How Summer Theatre Comes Together, Part One

As soon as the curtain was up on Can-Can last summer, I began thinking about what shows we would do for the 2008 season. Many factors go into the final selection of plays:

• Cast size
  
• How the potential shows mesh with other possible plays and musicals for a balanced season
  
• New show availability ( we STILL can't do Chicago!!)
  
• Audience appeal
  
• What works from season to season.

Once some of the above are answered, I make up several different slates of possible shows and submit them to the Tibbits Board of Directors. Once they have approved the slate of shows, we announce the season.

When I return to Coldwater in February, it is time for the first major audition. This is the United Professional Theatre Auditions held in Memphis, TN. To even qualify for this audition, actors have to have a Master's degree or about three professional productions to their credit. For this audition, they have 90 seconds to show themselves off. Usually they sing about 16 bars of a song and do one or two monologues....

I then call back the people I am interested in that night. It seems to work at about 10%. If there are 250 people a day, I talk to 25 or so that might be right for this season. I explain more about the Tibbits, the schedule, living arrangements, etc. I might have them do another piece for me or request them to send me a disc of musical material.

There are two other auditions I attend. Or, in the case of this year, try to. The Midwest Theatre Auditions are held in St Louis. This year, I got as far as the airport when the ice storm hit Missouri. After 16 hours in the airport, I had to give up. The airlines could not get me there until they were over...

I also often hold auditions in Chicago.

Then the casting process begins. It is a HUGE jigsaw puzzle. Cast members have to be good for more than one show. Does this actor have the variety? Does this actress have the notes to sing this role? What am I going to do with this person between the first show and the last? The list is endless.

And it takes many, many weeks to sort out. Your first choice has a wedding in June where she's singing....Someone else has a great offer to go somewhere else this year.....Or they've just moved to NYC and don't want to leave.....Number 4 can do the first three shows , but not the last.....THIS list is endless, too.

But eventually a group of talented actors begins to emerge.....