Tag Archives: auditions

You heard correct! Circle Theatre is hosting auditions for its summer productions

Entertainment, Local Entertainment,
Calling all actors! Circle Theatre is hosting virtual auditions for three summer productions. (WKTV)

Joanne Bailey-Boorsma
joanne@wktv.org

Auditions. It was a word we thought we would never hear again, yet today Circle Theater announced it would hold auditions for its summer season.

 

“We are thrilled to be able to finally welcome back our wonderful community of actors, said Circle Theatre Executive and Artistic Director Lynne Brown-Tepper. “We are excited to hold auditions again after so many months of the Theatre being dark. We know that everyone is looking forward to doing what we all love in the place that we all love.

“After all, the Grand Rapids theater community is more that just a community — It’s a family and we have been waiting for this time, when we can all be together again.”

Through March 14, Circle Theatre will be hosting virtual auditions for three of its upcoming productions, ‘The Gin Game” and ‘Always…Patsy Cline.” These two will be Circle On the Lawn productions with the shows being performed on a stage set up on the Circle Theatre lawn. 

Virtual auditions for “Cabaret”” will take place through March 28. In July, Circle Theatre will move back into its main stage with “Cabaret.”

“While we are disappointed that we will not be able to produce the first three originally planned productions, we are thrilled to be able to offer some new opportunities for performers of a variety of ages, with an emphasis on casting performers of color,” Tepper said.

“The Gin Game,” the winner of the 1978 Pulitzer Prize for Drama, brings audiences along for a game of wits, as Weller Martin and Fonsia Dorsey meet on the porch of their nursing home and strike up a friendship. Weller teaches Fonsia how to play gin rummy and they share stories of their lives. That is until Fonsia keeps winning every hand and the gin games become a battleground.

“Always…Patsy Cline” is a tribute to the legendary country singer who died at the age of 30 in a plane crash in 1963. The story is based on Cline’s real-life friendship with one of her fans, Louise Seger.

Winner of 12 Tony Awards, “Cabaret” is one of the most recognized musicals in the world. The story, set in 1931 Berlin, focuses on the nightlife at the seedy Kit Kat Klub and revolves around American writer Cliff Bradshaw and his relationship with cabaret performer Sally Bowles.

For more information and details regarding the virtual auditions, visit circletheatre.org/auditions. 

Tibbits announces auditions for ‘The Nifty Fifties’

Entertainment, ,
Tibbits Young Audiences will host auditions Feb. 8 and 9. (Supplied)

By Adrienne Brown-Reasner
West Michigan Tourist Association

Tibbits Young Audiences will move forward with its spring musical, “The Nifty Fifties”to be presented April 23-25 and will hold auditions for the show at 5 p.m. Feb. 8 and 9 at Tibbits Opera House.

After being forced to cancel last year’s production of “The Secret Garden” the week before opening, the TYA team is excited to get the students back on stage. “The Nifty Fifties” by Tim Kelly with music and lyrics by Bill Francoeur is a funny, top-tapping tribute to the 1950s. It tells the story of Gracie Stanley, who has gotten herself into hot water by promising to deliver her distant cousin, rock star Ziggy Springer, for the high school dance.  When Ziggy is unavailable she and her friends decide to fake his appearance. The story takes some turns and features memorable characters include a singing soda jerk, a snooty rival, a “totally square” building owner, a paranoid brother, a beatnik gang and its “bad dude” leader.

Auditions are open to any student in sixth through eighth grades. Students should bring a current, non-returnable photo, their completed audition form, and be accompanied by a parent or guardian; no additional guests will be allowed.  Students must project through their mask for the audition. They will be asked to introduce themselves from stage, read parts from the script, sing a familiar children’s song, and follow some simple choreography.

Audition forms and the part of the script the auditionees will be reading will be available online at Tibbits.org. Rehearsals will begin Feb 15, 2021 and will be held Mondays, Tuesdays and Thursdays from 4:30-6:30; not all roles meet all days. Rehearsals will be in small groups to allow for social distancing and masks will be required. The show will be presented April 23 and 24 at 7 p.m. and April 25 at 2 p.m. at Tibbits.

“The Nifty Fifties” will be directed by Julia Littley and produced by Tirsha Odisher with musical direction by Jayne Lillis. This productionis generously sponsored by the Kiwanis Club of Coldwater. Students involved will learn characterization, blocking, costuming, makeup and all aspects of a stage production. Due to current restrictions, several adaptations have been made including reducing the size of the cast to 25 students in order to maintain social distancing.  While the TYA program usually casts 50 students from grades 4-8, because of the limited cast size this production will be limited to older students in sixth through eighth grades.

According to Littley, “We are giving this opportunity to the older students since we are limited to half of what we normally cast. It was a difficult decision and we understand it might be disappointing to our younger students, but rest assured we will open this opportunity back up to those in grades 4-5 as soon as we are able, hopefully by the fall production.”

Tibbits Young Audiences offers programs both for and by area youth to develop their interest in the arts. Two shows yearly, a non-musical in the fall and a musical in the spring, provide students an enjoyable introduction to the world of theatre. By putting on a show, they learn teamwork, discipline, theatre skills, self confidence and an appreciation for the arts.

Auditions will be held at Tibbits Opera House, 14 South Hanchett Street, Coldwater, Mich. Students need only attend one time. Masks are required inside the theatre. For more information call 517.278.6029 or visit Tibbits.org.

Wyoming’s Master Arts Theatre teams up with Van Singel for a special production of ‘Willy Wonka’

3-bottom, Citizen Journalism, City of Wyoming, , , , , , ,

Wyoming’s Master Arts Theatre is partnering with its neighbor to the south, Byron Center’s Van Singel Fine Arts Center, to co-produce Roald Dahl’s music comedy “Willy Wonka” for the winter holiday.

 

The production will include four performances Nov. 30 – Dec. 2. Auditions have been scheduled for 10:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday, June 24, and 6:30 – 8:30 p.m. Monday, June 26, at Van Singel Fine Arts Center, which is part of the Byron Center High School at 8500 Burlingame Ave. SW or the corner of Burlingame Avenue and 84th Street.

 

“We are pleased to be partnering with the Van Singel Fine Arts Center in providing opportunities to feature local artists and actors in this wonderful venue, and look forward to collaboration with an organization that shares our dedication to serving the Byron Center and South Grand Rapids community with wholesome family entertainment and high standards of artistic excellence,” said Master Arts Theatre Artistic Director Pricilla McDonald.

 

Plans are underway to give subscribers from both non-profit organizations the ability to purchase advance seating and add the show as part of season packages. The two groups believe that this new alliance will be the beginning of many future community theater productions presented at the Van Singel. In fact, Van Singel Managing Director Sara Bower said she is thrilled to be creating this new partnership.

 

“We are so excited to partner with Master Arts for ‘Willy Wonka’,” Bower said. “Engaging the community is paramount to both of our organizations, and with a collaboration like this, there is so much opportunity to change lives through the arts – especially through a musical that everyone knows and loves.”

 

Based on the Gene Wilder film, this classic family musical follows world re-known and mysterious candy man, Willy Wonka, who hosts five young Golden Ticket contest winners at his magical candy empire. While on their tour of the surreal confectionary factory, the young winners and their families journey through the delicious art of candy making, where four of the children plunge into mischievous escapades. However, little do the five children and their families know that their dreamlike adventure is really a test of character and Willy Wonka is actually seeking an heir to his massive chocolate kingdom.

 

Bower said they are looking forward to “a multi-generation cast, having a lot of fun, working to put on a fantastic show; that that’s our goal for this production and for any potential future collaborations. We want families and neighbors to create memories from these experiences…whether it’s through performance, volunteering n the theatre, or coming to see the show.”

 

Tickets for “Willy Wonka” are $22 for reserved seating in sections II and III. Reserved seating in all other sections of the theatre are $19 for adults, $17 for students and senior citizens and $8.50 for children 10 and under. The Van Singel Fine Arts Center box office is open weekdays, noon to 5 p.m.

 

For more information abut auditions or the show, call Master Arts Theatre at 616-455-1001 or visit the company’s website at masterarts.org or call the Van Single Fine Arts Center at 616-878-6800 or visit vsfac.com.