Great Valley High School Drama Guild
Fall Play
Join us Thursday, September 12th from 6 PM to 9 PM to audition for this year's Fall play, Shakespeare's A Midsummer Night's Dream. If more audition time is necessary, we'll open additional slots on Saturday, September 14th between 11:30 AM and 2:30 PM.
There will be a Staff, Student and Parent introduction meeting on September 9th at 6 PM to talk about auditions and the coming year!
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Click Here to sign up for ONE 5-Minute time slot!
After your audition you will be free to leave.
Callbacks will be held on September 16th from 6 PM to 9 PM, and will be invitation only.
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What To Prepare:
All auditionees should read the character descriptions below and memorize ONE monologue/soliloquy for the role they are most interested in auditioning for. Additionally, I ask that each actor prepare 30 seconds (a verse and a chorus) of their favorite song from 2010-2015.
This will be sung A Capella and does not have to be recording accurate. Meaning, Actors may sing in whatever octave or key that is comfortable for them. Please also be prepared to talk about yourself, your theatre experience and your comfort level with Shakespeare. Not all auditionees may be cast.
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Please either bring a completed copy of this audition form or arrive before your audition time slot to fill one out in person. A tentative rehearsal schedule is attached, where you should mark any conflicts you may have. Parents and Students must also sign this agreement in order for students to be considered for casting.
We ask all students to dress for success. Consider the character, world of the play, and professionalism when dressing for the audition. A photo of each student will be taken at auditions for production team reference.
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About The Play:
Four young Athenians are in a romantic tangle. Lysander and Demetrius love Hermia; she loves Lysander and her friend Helena loves Demetrius. Hermia’s father, Egeus, commands Hermia to marry Demetrius, and Theseus supports the father’s right. All four young Athenians end up in the woods, where Robin Goodfellow, who serves the fairy king Oberon, puts flower juice on the eyes of Lysander, and then Demetrius, unintentionally causing both to love Helena. Oberon, who is quarreling with his wife, Titania, uses the flower juice on her eyes. She falls in love with Bottom, who now, thanks to Robin Goodfellow, wears an ass’s head.
As the lovers sleep, Robin Goodfellow restores Lysander’s love for Hermia, so that now each young woman is matched with the man she loves. Oberon disenchants Titania and removes Bottom’s ass’s head. The two young couples join the royal couple in getting married, and Bottom rejoins his friends to perform the play.
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Production Specifics:
Not all students have experience in Shakespeare's rhetoric, let alone performing Shakespeare. We simply ask that all students try their best at the auditions. The first week of rehearsals will be dedicated to learning about his performance art.
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Rehearsals will mainly be held on Mondays, Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays. Not all actors will be called to every rehearsal and an updated rehearsal calendar will be sent out to families after week one. Rehearsals will begin September 17th and all cast members will be called the first week for character workshops, Shakespeare boot camp, and our cast read through.
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We understand that life gets hectic and we encourage students to branch out and participate in as much as possible. That being said, we ask students to limit conflicts to 5 per rehearsal process. Tech week rehearsals are mandatory and no conflicts will be accepted. Please consider that when auditioning.
There may be items that students will be asked to bring in that will be specific to their costume and their character. The production team will let students and families know as soon as possible what those items are.
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Character Breakdown: (Click On Character Name For Associated Pieces To Prepare -- Not All Pieces May Be Text That Character Speaks In The Show)
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Theseus - Duke of Athens, recently returned from conquering the Amazons, a race of warrior women and is about to marry the conquered Amazon Queen Hippolyta.
Lysander - Young nobleman of Athens. In love with Hermia. Hermia’s father is against her marrying him, he persuades Hermia to run away from home & family into the forest.
Demetrius – A young nobleman of Athens. In the past he acted as if he loved Helena, but after Helena fell in love with him, he changed his mind and having the approval of Egeus, he pursues Hermia. (But she’s not interested)
Egeus - An Athenian upper-class respected gentleman who wants his daughter Hermia to marry Demetrius, his choice for her.
Philostrate - Theseus’s Master of the Revels (party planner) who is responsible for organizing the entertainment for the Duke’s marriage celebration.
Hippolyta - The legendary Queen of the Amazons engaged to marry Theseus.
Hermia - Egeus’s daughter. Both Demetrius and Lysander are in love with her. She is in love with Lysander. Very strong-willed and independent.
Helena - A good friend of Hermia’s and is in love with Demetrius. She tends to be more self-pitying and puts herself in dangerous and humiliating situations, running after Demetrius through the forest even though he wants nothing to do with her.
Puck – (AKA Robin Goodfellow) A mischievous fairy who delights in playing pranks on mortals; he is Oberon’s servant. He has a connection not only to the fairy and human worlds of the play, but also to the world of the audience.
Oberon - The King of the Fairies who rules with Titania
Titania - Queen of the Fairies who rules with Oberon
Changeling - young Indian prince whom Titania has kidnapped
Fairy Ensemble - Peasebottom, Moth, Cobweb, and Mustardseed
Nick Bottom - The overconfident weaver chosen to play Pyramus in the play that a group of craftsmen have decided to put on for the wedding celebration.
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Peter Quince - A carpenter and the writer/director of the play
Francis Flute - The bellows-mender chosen to play Thisbe in the play. Forced to play a young girl in love.
Robin Starveling - The tailor chosen to play Thisbe’s mother in the play/ends up playing the part of Moonshine
Snug - The joiner (a tradesperson who builds things by joining wood) chosen to play the lion in the play.
Tom Snout - The tinker (someone who does odd jobs) chosen to play Pyramus’s father in the play. Ends up playing the part of the Wall, dividing the two lovers in the play.
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Should any questions, concerns or otherwise arise, please feel free to reach out to Director, Emi Aungst, at emiaungstactor@gmail.com!