Wakeland Theatre

Our Assistant Technical Director, Kason, and our practically perfect Mary Poppins, Emily, put together a couple of tutorials for the nursery and kitchen magic from the show. We had a lot of difficulty finding information for some of the magical elements that included any sort of instruction or something we could afford on a high school budget, so we hope these are helpful to others who are putting on Mary Poppins. The “How To” is included in the video description on YouTube.

Mary Poppins Nursery Magic – Mary’s Hat Stand, Valentine’s Dollhouse and Magic Picture or Mirror.

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yAWryx8TJJI?rel=0&controls=0&showinfo=0&w=560&h=315]

Mary Poppins Kitchen Magic – Collapsing Table and Falling Shelf

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n4RYV5Qky2U?rel=0&controls=0&showinfo=0&w=560&h=315]

The rehearsal calendar for Picnic has been posted to the Picnic page. Please check it regularly for updates.

Reminder: All of the company paperwork is due by tomorrow – February 12th – the full company packet is on the Picnic page.

The audition application for our UIL show – “Picnic” by William Inge – is posted on the Picnic page.

Rehearsal Schedule – please check regularly for updates:

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Full Rehearsal schedule coming soon – for this week 2/1 – 2/4 we will rehearse Mon-Thurs from 4:15-6:00pm

OAP Company Packet-Picnic

Questions to ask Yourself during Rehearsal

PICNIC Cast List

Congratulations! Thank you to everyone who auditioned. This was a tough one to cast. If your name is listed please get a copy of the Picnic script to read over the break. There are copies hanging on the classroom door. More information will be distributed over break and in January. The Crew list will be announced after break.

 

Please follow this link for the Audition Packet for our UIL OAP “Picnic” by William Inge

Our OAP production for this year will be “Picnic” by William Inge. A full audition packet will be available on Dec. 1st. For now, here is a character breakdown (please keep in mind that a cutting is not complete and some minor characters may not remain in the final OAP script):

Helen Potts (~50+) An older widow lady who lives next door to the Owens’, she lives with her aged, invalid mother. Helen was impulsive as a girl, she eloped at a young age with a man not dissimilar to Hal, and her mother immediately annulled the marriage. Mrs. Potts in name only, she has remained kindhearted and jovial, and willingly takes in Hal, allowing him to do a few hours of work in return for a large breakfast. She has a history of taking in drifters and ‘riff-raff’. Perhaps because she recognizes the man she loved for too brief a time, Helen becomes Hal’s champion. She is often on the sidelines, observing events, preferring to bask in the comings and goings of youth then to sit alone on her porch.

Millie Owens (16) A girl of sixteen, constantly in the shadow of her older, more beautiful sister, she has responded by embracing life as a tomboy. Although she would never admit it, perhaps she would like to occasionally be thought of as the pretty one. She has had a crush on Alan for years but never admitted it. Although she often antagonizes Madge, it comes from a place of sisterly love, and there must be a very genuine loving relationship between the two girls. Millie is smart, confident, scrappy, and never afraid of a fight, she also has a talent for art. Does not like being called a ‘goon’.

Madge Owens (18) A ravishing yet restrained eighteen year-old beauty. She has spent her entire life being constantly complimented on her looks and feels inhuman because of it. She longs to leave her hometown and go someplace new with someone special. Underneath her beauty and docility she is desperate to be more than just a pretty face. Falls for Hal partly because he treats her as a person and not an object, and she sees him as an escape from her current lot in life. She knows going off with him may be a bad idea, but it is an escape, and it is something. Although she often fights with Millie, she really does love her and is very proud of her accomplishments. Some dancing skills a plus.

Flo Owens (40-60) A widow lady, Millie and Madge are her daughters. She rents out a room in her house to Rosemary Sydney. Hal reminds her of her deceased deadbeat husband incarnate and she desperately wants more for Madge. She has been down the road that Madge is going down, and she knows where it will lead, as she went down the same road years ago and as a result was left to raise her two children by herself. Above all things she is a survivor who loves her daughters more than life itself, and she is desperate for her children to have a better life than her own.

Rosemary Sydney (~30-45) A schoolteacher. She puts up a façade as an independent woman who neither needs nor wants a man in her life, but underneath that harsh and bawdy exterior she needs love as much or more than most. She at first sees Hal as vulgar and distasteful, but soon realizes that he represents the life that is passing her by, which spurs her breakdown late in the play. May suffer from depression, and she knows it. Some dancing skills a plus.

Irma Kronkite (~35-50) A schoolteacher. She and Rosemary are old friends. Takes Christine under her wing and takes on the role of mentor. A very smart woman, Christine is pursuing her master’s degree in teaching in addition to her job at the school. Although she takes her responsibilities seriously, she also has a wild side that makes no apologies for.

Christine Schoenwalder (~25-40) A new schoolteacher, she is taking Mabel Freemount’s place as the teacher of Feminine Hygiene. She is new to town and hasn’t settled in yet, and her natural eagerness clashes with her need to please others and fit in.

Hal Carter (~25) A former football star and now something of a drifter, Hal is described as ‘an exceedingly handsome youth’. In spite of this, looks are nowhere near as important as personality. Hal must be raw and charismatic, he is the catalyst for the events of the play, so there should be something different about him, in other words, he has ‘IT’. He is a braggart, but has done almost everything he boasts about. While on the surface he is cocky and worldly, underneath that he is a troubled young man with a difficult past who envies the stability he sees in others, specifically Alan’s family and professional life. Hal sees something in Madge that others do not, and he treats her as an equal, not an object. Must be comfortable shirtless, and some dancing skills are a plus.

Bomber Gutzel (14-18) A paperboy. Bomber is a young highschool boy who does his best to appear older and wiser than his years. He is infatuated with Madge, and constantly attempts to get her to go on a date with him. He hopes that chipping in for a hotrod (which he gets every Friday night) will be the key to Madge’s desire. Possibly annoying, but definitely harmless and likable.

Alan Seymour (~25) Madge’s boyfriend, an old college roommate and fraternity brother of Hal’s. Alan comes from a successful family and is well on his way to a career in the family business. He is deeply in love with Madge, but feels unworthy of her beauty and as a result he often treats her as a fragile object of affection instead of a human being. The two of them have been going steady all summer, and the consensus assumption is that marriage is in the near future. Alan is leaving to go back to college not for himself, but because his father insists. Although they have not seen each other in over a year, he and Hal pick up right where they left off. In spite of the comfort and stability in his life, Alan is jealous of Hal’s freedom and inhibitions, and he likes to live vicariously through Hal’s exploits.

Howard Bevans (40-60) Rosemary’s longtime beau, a forty-two year old salesman who runs a store full of ‘notions, novelties, and school supplies. Ever so slightly flamboyant, Howard is man who wears shirtsleeves and a panama hat, smokes cigars, and is not above sneaking a full bottle of whiskey to a family picnic, in short, he loves a good time. Whereas Rosemary is desperate for security, Howard is perfectly content with the status quo. He loves Rosemary, but sees no reason to change a good thing. Takes an instant liking to Hal. While he worries about his reputation, he still believes in living life to the fullest and helping others to do the same, as long as there is no dancing involved.

Auditions will be held as follows:

First Round – MONOLOGUES – you will perform One dramatic monologue running 1-2 minutes in length from the play of your choice. I suggest choosing a piece that is similar to the voice of the character you are most interested in the play.

Students in 1A Theatre II and 3A Theatre Production will audition with their monologues during their class period on December 9th.

Students in 2B Theatre III/IV and 4B Theatre II will audition with their monologues during their class period on Dec. 10th

Students in Theatre I or any other students wishing to audition will need to make an appointment with me to audition with their monologue on Dec. 8, 9 or 10 between 8:15 and 8:50 in the morning.

Second Round- CALLBACKS/COLD READINGS – a call back list will be posted at the end of the day on Friday, Dec. 11. Sides will be provided for you to prepare over the weekend. Call backs will be held on the mornings of Dec. 14, 15, 16 & 17 from 8:15 – 8:50am. I plan to post the company list at the end of the day on Friday, Dec. 18th and scripts will be available for the company to take home and begin working on over the holiday break.

Please come and see Mrs. Howe if you have any questions.

All paperwork for the Mary Poppins company need to be completed by the end of the day tomorrow, Nov. 30th. Most of the cast members have completed their paperwork, but I am missing information from the majority of the crew. Please check the list on the Mary Poppins page to see if your name is listed as having outstanding paperwork.

Payment for t-shirts, polo’s and costumes needs to be made through My Payments Plus by the end of the day tomorrow as well. If payment has not been made, I will be unable to order the t-shirt and/or polo that you requested in your paperwork.

Finally, Company members need to go to the Mary Poppins page and follow the link to complete their bio for the program.

Thank you for your prompt attention to these matters.

Just a reminder that all Angel gifts are to be turned in to Mrs. Howe or Mrs. Leffel by the end of the day tomorrow, November 30th. All of the information for our Angel is listed in a post below. Thank you!

Happy Thursday everyone!

This is a friendly reminder that our Angel gifts are due on 11/30 – this is the day we return from Thanksgiving break, so please don’t forget 🙂

If you are a member of the Mary Poppins company, there is a new post on the Mary Poppins page regarding paperwork and payments. Please read it and get your paperwork and payments completed if you have not already done so. Thank you!!

There is also a second post with a link to complete your company biography for the program. Please follow that link and complete your bio by 11/30.

Each year our Drama Club and I.T.S. Troupe adopts an “angel”. “Angels” are less fortunate children in the Frisco community and we hope to provide gifts to our angel to make their holiday brighter.  Details for our angel are below. All gifts need to be brought to Mrs. Howe no later than Monday, November 30th. They should be unwrapped and labeled with our angel’s ID number. If you have any questions, please feel free to contact me directly.

ANGEL ID – 158-A

AGE – 14

GENDER – Male

SIZES: Pants: Adult 34×32

Shirt: Adult Large

Shoes: 12W

Coat: Adult Medium

Underwear: Boxers, sz. 34

NEEDS: Winter clothes, long sleeve shirts, hat, gloves

WISH: Headphones, Tablet, 3DS Games: Pokemon Omega Ruby, Legend of Zelda

 

This Saturday our shop call will be from 8:30am – 2:00pm. We will also be working on the choreography for Step in Time as our choreographer will be in town. If all chimney sweeps could be here at 8:30am to begin, that would be great. If you have a conflict with that time, please come and see me. I realize that many students will want/need to leave early in order to make it to the playoff game at 2:00 at Cowboy stadium, which is why we are beginning the day so early. Thank you.