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Dickens Christmas Fair 2008 October Missive #2
(sent October 23rd, 2008)

Hello everyone,

There are a bunch of announcements today, please especially note the last one regarding Dickens character auditions, it's only at the end because it includes the list of characters, which makes it a bit longer.

Next week's missive should include the workshop schedule, which Robert is currently working on. Please remember that workshops will be held on November 8th, 9th, 15th and 16th, starting at 10:00AM at Sunset Ridge Elementary School in Pacifica,
*not November 1st and 2nd*
If you show up those days you will be very lonely.

Cat


In This Missive:
30th Anniversary Commemorative Color Album - Survey Deadline 10/31!!
Marketing Update #1 - From Kevin
Paid Promotional Gig at Union Square,
20,000 Leagues Under The Sea Needs an Actor
Calling Mr Scrooge
Annie's Cheap Hoops and Hair Again!
Attention Egyptians, Sprites and Spooks
Chris Caswell on KALW this Saturday
Want to Put The Dickens in Dickens Fair?


30th Anniversary Commemorative Color Album - Survey Deadline 10/31!!
If you have not already done so, please take a 2 minute survey so we know how long you have participated, etc.:
http://www.surveymonkey.com/s.aspx?sm=t1ddMk19gv5QDuREc2JyAw_3d_3d

If this works out we hope to include everyone who currently does Dickens on our "Years of Participation" Page.

We still need photos YOU at the Fair photo parlor - from any year.  Please scan and email (and tell us the year of the photo if possible).


Marketing Update #1 - From Kevin
We are doing a HUGE promotion with BART.  We will have a FREE continuous shuttle every day of the Fair from the Glen Park Station (only).  Please tell your East Bay & Downtown friends and family. The shuttle will run between 11:15 and 7:15 only. Bart riders will get $5 off adult tickets if they show their BART ticket at the box office.  We have advertising on 110 trains and in all Bay Area ads!

I will have a marketing table set up at the first weekend of workshops (11/8-9).  ALL marketing materials will be available for you to come get.

New marketing tool: beautiful color door hangers with deep discount offers. We need your help - this will be a participant distribution only! We want to invite your neighbors and those who live in target areas you select. We have printed only 10,000 of these.  Please plan to take at least 100 and take a walk or two in your neighborhood or selected areas!  Thank you.


Paid Promotional Gig at Union Square
McWilliams Creative Marketing (the advertising agency for the Dickens Fair) is looking for costumed extraverts!  If you are available ALL or most of the following dates, please send photo (in costume) and your available dates to Cindy <cindy@printradio.tv>

Union Square, San Francisco
Nov. 14, 15, 16, 21, 22, 23 - during busy shopping times - early Friday evening, Saturday all day, Sunday 10-4-ish ...hours are somewhat flexible.

**Yes, you will miss weekend 2 of workshops, so if you get the gig, plan to take all your classes on the 1st workshop weekend**

This is a rather well paid gig for a team of up to 4 people, but you must be available for most or all of the dates. You must also be in head to toe approved costuming, have an attractive nature, and be able to get to Union Square on your own steam.

Thanks!
Kevin


20,000 Leagues Under The Sea Needs an Actor
Legion Fantastique is currently looking for 1 actor (male or female) to fill a part in our stage show "20,000 Leagues Under The Sea". If any of you are interested...we need an actor who would be willing to devote 2 half hour performance slots at the Sugar Plum Playhouse. The show is a lot of fun and the rewards are tremendous (the kids love the show)!  We will be rehearsing on some weeknights before we open at Dickens.

Please contact Peter Overstreet at: legionfantastique@gmail.com if you would like to audition for the part! Please try to contact us BEFORE workshops.

Thank you.
-Peter Overstreet


Calling Mr Scrooge
Anyone who is able to help Martin Harris with contacts for his readings of A Christmas Carol at schools, libraries or community centers etc, please email him at martinharrisusuk@hotmail.com (Email address not included in last missive announcement)
Thank you.


Annie's Cheap Hoops and Hair Again!
 It's time to think about being big and hairy, and not pay an arm and a leg (which would make you quite asymmetrical) for it. Annie is planning to be at the Cow Palace opening weekend, so it should be easier to connect with your hoop and wig orders. Contact Annie Lore at ImminentIdea@aol.com


Also from Annie:
Attention Egyptians, Sprites and Spooks
If you're going to be near downtown Oakland on October 31st, you might want to look in on the Pardee Home Museum's "Haunted Halloween at the Mansion" from 6 to 9. We're doing mummy stuff and fairy stuff and a costume pageant and Melies films and some other things-- there's even still room for a few creative volunteers, especially any aspiring mummy wrappers out there to be priests of Anubis, and people who'd like to be involved in a scrimmed fairy environment. Contact Annie Lore at ImminentIdea@aol.com and visit http://www.the3dfairy.com/ for more details.


Chris Caswell on KALW this Saturday
Hi Friends,
Just wanted to let you know that I'll be on KALW, 91.7 FM this Saturday at 3 p.m. on "Folk Music & Beyond." I'll be playing a bunch of pieces slated for my upcoming concerts, and I hope to be joined by the wonderful cellist Myra Joy.  If you're outside of the SF area, you can hear us at www.kalw.org.

For you harp aficionados, I'll be playing two of my own harps–the Gwydion ancient Celtic with bronze strings, and the "new" Rhiannon nylon-strung. I've re-invented the Rhiannon's soundboard and am using a great-sounding historical alloy in the bass strings.

All the best,

Chris Caswell
myspace.com/chriscaswellharp
caswellharps.com

*Note from Cat that Chris is also playing at the Freight & Salvage in Berkeley on November 6th
http://www.freightandsalvage.com/2008/0811-november/info_081106.html



Want to Put The Dickens in Dickens Fair?
The Other Books group is an ensemble cast that prides itself on showcasing the vast panoply of Dickens' brilliantly wrought characters. The characters are big, bold and quirky. Audience interaction is our raison d'etre and our lives are one big theatrical banquet of scenery chewing throughout the day. We need energy, commitment, fearlessness and willingness to be part of an ensemble. We are interested in casting as many of these characters as possible, which range across all ages, classes and emotional quirks. We encourage interested parties to read one of the books, or at least view one of the superb adaptations currently available to get a clearer picture of these characters.  We will be working entirely in the streets this year.

We are specifically looking for the following characters, although we are willing to cast other characters.  If there is a character in a Dickens book or adaptation that you want to play, or simply find appealing, prepare a brief piece to read, and act, for us.  It will give us a clearer idea of your capabilities and the type of character you want to play.

We will be doing a limited amount of auditioning during the audition/rehearsal period of the first weekend of workshops only.  Bear in mind that auditioning for Dickens characters is like any other theatrical
audition - it is best to come prepared.  When considering auditioning for any of these roles, please take the time to do some research on the character to determine both that it is a role that you would be
able to play and something you would enjoy doing.   Being prepared also makes it easier for you to show yourself at your best and will make the process move more smoothly for all parties.

Participation in the Dickens Fair book character cast requires the ability to make the time and energy commitment, and the willingness to work in an ensemble cast.  If you are cast, it is expected that
your commitment to the cast will be your primary performing responsibility.  You will be expected to provide your own, Dickens approvable, costume, and to abide by the rules of both the Fair and our group.

David Copperfield
David Copperfield - heroic young male ingenue (portrait of the author as a young man)
Uriah Heep - oily, unctuous villain
Betsy Trotwood - David's eccentric but sensible and good-hearted aunt
Dan Peggoty - rough, gruff, salt-of-the-earth friend to David

Great Expectations
Herbert Pocket - Pip's cheery friend and roommate.
Abel Magwich - Ex-felon. Pip's secret benefactor.
Molly - The extremely reserved, mysterious and slightly unnerving servant to Mr. Jaggers (she has a secret)

Our Mutual Friend
Bradley Headstone - A tight-wound schoolmaster and would-be nemesis of Eugene Wrayburn.
Miss Georgiana Podsnap - Sweet but dim society girl, in the thrall of the Lammles
Miss Abbey Potterson - The educated, no-nonsense proprietress of the Six Jolly Fellowship Porters tavern

Little Dorritt
Arthur Clennam - Long-suffering, poetically morose gentleman (early middle age - Mrs. Finching's former fiance).
Daniel Doyce - Indefatigable inventor and entrepreneur, the "Spirit of the Age" made manifest

Martin Chuzzlewitt (only casting English, NOT American)
Mercy "Merry" Pecksniff - The younger Miss Pecksniff, lively to the point of pertness, the "pretty one"
Charity "Cherry" Pecksniff -   The elder Miss Pecksniff, very proper on the surface, the "smart one"
Martin Chuzzlewit (the elder) - Rich and cantankerous old gentleman.
Mary -  The elder Mr. Chuzzlewitt's companion and nurse, poor but proud, restrained and  sensible
Martin Chuzzlewit (the younger) -  A vain, strong-willed, egotistical and ambitious young man, the elder Martin's contentious nephew
Mark Tapley - Relentlessly upbeat companion to young Martin

Tom Pinch - Martin's preternaturally cheery and optimistic (to the point of delusion!) friend, and dogsbody to the Pecksniffs
Montague Teague (Tig Montague) - Boisterously flamboyant con man.
Mrs. Todger - Very proper, very nervous, very Dickensian landlady.

Rydell Downward
Therese Porter
Co-Directors, The Other Books cast



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