Theater department hosts auditions, prepares for upcoming season
- Aug. 22, 2012
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The University Theatre program will host auditions this week for the Fall 2012 season.
Open Call auditions began Aug. 20 and were held in Crafton-Preyer Theater in Murphy Hall. They will continue at 7 p.m. tonight. Callbacks will then be held Wednesday and Thursday with the official cast lists posted Friday.
The Theatre Rally, which gave students information about the department and its shows, kicked off auditions week on Aug. 19. More than 80 students attended the rally, said Katherine Pryor, managing director of the theater.
The auditions will be for the productions of “The 39 Steps,” “Dog Sees God: Confessions of a Teenage Blockhead,” “Into the Woods” and “If the Whole Body Dies.”
Pryor said the University Theatre Committee began mapping out the full 2012-2013 season in May.
“Some of the faculty directors had already begun thinking about it around mid-March,” she said.
Pryor said there were criteria for the shows chosen for the upcoming season. The committee considered the research needs of the faculty directors as well as undergraduate and design needs.
“We also take into account what the audience will enjoy, of course,” Pryor said.
Auditions are open to undergraduate and graduate students of all majors.
“People think that because they’re not a theater major they won’t get in, but they do quite often.”
Students associated with the theater department also contributed to the season’s line up of productions.
“Last season I was a student representative (on the committee) so I actually got to vote,” said Thome Browne, a senior from Topeka. “Overall I think we put together a fun season. We definitely have the talent to flesh it out so we can expect a lot of talent from them.”
Browne, now a member of the Tech Crew after acting in past shows, said publicity plays a large role in enticing audience members.
“We do a lot of publicity for every show to draw students and faculty, as well as the Lawrence community,” he said. “Also, it’s the high expectation of quality the audience has from us.”
Jenny Curatola, a senior from Lansing, said the layout of the season will keep audiences interested.
“They’re really covering all the bases this year,” she said. “We have a lot of new students coming and lots of big casts to fill.”
Curatola said the theater department’s loyal fan base provides for a unique experience.
“For students, it’s an escape from the academic world” and gives them a chance to support their friends, she said. “We have a large theater following to keep the tradition alive.”
— Edited by Allison Kohn
Elly Grimm is a journalism major from Conway Springs. Read more from Elly Grimm.
