This Year...Midsummer Night's Dream!

Well, the Susquehanna players are at it again.
This year's Spring production is going to be another Shakespeare favorite, "A Midsummer Night's Dream".
They are off and running, with a talented cast, once again. Today was the day that they began rehearsing without their scripts. Only one month til the first performance!
Here are a few pictures from today's rehearsal.

Discussing some blocking points

One of our talented seamstresses hard at work

Beginning the costume collection.

This Year....King Lear!

Well, we have started the process of our production of our latest play!
This year the kids will be performing Shakespeare's "King Lear".

We started with our annual recitation contest and audition.
The kids did a great job! So much talent!
We had three judges, who gave some great direction and tips to the kids on ways that they can improve their performance.



Our winner's were Casey Garnett

and Liam Watkins.

These are just a few of the talented performers that we were treated to. The photographer had a bad day...if I can find families that have pictures that came out well, I will post!

Macbeth Revisited

These are production memories from last year.

Recitation 2011!

 

Yesterday our 2011 Shakespearean effort began in earnest, with the 2nd annual Recitation Contest.

There were twenty-four contestants reciting monologues from four different plays:

Romeo and Juliet
Twelfth Night
Merchant of Venice
As You Like It

The group had already voted on which play to do for this year's production, and out of those four, they chose "The Merchant of Venice".

We were honored to have three excellent judges: Mike Bareham, Mike Collins, and Della Lied.
They all listened and watched each contestant and then scored the performance and gave tips to each person on why they judged them way they did. It was a great opportunity to get some valuable feedback from some very knowledgeable theater types.

Most of yesterday's contestants were auditioning for the play during the contest, and the casting is going to be a challenge, because there was a LOT of talent in that room!

The winner of the contest was Liam Watkins who recited from "The Merchant of Venice"



and second place went to Ben Klopcic, who did a piece from "Romeo and Juliet".

A New Year, A New Endeavor

The Susquehanna Players are gearing up for another great season of study and performance!

There are plans in the works for another recitation contest and auditions for the next play:

This from Paula!

I have begun to plan the Shakespeare Workshop, Recitation Contest and Performance for the upcoming year.

I plan to follow a similar format to last year….but for the Recitation Contest / Audition we will focus on monologues/soliloquies from 4 plays:

As You Like It

Twelfth Night

Merchant of Venice

Romeo and Juliet

During our time together we will explore and discuss a selection of Shakespeare’s memorable monologues and soliloquies…..and we will learn about the plot, characters, and themes of these plays.

We will also participate in activities and games designed to develop memory and presentation skills. Each participant will choose a selection to memorize and present on our last meeting (selections range in length from 12 to 30 lines). All participants will receive a certificate and two winners will receive an official award document from the National Endowment for the Arts.

I plan to start after Christmas. The Recitation Contest Component will comprise of 5 meetings. Then the recitation Contest / Auditions

After that, we will focus on the play intensively for about a month and then plunge into rehearsals.

Opening Night

Thanks Christine! Great Pictures!!!

Break a Leg!

Well, last night was our dress rehearsal for "Macbeth", and the second time around, it went really well, I thought. The whole thing is coming together and it is very exciting.
Paula has done a wonderful job with everything.
The sets are really amazing, thanks to Larry.
The work that has gone into the production on the back end has made it even more polished.

Our first performance is tonight!
The kids know their lines, the sets are all done, the costumes are looking good and the props are ready.
It has been a long road, but that's what it takes to bring it together.
The greatest thing about this whole experience has been seeing the kids working together and the way they have cooperated and become such a great team.
There has been stress, drama (it's theater after all), feelings have been hurt and everyone is tired at the end of rehearsal, but they are such good friends and they forgive and go on.
I am so proud of all of them!

The theater experience, the literature lessons, the hard work, those are all very important. We are very grateful for all the wonderful things that we have learned, but I think the best part, the most valuable of all the experiences, has been the fellowship and generosity of the people that have been a part of it.