Hello! We have created something new for 2020. Every month we will be sharing our Festival Faves! Faves can be anything from books to websites to movies to recipes, or anything that we are currently into. So, check them out each month. It’s just another way to connect with our community.
 
1. Traci Ledford director of last summer’s Crimes of the Heart and future director of this fall’s The Crucible offers this tasty recipe.  
 
“Homemade soups can go a long way during isolation and quarantine. Here is one of my own recipes that can easily be adapted to your own tastes and preferences. If you’re a vegetarian, just omit the meat and switch to your favorite vegetable broth.

Chicken Cilantro Lime Soup
 
1 (32 oz) to 1 ½ cartons of chicken stock or broth [best to buy two and have one on reserve]
1 (10 oz) can of Ro-tel chopped tomatoes and green chilies [substitute 1 (14 oz) can of diced petite tomatoes if you prefer non-spicy soups or mix and match the two]
1 medium-sized white onion, diced
2-3 yellow summer squash, sliced 
2-3 boneless chicken breasts [boneless chicken thighs are good too]
1 bunch of cilantro; leaves only, discard stems—simply add your preferred amount 
[If you dislike cilantro, then just leave it out and rename your soup.]
¼ teaspoon garlic powder
½ teaspoon sea salt or kosher salt
¼ teaspoon of black pepper
2 large or 3 small limes
 
Optional items to add to according to your preferred taste:
½ cup of rice
1 can of corn, drained
1 can of black beans, drained
 
Place all items, except the limes, in a stew pot, soup pot, or Dutch oven. Cover and bring to a boil on medium heat. Reduce heat once the soup boils, keeping the soup at a simmer. When the chicken is cooked through (30-45 minutes simmering), remove each breast and shred or dice before returning to the soup. If the chicken stock/broth cooks off, add more as needed to desired consistency. 
 
Just before serving: halve the limes. Squeeze and stir in the juice of each lime to your preferred taste. I go for more rather than less here. 
 
Optional toppings:
shredded cheese 
sour cream
crushed tortilla chips
sliced avocado
fresh cilantro leaves
more lime juice
 
Enjoy with your favorite tortilla chips and a side of queso or guacamole! It will taste even better the second day.”
 
2. Here is a fave from Board member and director of our upcoming summer production of Into the Woods, Mark Baer. “For parents with students age 7-12 or so, I have a great suggestion. We were gifted a Highlights Which Way USA subscription and my 7yo Samantha is loving it.  
 
Grade school is more rigorous than ever these days. She is so far ahead of where I was at her age in math and reading. But geography and social studies are still just on the periphery of her awareness. These magazines allow us to take an imaginary trip to places all over our country.  
 
You get a map of the country at the beginning and then each month you get two new issues, one for every state. The premise is that your child is on a team that is completing challenges related to each state’s unique landmarks and attributes. Your child has to complete puzzles and challenges to help their team – each one earns points toward the team victory.  The competition is imaginary – you don’t have to login or anything – but my daughter sure doesn’t know that!
 
In a moment when many parents have suddenly been signed up for homeschooling, this is a unique educational resource that doesn’t feel like “school” and doesn’t involve additional screen time. It’s been very fun for the two of us. The other day we finished several puzzles about Florida and then Samantha set up her stuffed animals in a pretend classroom in front of the map and taught them all about the Fountain of Youth!”
 
https://www.highlights.com/store/puzzle-book-clubs/which-way-usa
 
 
3. Our executive Artistic Director, Jason Richards says “For this quarantine edition of FF my recommendation is the Pulitzer Prize list for fiction. For years, I have been working on reading the entire list of winners. There are 92 winners (and counting), I have read 66 so far! I’m currently working on number 67; The Orphan Master’s Son by Adam Johnson. (Update: The Orphan Master’s Son is brilliant, and devastating, and haunting, and exhilarating, and endlessly fascinating. I can’t put it down.) You may enjoy reading this list of great works of fictions as well. Some of my favorite winners are (in no particular order):
 
1. Lamb in His Bosom – Caroline Miller
2. The Town – Conrad Richter (This is the third book in the series that includes, The Trees and The Fields. All three are great.)
3. The Travels with Jamie McPheeters – Robert Lewis Taylor
4. Angle of Repose – Wallace Stegner
5. The Executioner’s Song – Norman Mailer
6. Interpreter of Maladies – Jhumpa Lahiri
7. Empire Falls – Richard Russo
8. The Known World – Edward P. Jones
9. The Goldfinch – Donna Tartt
10. The Underground Railroad – Colson Whitehead
 
Here is the Pulitzer Prize link
https://www.pulitzer.org/prize-winners-by-category/219
 
However, there are several book lists to choose from if the Pulitzer Prize list doesn’t strike your fancy. Here are a few links
 
1. The 50 Coolest Books Ever
https://www.listchallenges.com/the-50-coolest-books-ever
 
2. The National Book Award
https://www.nationalbook.org/national-book-awards/years/
 
3. 100 Best Books from the 19th Century
https://www.listchallenges.com/100-best-books-from-the-19th-century
 
4. Modern Library’s 100 Best Novels
http://www.modernlibrary.com/top-100/100-best-novels/
 
 
Happy reading!”
 
 
4. Amy Hayes, director of our upcoming summer production of Picasso at the Lapin Agile recommends these favorites.
 
-New favorite drink: cucumber Perrier
-Favorite pastime: listening to Classic novels on Audible while doing nostalgic jigsaw puzzles
-Favorite online exercise: Yoga with Adrienne (YouTube)
-Favorite meditation app: Calm
-Favorite streaming radio app: Classic FM (UK)
-Favorite podcast: The Daily (NYTimes)
-Favorite tea: Lady Grey (with either a little honey or a little milk; not both)
-Favorite non-dairy milk: Flax milk
-Favorite new ritual: eating dinner at the table every night with the candles lit and the music on
 
 
5. Actor (The Marvelous Wonderettes, Fools, The Somewhat True Tale of Robinhood, The Gift of the Magi) and Costume Designer (Charlotte’s Web, The Gift of the Magi) Madison Fairbanks says, “I love to read but the recent shutdowns have made it pretty hard to get out to a library or bookstore. This is where Scribd comes in handy. Scribd is an online book/document/written word library that I find to be incredibly user friendly. I enjoy it because there are truly hundreds of thousands of titles to choose from in a wide variety of genres and formats. Need a book recommendation? Scribd users have made tons of easily accessible lists to guide you in the right direction. Like to multitask? Try an audiobook! Sheet music is available if you’ve been thinking about learning a song and auditioning for a certain local theatre's musical! Scribd also has an app so you can read on your phone or tablet. My favorite thing is that I’m constantly discovering new scripts and monologues for work as well as play (pun intended). There is a subscription fee, but you can get a free trial month when you sign up!”
 
https://www.scribd.com/subscribe-now?utm_medium=cpc&utm_source=adwords_brand&utm_campaign=Google_Search_Alpha_Brand_US&utm_term=scribd%20free%20trial&utm_device=c&gclid=EAIaIQobChMItrSJ8OK56AIVzP_jBx3XIAMqEAAYASAAEgI1zPD_BwE
 
 
6. Stage Manager (The Diary of Anne Frank, A Christmas Carol: A live Radio Play, The Crucible, The Gift of the Magi) Emily Carey says, “Since quarantine has, inevitably, taken over everyone's lives, I've found one of my favorite things to do to pass the time is find Virtual Museum Tours! In uncertain circumstances many people, like myself, have been turning to art to get us through. I think now is a more valuable time than ever to take the chance to learn more history and consume as much art as possible. It's incredible how many iconic museums are available to the public!
 
I went through the Winchester Mystery House in San Jose, CA (https://winchestermysteryhouse.com/video-tour/#), The Van Gogh Museum in Amsterdam (https://artsandculture.google.com/partner/van-gogh-museum), and the Anne Frank house in Amsterdam (of course!) (https://www.annefrank.org/en/anne-frank/secret-annex/landing/) to name a few! There are many more out there. All it takes is a Google search!”
 
 
7. Morgan Fanning one of our upcoming 2020 summer interns shared her Festival Fave. "I've decided to take advantage of my free time during quarantine by watching some Netflix! Sherlock, from the BBC, is a great way to pass the time. It's a mystery series following the adventures of Sherlock Holmes and Dr. John Watson in modern day London. There are a lot of things about this show that I really love. The way the audience is able to see into Sherlock's mind when he is solving a crime is so cool, the catchy music enhances the show by setting the mood, and there are always moments of humor amidst the otherwise series content. I also like that as a viewer I am trying to solve the crime with them. If you're looking for something to watch, I would recommend checking out Sherlock!"
 
 
8. Here is a Fave from one of our incoming 2020 interns, Lauren Lash, “One of my favorite things I've rediscovered during quarantine is Trivia Crack. This is a mobile trivia game that allows me to test my knowledge on things like art, science, etc.  I like this particular game because it allows me to stay connected with my friends while learning new things and refreshing old things I already knew. 
 
 
9. Upcoming 2020 summer intern Sarah Weyrich says “Currently my two ‘Quarantine Faves’ are redecorating my room back at home and painting!
 
Redecorating Room in Utah: School is online for the semester and my room was still decorated from high school so when I packed up my apartment at school I decided to use some of my decor to revamp my room!
 
Painting: Painting has always been a sort of relaxing activity for me. I haven’t been able to do it as much since being busy with school, but now I have more time and love getting back to it. 

Check out previous Festival Faves at the links below!
January
February
March

Hello! We have created something new for 2020. Every month we will be sharing our Festival Faves! Faves can be anything from books to websites to movies to recipes, or anything that we are currently into. So, check them out each month. It’s just another way to connect with our community.
 
For March, Peter Weber is sharing the book, Beyond Words: What Animals Think and Feel by Carl Safina. It’s description says, “…readers travel to Amboseli National Park in the threatened landscape of Kenya and witness struggling elephant families work out how to survive poaching and drought, then to Yellowstone National Park to observe wolves sort out the aftermath of one pack's personal tragedy, and finally plunge into the astonishingly peaceful society of killer whales living in the crystalline waters of the Pacific Northwest.” Below is a link.
 
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/22320456-beyond-words
 
Peter said, “I just finished reading Beyond Words a few days ago and my mind is still turning over thoughts and feelings I experienced from reading this book. If you think you care about animals you should read it, if you don't care about animals you should read it.”
 
 
Actor Scott Murdock says, “… For a blend of star-power and introspection, Dax Shepherd's podcast, Armchair Expert is one of my favorite listens. Dax is an incredible host who intently listens to his guests and investigates the finer nuances of the human experience. His main theme: vulnerability is sexy. Dax and his co-host/fact checker, Monica Padman are poignant in their research and deliver interviews that are just as casual as they are philosophical. When I say star-power, I mean it. From guests like Ellen DeGeneres to the infamously private Edward Norton, Dax and Monica knock it out of the park with their bookings. But they don't pigeon hole themselves to just the entertainment industry. Other guests include evolutionary-biologist Richard Dawkins, Dr. Sanjay Gupta, and Dr. Nadine Burke Harris, the first and current Surgeon General of California. Armchair Expert has been my go-to for podcasts in the past two years.”
 
Arts Ed Director, Brooke Smith says. “Like approximately 12% of Americans, one of my New Year’s Resolutions was to eat healthier. And though about 92% of Americans do not achieve their resolutions, I am desperately trying to be one of the 8% that will! So far, I’m doing pretty good. The biggest helper has been the app MyFitnessPal by UnderArmour. It has a huge food database that lets me easily keep track of all of my calories and portion sizes, and it syncs up with my iPhone’s pedometer to count steps throughout the day. I think there are some community features that allow you to support your friends as well. Also, it’s free which was honestly the biggest draw for me. So far, I’ve logged over 30 days in a row (we’ll say my new year started in February). You can get it in the App Store on your iPhone or Android.”
 
Executive Artistic Director, Jason Richards recommends Blown Away. “You can find it on Netflix. There is only one season so it doesn’t take long to watch. It’s a reality show like so many other reality shows where each episode introduces a challenge where you have a “winner” and then a “loser” who is forced to leave the show. Blown Away is about glass blowers and the unique talent it takes to create art out of glass. It’s amazing! One of the categories they are often judged on is “creative bravery.” I love this sentiment. I thought about it a lot when choosing the 2020 season. Do I have creative bravery and how does that manifest itself in my job? Anyway, it’s a great show about a unique skill. Give it a look.
 
I hope you enjoy this month’s recs! See you in April for the next installment of Festival Faves.

Hello! We have created something new for 2020. Every month we will be sharing our Festival Faves! Faves can be anything from books to websites to movies to recipes, or anything that we are currently into. So, check them out each month. It’s just another way to connect with our community.

January Edition

Education Director, Brooke Smith says, “Last week, me and every other living woman in my immediate family watched Greta Gerwig’s adaptation of Little Women. I laughed, I cried, I had a mini-existential crisis over my place in the creative world, so, all in all, it was a supremely successful afternoon. For real, whether you’re an old fan of the book or a new convert, you will love it. Gerwig puts her own spin on the story that feels truthful to both the March sisters and Louisa May Alcott and her real life story. Take your sister, your mother, your grandmother, and all of the men in your life because they need to see this story of powerful women too!
PS. Bonus points if you saw our 2018 production of Little Women! You’ll definitely find some familiar gems in the film!”

Jason Richards, our Executive Artistic Director said, “My first rec of 2020 is Gimlet Media. (I am choosing Gimlet because they offer recommendation from their staff and I shamelessly stole their idea!) Gimlet Media is a company that creates podcasts. They make some of my faves including, Reply All, Heavyweight, Surprisingly Awesome, and StartUp. Gimlet offers a wide variety of podcasts that play to many different tastes. They manage to be thought provoking and interesting but still remain entertaining. Their podcast StartUp is about how they became a company that makes podcasts. So, it’s a meta adventure into their own staff and culture. It is endlessly fascinating to me. Check them out!" https://gimletmedia.com/shows 

Isaac Bont our Marketing Director said, “It seems silly to advertise for a competing theatre company, but there are hundreds of theatre companies based in Minneapolis, so I'm still going to do it. Trademark Theatre is devoted to making new theatre experiences that combine avant garde storytelling with exceptional movement and music-based works, especially when created by their talented husband-wife Artistic Directors Tyler Michaels King and Emily Michaels King. I've no affiliation with them, just the recommendation of my partner, Katie Langemo. Boy, was it a good recommendation. I saw three pieces by them last year: Understood (a stunning play about political polarization), Magic Girl (a one woman play by Emily Michaels King), and The Hollow (a dance piece that showcased a visualization of an experimental concept indie rock album....it was wild). These folks are making some really incredible, new work, and the three pieces I've seen them do knocked it out of the park. I will be at everything they ever make that I can! A strange connection to Festival I learned later when studying their work is that they were involved with a touring show that came to Festival called the Seven Shot Symphony, which was also just incredible. Learn more about them at the websites below!”
https://www.facebook.com/trademarktheater/ 
http://www.trademarktheater.org/   
https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=40&v=qmQs1i_eVBc&feature=emb_logo

TD Peter Weber says, “Writer Aaron Mahnke delivers a chilling and historical journey though different cultures tales from the darkness. This modern look at what goes bump in the night is a must for history buffs and horror fans. The podcast is released biweekly on Mondays, so each month you get to look forward to new episodes of thrilling adventures that dive into our cultural mythos. My favorite episodes are about the sea and the legends that have formed out of that dark unknown. Here’s a link.”
https://www.lorepodcast.com

I hope you enjoy this month’s recs! See in February for the next installment of Festival Faves.

This week on the podcast, Isaac Bont and Brooke Smith chatted alot about the upcoming summer youth camps (titled Art in Action Camps), teaching the summer company to be arts educators, and a little about Brooke's first year anniversary being on the St. Croix Festival Theatre staff! For more information about the upcoming summer camps (there's still a few slots available in each camp) check out http://www.festivaltheatre.org/art-in-action.html

Here's the transcript!

Isaac
H!.
 
Brooke
Hi!
 
Isaac
Thanks for doing this thing with me. I think the first one went pretty well and people were excited and wanting to check it out. It's almost been a year that you've been working here which is pretty exciting. I have a lot of questions about that. But first, let's slate. Who are you?
 
Brooke
I am Brooke Smith and I'm the arts education director and an artistic associate here at Festival Theatre!
 
Isaac
Of course, I want to talk to you on the podcast anytime because you and I started around the same time and it's interesting to hear from the staff what their lives are like. But I definitely wanted to get you on right now because I know art in action is debuting in a couple weeks so I figured this would be another good chance to approach that from a different avenue and keep getting the word out.
 
Brooke
Yes art in action! Yay!
 
Isaac
Yay! Can you tell me a little bit about art in action? What is it?
 
Brooke
So art in action is our week long theatre summer camp. We do five of those. So it's five weeks, but they're all in different places, which is great because we can bring our philosophy and our teaching artists at Festival Theatre to different cities around St. Croix Falls to different people who we may not have met before at our weeklong summer camp. It's all about process-based learning and allowing our campers to take a hold of the creative process themselves. They will come in and they will create their own play from a game that we play together on the first day. They will be cast in it. They will come up with designs for a set with costume designs. At the end of the week they will put on a play for their family members or friends or anyone who wants to come and see it. It's always a wonderful really inspiring experience to see these young people take hold of these ideas and make it their own.
 
Isaac
Yeah. I like the sounds of that because it sounds like it really approaches theatre from a very broad perspective. A lot of times when people think of theatre camps as acting, acting, acting. But it sounds like it kind of goes through a lot of the different processes of theatre which I think is really neat.
 
Brooke
Yeah. Definitely because they are starting up creating a story that's playwriting right there 101 and then they get to also think about technical elements like scenic design. They do paint their own backdrop which is a very fun, messy day for all of us.
 
Isaac
So, you said that the story is brought up by a game that happens on the first day. Is it kind of an improv game in a way, or what is that game like?
 
Brooke
Yeah, definitely! It's a game called Story Ball. So one person starts with a ball or any sort of object (it doesn't have to be a ball) and passes it around the circle and when ball is in your hand it's your turn to add something else to the story. The only real rule is that you can't negate anything that was said before you. So you can add whatever you want, you just can't take away something that someone else has said.
 
Isaac
That's so "Yes and"! Classic improv! Improv starts tonight! .
 
Brooke
Woo-hoo!
 
Isaac
Do you remember one of the stories from art in action or a brief example of either if you've trained recently with the teaching company of this year or a story that happened? Like a brief synopsis of what came about from Story Ball?
 
Brooke
Yes. One of my favorites from last year was a story called "Gus!" Exclamation point and it was about a police chicken working at a local mall who had to stop a group of young adult shoplifters. And the twist was you find out at the end that the chicken's name is Gus. So that's where the title comes from.
 
Isaac
Wow! I would watch that!
 
Brooke
Yeah it was beautiful.
 
Isaac
I would watch adults put that on, but kids? That would be delightful! So last year, you went through the process of being taught art in action to be a teaching artist. This year, you're teaching the teaching artists how to be teaching artists. Can you talk about what that's like or  how that transition has been and how Brook Smith teaches art in action in a different way? How do you put your own flavor on it as the arts education director?
 
Brooke
Yeah, definitely. So you know last year I was a teaching artist and I did three of the four camps that we did last year so I got a lot of experience which was really great. It's really nice to be able to bring that experience into teaching teaching artists. The biggest thing that I have found helpful in teaching other teachers is making sure everything's very clear, which was really well laid out by my predecessor, Rachel Kuhnle, who is fantastic and lovely and wonderful.
 
Isaac
Yeah, she's great.
 
Brooke
So she had a lot of that information laid out in all these beautiful documents. So it's been so easy to take that over and then take it into the classroom with our interns this year and give them some real hands on experience. This year, I guess a little differently, we've delved more into the psychology of ourselves as teaching artists. We talk a lot about teacher personas as well as the co-teaching relationship. So at art in action, every teacher has a co-teacher; you are both co-teachers for the week. So you always have someone in the room with you helping you out and playing the games and being in the plays. So it's very integrated and fun. And we are a true co-teachers. There are different sorts of co-teaching philosophies like "one teach one observe". That's not as helpful for us. We need both teachers to be just as engaged even if they're not necessarily the person leading the game. So it's been a really great experience seeing how our teaching artists are learning to deal with that and learning to work with each other. And this week, actually, they will all go into turns being co teachers and they will have a great time I'm sure and do wonderfully.
 
Isaac
How do you figure out that different philosophies like "both teachers need to be engaged"? How do you figure that out? Just from the experience of running these camps last year?
 
Brooke
Yeah, I think a lot of it is just experience doing it, but also and this goes along with experience, it's seeing how the kids react. If we've got two people who are equally engaged, then the kids are going to be equally engaged. We always say that our best classroom management tool is our teaching persona. So if we come in and we are excited to be there and we are jumping in and having a great time then everyone else will too. And that's pretty much the case across the board. We have very few classroom management issues, which you know, speaks to obviously we're in a great region with some great kids, but it also speaks to the power of our teaching artists and the way they come in and take control of the room and make sure everyone's having a great time.
 
Isaac
Any funny or weird anecdotes about this process of teaching your summer company? Anything crazy happen?
 
Brooke
Last week, they have all been experimenting with their facilitation of games which means that while they are facilitating, the rest of us get to be children. So that has obviously been a wonderful time as they all tap into their little child selves and show us exactly what they were like as children and it's exactly what you think if you have met any of these people. So you've got people who are very strict rule followers and then kids who are fun little weirdos who will say whatever comes to their mind, which is true for you know the kids who will be at camp. But it's also true for us when we think back to ourselves as children.
 
Isaac
That's funny. Yeah now we're all fun big weirdos. I can see how that personality would translate. That would be a fun exercise. While you're on staff here, you also said you're an artistic associate and I feel like summer is where things get crazy for the Arts Education Director because you've got Marvelous Wonderettes. Four girls, they're onstage singing almost the entire time and then Fools, you've got a great part and a huge part in Crimes of the Heart. There's also improv going on. There's a whole lot going on for the arts education director this summer at Festival Theatre. How are you doing with all that?
 
Brooke
I think I'm doing well. So far you know we're still at the beginning, but we've already got a lot of balls in the air. We've got the resource guides that come out with every show that tell a little about the show and that's Arts Ed. And then we've got teacher training shows, like you said, in improv. We really have a great team of interns this year. I mean, we always do. But this year, you know they're so willing to jump in and help out with everything. It's been so helpful. I'm so proud of them. Just how they're handling all the work that comes their way because sometimes they have more than I do when they come in for work calls: to paint and everything. They're so willing to help each other, which is very helpful for all of us on staff, I think, when they can jump in and help each other with things.
 
Isaac
Yeah, they're a good group.
 
Brooke
So they have really made things a lot easier than I ever could have imagined. Though obviously, it is a busy summer and it will continue to be a busy summer. But it's all things I love. So it's a wonderful time.
 
Isaac
You're doing great work. I love watching you perform. I love watching your arts education stuff. You're an inspiration. Thank you for your time.
 
Brooke
Thank you.
 
Isaac
I look forward to hearing more about art in action camp. The first one is in two weeks?
 
Brooke
Yes, our first one is July 15th in St. Croix Falls. The next week we are back in St. Croix Falls, so two in St. Croix Falls. Then we are in luck. Then Grantsburg then finishing it out in Scandia.
 
Isaac
And if somebody were, to say, want to find more information they can go to our Web site?
 
Brooke
Yes, they can go to our website: festivaltheatre.org or come into the box office. We have registration forms here in our lobby and we also have posters hanging up that say a little more about it.
 
Isaac
Super! Actually one last question! I probably won't get around to interviewing you again before you've officially been here for a year. So, what are your thoughts a year into being on staff at Festival Theatre?
 
Brooke
It doesn't feel like a year at all. I guess, because we move very quickly here. So that takes away some of the time, but also because it hasn't felt like work. It's been so fun to be around my friends and to be around this community that loves us so much, and who we love so much, that it's gone by so quickly! It doesn't feel like it's been a year at all.
 
Isaac
That's great! All right. Thank you Brooke.
 
Brooke
​Thank you Isaac.
 

Festival Theatre Announces Youth Auditions for
The Diary of Anne Frank
Thursday May 9, 4:00 pm - 6:15 pm*
Friday May 10, 4:00 pm - 6:15 pm*
*Auditions will be held in 45 minute time slots. Sign up at https://www.signupgenius.com/go/60b0f4fa4ac28a5f49-auditions

Did you know auditions for The Somewhat True Tale of Robin Hood are happening on the same day? 
Check out some more info about that here!

ABOUT THE SHOW: A living, lyrical, gifted girl confronts her rapidly changing life and the horror of her time with astonishing honesty, wit, and determination. The Diary of Anne Frank captures the daily existence of the eight people hiding in that attic—their fear, their hope, their laughter, their grief.
A PRE-AUDITION WORKSHOP will be held Saturday, April 27 at 10 am. The audition workshop will take approximately 45 mins and will provide some basic audition coaching. Youth will receive an introduction to the stage area, a few vocal & physical exercises, and a “pep talk” for how to prepare for their audition. Youth should dress comfortably and be well-rested.  If you have never auditioned for Festival Theatre, we highly encourage you to attend this workshop!  Parents are urged to attend as well. Please register in advance for the PRE-AUDITION WORKSHOP through SignUpGenius at this link: https://www.signupgenius.com/go/60b0f4fa4ac28a5f49-preaudition
WHO: We are looking for between 3 and 4 actors ages 13+. Two to three girls for the roles of Anne, Margot, and Miep. One boy for the role of Peter
PERFORMANCES:
The Diary of Anne Frank                    
2:00pm:     10/6, 10/12, 10/13, 10/19, 10/20
7:30pm: 10/5, 10/10, 10/17, 10/24, 10/26
**Additional yet-to-be scheduled student matinee dates not included

REHEARSALS for The DIary of Anne Frank  will begin approximately the week of September 2nd. To aid us in creating a successful rehearsal calendar, please be as accurate and detailed as possible with known and potential conflicts on audition registration form. A complete rehearsal schedule will be made available to cast members at the first  rehearsal.

What is needed for the AUDITION?

• PLEASE REGISTER in advance by email (preferred) or telephone for a specific audition time slot.
• TO REGISTER: sign-up for a timeslot through SignUpGenius at this link:

https://www.signupgenius.com/go/60b0f4fa4ac28a5f49-auditions

• A COMPLETED REGISTRATION FORM with all scheduling conflicts during the listed rehearsal and performance schedules.  Registration forms can be received via e-mail or picked up at Festival Theatre.

A physical copy of the registration form will be accepted at time of audition, not before. ​

• A RECENT PHOTO (headshot preferred – school photo is fine) and a list of any performance experiences, classes, or performance camps. Please attach the photos and list to the registration form.  Photos will not be returned.
• PERFORM A MEMORIZED MONOLOGUE (30-45 seconds only – not longer). Choose a piece from a play, a poem, very short story, part of a story, or even a joke.
• ARRIVE FIVE TO TEN MINUTES EARLY FOR A PROMPT START. Late arrivals will be rescheduled if space allows. Arrive well-rested, dressed comfortably for movement, with a ready attitude for small group activities.

**NOTE: This is a joint audition with our 2019 Youth and Family Series production of The Somewhat True Tale of Robin Hood. Youth actors may indicate on their registration form they would like to be considered for both, however they may only be cast in one due to overlapping rehearsal schedules. If you would like to be considered for both, register for ONLY ONE audition slot and indicate both on your registration form.
Can parents/guardians watch the auditions?
In order to provide a safe and distraction-free environment for all participating youth, we ask that youth NOT have their adults along in the audition space. However, if it seems essential to be present, one parent/guardian may request to be present at the back of the theatre and must be completely quiet. Siblings or friends who are not auditioning may NOT attend.  Requests must be made at least six hours in advance of audition.