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Audition Info --- time to sign up!

Started by Autouloucous, August 01, 2009, 12:55:35 PM

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Autouloucous

Auditions!

Sherwood's final audition days for our Acting Company, Sherwood Players are coming up.  If you have not signed up yet, please do so ASAP.  These auditions are for the acting company, and not independent acts, but it is time to hear from you about those as well. 

Here are some particulars on the acting company, and the Auditions on Aug. 15th an 16th:

Audition Dates for Sherwood Players, the acting company for Sherwood Forest Faire:

Hello All,

Zane Baker here, director of entertainment for Sherwood Forest Faire.  For those not wanting to Audition--- please forward this to anyone who is. This is information about our Acting company, and the Auditions we are holding this month.  Anyone wishing to audition, please contact me at 979-574-7090, or email me at entertainment@sherwoodforestfaire.com.


The auditions on August 15th, 10am- 8pm,
and August 16th, 10am- 3:30pm
will be held at the Sri Atmananda Memorial School on Red River in Austin. Here is their website: www.samschool.org/
4100 Red River St
Austin, TX 78751-4331
(512) 451-7044

I would like everyone wishing to attend those auditions to sign up for a three-hour block. That way we can ask you to interact with/and read with other actors.  You may attend both Saturday and Sunday, but that will not be required.  Please email me any references such as headshots and resumes before your audition(s), or else bring them with you.  Youtube links are good too, if you have them.  These things are not required --- but they wouldn't hurt. 


These Auditions will be your chance to have a paid role at Sherwood Forest
Faire. We will have a 3-tiered guild system: Apprentices will be volunteer
actors who may share in tips from stage shows and/or solicit tips
graciously inside the faire. We will also provide food to these volunteers during faire hours.

Guildsfolk will be paid a daily wage (between $50 and $65 per day) in addition to sharing in tips,
and Masters will be paid a higher wage (starting this year at $100 per day), and may advance according to their abilities and acheivements. I will have about 25-30 roles for Guildspeople
and Masters. These roles will require a great deal of practice time and
will require you to be at every hour of every day of our 6-weekend
festival-no exceptions. Please! let me know if you can make this commitment before
you agree to one of these roles.

Those expecting to be apprentices this first year are encouraged to try
out anyway. We will most likely be able to find you a role if you are willing
to volunteer and if you're willing to be at the faire every day it is
open. These auditions are also a time for volunteers who want to be an
official character at the faire to show me their character ideas or
request a kind of character to be cast as.  Come with some ideas prepared-- or just
come, and do some readings. We will more than likely be able to find you a place at Sherwood if you are willing to volunteer.

The 25-30 guildsfolk and Master roles will be mostly key Robin Hood
Characters, Shakespeare Actors, chess masters, and Joust Fools. I may be
able to hire a few sensational fantasy creatures, but the vast majority of
Faeries, goblins, trolls, etc. will start off as apprentices (though these roles can be very good for tips).
So will many of Robin Hood's Merry Band, nobles, commoners, fools, knights, or most
anything else you'd like to become. This is a very free and fun way to
experience the faire. We will provide food and free camping to official
volunteers, and you may graciously accept tips from our patrons.

If you would like to join our ranks among Maid Marian, Robin Hood,
Shakespeare and Company, Merlin the wise, and a host of other fantastical
personalities-- please mark your calendar for these Auditions, as well as
our Sherwood Players Meetings. I will expect anyone who wishes to try out
for a role to make it to at least one or two of our Sherwood Players meetings as soon as you can.
These meetings will allow you to contribute to the creation of this faire, as well
as get an inside view of what I will expect from you as an actor.

If you or anyone you know would like to audition for Sherwood Forest's acting company, "Sherwood Players",  NOW is the time to sign up.  The dates (again) are below.  The location for the 26th is Rounders Pizzeria on west 6th St. www.rounderspizzeria.com, and the August Dates will be held at the Sri Atmananda School on Red River, in Austin. www.samschool.org/   Contact me by email entertainment@sherwoodforestfaire.com  to sign up for an Audition, or simply call me 979-574-7090.
Here are the Audition dates, and Sherwood Players regular meetings times.  You may come to any meetings you like:
Auditions:
---------------------------- Sat & Sun Aug 15th &16th
(If you cannot make it to Austin on these dates, let me know, BEFORE Aug 15th, when you
can, and I will set up a time to meet with you.)

I am looking forward to your call, and to your audition------------------------------------------------------------------Zane Baker, entertainment (979)-574-7090
If you wish to attend our regular meetings for the Sherwood Players, you are more than welcome whether you have auditioned or not.  Here are times and location:

Regular Sherwood Players Meetings:
Sundays 4:30pm
Mondays 6:30pm
7419 Dee Gabriel Collins Rd.
Austin, TX 78744
(please contact me before coming)


From I-35 take William Cannon east until it T's off with McKinney Falls
parkway.
Take a Left on McKinney Falls Parkway
Take a Right at first Light- D.G. Collins Rd.
We will be after the first big curve to the left.
There will be a 45 mi/hr sign on the right.
Turn Right DIRECTLY after that speed limit sign as if it is a street sign.
Welcome to our neighborhood!  We are the first house on the right.

If you are coming from the direction of Houston or Bastrop, come to Austin,
and go South on 183. Take a right on Hwy 812 (a.k.a. D.G. Collins Rd.),
which is just a few lights south of 71. After you see a brown "Historical
Marker" sign, take your second left (hard to see) across from a bunch of
mail boxes. We are the first house on the right.

If you have your own, independent act, please let me know if you have an interest in trying out to be a performer at Sherwood Forest Faire. A performance application and lots more info are
on the website: www.sherwoodforestfaire.com You may also call me at 979-574-7090.

Here are some good questions from a prospective actor.  Following these is more information about the roles available.

*What will be expected in the auditions?--- confident stage presence is what I'll be looking for in general.  My auditions will be chiefly for casting the actors who will fill the roles of my faire-run entertainment, but I am happy to let acts audition, too. If you are auditioning for a role, i will have materials for you to read, and will give you some exercises in improv, and see how you react-- ask you questions.  If you are auditioning an act, come do your thing for us, and we'll ask you some questions, too.   
*What you will want to see from the actors? --- Dedication. Awareness of audience. Customer interaction. LOUD VOICES!
*Are you just looking for "acts" or are you looking for individual actors to keep the atmosphere?--- I am looking for all kinds of acts------- the only street acting will be by actors between shows, and by volunteers.  At least in 2010, the faire cannot afford to pay actors who are only roaming.  There will only be about 25 paid acting positions the first year, but volunteers (apprentices) will eligible to advance to a paid role in following years based on dedication and performance.
*Are there any "specifics" you require from your actors? If so, what would they be?--- hmmm... depends on the role.  You can read what kinds of roles I have below.  I do specifically want actors with lots of energy, who are willing to share it.  I also want to stress that we will have a high standard for staying in character while at the faire.  We don't talk about things modern, except in well-masked innuendo. Our goal is to give our patrons the illusion that they have slipped through time, into a fairy-tale version of the renaissance.  Undermining this illusion for easy laughs, and easy study will not be tolerated.
*Do you prefer actors who can do more than just act? Such as playing an instrument, singing, or any other special talents?----Bring it on. Extra dimensions in entertainment certainly help.
*Are you only looking for actors with previous experience?--- not a requirement-- but let me know what experience you have.
*If cast, Will there be rehearsals?--- Yes, especially for the crew cast as key roles.  The actors in these roles will be 'guildfolk', or 'masters'--- other roles will be 'apprentices' and will be volunteers.  Because the guildsfolk and masters will draw a pay on top of tips during the faire, they will be expected to put in a tremendous amount of work--- and attend weekly or twice weekly meetings soon----------- and whatever it takes as the faire gets closer and closer--- if you live far out of town (or state) you may audition--- just let me know when you can come to Austin, or Sherwood to rehearse, so we can work out how you will be up to speed with the others.  The heaviest Audition schedule will fall on weekends in Jan. and Feb. 2010
*What will be expected from the rehearsals?--- 2 or more days of 2-4 hrs a day ---Each  week.
*I do have some stage managing experience, would you need any help "behind the scenes"?---perhaps.  More than likely we will have actors doing tech work, and techs doing some acting, so the line will be very thin.  We do need plenty help with costuming and stage construction (not the stage itself, but props/scenery/murals/signs)

More Info:

The Sherwood Players Cast Lists:
Cast for Tales of the Greenwoode:
Robin Hood---------------------------------------Leader of free-thinking merry folk everywhere (esp. Sherwood)
Maid Marian--------------------------------------------------------------A dashing Lady of the court, Robin's sweetie
Little john----------------------------------------------------------------------- steadfast right hand man to Robin Hood
Friar Tuck---------------------------------------------------------A riley old monk who sometimes lives by the sword
Will the Bowman------------------------------------------------------------------A long-time confidant of Robin Hood
Alan a Dale----------------------------------(Cast)-------------------------------Friend and minstrel to the Merry Band
Will Scarlet (kid, volunteer)----------------------------------------------------------- Merry young upstart in training
Sheriff of Nottingham-----------------------------------------------------Ralf Murdoch, tax collector for Prince John
Merry Folk  1------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Robin's Crew
Merry Folk  2------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Robin's Crew
Merry Folk  3------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Robin's Crew
Alice de Beauforest------------------------------------Another boisterous lady of the court, beaux to Alan a Dale
Ninny Cousin1----------------------------------------------------Gossiping Cousins, who relay the news of the court
Ninny cousin2--------------------------------------------------- Gossiping Cousins, who relay the news of the court
Chief Deputy  Greasby----------Cousin to Sir Ranulf, who tries to marry Alice de Beauforest –( same actor)
Deputy Doyle------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Sheriff's Thug
Deputy  Osbert----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Sheriff's Thug
Volunteer Folk (merry and otherwise)---------------------------------------------------------The Folks of Sherwood

Cast for Shakespeare and company:
Shakespeare---------(Cast)---------------------Father of Modern Literature, transported to 1189a.d. by faeries
Lady---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------The Players
Lady---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------The Players
Man---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------The Players
Man---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------The Players
Volunteer Players-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------More Players

Cast for Merlin the Wizard:
Merlin------------------------------------------------------Mystical wizard, who sees the world in an unusual way
His assistant--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Possibly also his nemesis
Volunteer Magician's assistants--------------------------------------------------------be the old fellows Guinea Pig

Cast for Pirate Territory:
Pirate Captain-----------------------------------------------------------Fearless Leader of Sherwood's Pirate Problem
Pirate volunteers--------------------------------------------------------------------------The Scourge of Sherwood Pond

Cast for Fantasy Creatures:
Ent (tree spirit on stilts)-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------A dangerous job
Dragon (for instance)------------------------------------------------------------------Wearing a VERY difficult costume
Other Fantasy Creature--------------------------------------------------------------- Wearing a VERY difficult costume
Volunteer Faeries, goblins, gnomes, etc---------------------------------Come out, come out, wherever you are

Cast for The Game of Chess:
Chess Master ----------------------------------------The Greatest Chess Player in the World (sometimes Richard I)
Chess Master---------------------------------------- The Greatest Chess Player in the World (sometimes Saladin)

Cast for Jest Joust-   
Horseless Fool 1--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------A half-witted Buffoon
Horseless Fool 2------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Uses the other half

We invite you to join us for our weekly practices at Zane and Lauren's
house, near the Austin airport on Sundays at 4:30, and on Mondays at 6:30.
There we will be practicing anything we have solidified. We will perform improv
exercises, share ideas, run through scripts, and eventually turn our
scripts from set dialogue into something more driven by improv, along the
path of a story line.

I am spreading out Audition times over almost two months, to give people
plenty of chances to make it to one (or more). We will hold our first
Audition on Monday July 6th, the 2nd Audition will be Sunday july 26th,
and
our final Audition days will be Saturday and Sunday August 15th and 16th.

Audition Dates:
Monday July 6th
Sunday July 26th
Sat & Sun Aug 15th &16th
(If you cannot make to Austin on any of these dates, let me know when you
can, and I will set up a time to meet or heavily correspond with you
BEFORE Aug 15th.)

Regular Sherwood Players Meetings:
Sundays 4:30pm
Mondays 6:30pm
7419 Dee Gabriel Collins Rd.
Austin, TX 78744

From I-35 take William Cannon east until it T's off with McKinney Falls
parkway
Take a Left on McKinney Falls Parkway
Take a Right at first Light- D.G. Collins Rd.
We will be after the first big curve to the left.
There will be a 45 mi/hr sign on the right.
Turn Right DIRECTLY after that speed limit sign as if it is a street sign.
Welcome to our neighborhood! we are the first house on the right.

If you are coming from the direction of Houston or Bastrop, come to Austin,
and go South on 183. Take a right on Hwy 812 (a.k.a. D.G. Collins Rd.),
which is just a few lights south of 71. After you see a brown "Historical
Marker" sign, take your second left (hard to see) across from a bunch of
mail boxes. We are the first house on the right.

Please let me know if you have an interest in trying out to be a performer
at Sherwood Forest Faire. A performance application as well as lots more info are
on the website: www.sherwoodforestfaire.com .  You may call me
at 979-574-7090.
Thank You--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Zane Baker (Autouloucous), director of entertainment