Team Work!!!

Today in rehearsal we talked about Team Work!  :o)

I just want to take a minute to reiterate that there are NO SMALL PARTS IN THIS PLAY (or in any play for that matter) - despite the number of lines you have, you are vital to this production!

We are a team!  

Our team includes all of the actors - the largest number of students we have ever cast.  It also includes the director, assistant director, stage manager, lighting designer, set designer, props designers, costume designer, parent help, and all the other areas that go into making a production happen ... it's all about team work, working together to make one awesome show!!!

Furthermore, the concept for this show is that our students are playing a troupe of actors who go out and perform these myths all over, and in each new place that they are performing they take turns doing the different roles, like how Manso's name gets pulled out of the hat to play Zeus.  The idea is that if they were to move onto another town, someone else's name would likely come out of the hat as Zeus, etc....  (I hope that makes sense.)

We also talked about "The Actors Job" - becoming a character, memorizing your lines, writing down your blocking during rehearsal so you remember it when practicing at home, and HAVING FUN!!!

*I've also encouraged the kids to do "background research" - actors homework if you will - in the form of looking on the internet, or in a book of Greek Myths etc., and reading an actual written version of the myths in the play.  It could help with their understanding of their characters, among other things.  :o)

I want everyone to have fun!

It is a play ... so play!!!

~Ms. Hall

Character Breakdown

5 Greek Chorus Characters	Actors
Merve	Liam Williams
Ishy	Kaitlyn Krasney
Manso	Paul Mitchell
Osina	Elizabeth Duker
Vigit	Charlotte Hutchins

Myth 1 Characters	Actors
Demeter	Chenoa Cox
Persephone	Alyssa Hopkins
Hades	Bryan Drossel
Zeus	Paul Mitchell
Aphrodite	Stella Yellich
Athena	Emily Lewis
Hera	Elaina Spahmer
Helios	Lily Ann McQuillin
Echo 1	Katie Herron
Echo 2	Hannah Holznagel
Hermes	Sean McAneny

Myth 2 Characters	Actors
Medusa	Urja Bhatia
Snake 1	Brie Statham
Snake 2	Joanie McAneny
Perseus	Sean McAneny
King Polydectes	Cody Bryan
Danae	Kennedy Foster
Athena	Annonda Sanders
Hermes	Jared Spring
Enyo	Julia Evola
Deino	Elaina Spahmer
Pemphredo	Chenoa Cox

Mythapalooza Slam Jam Characters	Actors
Orpheus (A) & Eurydice (B)	Jared Spring (A) & Isabelle Caffero (B)
Daphne (B) & Apollo (A)	Carley Estep (B) & Mark Whittaker (A)
Daedalus (A) & Icarus (B)	Cody Bryan (A) & Will Connolly (B)
Atalanta (B) & Hippomenes (A)	Kayla Murphy (B) & Mark Whittaker (A)
Zeus (A) & Io (B)	Paul Mitchell (A) & Emily Lewis (B)
Heracles (A) & ? (B)	Bryan Drossel (A) & ? (B)

Myth 3 Characters	Actors
Athena	Urja Bhatia
Townsperson 1	Brie Statham
Townsperson 2	Joanie McAneny
Townsperson 3	John Dubois
Arachne	Stelly Yellich
Ibron	Maddison Ackerman
Damara	Jessica Scarlata
Aphrodite	Lacie Hotaling
Demeter	Natalie Louban
Hera	Evelina Welch

Myth 4 Characters	Actors
King Midas	Daniel Mackey
Penelope	Elise Dubois
Guard 1	Victoria Wilson
Guard 2	Will Connolly
Silenus	Mike Rath
Dionysus	Charlotte Hutchins

Myth 5 Characters	Actors
Prometheus	Sean McAneny
Epimetheus	Bryan Drossel
Zeus	Paul Mitchell
Pandora	Alyssa Hopkins
Ill’s of the world...	TBD
Hope	Lily Ann McQuillin

***Don't forget that this is a Troupe of Actors who are performing these myths, and that everyone will be on stage most of the play ... and that "extras" in each myth will be added after we've blocked the main action!!!  :o)

Rehearsal Schedule - Week #1

Circus Olympus Rehearsal Schedule

WEEK ONE

Location - HS Stage

Monday 11/28/11 Rehearsal 3-5pm 

*Everyone is called.

(Parent meeting to follow 5-5:30pm)

Wednesday 11/30/11 Rehearsal 3-5pm

*EVERYONE is called!
~If you have a sport and can stay until 5pm please let Ms. Hall know, and come after practice; if you must take the late bus at 4:15pm let Ms. Hall know as soon as you get to rehearsal.

Thursday 12/1/11 Rehearsal 3-4:15pm

*5 "Ringleader/Greek Chorus" Characters & Demeter VS The Underworld Character.

~Ms. Hall

Parent Packet Info

Parent Information for Circus Olympus

by Lindsay Price

Parent Participation

1. Our online blog - http://circus-olympus-gcsms.blogspot.com/- is THE place to find all information regarding the show!  Rehearsal info, set/costume/prop and other info will be posted here.  Please check it regularly as I am aware that not everything said to the students in rehearsal gets home.  :o)
2. Props: We have three students from the HS Drama Club acting as our Props Designers.  They will be in charge of ‘designing’ and finding/creating the props.  However we may need help in sourcing or creating some pieces.  Be sure to label anything you are lending, so we can return it to you after the last performance.  Props list will be posted on the blog.
3. Costumes: We have hired a professional Costume Designer, Dakotah Horan.  She is in charge of designing and making sure all things needed for the production are found or made.  However, we still need parent help!  Any parent who is able and willing to lend their sewing skills will be greatly appreciated and utilized!  Dakotah will provide the fabric and patterns.  Please let me know who you are!
4. Scenery: Fred Raskopf is designing our set, however, parents who can help build/make and paint scenery will be greatly appreciated.  Stage crew and cast members will also be asked to help paint on several designated days.
5. Hair and Make-up: 4-5 parents are needed to help the students get into make-up/hair before the show each night.  There will be specific instructions on what is needed for each character, given by the Costume Designer, as well as how to properly apply it.
6. Concession table: 2-3 parents are needed each night to sell concessions during intermission, as well as 2-3 parents who will monitor the doors so that food does not enter the auditorium after intermission.
7. Ticket Sales: 1 parent is needed to be in charge of the binder, and another 2-3 parents to help sell tickets the night of the shows.
8. Show T-Shirt’s: we need someone to design them and then one parent to be in charge of placing the order and picking them up – or having them delivered.
9. Video of the show: We hope to have the HS Video Club recording the show, as we have in the past, and producing a DVD for those interested in purchasing it.  They will be $10.
10. Strike & Cast Party: All cast members are required to help with strike – striking the set, following the final performance.  Parents willing to help, please let me know who you are.  Students will have some time to meet and greet after the show, then we will strike for half an hour or so, and then we will have our Cast Party.  For the Cast Party we need a committee of parents to help organize, chaperone, set up and clean up the party.
11. Publicity: 2-3 people are needed to contact newspapers/TV/radio, and to put up posters. 
12. Stage parents: 2-3 parents each night who will be in the Band Room with the kids who might need to be helped with a costume change, and to keep an eye on those who are not on stage.

Special Points of Interest

• REHEARSALS:
• ~Rehearsals will run from 2:50pm - 4:10pm OR 2:50pm – 5pm Monday - Friday.
• ~We will also run some Saturday rehearsals from 10 am – 1 pm.
• ~All Friday / Saturday rehearsals, as well as any weekday that runs until 5 pm, require parent provided transportation.  
• ~Tech Week – the week right before the production weekend – is mandatory for the entire cast!  
• *January 23rd thru January 28th, 2012.  

• Students participating in sports: we have worked out a rehearsal schedule that allows students involved in sports to attend their sporting practice and then rehearsal, by keeping rehearsals going until 5pm.  We have also implemented some Saturday rehearsals to compensate.  I have done, and will do, my best to schedule kids accordingly – later if they are in a sport, etc.  

*We may occasionally ask that they go to their sporting practice for half an hour and then come to us for half an hour to ensure all can ride the late bus home.

• Our schedule is very time consuming - students failing 2 classes at any time will not be allowed to attend rehearsal / perform in the show.  Therefore, students should always stay for extra help if they need to, that way ineligibility does not become an issue. Please let Ms. Hall or Mrs. Raskopf know, and they will be excused from rehearsal. If we are running rehearsals past 4:15, students can come to rehearsal after extra help.  

• Our attendance policy continues to be 3 unexcused absences from rehearsal and the student will not be allowed to perform.  You are the ONLY ONE with your role, and YOUR role is vital to our performance.  Therefore, you need to be at your rehearsals!

An excused absence is one that is accompanied by a note from the parent or guardian or is documented by a teacher or coach.

• There will be an in-school call board of information for the play backstage in the theatre.  The weeks rehearsal schedule will also be posted right outside the MS Office every Monday.  However, don’t forget about our blog which can be accessed by all students and their parents by going to the following web address:

http://circus-olympus-gcsms.blogspot.com/ 

Ticket Sales:

• We will be selling reserved seats for the show. These tickets are first come first serve, so if you want specific seats please get your order in quick. 
• Student tickets are available for ages up to 18. Children who will sit on an adults lap are free and do not need a ticket.
• If you want to buy extra tickets after your original purchase, you may not be able to get the tickets right next to the ones you purchased originally, we’ll do the best we can.
• Please check the blog for the ticket sale start date.

***There are a few other things in the email, which I will attempt to get CORRECT emails from all tomorrow - and if yours is a household without email then I will get hard copies of everything to your child (which means you're probably not reading this, ha ha).

It's Rehearsal Time!

Hi all!
I hope everyone had a wonderful Thanksgiving!!!

Tomorrow - Monday November 28th - is our FIRST rehearsal.  

***3-5pm EVERYONE IS CALLED***

Parent Meeting to follow --> 5-5:30pm

~PARENTS: 
I'm sorry I haven't gotten the Parent Packet to you yet, the holiday weekend went by so fast, here it is Sunday already!

I will be emailing it out - to the email addresses the kids wrote down on Monday/Tuesday of last week - in just a bit.  I will also be posting the Parent Packet right on here for everyones convenience, and in case anything gets lost.

If you can not make it to the parent meeting, or do not have any questions for me tomorrow, feel free to shoot me an email at

margaret.e.hall@googlemail.com

Looking forward to our first rehearsal and getting our rehearsal process underway!!!
~Margaret

First Rehearsal

Hi All,

We are going to have our First Rehearsal on Monday November 28th from 3-5pm. This will be a read thru of the play, and some other fun information about our particular production from Ms. Hall.

PARENTS: I will be emailing you all over the Holiday Break (hopefully, as I'm attempting to acquire contact info from the kids in the Main Office tomorrow and Tuesday).  The email will contain our "Parent Info Packet" - yeah for saving some trees this year - and a projected rehearsal schedule!!!

Any questions about the information or the production in general can be addressed to me in person directly after our first rehearsal, or via email:

margaret.e.hall@googlemail.com

So ...

Monday November 28th, 2011 FIRST REHEARSAL 3-5pm with a Parent Meeting to follow!


HAPPY THANKSGIVING!!!


~Ms. Hall

We Have A Cast!!!

CONGRATULATIONS:

Sean McAneny, Bryan Drossel, Paul Mitchell, Liam Williams, Cody Bryan, Jared Spring, Mike Roth, Will Connolly, Mark Whittaker, Daniel Mackey, John Dubois, Chenoa Cox, Charlotte Hutchins, Urja Bhatia, Alyssa Hopkins, Elaina Spahmer, Stella Yelich, Emily Lewis, Annonda Sanders, Jessica Scarlata, Kaitlyn Krasney, Brie Statham, Lacie Hotaling, Carley Estep, Elise Dubois, Katie Herron, Elizabeth Duker, Joanie McAneny, Victoria Wilson, Hannah Holznagel, Maddison Ackerman, Evelina Welch, Julia Evola, Natalie Louban, Isabelle Caffero, LIly Ann McQuillin, Kennedy Foster and Kayla Murphy,

on making it into the cast of Circus Olympus!

And thank you to all who auditioned! It was - as it always is - tough to cast with all the talented auditions we witnessed! If you did not make it into the cast you can still help out, and we hope you will, with the costumes, props and sets.

*Those in the cast: this is an ensemble show! Everyone cast will get at least one speaking part. The show has many characters in several different myths as well as a Greek Chorus (who are kind of like narrators). We will be doing it sort of like a troupe of traveling actors who know all the parts and could play them all. Some people will play the Greek Chorus and others will play the different characters and such in the different myths.

*Your specific, or individual parts in the individual myths, will be revealed during the first few rehearsals.

*Ms. Hall and Mrs. Raskopf are looking forward to starting rehearsals - and having an informational meeting for parents - next week (hopefully)!

*Parents & Students please check the blog regularly for continual information!

~Ms. Hall

Fantastic Auditions!

Auditions went really well!
The kids did great.
Now the hard part, selecting the cast...cast list will be posted in school on Friday 11/18/11!

At Your Audition

Hi all,

Hope you've had a chance to look at the audition sides!

Oh, and I'm sorry, I just realized that the third set of lines was not on here for the past week, though they are now, between Arachne and Athena.

And, FYI, you may be a girl and read the lines of a male character (ie: you can be a girl and read Zeus's lines) if you would like.

Remember that the most important part - aside from having fun - when auditioning is to show Ms. Hall that YOU CAN PLAY A CHARACTER! It's no longer you but the character you are playing.

Good luck all!!! :)

Audition Sides

*Here are three scenes.

THESE MAY ONLY BE USED FOR OUR AUDITION PURPOSES!!!

Hades (God of the Underworld) & Zeus (God of the Sky)

HADES: Oh Persephone. She is so sweet. And beautiful. And sweet. (spitting a bit) She’s super sweet.

ZEUS: (wiping his face) Ugh. I asked for the news, not the weather.

HADES: What news? Is there news? Is there something I should know about? Oh boy, I’m always the last person to get the news!

ZEUS: It’s an expression. Stop spitting on me! (wipes his face again) You should ask her out.

HADES: Me?

ZEUS: You. Hades!

HADES: No way! She’d never go out with a guy like me. I don’t even have a tan! What if I asked her out and I had bad breath and she was grossed out and she told all her friends, “Hades has bad breath.” Or what if I was in the middle of asking her out and I farted? How would I ever live that down? No, no no, no, no, no, noooo! Can’t do it. Not gonna happen.

ZEUS: Hades. You are the GOD of the Underworld! Do you think you could act like god of the Underworld?

HADES: I know I’m god of the Underworld. Dealing with the wailing and gnashing of the masses is a whole lot easier than trying to get a date!


Zeus & Demeter (Demeter is Goddess of the Harvest)

DEMETER: Zeus.

ZEUS: (not looking) Hmmm?

DEMETER: Zeus.

ZEUS: (turning) What? Oh Demeter! How lovely to see you!

DEMETER: Zeus have you -

ZEUS: My dear sister, we never talk anymore.

DEMETER: Zeus have you -

ZEUS: How’s it going?

DEMETER: Zeus have you -

ZEUS: Did I tell you - (he starts laughing - Demeter is fuming) It’s the funniest thing...

DEMETER: (as fast as she can) Have you seen Persephone?

ZEUS: What?

DEMETER: Have you seen -

ZEUS: Who?

DEMETER: Persephone, MY DAUGHTER!

ZEUS: How is she?

DEMETER: (really upset) Have. You. Seen. Her?

ZEUS: Can’t say I have. How is she?

DEMETER (‘smoke is coming out of her ears’) ZEUSSSSSSS...

ZEUS: Have you met my new best friend? His name is Merve.


Athena (Goddess of Wisdom) & Arachne (a very skilled weaver)

ATHENA: I am Athena, goddess of Wisdom, justice and skill. Protector of arts and industry. I never have and never will surrender to defeat.

(Arachne enters to show the townspeople her newest work of weaving.)

ARACHNE: I am ready to reveal the tapestry. I believe this is my finest to date. I am the best weaver in the land.

ATHENA: (disguised as a townsperson) You should thank the gods for your skills.

ARACHNE: Don’t be ridiculous. My skills come from me and me alone. Nothing was given to me by anyone.

ATHENA: (disguised as a townsperson gasps) Arachne! How can you say that, surely you must thank Athena for your talent?

ARACHNE: Athena did nothing to make me a weaver. She had nothing to do with making me the best weaver in the world.

(Arachne and townspeople freeze.)

ATHEN: (as her divine self and “in Arachne’s face” - Arachne should not react, she’s frozen in time/space) You may very well be one of the best weavers in the world. But you have no right to deny the giver of your gifts. You will pay dearly for that, Arachne.

Audition Dates/Info

Auditions will be on:
Tuesday November 15th at 3pm - 5pm

*This year's auditions will be done in two parts.
1. A group movement - or “dance” style - audition for the first 15 minutes. This will be very simple, so do not worry if you’re not a dancer.
2. A partner dialogue scene - we will select who reads with who on the audition day, so make sure you practice more than one of the parts.

*Please be prepared to stay until 5pm. However, if you are unable to be picked up at 5pm, and need to take the late bus, please write late bus after your name on the sign up sheet.

Callbacks - or additional time - if needed will be Friday the 18th (date may change).

*Please take one of the flyers in the Main Office for your parents to read. (See our next post for the audition sides - the lines of dialogue you should prepare.)

*The lines do not need to be memorized, but those who take a little time and become familiar with them are more likely to have a better audition because they will feel more comfortable!

*You should also take an audition information sheet which you need to fill out and bring back to the audition.

*Also, please know that this is an ensemble show with many many many roles that need to be filled!

And remember to have fun, it's a play SO PLAY - even at your audition! :)

Pre-Audition Info!

Are you a Greek Mythology fan? 

Are you interested in masks?
Are you a dancer, or simply like to dance?
Are you musician - can you sing or play an instrument?
Are you a “Percy Jackson” fan?

If you answered yes to any, or all of the above, then it’s your lucky day ... today we are announcing that this year's Middle School Play is a series of Greek Myths called “Circus Olympus”, and we are in need of creative people of all sorts to make this show happen!

You do not need to be a dancer, a musician, or a Greek Mythology fan to audition.

You do need to be interested in learning and trying new things, creating a unique piece of theatre, and being a part of a team - theatre is all about team work!

Our production this year will be different from the past two years' shows.

Our production will use an adapted version of a traditional Greek Chorus.

We will also need a wide variety of Greek Mythological Characters, such as, Zeus, Athena, Aphrodite, Hera, Dionysus, Hades, Demeter, Persephone, King Midas, Hercules, Perseus, Medusa, Arachne and many more!

We will be using Masks, and the show will have a lot of physical movement within it (so if you like to dance please come on down and audition).

We will also, hopefully, be using some instrumental music within the production - drum beats specifically - so if you play an instrument and are auditioning, be sure to let Miss Hall know.

Our production this year will also use a very minimalistic set, very unlike our last two shows.

So if you are interested in learning more, and auditioning for the show, please sign up in the main office.

Production Weekend: January 27th & 28th, 2012

*You need to be sure you can attend all rehearsals the week prior to the show, no exceptions!

Audition Dates: Tuesday November 15th at 3pm

Two Greek Chorus Masks: