November 26, 1996

Entertainment

e =a 2 @- The Panther Prints

UPED Cn Society and ts ‘si aff Productions

By Bruce Hen

What happened with the auditions?

The Theatre Society (TS) held its one act plays, The 15 minute Hamlet and The Valiant, last weekend. The TS committee agreed not to have any auditions because they ended up with just the right number of members to suit eachrole, resulting in more responsibility for the direc- tors. According to Bruce Barton, Chair of the TS, audi- tions for the one act plays would take place only if there was a lack of cast members; if a cast member changed char- acter or if someone was needed someone to filla pre- viously unfilled role. Paul Trahan and Matthew McRae, both members of the TS, felt that the directors picked mem- bers from the TS before going to anyone else because they knew the members acting abil- ity and they knew how inter- ested the members were in doing a play. One member also mentioned the importance of auditions and how it gives equal opportunity to each stu- dent. Itallows, especially new student, atime to express their talent and ability in acting, and it gives them a chance to meet other members and di- rectors. Nevertheless, audi- tions will take place for the Spring production. So, if you want a chance to show your talent and ability in action, go to the audition.

Play rights!

For each and every play conducted by the UPEI Thea- tre Society, they need written approval by the author or agent. In this submission the TS must include where, when , why and _ who will be producing the play? They must

also include the venue and an approximation of expected spectators. Ifthe author is still alive the TS must guarantee the play will not be altered in any way. If the author is dead, the director may alter the play. Once the TS receives the written approval from the author or agent they can begin with the mechanics of the play.

In the past.

Ideally the Theatre Society tries to put on at least three one act plays in the fall and one big production in the spring. This year there were four proposals brought to the committee. The play The Second Shepherd was suppose to be presented but earlier in the year, the directed felt it was to much work and dropped out. The other proposal was a play called The Toilet, even thought the TS strongly recommended the production of this play, they were unable to get permission from the author to establish a copy right approval, so they had to drop it.

The Plays

Cast members for The Fifteen Minute Hamlet

Jamie Soy as Hamlet ;

Ryan Pollard as Gertrude and Ophelia

Curt Matchett as Claudius and Polonius

Daniel Rankin as The Ghost of Hamlet’s father and Laertes

Kerry Maze as Bernardo-Marcellus and Osric

Kylie Gavard as Horatio and Grave Digger

Directed by Louise Dumas

Stage Manager: Renay Fraser

Props: Tom Carlaw

Production Assistance: Joanne MacNevin

Cast members for The Valiant

Matthew Mooney Hennesay as Warden Holt Matthew McRae as Father Daly

Mike Farrell as James Dyke (Prisoner) Karen MacIntyre as Josephine Paris (Prisoners sister) Paul Demostan Trahan as Wilson (Jailer) Directed by Christopher Ward

Stage manager Sarah King

Assistant Stage Manager: David Goodwin Lighting Technician: Laura Smith Technical Director: Carl Mathis

Front of House: Kristina Hegyes

Producer: Bruce Barton

I conducted my interview with each cast member of The Valiant during one of their rehearsals, and unexpectedly Chris Ward asked me to participate in their warm up. They started with facial and other stretching exercises, normally they also include vocal and memorizing exercises but decided not to do them this time. I was asked to give an example of a tongue twister, so I said “The big, black, blue bird blew big bubbles” and then every one else had to repeat it. So, if you like to act foulest and do crazy things, join The Theatre Society.

History of the Theatre Society

UPEI opened its doors in 1969.

1969 : founding member of UPEI English Professor Leigha Lee Brown directs several student plays.

1974 : Brown resigns. The stage is dark.

1975 : Steel Hall completed for music recitals, yet offers some possibilities for theatre.

1976 : The Beggar’s Opera by John Gay, Ad hoc production.

1977: Breathless, The Agreement, Pass, Cry of the Gull, directed by Robbin Ward; The Wise People of Gotham; Overtones by Alice Gerstenberg, Ad hoc production.

1978 : H.M.S. Pinafore by Gilbert and Sullivan. Ad hoc production.

1978-79 : Searching for continuity and legitimacy, some students form a “University Theatre Society,” while simultaneously some professors create a “Theatre Committee.” Students have actors and right name; professors have clout. The two merge under Dean of Arts. Henceforth all productions, as well as workshops and sponsorships (not listed), are UTS managed. The general practice has been to mount a minor production in the fall, usually an evening of student - directed one-act plays, and a major production of high risk, guest-directed, in the spring. Most are performed in Steel Hall, Duffy Amphitheatre, or the MacKenzie Building. Chairs of the Society have been Terry Pratt, Edward Edmonds, Mike Reed, Rich- ard Lemm, Douglas Malcolm and Shannon Murray.

1979 : She Stoops to Conquer by Oliver Goldsmith.

. 1980: An Evening of Dramatic Exercise; World Tipped Over and Laying on Its Side by Mary Feldhaus-Webber; Bed Time Story by Sean O’Casey; As You Like It by William Shakespeare.

1981 : The Hostage by Brendan Behan; Passion, Poison, and Petrifaction or The Fatal Gangrene by George Bernard Shaw.

1982 : Under Milkwood by Dylan Thomas; Many Moons by James Thurber. . _. 2 ;

1983 : The Skin of our Teeth by Thornton Wilder; If I Were You by Larry LeClair; The Committee by Nick Grant.

1984 : Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are Dead by Tom Stoppard; The Tempest by William Shakespeare.

1985 : True West by Sam Shephard; The Glass Menagerie by Tennesses Williams.

1986 : Baby With the Bathwater by Christopher Durang; Patio Porch by Jack Heifner; Nurse Jane Goes to Hawaii, by Allen Stratton.

1987 : Electra by Sophocles; Box and Cox by John Maddison.

1988 : Count Oederland by Max Frisch; Papers by Allen Stratton. 1989 : The Beaux Stratagem by George Farquhar. The Bear by Anton Chekhov.

1990 : Hay Fever by Noel Coward; Love is Strange by Paul Ledoux and David Young.

1991 : Sorry, Wrong Number by Louise Fletcher; “The Val- iant” : by Holworthy Hall and Middlemass; White Lies by Peter Schaffer.

1992 : Life on Earth by Roddie Weatherbei and Heather Morrison; The Dumbwater by Harold Pinter; Bedtime Story by Sean O’Casey; The Real Inspector Hound by Tom Stoppard.

1993 : Quiet in the Land by Anne Chislett; The Sandbox by Edward Albee; The Golden Fleece by A.R. Gurney; The Waiting Room by Sharon Leighton.

1994 : Mr. Pickwick by Charles Dickens; Spreading the News by Lady Gregory; What’s On by Mike Bertrand.

1995 Romeo and Juliet by William Shakespeare; God by Woody Allen; Sex Love and Infidelity : Sganarelle

1996 : The Three Cuckolds Overruled by Bernard Shaw; Salve Regina; The Fifteen Minute Hamlet by Tom Stoppard; The Valiant by Holworthy Hall and Robert Middlemass.

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