HASTINGS MIDDLE SCHOOL
DRAMA CLUB
presents
Audition Packet
Shrek the
musical
Parents, carefully read through all of the
audition information with your child!
Keep pages 1-10
*Return signed forms 11-13
CONTENTS
Cover page
Parent letter and contact
Monologue info
Monologues
Audition Song info
Parent Committee Info
*Audition Form
*Parent Contact Info
p. 1
p. 2-3
p. 4
p. 5-7
p. 8
p. 9-10
p. 11-12
p. 13
Shrek the musical
Parent Letter November 20, 2014 INTRODUCTION Your son or daughter is interested in participating in this year’s Hastings musical Shrek-­‐The Musical to be performed on March 7-­‐8 & 14-­‐15, 2015. This show provides a great opportunity to develop the talent of our Hastings students, but it is a big undertaking, and we need to know that the students who choose to participate will be able to commit to the time and attention required. It is extremely difficult to learn a scene and perform it well when individuals are missing from rehearsal. AUDITION FORM Please help your child fill in the attached audition form accurately. Tryouts will be held on Monday, December 8th and Tuesday, December 9th with callbacks on Thursday, December 11th (if necessary). Remind your child that callbacks are only for roles that are still in question. Those not called back may already be cast! TRYOUT INFORMATION For tryouts, students are to choose one of the attached monologues to memorize and present. Students will also choose a song and sing it in a key that is comfortable for him/her. No singing with CD’s or Karaoke tracks will be allowed. This is simply so we can hear your singing voice! You may be asked to sing a few scales or note patterns. RETURN AUDITION FORM Please return the audition form to Mr. Monseur no later than Thursday, December 4th. Preferences for tryout dates will be honored in the order received. The directors will assign tryout times and post them on the bulletin board outside Mr. Monseur’s room. The cast list will be posted on the bulletin board as soon as possible. Once the musical is cast all actors will receive a rehearsal schedule, created to best use their time and ours. We will do our best to work around known student conflicts. All actors will be expected to attend all assigned rehearsals. PARTICIPATION FEE All students (cast/crew) are required to pay a $25 participation fee. This fee helps defray some of the production costs (supplies, royalty rights, guest musicians). Scholarships are available. No student will be excluded from participation due to inability to pay. MAKING THE COMMITMENT Participating in the musical requires the commitment and dedication similar to playing on the school’s sports teams. Most rehearsals run from 3:30-­‐5:30pm. Students should expect to be at rehearsals after school at least 3 days each week the first month, and then 4-­‐5 days each week from February to the performance dates. We do not rehearse on Fridays during Ski Club season. We are so excited about this production that we are adding performances! It is imperative that we have all students at required rehearsals. (More information on the back) page 2 -­‐ KEEP THIS FORM! TECH WEEK The final week of rehearsals is Tech Week, which runs Monday, March 2 through Friday, March 6. Students should plan on being in rehearsals until 7:00pm. All cast/crew members are required to be at every Tech Week rehearsal until dismissed. Absolutely NO EXCEPTIONS. PARENT MEETING There will be a parent meeting on Thursday, January 8, 2015 at 7:00pm in Mr. Monseur’s classroom (122). At least one parent/guardian MUST attend this meeting. At this time we will confirm accurate contact information, give each parent a schedule, gratefully accept volunteers to help with the many aspects of the production, and answer any questions you may have. We are looking forward to a fantastic production! Sincerely, David Monseur, Music Director (dmonseur@uaschools.org) Jodi Stechschulte, Stage Director (jodisteck@gmail.com) Lynda Guenther, Technical Director (guenther76@aol.com) Sarah Moyer, Assistant Director (SLmoyer@uaschools.org) IMPORTANT DATES Thurs. Dec. 4 Completed Audition Form Returned to Mr. Monseur Mon. Dec. 8 Auditions begin at 3:45pm Tues. Dec. 9 Auditions begin at 3:45pm Thurs. Dec. 11 Callback auditions (if necessary) Thurs. Jan. 8, 2015 Mandatory Parent Meeting in Mr. Monseur’s room/7:00pm March 2-­‐6, 2015 Tech Week – Mandatory rehearsals until 7:00pm/NO EXCEPTIONS Sat. March 7, 2015 Show-­‐7:30pm Sun. March 8, 2015 Show-­‐2:30pm Thurs. March 12, 2015 Pickup rehearsal (tentative) Sat. March 14, 2015 Show-­‐7:30pm (tentative) Sun. March 15, 2015 Show-­‐2:30pm (tentative) page 3 -­‐ KEEP THIS FORM! MONOLOGUE INFORMATION Directions 1. Choose 1 of the monologues to memorize and present) 2. You are NOT auditioning for a specific part! 3. Say your first name loudly and clearly! 4. Tell us your grade. 5. Tell us which monologue you’ve chosen Example: “Hello, my name is John Smith. I’m a 7th grade student at Hastings Middle School and I’ll be doing the monologue of Donkey. Important Notes! Your directors are looking for expression, creativity, preparedness, and a commanding speaking voice from the stage! Have fun with your monologue! Don’t be afraid to try something different! The best way to prepare is to actually practice this out loud in a full voice! Pair up with a partner and present your monologues to each other! Practice out loud in front of your mom or dad! Video record yourself on your phone and watch for ways to improve! Audition Groups Once you have turned in your signed permission form, you will be placed in an audition group (usually around 20 people). You will present your monologue and song in front of your audition group. page 4 -­‐ KEEP THIS FORM! CHOOSE ONE OF THESE MONOLOGUES SHREK (Boy monologue) Once upon a time there was a little ogre named Shrek, who lived with his parents in a bog by a tree. It was a pretty nasty place, but he was happy because ogres like nasty. On his 7th birthday, the little ogre’s parents sat him down to talk, just as all ogre parents had for hundreds of years before. Ahh, I know it’s sad, very sad, but ogres are used to that – the hardships, the indignities. And so the little ogre went on his way and found a perfectly rancid swamp far away from civilization. And whenever a mob came along to attack him, he knew exactly what to do. Rooooooooaaaaaaaar! Hahahaha! DONKEY (Boy or Girl monologue) Can I just say? That was incredible! Man, they were trippin’ over themselves to get away from you. I liked that. Say, you lost or something? You’re trying to figure out the best route to Duloc? I know Duloc! You gotta let me show you the way, because I am a like a GPS with fur! C’mon, nobody’s fine on their own. Not when you look like we do. Man this place is goin’ Stepford! We gotta join forces. Otherwise they’re gonna lock me up. I can not go back in a cage. I don’t know if I mentioned it, but I did 6 years in solitary for impersonating a piñata. page 5 -­‐ KEEP THIS FORM! (MONOLOGUES CONTINUED) FIONA – as a beautiful princess (Girl Monologue) Oh, hello! Sorry I’m late! Welcome to Fiona: the Musical! Yay, let’s talk about me. Once upon a time, there was a little princess named Fiona, who lived in a Kingdom far, far away. One fateful day, her parents told her that it was time for her to be locked away in a desolate tower, guarded by a fire-­‐breathing dragon – as so many princesses had for hundreds of years before. Isn’t that the saddest thing you’ve ever heard? A poor little princess hidden away from the world, high in a tower, awaiting her one true love. FIONA – as an Ogre (Girl Monologue) Donkey, it’s okay! Shhh! Donkey, I am the princess. It’s me – in this body. No, I didn’t eat the princess. “By day one way by night another – this shall be the norm until you find true love’s first kiss, and then take love’s true form”. No, Donkey, it’s not a poem, it’s a curse. I’ve had it since I was a girl. A witch cast a spell on me. So now every night, when the sun goes down, I become this…this horrible, ugly beast. Donkey, if Lord Farquaad finds out I look like this, he’ll never marry me. I have to kiss my true love. The kiss is the only thing that will break the spell and make me beautiful. Tell Shrek? No! He can’t know! And you can’t tell him! No one must ever know! Promise you won’t tell. page 6 -­‐ KEEP THIS FORM! (MONOLOGUES CONTINUED) PINOCCHIO (Boy or Girl Monologue) This place is a dump! Yeah, yeah I read Lord Farquaad’s decree. “All fairytale characters have been banished from the kingdom of Duloc. All fruitcakes and freaks will be sent to a resettlement facility.” Did that guard just say “Pinocchio the puppet”? I’m not a puppet, I’m a real boy! Man, I tell ya, sometimes being a fairytale creature sucks pine-­‐sap! Settle in, everyone. Might as well try to make the best of this. I don’t see what choice we have. Wow, this place reeks! A Fairytale Creature (Boy or Girl Monologue) What are we doing in your swamp? Well gosh, we were forced to come here. Lord Farquaad, he hoofed and he poofed and he signed an eviction notice. Maybe you could try talking to him. He’d listen to you! You’re big and scary! Um, go back? We can’t go back. Farquaad will turn us into bratwurst. The guy’s bad news. Look here Ogre, I’m gonna spell it out for ya. We don’t want us here any more than you do. But you’re the only one tough enough to stand up to that no-­‐good, flim-­‐flammer Farquaad. page 7 -­‐ KEEP THIS FORM! AUDITION SONG INFORMATION All students auditioning for Shrek-­‐The Musical will need to: 1. prepare a monologue 2. sing a short song Monologue information is explained on PAGE 4 in this packet. BASIC INFO The directors need to hear your singing voice! Choose a song you know and are familiar with. Choose a song that shows off your singing voice! Due to time, you do not need to sing the entire song. Usually one verse, or “16 bars”, of music is plenty. You may also be asked to sing some scales or short patterns so the directors can hear your vocal range. You may sing without any music or with piano accompaniment. No singing with CD’s or Karaoke tracks will be allowed. SONG IDEAS You may sing any song you like. Some examples are: Be Our Guest (Beauty and the Beast) In My Own Little Corner (Cinderella) Jingle Bell Rock (holiday) Jingle Bells (holiday) The Lion Sleeps Tonight (The Lion King) My Country Tis of Thee (patriotic) My Favorite Things (Sound of Music) Over The Rainbow (Wizard of Oz) Part of This World (Little Mermaid) Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious (Mary Poppins) Zip-­‐a-­‐Dee-­‐Doo-­‐Dah (Alice in Wonderland) *If you are in choir, any song from your concert Page 8 -­‐ KEEP THIS FORM! PARENT COMMITTEE INFORMATION
Shrek the musical
Hastings Drama Club proudly presents Shrek-the Musical. This challenging production calls for
music, dance, and lots of creativity. It is important that information is communicated clearly and
effectively and your support is vital to the success of the event. Time is our most valued commodity
and I will do my best to make sure your son/daughter’s rehearsals are productive and efficient.
Likewise, the time you are able to commit is greatly welcomed and appreciated.
I. COMMITTEES
We are always in need of committee chairs and members. Our committees include:
PUBLICTY
Programs/Program ads/Good Luck Stars
Tickets/House Manager
Box office (sell tickets during HMS lunch)
Box office (sell tickets at the performance)
SET CREW (work with Technical Director, Lynda Guenther)
Set construction/painting
Load in/load out set pieces
SNACKS FOR WEEKEND REHEARSALS
PROPS (find or make)
COSTUMES (a substantial part of this show)
Finding (“thrifting”) costumes, costume pieces
Organizing costumes
Sewing/tailoring a plus!
MAKEUP
Mostly needed the last 2 weeks
CONCESSIONS (coordinate, set up/sell at intermission)
*cast/crew members bring in food items to sell
CAST PARTY (coordinate/supervise/clean up Sunday, March 3)
SUPERVISION (if necessary)
Production week supervisors
During-show supervisors
Page 9 -­‐ KEEP THIS FORM! II. REHEARSAL SCHEDULES
A detailed rehearsal schedule will be available by the first week of January and posted online.
Should conflicts arise, please notify me ASAP. Staging and choreography assumes that all needed
students will be at rehearsal. It is very difficult to re-stage or re-teach choreography when cast
members are missing. Students missing rehearsals might be limited in the scenes/songs they appear on
stage.
As we get closer to production, attendance is crucial. Please note that the last week before Opening
Night (aka “Tech Week”) the scheduled release time is later. Encourage your son/daughter to bring
perhaps a snack and/or a book to keep him/her occupied when they’re not on stage. It is necessary for
all students to be at each required rehearsal the last 2 weeks.
III. PARTICIPATION FEE
We ask that all students pay a $25 participation fee. This helps cover production costs. Please have
money in no later than February 1. If you have questions/concerns about the participation fee, please
see me! No one will be denied the opportunity to be in the show because of financial concerns.
IV. COSTUME NOTES
1. All students should bring in a laundry basket, labeled with their names, to keep all of their
costumes/props. Please bring these in on Monday, Feb. 16 “Costume Parade Day”.
2. Please put their names in EVERY COSTUME PIECE!
3. Most characters will be responsible for providing their own costumes. Because some costume
pieces will need to be ordered, additional fees may be incurred (this is separate from the Participation
Fee).
V. DVD ORDERS
A professionally recorded DVD of the production will be available and orders will be taken at a later
time.
VI. COMMUNICATION/CONTACT
You are always welcome to contact me if you have questions/concerns. Email tends to be the most
efficient way to reach me and I do check it many times during the day
David Monseur
Jodi Stechschulte
Lynda Guenther
Sarah Moyer
Dmonseur@uaschools.org (school)
Jodisteck@gmail.com
GuentherLR@aol.com
SLmoyer@uaschools.org
Page 10 -­‐ KEEP THIS FORM! Shrek the musical
Audition Form
Aud. #
GENERAL INFO
Name
Grade
Phone
Height
Parent’s Email
(PRINT clearly – be sure to tell the difference between “1” and “L”)
Adult T-Shirt Size
XS
S
M
L
XL
AUDITION INFO
Preferred Audition Date
Monday, December 8 (starting at 3:45pm)
Tuesday, December 9 (starting at 3:45pm)
No preference
(We will do our best to schedule you on your preferred date! The sooner you turn in your form, the
better your chance to audition on the day you want!)
SCHEDULES/CONFLICTS
Please list all conflicts. Rehearsal schedules will work around student conflicts as much as possible.
Are you in a school sport? If so, what is the sport?
Are you participating in Ski Club?
Can you rehearse after school (3:30-5:30)?
Monday
Yes
Tuesday
Yes
Wednesday Yes
No
No
No
Thursday
Friday
Can you rehearse on Saturday morning? (9:00-noon)
List any other conflicts you may have:
Yes
Yes
Yes
No
No
No
(MORE INFO ON THE BACK)
page 11 - RETURN THIS SIGNED FORM TO MR. MONSEUR
THEATER EXPERIENCE Please list any theatre/stage experience you may have (this includes tech crew):
PARTICIPATION FEE All students (cast/crew) are required to pay a $25 participation fee. This fee helps defray some of the
production costs (supplies, royalty rights, guest musicians). Scholarships are available. No student will
be excluded from participation due to inability to pay.
PARENT INFORMATION
Thank you for supporting your child’s interest in the Hastings drama program! Your directors
understand and value the importance of time and the commitment required to produce exceptional
staged productions. Rehearsal information will be made available soon after the musical has been
cast. It is important that you have that information and we can expect students to be at rehearsals
when they are required.
1. A mandatory parent meeting will be held on Thursday, Jan. 8th, 2015. It is important that a
parent/guardian attend this meeting.
2. Tech Week is March 2-6. Rehearsals may run as late as 7:00pm. All students are expected to be
at every rehearsal for the full duration during Tech Week. No exceptions.
3. Participation fees ($25) for each student (cast and crew) are due to Mr. Monseur no later than
February 1st. Scholarships are available. No student will be excluded from participation due to
inability to pay.
Please sign/date this audition form to acknowledge receiving this information.
Parent/guardian signature
QUESTIONS? EMAIL MR. MONSEUR AT:
Date
Dmonseur@uaschools.org
------------------------------Director’s Comments-----------------------------Preparedness
COMMENTS:
Energy
Stage Presence
Projection
page 12 - RETURN THIS SIGNED FORM TO MR. MONSEUR
Shrek the musical COMMITTEE ASSISTANCE
PARENT CONTACT INFORMATION CONTACT INFO Parent Name(s) Child’s Name Phone Preferred Email (please print and explain number 1’s and letter l’s) TRUCK INFO I have access to a pickup truck! Yes No I have access to a box truck! ________Yes ________No COMMITTEE INFO Please check any committee(s) you would be willing to assist: CAST PARTY PROPS CONCESSIONS PUBLICITY COSTUMES SET BUILDING/PAINTING MAKE UP SET TRANSPORTATION/TEAR DOWN PROGRAM TICKETS If you are willing to Chair a committee, please write the committee name: page 13 - RETURN THIS FORM TO MR. MONSEUR