Dear Participant!
Welcome to Wolfeboro Area Creative Arts Center's 2007 Summer Theatre Program! We are very excited to have you! This letter is a general orientation letter to let you know what to expect this summer. Please feel free to contact the Creative Arts Center at 569-7979 if you have any further questions!
The Parade:
Every year we build a float and march in the Fourth of July Parade! We will be working on the float the first week of theatre. The 4th can be a long and hot day so marching is entirely optional but please let us know whether or not you intend on participating. More information regarding this event will be provided.The Schedule:
We will work Mon-Fri from 8:30-12:00 am. Please please please be punctual in picking up your children. Most of our staff have other jobs that they need to get to, and so it is a real hardship for us if you are late!! We have many workshops planned in addition to our rehearsal schedule. Students will be introduced to basic Stanislavski technique, proper vocal use, basic stage movement, and dance. All of these activities will be age appropriate with younger students doing simpler activities and older students doing more difficult work, including intermediate script analysis.The Show:
Our show this year is The Wizard of Oz. All children participating in WACAC's Summer Theatre Program are guaranteed a role. Auditions will be held in the first week of the program, and will consist of singing, acting, and dance. If your child has audition material prepared we would be delighted to see it! This is not necessary, however, as we design our auditions to allow all students to showcase their talents to the best of their ability, whether or not they have ever auditioned before. Auditions will be structured with one day of dance auditions, one day of singing auditions, and one day of acting auditions.Dance auditions: Chrissi, our amazing choreographer, will teach all students a dance number. Students will then perform this dance in groups. We will be looking for students who are comfortable with movement, demonstrate general dance ability, and who are able to retain dance combinations.
Singing auditions: Any student who wishes to audition for a leading role will be expected to sing a solo. These solos can be ANY song that the student likes. The student may bring in a CD of accompaniment, or sing A Cappella. Students not auditioning for leading roles will sing well known songs in groups. All students will need to demonstrate their range (Heather will hit notes on a piano and ask students to sing those notes. This is simply to determine whether they are sopranos, altos, baritones, tenors, etc). We will be looking at vocal range, projection, vocal quality, and the student's ability to act a song.
Acting auditions: Students will play acting games in groups. Any student auditioning for a leading role will be asked to read scenes from the script. We will be looking for confidence, flexibility, professionalism, the ability to take direction, the ability to work well with others, and the ability to clearly express the character.
All this audition information sounds daunting, but it's actually a pretty fun process. Unless your student is auditioning for a lead, all the auditions are group auditions and are very game-like. Since every child is guaranteed a part, these auditions are mostly designed for us to figure out where your child would have the most fun!
What To Pack for Rehearsal:
Please send your child to Theatre with a snack and a hydrating drink (I.E. water not soda). Also, please make sure they are dressed in clothing that allows them to move. For safety reasons, we ask that your child wear "good" shoes...No open toe sandals or flip flops.What to Pack for Performance:
All children will need basic makeup for the show (Some roles require specialized make up. We will help with this). Please compile a basic make up kit for your student to use during performance. This can be any old make up that you have lying around. Please see guide for help.Parent Volunteers:
We have a wonderful staff this summer but are always looking for more help, particularly during show times! If you are interested in being a back-stage-parent please let us know! Responsibilities might include helping us get children to and from the stage, applying make up and doing hair. Also, we are looking for parents to help participate with the youngest children during rehearsals. Again, please let us know if you might find this fun!Wish List:
We would welcome donations of stage make up, bottled water, and cans of paint, and we are in need of many small unwanted lampshades. It would be very helpful to us if some of the more basic costume materials were supplied by the student. We can provide all the fun stuff, but might ask your student to provide basic things such as a light colored shirt, a dark pair of pants, an old pair of sneakers, etc.Special Concerns:
This show calls for some specialized makeup. The witch, for example, spends the entire production covered in green face paint! If your child is allergic to makeup it is imperative that you let us know so that we can find alternatives for them!!!All of us at Wolfeboro Creative Arts Center look forward to meeting you and your child! We anticipate another fun and busy year! Please do not hesitate to contact us with questions!!
Best,Heather Elise Hamilton, PhD
Wolfeboro Area Creative Arts Center
Wolfeboro NH