv and a sense of the Victorian period. Benefits include great environment area (Tavistock House), gourmet meals, and the instant London celebrity of being one of Dickens' brood. We will be auditioning at first workshops weekend and if you are interested, please send an email to Claudia Weeks at claudiaweeks@hotmail.com.


Help the Great Race and Get Your Who's Your Daddy T-Shirts Online (Deadline This Thursday)
Tally - Ho!
October 5th is rapidly approaching! Don't delay! Please pitch in and order your "Who's Your Daddy?" t-shirts today! Remember, they're $20 per shirt, and all the proceeds help The Great Race of London (buying bikes, prizes for patrons, etc.). You may either snail mail a check for $20 (made out) to:
Peter Overstreet
1012 A Oak St.
Alameda, CA 94501

OR...

You can make a secure payment on PayPal (my account I.D. is "petethecreeper")

The deadline for ordering shirts is Oct. 5th ... so time is running out. Once they are printed, I will be giving you all your shirts on the first day of Dickens Fair workshops.

IF there is enough of a demand, I may print up a small run of shirts that can be purchased during first day of workshops (for those of you who can't pre-order them). If I do this, though, they will be men's style shirts only in Large, X-Large and XX-Large only. But we'll see how this goes....

NEWS: WHO'S YOUR DADDY CONTEST!

"A contest?" The answer is "YES!" Once the t-shirts arrive, and they've been distributed...I will be holding a "Who's Your Daddy" t-shirt contest. The object is to send me a photo of you in your t-shirt in an exotic locale...provocative pose...anything. Be creative. The photo I like the best will win a prize (yet to be determined). I will announce the rules and deadline at a future date...so keep your eyes open. 

THANK YOU ALL for your support. It is my intention to rally all of us together as an ensemble...every cast together in one great cause...and your help has made me smile.

Take care.

-Pete
petethecreeper@yahoo.com



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