One of the country's largest combined auditions is the SETC, which takes place during the organization's annual convention, held this year in Birmingham, Ala., March 11-15. In addition to the Spring Auditions, the convention hosts a Job Contact Service (for jobs in college theatre departments as well as theatres), secondary theatre and community theatre competitions, and children's theatre showcases. Additionally, there are workshops and panels on all areas of theatre, the annual Theatre Design Competition, and an exhibition hall. This year's convention features an advanced directing workshop with Gerald Freedman (North Carolina School of the Arts and Great Lakes Shakespeare Festival), and the keynote speaker to the convention will be playwright Romulus Linney.
Nearly 95 companies, both summer and year-round, from southern, midwest, and mid-Atlantic states, gather to audition 850 actors. While SETC is the largest of the combined auditions, with the greatest number of producers attending, it is also the priciest, since one cannot audition without becoming a member and registering for the convention. Fees for professionals are: $50 membership in SETC, $50 convention registration, and $15 audition fee, for a total of $115. Students get a little better break, at $55: $20 membership, $20 registration, and $15 audition fee. All of this is an inducement to attend, not only the auditions, but all other convention events in Birmingham.
College students must have passed their state screening process, which takes place in the fall at state theatre meetings of the 10 states within the SETC region. Non-Equity and Equity professionals should write for an application form (include SASE) to: Ms. Marian Smith, SETC, P.O. Box 9868, Greensboro, NC 27429-0868. Telephone (910) 272-3645; fax: 910-272-8810; E-mail: setc spyder.net. Application forms must be completed and returned to SETC by Feb. 1. SETC has a website, http://www.spyder.net/setc, which has complete information about the convention and auditions, although it is not possible to apply online.
Auditions are held on Thursday, Friday, and Saturday of the convention (March 12, 13, 14), with one-and-one-half-minute allotments for acting and singing, and one minute for acting only or singing only. Dancers audition on Thursday evening, and following Friday and Saturday auditions. Callbacks are held on the evening of the same day, and there is a briefing for auditionees at 9 am on the day of the audition.
The SETC offers a job contact service for staff and technical positions. Companies send information on job openings, which is posted at the convention, with the room where interviews will take place. Staff/tech can sign up for specific interview times with companies that advertise an opening in the applicant's area. Membership in SETC also includes a monthly job bulletin for teaching, staff, and technical positions (not auditions).
Companies which generally attend SETC include:
Actors Theatre of Louisville, KY; Alaska Cabin Nite Dinner Theatre; Allan Albert Productions/Hersheypark, PA; Allenberry Playhouse, PA; Alliance Theatre Company, GA; Alpha-Omega Players, TX; American Family Theatre, PA; Arkansas Rep, AR; Barter Theatre, VA; Birmingham Children's Theatre, AL; Blue Jacket Outdoor Drama, NC; Bravvo! Productions, TX; Busch Gardens, FL & VA.
Central Piedmont Summer Theatre, NC; Cherokee Historical Association; Cumberland County Playhouse, TN; Dollywood, TN; ECA Mr. Wizard Shows; Eckerd Theater Company; Ensemble Theatre of Cincinnati, OH; Flat Rock Playhouse, NC; Florida's Cross and Sword; Florida Studio Theatre; Georgia Shakespeare Festival. The Hampstead Players, NH; Heritage Repertory Theatre, VA; Hersheypark, PA; Hope Summer Repertory Theatre, MI; Horn in the West, NC; Jekyll Island Musical Theatre, GA; Kentucky Shakespeare Festival; Lakes Region Summer Theatre, ME; Lincoln Amphitheatre, IN; Lone Star Performing Arts Assoc., TX; Lost Colony, NC; Mac-Haydn Theatre, NY; Missoula Children's Theatre, MT; Molly Brown Dinner Theatre, MO.
Nebraska Theatre Caravan, NE; New Harmony Theatre, IN; Ohio Outdoor Historical Drama Assoc.; The Patchwork Players, SC; Phoenix Theatre Circle, OH; Pirate Playhouse, FL; Rendy Lovelady Management & Tour Productions; Roanoke Island Historical Assoc.; Sandstone Productions, NM; Seaside Music Theatre, FL; Shenandoah Shakespeare Festival, VA; Shenandoah Summer Music Theatre, VA; Six Flags Over Georgia; Southern Appalachian Repertory Theatre; Summer Theatre at Mt. Holyoke College, MA; Tecumseh!, OH; Theatre at Lime Kiln, VA; Theatre West Virginia, WV; Tulane Summer Shakespeare Festival , LA; University of Findlay Summer Stock, OH; Utah Musical Theatre, UT; Virginia Shakespeare Festival; The Warehouse Theatre, SC; World Communities.
National Outdoor Drama Auditions
Have you ever fantasized about being a pioneer, an explorer, a Plains Indian? Does the early history of this country intrigue you? Do you wonder what happened to the lost colonists of Roanoke? Do you know the legacy of the "Trail of Tears"?
Dramatic history, music, dance, and spectacle performed by large casts in scenic amphitheatres seating from 500 to 6,000 people, on the sites where the events actually occurred, are the hallmarks of the American outdoor historical drama. Among the 3,000 actors, singers, dancers, and technicians employed each summer, past seasons have seen such luminaries as John Cullum, Andy Griffith, David Schramm, Kathleen Turner, Denzel Washington, Jr., and even Goldie Hawn and Raquel Welch, performing under the stars.
Working in an outdoor historical drama is significantly different from the standard "summer stock" experience. Unlike the stock schedule of multiple shows with short rehearsal periods and two- to four-day "turnovers" between shows, the outdoor drama is rehearsed and mounted, then settles in for a more leisurely run of from six to 12 weeks. While a few companies also mount a second show (usually a musical) to run in rep with the main drama, many others support cabaret shows or company-generated productions on off nights, ranging from the classics to original scripts.
The skills required vary too, from the standard acting, singing, and dancing, to include horseback riding and stage combat. Staff skilled in design, pyrotechnics, and installation and maintenance of equipment for sound, voice reinforcement, special effects, and lighting are also in demand. Outdoor theatre offers an unconventional environment in which actors and technicians can expand their skills while gaining experience in a large-cast, long-run production. This can be a valuable experience for college actors, who may never have run a show for more than six or eight performances.
While most of the regional auditions around the country will be attended by at least a few outdoor dramas, The Institute of Outdoor Drama sponsors the only audition which consists exclusively of outdoor historical dramas, and does not cater to other venues such as theme parks, summer stock, and regional theatres. Outdoor Drama auditions are held one day only: this year on Sat., March 21, at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. At press time at least 13 of the outdoor historical dramas from across the country were planning to attend auditions for performers and to interview technicians.
The auditions, sponsored by the Institute of Outdoor Drama, are open to anyone 18 or older with previous theatre experience. Actors present a one-minute prepared monologue and may be asked to offer another at callback interviews. Singers should prepare a one-minute song. Dancers are led through warm-ups, combinations, and routines featuring a variety of choreography.
Jobs require a nine- to 12-week commitment, including two weeks of rehearsal. Cast size varies from 50 to 180. Some of the larger companies offer subsidized or paid housing, or will assist in locating housing for company members. Although most jobs are non-union, some companies will hire a few Equity actors in leading roles.
Application forms will be available in late January. Completed applications must be received no later than March 16, 1998. To request an application, send a self-addressed, stamped business envelope to: Auditions Coordinator, Institute of Outdoor Drama, CB# 3240, NationsBank Plaza, UNC-CH, Chapel Hill, NC 27599-3240; or access the institute's home page at http://www.unc.edu/depts/outdoor. The fee to audition is $25.
At press time, the following companies plan to attend the 1998 auditions in Chapel Hill (* indicates that a limited number of positions are available under the Actors' Equity Association Outdoor Drama Agreement). Additional companies may register:
SUB-SUB-HEAD: ROANOKE ISLAND FESTIVAL PARK (home of the Elizabeth II), Manteo, NC.
Horace Whitfield, Captain & Director of Historic Interpretation and Frank White, Program and Visitor Service Director.
Actors portray English soldiers, mariners, and gentlemen as they interpret shipboard life aboard a 16th-century sailing vessel and settlements of 1585. All site activities celebrate history, education, and the arts as they relate to the birthplace of English-speaking America. Hiring 20-30 actors. Training/rehearsals: May 18-31; performances: June 1-Aug. 31. 40 hrs. per week. $240-$280/week. Workers' comp.
SUB-SUB: THE LEGEND OF DANIEL BOONE, Harrodsburg, KY.
Jan Hartman, playwright; Michael Friedman, director; Maureen Daly, general manager.
For more than 30 years, excitement and danger explode upon the stage as Daniel Boone leads an expedition of dynamic men and women to build a new life in the wilderness known as the Kanta-ke territory. Rehearsals: May 26-June 17 (3.5 weeks); performances: June 18-Aug. 30 (10.5 weeks, Tuesday-Sunday).
SUB-SUB: THE LEGEND OF JENNY WILEY, Prestonburg, KY.
Daniel A. Stein, playwright; Richard Oberacker, composer; executive producer, Patrik Baldauff; director, Bob Bogdaroff.
"The Legend of Jenny Wiley" is a musical drama based on the true story of a Kentucky pioneer woman who was abducted by Indians in the late 1780s and whose heroic escape has become a legend. "Cinderella" and "Smoke on the Mountain" run in repertory. Rehearsals: June 5-July 8 (5 weeks); performances: June 19-Aug. 23 (7 weeks, Tuesday-Sunday). Hiring 6 actors, 12 singers, 4 dancers, 6 tech. $200/week company; intern and apprentice less. Housing, some meals, workers' comp.
HORN IN THE WEST, Boone, NC.
Kermit Hunter, playwright; Peter MacBeth, composer. Curtis Smalling, general manager; director for the 1998 season to be announced.
Set in the southern Appalachian mountain region of North Carolina during the American Revolutionary War, the drama follows frontiersman Daniel Boone and his band of settlers. Rehearsals: June 3-18 (2 weeks); performances: June 19-Aug. 15 (8 weeks, Tuesday-Sunday). Hiring 8 actors, 8 singers, 8 dancers, 5 technicians. $120-$230/week. Assistance in locating housing, workers' comp, apprentice program, reciprocal admission, community discounts.
*THE LOST COLONY, Roanoke Island, NC.
Paul Green, playwright; Thomas L.White, Jr., producer; director for the 1998 season to be announced. America's first and longest-running symphonic drama will this year celebrate its 61st anniversary in the newly renovated Waterside Theatre. The play recounts the mysterious disappearance of the first English colony to settle in America, soon after its arrival on Roanoke Island in 1584. Rehearsals: May 17-June 4 (2.5 weeks); performances: June 5-Aug. 28 (11.5 weeks, Sunday-Friday). Hiring actors, dancers, singers, and technicians. One equity position. $150-$500/week. Housing, workers' comp, college credit.
SNOW CAMP HISTORICAL OUTDOOR THEATRE, Snow Camp, NC.
James Wilson, general manager.
"The Sword of Peace," by William Hardy, directed by Joseph Self; dramatizes, through the lives of Simon and Elizabeth Dixon, the conflict faced by the Cane Creek Society of Friends during the Revolutionary War when, as peaceful Quakers, they are forced to defend their basic tenet of nonviolence. "Pathway to Freedom," by Mark Sumner, directed by John Harris; addresses racial conflicts and slavery in the South prior to the Civil War.
Rehearsals: May 31-June 16 (2 weeks); performances: June 17-Aug. 30 (11 weeks, Wednesday-Saturday). A musical, to be announced, will run Aug. 19-29. Hiring 10-15 actors, 5 technicians. $125/week. Housing, workers' comp, children's theatre.
* TECUMSEH!, Chillicothe, OH.
Allan W. Eckert, playwright; Carl T. Fischer and Frankie Lane, composers. Mr. Marion Waggoner, producer; Brent Gibbs, director.
"Tecumseh!" tells the story of the great Shawnee Indian leader's lifelong effort to protect his homeland, the Scioto River Valley of southern Ohio, from the invasion of white settlers, ending with the warrior's self-prophesied death at the battle of Thames in the War of 1812. Rehearsals: May 25-June 11 (2.5 weeks); performances: June 12-Sept. 5 (12 weeks, Monday-Saturday). Hiring 37 actors; 8 technicians. $150/week-Equity. Free housing, workers' comp, lunch during rehearsals, laundry facilities, limited recreational facilities, SAFD certification possible, studio shows, Equity Membership Candidacy possible.
TEXAS, Canyon, TX.
Paul Green, playwright; Patty A. Bryant, president; Neil Hess, director.
In this colorful historical drama set in the American West of the 1880s, the late Paul Green employed the full symphonic palette of music, dance, drama, and spectacle to bring Texas history to life. A classic love story is set against a backdrop of violence pitting cattleman against farmer on the vast Texas grasslands. Rehearsals: May 18-June 9 (3 weeks); performances: June 10-Aug. 22 (10.5 weeks, Monday-Saturday). Hiring 14 actors, 34 singers, 26 dancers, 17 technicians. Salaries begin at $2,200 for the summer for university-age performers for the period of May 18-Aug. 24. Workers' comp, college credit, transportation, will pay half tuition on theatre, dance, music courses at West Texas A&M University during summer, 8 comp tickets. Bonus for returning performers.
THEATER AT LIME KILN, Lexington, VA.
Barry Mines, artistic director; Tracy Dickerson, marketing director. "Stonewall Country" (rehearsals: May 25-June 9; performances: June 10-July 18) recreates the life and times of General Thomas Jonathan "Stonewall" Jackson, with rollicking songs and liberal doses of humor. Jackson, a long-time Lexington, Va., resident and one of the country's most colorful Civil War figures, is one some have called the "American Napoleon." "Always Patsy Cline" (rehearsals: June 29-July 22; performances: July 23-Aug. 22) features the popular music of America's foremost country vocalist in the most beautiful setting in the country. Technician contracts vary according to position, from as early as May 18 through as late as mid-Sept. Hiring 5 actors who can sing, 5 technicians. $100-$300/week. Workers' comp, housing (negotiable), internships (no stipend).
THEATRE WEST VIRGINIA, Beckley, WV.
Gayle Bowling, general manager; Marina Dolinger, artistic director.
The musical drama, "Hatfields & McCoys," by Billy Edd Wheeler, dramatizes the fierce mountain pride that fueled the world-famous conflict between the Hatfields of West Virginia and the McCoys of Kentucky. Also, "Honey in the Rock," by Kermit Hunter. "The Wizard of Oz" will be produced in repertory in July and Aug. Rehearsals: May 18-July 14 (8 weeks); performances: June 9-Aug. 23 (11 weeks, Tuesday-Sunday). Hiring 18 actors, 16 singers, 8 dancers, 11 technicians. $150-$250/week. Workers' comp, two complimentary whitewater rafting trips, company parties, picnics.
*TRUMPET IN THE LAND, New Philadelphia, OH.
Paul Green, playwright; Frank Lewin, composer; Margaret Bonamico, general manager.
Set in Ohio's historic Tuscarawas Valley during the Revolutionary War, this is the compelling story of David Zeisberger, a Moravian missionary who, with a small group of Delaware Indians, established Ohio's first settlement, Schoenbrunn ("beautiful spring"), in 1772. "White Savage," written by Mark Durbin and Joseph Bonamico, tells the story of the villain of "Trumpet," Simon Girty. "Cinderella" will play in repertory through the season. Rehearsals: May 25-June 14 (3 weeks); performances: June 15-Aug. 22 (10 weeks, Monday-Saturday). Hiring 30 actor-singers, 10 dancers, 4 technicians. $125/week to Equity. Assistance finding housing, workers' comp, assistance with some meals, reciprocal discounts in the community.
TRYON PALACE HISTORIC SITES AND GARDENS, New Bern, NC.
Hilarie Hicks, curator of interpretation.
Reconstruction of the 1770 home of North Carolina's colonial governor, William Tryon. Costumed actors portraying members of the governor's household and local residents conduct the tour, titled "Away to Alamance: Governor Tryon and the Regulators." Actors deliver 2- to 3-minute monologues describing their characters' reactions to historical events. Rehearsals: May 12-23 (2 weeks); performances: May 24-Aug. 9 (11 weeks, Tuesday-Sunday). Hiring 9 actors. $9 per hour, averaging $200-$225/week. workers' comp, shop discount.
UNTO THESE HILLS, Cherokee, NC. Kermit Hunter, playwright; Jack Kilpatrick and McCray Hardy, composers; Barry Hipps, general manager; Peter Hardy, artistic director.
From the arrival in the Appalachians of Spanish explorer Hernando DeSoto in 1540 to the removal of the Cherokee Indians to Oklahoma along the tragic "Trail of Tears," this drama paints a vivid portrait of the Eastern Band of Cherokee and their brave leaders, Junaluska, Tsali, and Sequoyah, who fought for survival. Rehearsals: May 26-June 12 (2.5 weeks); performances: June 13-Aug. 23 (10.5 weeks, Monday-Saturday). Hiring 5 actor-technicians, 6 dancers. $150-$300/week. Housing, workers' comp, college credit, meals, swimming pool, actors' canteen.