Top 10 Reasons I Love WAG… By WAG Board President, Melanie Barton
1. Enriching the lives of children and families through the magic of community theater.
2. The joy and enthusiasm on the children’s faces on opening night when they get their first applause.
3. Building lasting memories in children who are tomorrow’s future.
4. The excitement of the community each time auditions arrive.
5. Seeing the community pitch in to bring the show to life.
6. Working with the incredibly talented people on the board as well as the volunteers.
7. 100% volunteer and sponsor supported organization.
8. Meeting new people and friends during each production.
9. The sponsors that make it all possible. See our website for the full list!
10. Teaching children to act, not act out!
Friday, November 9, 2012
Monday, October 29, 2012
Backstage Etiquette
WAG is very busy preparing our cast and crew for our holiday production of A Charlie Brown Christmas. As theatre lovers and supporters of community threatre, we thought it would be a good time to showcase this AWESOME list:
The Actor’s Guide to Backstage Etiquette
(written by Chris Polo and originally published here:
http://www.communitytheater.org/articles/act_di_cr/bsetiket.htm)
When a crew member tells you to do something, it’s for one reason: the good of the show. If you have a problem with what you’re told to do, do it anyway and complain later.
Why it’s important: Sometimes the reasons for the requests aren’t obvious. If crew tells you they need to call you eight pages before your cue, it may be because they’re all so busy with some other crucial backstage moment during the time leading up to your entrance that no one is free to call you any later than that. It’s either come up 8 pages early or don’t get cued. If they ask you to keep a prop with your costume and be responsible for it, it may be because they have no room for it or because they’re busy when you make you entrance. One of my favorite personal stories (which we recounted in the early days of our web site) illustrating the "you just never know" principle occurred during a production of Rumors, when the stage manager told the actress playing Cookie, who had just donned an apron in preparation for an entrance, "Hold very still and don’t look down." Being a well-trained actress, she did as she was told. The stage manager did something which the actress couldn’t see and then told her to make her entrance. It wasn’t until intermission that the actress discovered that her apron, which had been hanging on a hook on the wall, had become the roost of a small bat. It was clinging to the front of the apron when the actress put it on, and the stage manager had taken a towel, plucked the bat from the front of the apron, and then quickly run off and disposed of it outside. Never question what the crew tells you to do in performance; just trust that it’s for your own good and all will be well.
If your theater doesn’t have a monitor or loudspeaker in the green room, you may feel totally in the dark about how the performance is going. It’s very tempting to creep backstage and keep tabs on things from the wings. Resist the temptation.
Why it’s important: Backstage space in most theaters is pretty cramped, and the last thing the crew needs is to have to work around an extra body. Things can happen pretty quickly backstage, and you could find yourself causing a disaster by blocking someone’s view when a visual cue is needed, or being in the way during a quick entrance or exit. Stay in the green room and out of the way.
You’ve got an early cue with a lot of time to hang out in the wings before your entrance, and it looks like the gal manning stage left isn’t doing anything, so why not strike up a little conversation about how the show’s going while you wait? Resist the urge. You’ll have plenty of time to talk at the cast party.
Why it’s important: A whispered conversation going on in the wings can be very annoying to the actors on stage, and in some small theaters can even be heard in the house. Not only that, but a lot of what the crew is doing is waiting for a cue, just like you. If you distract them with conversation, they may miss a cue, just as you would if someone were trying to hold a conversation with you while you were trying to act on stage. If you have something that you must communicate to a crew member because it affects your performance or the show, then do so, but make sure you’re not interrupting something else that may be going on. If your crew uses headsets, always make the assumption that they’re listening to something when you approach them and you won’t go wrong.
It can be nerve-wracking to hang out in the green room until you’re called, so you pace. You might be back in the storage area, or in the dressing room, or having a quick smoke outside the backstage entrance. Whatever the case, you’re never in the same place two nights running. Don’t do it. Find some place where you’re comfortable spending time until you’re called, and then stick to that spot for the run of the show.
Why it’s important: The crew can’t call you if they can’t find you. And while you may know perfectly well where you are, they don’t. If the actors on stage skip ten pages, you’re going to be needed on stage sooner than you thought, so don’t count on going somewhere and making sure you’re back "in time for your cue." If you need to be someplace away from others so you can run lines, make sure the crew knows that and be there when they come to get you. If you must use the restroom, tell someone else in the green room who will be there until you get back. This rule also applies to arriving in the wings before you’re cued. I can’t count the number of times I’ve seen crew frantically trying to track down a missing actor who is subsequently found nonchalantly waiting in the wings on the opposite side of the stage. This is one habit that can backfire on you, because the one time you decide to wait until you’re cued, the crew figures you’re already in place and doesn’t bother to call you.
What harm can come from picking up the starter pistol that’s being used as the murder weapon and twirling it around your finger like Jesse James, or from shoving a prop to one side so you can perch on the end of the prop table, or from sitting in that comfy armchair that won’t be used until Act II? Plenty. The rule is "don’t touch."
Why it’s important: Props should only be handled in the context of the performance – you’d be surprised how easy it can be to break or damage a prop that looked sturdy enough when you picked it up. Never move a prop -- stage managers and prop masters have specific spots for certain props, making it easier to find things in dim backstage lighting. It may not look like a big deal to just shove that coal scuttle under the props table so it won’t be in anyone’s way, but when the crew goes looking for it in the dark, it may not be so obvious that it’s been pushed off to one side. If prop and set piece placement backstage is a safety hazard, talk to the stage manager about it and let him or her decide what to do about it. Likewise, if you inadvertently take a prop that should remain in the wings to the green room with you, try to get it back up into the wings as soon as possible, preferably by handing it off to a crew member who comes to the green room to call someone. Don’t just lay it down somewhere, promising to put it back later; it’s easy to forget both that you had it and where you put it, and there’s bound to be a panicky search for it the next evening. Never sit on furniture that’s stored backstage – many pieces are borrowed, or may have been mended just well enough to last through the run. Your group doesn’t want to have to explain why there’s makeup smeared on the upholstery, or be forced to rustle up a replacement if a chair leg is broken beyond repair.
Since crew is supposed to set the props, you should trust them to do their jobs, right? They don’t need any back-up, do they? Well, yeah, they do.
Why it’s important: If something that you need to use on stage isn’t set, you can lay all the blame you want on whoever fell down on the job, but ultimately you’re the one who looks like a fool in front of the audience. This is a self-preservation measure, as well as back-up for the crew. If your props aren’t there, blame yourself as well as the crew member who didn't set them, because you should have double-checked.
If your Aunt Marge is supposed to be out in the house tonight, who’s going to notice if you sneak a quick peek through the curtains to see where she’s sitting? Everybody else in the audience, that’s who. And especially the director of the next production, who’s going to make special note of that unprofessional bozo who just stuck his nose through the curtain.
Why it’s important: This goes along with not hanging out in the wings – if you’re on stage, you’re in the way of the crew. Actors should set foot on stage before the curtain opens only to make a quick check of their props, and then they need to vamoose. Needless to say, looking out through the curtains is strictly amateursville. Ever see Laurence Olivier stick his nose through the curtains to check out the house? Of course not. Do it, and you’re branding your whole theater group as unprofessional.
The way to ask for a cue when you drop a line is "Line, please." Not "Ooooh, I know this one, it’s right on the tip of my tongue, oh shoot, it starts with…, um…, oh, GIVE it to me!" This is called taking out your frustrations on the bookholder, and it’s a no-no.
Why it’s important: Your bookholder deserves common courtesy. You know that you’re upset because you can’t get the lines, and while the bookholder may know that, too, it’s still hard for them to get through an evening where they’re receiving orders from someone who sounds like they’re spitting tacks every time they talk to them. This approach also runs counter to what you’re trying to achieve as an actor, because whenever you let your own personal frustration show through, you drop character, which you then have to work at to get back into. And if you mumble and fuddle for 5 minutes before asking for a line, you slow down the pacing that you and the other cast members are trying to pick up. On a side note: Don’t get into the habit of looking at the bookholder when you ask for a cue. This also causes you to drop character and will be a very difficult habit to break as you get closer to opening. If you don’t get over it, you may actually find yourself inadvertently looking for the bookholder out in the house if you drop a line in performance.
You blew a cue or a crucial prop wasn’t set, and the critic is in the house tonight. You come off stage ready to explode as soon as you’re out of sight of the audience. Keep a lid on it. Backstage is not the place to tell the world how you feel.
Why it’s important: First of all, you run the risk of being heard, because you’re upset and probably not too cognizant of how loud you really are. In addition, an angry outburst is a distraction to the crew – you may compound the disaster by making them miss something else while they deal with you. Instead, use the time you take to get to the green room to cool down. If you must vent, do it there, but try not to get your fellow cast members too upset, especially the ones who have to go on after you.
The Actor’s Guide to Backstage Etiquette
(written by Chris Polo and originally published here:
http://www.communitytheater.org/articles/act_di_cr/bsetiket.htm)
Do whatever the crew tells you without arguing, especially in performance.
When a crew member tells you to do something, it’s for one reason: the good of the show. If you have a problem with what you’re told to do, do it anyway and complain later.
Why it’s important: Sometimes the reasons for the requests aren’t obvious. If crew tells you they need to call you eight pages before your cue, it may be because they’re all so busy with some other crucial backstage moment during the time leading up to your entrance that no one is free to call you any later than that. It’s either come up 8 pages early or don’t get cued. If they ask you to keep a prop with your costume and be responsible for it, it may be because they have no room for it or because they’re busy when you make you entrance. One of my favorite personal stories (which we recounted in the early days of our web site) illustrating the "you just never know" principle occurred during a production of Rumors, when the stage manager told the actress playing Cookie, who had just donned an apron in preparation for an entrance, "Hold very still and don’t look down." Being a well-trained actress, she did as she was told. The stage manager did something which the actress couldn’t see and then told her to make her entrance. It wasn’t until intermission that the actress discovered that her apron, which had been hanging on a hook on the wall, had become the roost of a small bat. It was clinging to the front of the apron when the actress put it on, and the stage manager had taken a towel, plucked the bat from the front of the apron, and then quickly run off and disposed of it outside. Never question what the crew tells you to do in performance; just trust that it’s for your own good and all will be well.
Don’t hang out in the wings watching the show.
If your theater doesn’t have a monitor or loudspeaker in the green room, you may feel totally in the dark about how the performance is going. It’s very tempting to creep backstage and keep tabs on things from the wings. Resist the temptation.
Why it’s important: Backstage space in most theaters is pretty cramped, and the last thing the crew needs is to have to work around an extra body. Things can happen pretty quickly backstage, and you could find yourself causing a disaster by blocking someone’s view when a visual cue is needed, or being in the way during a quick entrance or exit. Stay in the green room and out of the way.
Don’t talk with anyone backstage unless it is essential to the show
You’ve got an early cue with a lot of time to hang out in the wings before your entrance, and it looks like the gal manning stage left isn’t doing anything, so why not strike up a little conversation about how the show’s going while you wait? Resist the urge. You’ll have plenty of time to talk at the cast party.
Why it’s important: A whispered conversation going on in the wings can be very annoying to the actors on stage, and in some small theaters can even be heard in the house. Not only that, but a lot of what the crew is doing is waiting for a cue, just like you. If you distract them with conversation, they may miss a cue, just as you would if someone were trying to hold a conversation with you while you were trying to act on stage. If you have something that you must communicate to a crew member because it affects your performance or the show, then do so, but make sure you’re not interrupting something else that may be going on. If your crew uses headsets, always make the assumption that they’re listening to something when you approach them and you won’t go wrong.
Stay put until you’re called for your cue.
It can be nerve-wracking to hang out in the green room until you’re called, so you pace. You might be back in the storage area, or in the dressing room, or having a quick smoke outside the backstage entrance. Whatever the case, you’re never in the same place two nights running. Don’t do it. Find some place where you’re comfortable spending time until you’re called, and then stick to that spot for the run of the show.
Why it’s important: The crew can’t call you if they can’t find you. And while you may know perfectly well where you are, they don’t. If the actors on stage skip ten pages, you’re going to be needed on stage sooner than you thought, so don’t count on going somewhere and making sure you’re back "in time for your cue." If you need to be someplace away from others so you can run lines, make sure the crew knows that and be there when they come to get you. If you must use the restroom, tell someone else in the green room who will be there until you get back. This rule also applies to arriving in the wings before you’re cued. I can’t count the number of times I’ve seen crew frantically trying to track down a missing actor who is subsequently found nonchalantly waiting in the wings on the opposite side of the stage. This is one habit that can backfire on you, because the one time you decide to wait until you’re cued, the crew figures you’re already in place and doesn’t bother to call you.
Don’t play with or move the props, and don’t sit on the furniture backstage.
What harm can come from picking up the starter pistol that’s being used as the murder weapon and twirling it around your finger like Jesse James, or from shoving a prop to one side so you can perch on the end of the prop table, or from sitting in that comfy armchair that won’t be used until Act II? Plenty. The rule is "don’t touch."
Why it’s important: Props should only be handled in the context of the performance – you’d be surprised how easy it can be to break or damage a prop that looked sturdy enough when you picked it up. Never move a prop -- stage managers and prop masters have specific spots for certain props, making it easier to find things in dim backstage lighting. It may not look like a big deal to just shove that coal scuttle under the props table so it won’t be in anyone’s way, but when the crew goes looking for it in the dark, it may not be so obvious that it’s been pushed off to one side. If prop and set piece placement backstage is a safety hazard, talk to the stage manager about it and let him or her decide what to do about it. Likewise, if you inadvertently take a prop that should remain in the wings to the green room with you, try to get it back up into the wings as soon as possible, preferably by handing it off to a crew member who comes to the green room to call someone. Don’t just lay it down somewhere, promising to put it back later; it’s easy to forget both that you had it and where you put it, and there’s bound to be a panicky search for it the next evening. Never sit on furniture that’s stored backstage – many pieces are borrowed, or may have been mended just well enough to last through the run. Your group doesn’t want to have to explain why there’s makeup smeared on the upholstery, or be forced to rustle up a replacement if a chair leg is broken beyond repair.
Check your props before each performance, including any that are set for you to use onstage
Since crew is supposed to set the props, you should trust them to do their jobs, right? They don’t need any back-up, do they? Well, yeah, they do.
Why it’s important: If something that you need to use on stage isn’t set, you can lay all the blame you want on whoever fell down on the job, but ultimately you’re the one who looks like a fool in front of the audience. This is a self-preservation measure, as well as back-up for the crew. If your props aren’t there, blame yourself as well as the crew member who didn't set them, because you should have double-checked.
Don’t peek through the curtains at the audience
If your Aunt Marge is supposed to be out in the house tonight, who’s going to notice if you sneak a quick peek through the curtains to see where she’s sitting? Everybody else in the audience, that’s who. And especially the director of the next production, who’s going to make special note of that unprofessional bozo who just stuck his nose through the curtain.
Why it’s important: This goes along with not hanging out in the wings – if you’re on stage, you’re in the way of the crew. Actors should set foot on stage before the curtain opens only to make a quick check of their props, and then they need to vamoose. Needless to say, looking out through the curtains is strictly amateursville. Ever see Laurence Olivier stick his nose through the curtains to check out the house? Of course not. Do it, and you’re branding your whole theater group as unprofessional.
In rehearsal, be nice to the bookholder
The way to ask for a cue when you drop a line is "Line, please." Not "Ooooh, I know this one, it’s right on the tip of my tongue, oh shoot, it starts with…, um…, oh, GIVE it to me!" This is called taking out your frustrations on the bookholder, and it’s a no-no.
Why it’s important: Your bookholder deserves common courtesy. You know that you’re upset because you can’t get the lines, and while the bookholder may know that, too, it’s still hard for them to get through an evening where they’re receiving orders from someone who sounds like they’re spitting tacks every time they talk to them. This approach also runs counter to what you’re trying to achieve as an actor, because whenever you let your own personal frustration show through, you drop character, which you then have to work at to get back into. And if you mumble and fuddle for 5 minutes before asking for a line, you slow down the pacing that you and the other cast members are trying to pick up. On a side note: Don’t get into the habit of looking at the bookholder when you ask for a cue. This also causes you to drop character and will be a very difficult habit to break as you get closer to opening. If you don’t get over it, you may actually find yourself inadvertently looking for the bookholder out in the house if you drop a line in performance.
Hold your temper until you get to the green room
You blew a cue or a crucial prop wasn’t set, and the critic is in the house tonight. You come off stage ready to explode as soon as you’re out of sight of the audience. Keep a lid on it. Backstage is not the place to tell the world how you feel.
Why it’s important: First of all, you run the risk of being heard, because you’re upset and probably not too cognizant of how loud you really are. In addition, an angry outburst is a distraction to the crew – you may compound the disaster by making them miss something else while they deal with you. Instead, use the time you take to get to the green room to cool down. If you must vent, do it there, but try not to get your fellow cast members too upset, especially the ones who have to go on after you.
Monday, September 24, 2012
Notes From the Casting Experience
A New Appreciation
The day after sitting in on the looonng casting day for A Charlie Brown Christmas, I feel compelled to share the deeper appreciation I have for WAG. Having been involved in five of WAG's eight productions to date, I figured I knew the ins and outs of the time, money, blood, sweat & tears that goes into a show. Well, like an ice berg, I only saw what had been exposed. Yesterday, I experienced some behind the scenes work that I won't soon forget.
I loved watching over 60 kids brave the audition panel. I admired their courage, their flexibility and their honesty. I learned first hand that we have a lot of local talent, and I'm reminded of that Field of Dreams quote, "If you build it, they will come." Wow, WAG sure has proven that true; Wylie is bursting with creative kids just looking for a venue to share their gifts close to home.
When the last kiddo finally left, a full seven hours after auditions began, the panel really got to work. With a sigh, the judges piled up the audition packets according to role. The Snoopy pile loomed high & threatened to fall over. My eyes widened, as I had a daughter's paperwork nestled in there. First, the panel took the highest mathematical average of each actor's audition sheet, which quickly narrowed the stack to just a few. Yep, my kid was still in there. Gulp. Then, the conversation really began: What about stature? What about previous experience? The questions kept swirling among them as the judges labored over a decision. Finally, a co-director said about one of the candidates, "his time has come." It was at once a declaration of wisdom, compassion and resolve. As the mom of the one not chosen this time, I could go home and tell my daughter that she did really well, second best out of a whole stack! Knowing the labor that went into that decision, I could look into her disappointed little eyes and comfort her while believing wholeheartedly in the casting call.
The process was repeated again and again for every role in the play...and the choir...and the crew. One more time, one of my daughters came in second for a role. One more time I had to break the difficult news. Several years younger than her sister, this little actress crumpled & cried. Even then, I could hold her close and look into her moist eyes and comfort her without bitterness for the process.
I was invited to auditions because I'm directing the choir, but I wish every parent involved in WAG got to witness the joys and struggles kept behind the closed door of the casting room. Until you see the directors pulling for every kid, until you hear the judges revisit each audition packet again and again, until you yourself grow weary at watching the delicate balance of the art and science of casting, there is no way to fully appreciate the gentle, strong heartbeat of WAG.
- Sara Meyer
The day after sitting in on the looonng casting day for A Charlie Brown Christmas, I feel compelled to share the deeper appreciation I have for WAG. Having been involved in five of WAG's eight productions to date, I figured I knew the ins and outs of the time, money, blood, sweat & tears that goes into a show. Well, like an ice berg, I only saw what had been exposed. Yesterday, I experienced some behind the scenes work that I won't soon forget.
I loved watching over 60 kids brave the audition panel. I admired their courage, their flexibility and their honesty. I learned first hand that we have a lot of local talent, and I'm reminded of that Field of Dreams quote, "If you build it, they will come." Wow, WAG sure has proven that true; Wylie is bursting with creative kids just looking for a venue to share their gifts close to home.
When the last kiddo finally left, a full seven hours after auditions began, the panel really got to work. With a sigh, the judges piled up the audition packets according to role. The Snoopy pile loomed high & threatened to fall over. My eyes widened, as I had a daughter's paperwork nestled in there. First, the panel took the highest mathematical average of each actor's audition sheet, which quickly narrowed the stack to just a few. Yep, my kid was still in there. Gulp. Then, the conversation really began: What about stature? What about previous experience? The questions kept swirling among them as the judges labored over a decision. Finally, a co-director said about one of the candidates, "his time has come." It was at once a declaration of wisdom, compassion and resolve. As the mom of the one not chosen this time, I could go home and tell my daughter that she did really well, second best out of a whole stack! Knowing the labor that went into that decision, I could look into her disappointed little eyes and comfort her while believing wholeheartedly in the casting call.
The process was repeated again and again for every role in the play...and the choir...and the crew. One more time, one of my daughters came in second for a role. One more time I had to break the difficult news. Several years younger than her sister, this little actress crumpled & cried. Even then, I could hold her close and look into her moist eyes and comfort her without bitterness for the process.
I was invited to auditions because I'm directing the choir, but I wish every parent involved in WAG got to witness the joys and struggles kept behind the closed door of the casting room. Until you see the directors pulling for every kid, until you hear the judges revisit each audition packet again and again, until you yourself grow weary at watching the delicate balance of the art and science of casting, there is no way to fully appreciate the gentle, strong heartbeat of WAG.
- Sara Meyer
Thursday, September 13, 2012
A Charlie Brown Christmas
WAG invites all interested school-aged children to audition for our holiday production, A Charlie Brown Christmas (cast of characters here). Make plans to join us on Saturday, September 22nd at 9:00am at the Best Western Inn in Wylie, 2011 N. Hwy 78, Wylie, 75098. Upon arrival, you will be asked to submit paperwork (linked below) and to sign up for a time to return later that day. The signing in process will conclude at noon but the audition process will continue until every child has been seen.
Production Schedule:
A Charlie Brown Christmas will start rehearsals on Monday, September 24th and rehearse every Monday and Thursday evening from 6:00pm - 8:00pm and every Saturday morning from 9:00am - noon. IMPORTANT NOTE: Every child participating MUST be available for a Final Tech Dress Rehearsal the entire Saturday after Thanksgiving, Nov. 24th.
The show will run Nov. 30th - Dec. 1st.
To be prepared for auditions, we ask all children do the following:
Complete the Audition Packet
Familiarize themselves (no need to memorize!) with the Audition Script
Familiarize themselves (no need to memorize!) with Hark the Herald Angels Sing thru the first verse
Good luck and BREAK A LEG!
Production Schedule:
A Charlie Brown Christmas will start rehearsals on Monday, September 24th and rehearse every Monday and Thursday evening from 6:00pm - 8:00pm and every Saturday morning from 9:00am - noon. IMPORTANT NOTE: Every child participating MUST be available for a Final Tech Dress Rehearsal the entire Saturday after Thanksgiving, Nov. 24th.
The show will run Nov. 30th - Dec. 1st.
To be prepared for auditions, we ask all children do the following:
Complete the Audition Packet
Familiarize themselves (no need to memorize!) with the Audition Script
Familiarize themselves (no need to memorize!) with Hark the Herald Angels Sing thru the first verse
Good luck and BREAK A LEG!
Wednesday, May 9, 2012
Charlie and the Chocolate Factory Audition Tips from Director Tom Barlow
As the Director of Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, I am looking forward to seeing many talented young actors this weekend at auditions! Below are a few things to keep in mind as you prepare to audition:
- While you do not need to prepare a memorized audition piece, if you already have something prepared that shows your skills, as they relate to this play, bring it! Just remember to keep it relatively short, and fun, and be prepared to possibly do something else from the specific play.
- Show us your character! At your scheduled audition time, feel free to come dressed in a simple costume or use small/simple props that represent your idea of the character. Again, this is optional, and if done, it does NOT need to be fancy or elaborate, and it definitely should NOT distract from your performance, or get in your way.
- Make strong character choices! Do you think your character smiles and winks at the end of every sentence? Do it! Maybe your character always walks with his or her shoulders hunched forward. Let's see it! The point is, show us your acting skills by making strong choices about the character for which you are auditioning. We want to see more than simply reading from a page. Hint: I do NOT think any character in THIS show smiles and winks at the end of EVERY sentence. :-)
- If you are auditioning for the Narrator, or one of the main children in the story (other than Charlie), you can find the audition pieces for these characters in scene 1 of the script (the one adapted by Richard George, ISBN #0142407909). The script is available on Amazon with the "Look Inside" option which means you can actually view the first few pages. This will let you get a head start on practicing the pieces you will be asked to use for the audition. Of course these scenes will also be available at the audition.
- Want to be an Oompah-Loompa? We will have a script excerpt for you to audition with, however, you can also wow us with your own memorized performance of any other relatively short (preferring funny/cute/anecdotal) children's poem. Lots available online!
That's it for now! Please remember that NONE of these things are required, and we want to see actors of ALL experience levels. These are just ideas, or "audition tips," from one actor to another!
Best of luck, and of course, "Break a Leg!"
Tom Barlow
Thursday, May 3, 2012
Why Children's Theatre?
When it comes to ‘children’s theatre’ there are two basic types. There’s the adult produced and performed type and then there’s the ‘Theatre for children, by children’ type that Wylie Acting Group for Children stands for. Regardless of the type, perhaps children's theatre ought to be called "Spectacle for all ages," since it exercises everyone's imaginations, familiarizing us with foreign cultures, building respect for people from all walks of life, relaxing us, relieving our stress, and sending us back to the daily grind enriched and renewed. At its very best, children's theatre empowers and educates even as it exhilarates and entertains.
Having just wrapped directing a lively rendition of Charlotte’s Web, as I normally do, I take a step back from my WAG duties and try to rest a little and reflect a little on how the production went. Inevitably there’s the need to dive back in and join the preparations for the next show. In doing so, last night I made a visit to our Facebook page. I hadn’t ventured there since the few days leading up to opening night.
What a delightful surprise it was to find so many sweet comments from our Facebook page followers. Here’s a glimpse at just a few:
Seeing comments like these remind me of why I wanted a children’s theatre group in Wylie. The entertainment industry and mass marketing often panders to our worst instincts, desensitizing children to violence and "difference" rather than opening their eyes and hearts, refining their emotions, enlightening them and transporting them beyond the known to new realms.
In the theatre world, the quality of children's entertainment is uniformly high. Under all circumstances, it affirms life and attempts to promote community and harmony. Most theatre companies are careful to blend educational elements into the diversion with the knowledge that the joy and wonder of live movement, melody and dialogue must outweigh the need to be instructive. Fun is still the bottom line.
And the fun isn’t just limited to children. Parents laugh at pratfalls and silly antics just as readily as youngsters do. Incidentally, children do appreciate the fact that moms, dads and older relatives are enjoying themselves as much as they are. This adds to the child's fun and makes the occasion a bonding experience, a special child-centered event that emphasizes and elevates the value of the pint-sized members of our society.
While many children’s theatres operate under the assumption that the educational values of theatre are embodied in the performances themselves, a given in all arts, here at WAG we do things a little differently. From the beginning it has been my goal to involve young people, and their families, in every aspect of theatre production. And so far we can’t think of a single reason to even consider abandoning this goal. During Charlotte’s Web we asked the children what their favorite thing is about being in a WAG production. Reading the forty or so responses was certainly a treat for me. There were lots of ‘I like to dress up’ and ‘I think being on stage is fun’ type comments but my favorites, which actually serve as an unsolicited endorsement of what we do, were these:
‘…the smiles on people’s faces when the play is done.’ Ginna, 12 years
Ginna is learning the art of bringing joy to others, not just herself.
‘…I get to interact with new people and make new friends!’ Zoe, 10 years
Zoe is learning that there’s a great big world out there with lots of people who like the same things she does.
‘…the excitement of being onstage and having such great memories, making new friends and knowing that you are a part of something bigger than meets the eye.’ Tyler, 10 years
Tyler is learning what it means to be a member of a community and the value of participating in worthwhile activities.
‘…I like to see all my friends and see how great they are at acting!’Kayden , 9 years
Kayden is learning that standing back and allowing others to stand in the spotlight can be fun too.
Ginna is learning the art of bringing joy to others, not just herself.
‘…I get to interact with new people and make new friends!’ Zoe, 10 years
Zoe is learning that there’s a great big world out there with lots of people who like the same things she does.
‘…the excitement of being onstage and having such great memories, making new friends and knowing that you are a part of something bigger than meets the eye.’ Tyler, 10 years
Tyler is learning what it means to be a member of a community and the value of participating in worthwhile activities.
‘…I like to see all my friends and see how great they are at acting!’Kayden , 9 years
Kayden is learning that standing back and allowing others to stand in the spotlight can be fun too.
‘…working on the set with my dad.’ Robert, 14 years
Robert is learning that spending quality time with family is important.
Robert is learning that spending quality time with family is important.
This is why we do what we do. Without being in any way pontifical or overtly educational, the performing arts teach us to take stock of our existence and to appreciate circumstances that we often take for granted.
If children's theatre teaches us anything, it demonstrates the interconnectedness of life and the need for playtime in everyone's schedule. And what great playtime it is!
As Wilbur says ‘Living a good life is much more important than living a long life.’ With seven productions behind us, I’m so pleased and proud to be working with volunteers (board members, parents, community sponsors and more) who work continuously to put good into children’s and family’s lives.
Monday, February 13, 2012
Reflections on the Auditions
by Lana Bagdasarian
Wow, Charlotte's Web is cast! What a great first experience on a casting
team. We had eighty children show up to
audition last Saturday and twenty-two called back.
Do you know how hard it is to decide on whom to cast for only thirty-five parts? Ridiculously hard. So, what do you use to decide who is cast for this performance and who we cast at a future date? Well, glad you asked. Here is the top TEN list for whom to cast for a play when you have double the amount of children as parts.
Do you know how hard it is to decide on whom to cast for only thirty-five parts? Ridiculously hard. So, what do you use to decide who is cast for this performance and who we cast at a future date? Well, glad you asked. Here is the top TEN list for whom to cast for a play when you have double the amount of children as parts.
- Talent – That one is a given. However, it is not as easy as it sounds. We had 80 TALENTED kids audition.
- Attitude – We need performers who are excited about being part of the play and who are flexible to play any part assigned to them.
- Behavior – We need performers who help the play and its rehearsals progress at a good pace. They keep the others around them on track and keep the director from pulling his or her hair out.
- Attendance – We need performers who are there for almost EVERY rehearsal, who get there on time and stay for the entire rehearsal. The rest of the children suffer when one of the characters are not there.
- Volume – We need performers whose voice can travel to the back of the auditorium without a microphone. Nothing loses the audiences’ attention faster than them missing lines due to being unable to hear or understand them.
- Directable - We need performers who will listen to the director and follow through on what is asked of them.
- Fluid - We need performers whose movements look natural and enhance the movement of the play.
- Character – We need performers who “fit” the part. Looks, actions, and sounds all enhance the characters’ development.
- Emotion - We need performers who can show a variety of emotions. They can play the funny, slap stick when needed but can also be believable in the serious, sad scenes.
- Experience - WAG for Children is proud to give children their first experience in acting. To that end, we try to maintain a balance of new and experienced performers within each performance cast.
The casting team is so proud of each and every child who
auditioned this production. You made us
wish we could have a cast of 80+. If you
were cast, we are excited to see what you bring to WAG and the performance of
Charlotte’s Web. If you weren’t cast
this time, we want everyone to know that we want you to come back and audition
again. A NO this time does not mean a NO
every time.
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