Thanks for Coming to the Reading!

Hi all,

I just wanted to send out another thank you to everyone who participated today in the read.  Your positive energy, excitement, and respect for each other was truly an honor to have in the room!

As everyone left I had a great conversation with Jodi, who will be a fight choreographer for the show.  We have some great aspirations for battles.  Ian Bigelow also came as we were cleaning up.  He will be another person working on the violent aspects of the show.  We got very excited throwing around ideas, too!

So, just so you all know:  auditions for the play will be the week of January 8th.  I'll be requiring a short (12-20 lines) prepared/memorized Shakespeare monologue.  If anyone would like advice on selecting a monologue, or would like to know what roles I see them as candidates for, I'd be happy to chat  - call me at 802-380-5090.

Again, everyone did a great job today, and I thank you SOOO much for coming out!

Have a lovely holiday season,
Jess

thoughts pre-first production meeting

So, going into our first production meeting, I want to talk about a few things:

Schedule (conflicts with Arsenic?)
Assistant Producer (review what mike and I discussed)
Fight (not sure if we need to talk about this)
Set (Jay, build crew, materials, early build)
Sound (Todd?)
Music (Lynn?)
Costumes (Becca)
Scripts (can we stop printing on fancy paper?)
Props (is this generally an SM responsibility)
Stage Manager (who is it gonna be)
Sponsorships (BS&L, King Arthur, Chroma, ...?)
Storage (where do we put props and costumes, since I want them early - can actors be responsible for them)
Booking the Park (who will do it - Brenda?)
Publicity
     auditions (January for in or out/March for callbacks)
     public reading (January 22-31 sometime, cast based on inclinations from Jan audition)
     public discussions (February, 2 or three talks on war, male coming of age, and English history each topic is accompanied by excerpted scenes from Henry V, read by available actors)
     show (June - 2 weekends)

Questions:
Why did you pick this show?
I wanted to bring a new story to the park.  VTC has done this Shakespeare in the Park tradition for 23 years now.  Henry V has never been done before in the park.  It is a great story of a young man coming of age, tempered with plenty of epic battles, loyal brotherhood, and a memorable love scene.

How is this History Play relevant to today's audiences?
This play is about how war changes men. It is about friendship.   And it is about how a young man learns to take responsibility for more than himself.

What is the meaning of this play?
The play is about Henry's journey from an adolescent, ruled by his emotions, to a man prepared to lead a country.  Its really a love story - Henry learns how to love England, sacrifice for her, and unselfishly make choices with the country's well-being in the forefront of his mind.

What are you excited about in this production?
Battles
Cast
Collaborators
Imagining medieval war
Exploring masculinity
Tackling scenes completely in French
Directing a love scene written in two languages

A reading, just for fun p2

Hey all,
So, I have cut and edited the script - characters are combined, choruses are juggled around... so, please when looking at your role, refer to my script.  I'll have copies of it at our reading on the 19th.

Here are your roles for our reading on 11/19.  Please know that Vermont Theatre Company has a policy of open casting.  Any role you read with me this time around is not guaranteed to be the role I cast you in after auditions, if you choose to audition. I invited you all because you are lovely people and I want to have a nice afternoon reading and chatting about Henry to get my brain around the story and people in it. Auditions for the Shakespeare in the Park production of this play will be held in January, and possibly also in March to fill any gaps we may encounter.  Rehearsals will begin in April.

Matt Regan, Dauphin
Nora Gordon, Bardolph, Sir Thomas Erpingham
Kirsten Schrull, Williams (he's in act IV I believe, so it's okay that you have to be a little late!)
Greg Phillips, Westmoreland, Rambures
Zeke Hecker, Cantebury, Burgundy
Bruce Holloway, Exeter, English Herald
Tyler Haselton, Cambridge, Burbon
Stephen Stearns, Pistol
Nick Bombicino, Nym, Montjoy
James Gelter, Henry
Jodi Clark, Fluellen
Skyler Heathwaite, York
Jem Wilner, Scroop, Governor of Harfleur, Bates
Kate Maisner, boy
Ian Bigelow, Gray, Court
John Orgorzalek, King of France
Emma Bliss,  Gower, Salisbury
Ethan Reichsman, Ely, Orleans, French Soldier
Katy Peterson, Alice
Nell Curley, Katherine
Jenny Holan, Quickly/Hostess, French Queen
Dan Mitnick, Chorus

If you will be more comfortable, please consider reading over your part once or twice to make sure you know what you're saying!

Details about the reading

DATE: Saturday 11/19 (sorry to those of you who will be out of town)

TIME: 3:00-6:30

LOCATION: SIT Campus, Grad building Auditorium

DIRECTIONS: Take Putney Rd. to Black Mountain Rd at the light across from the Putney Rd. Market. Follow Black Mountain Rd. over an I-91 overpass. After two rather sharp curves, Black Mountain Road bears to the left and turns dirt, but you need to stay on the paved road - Kipling Road, and take it to the top of the hill. Turn left at Dickinson Road—and take second right through to the end of the first parking lot, then up a little rise to the "Graduate Building." There is some parking outside the building. We will be in the "Auditorium" that is on the second floor.  We rehearsed Much Ado there last summer.

FOOD: There is no kitchen, but feel free to bring snacks, drinks, desserts, and crock pots full of goodness to share.  I'll bring some paper plates, napkins, and cups. (you should bring bowls or utensils if your contribution requires them!)

SCRIPTS: I will be printing 15 copies of the script - so we will do some sharing.  I have done some cuts and re-arranging of things, so be aware that the version I'm working from is unique and won't match up with any other "official" version.  BUT feel free to bring your version from home to reference any questions you may have!

See you all soon!  I'll send out another reminder as the date draws nearer!
Jess

A reading, just for fun p1

Hi all,
I was wondering if any of you amazing, beautiful, wonderful, and talented actorly folk would like to join me and my fight crew in reading Shakespeare's Henry 5. 

I'm directing it in 2012 and I just need some inspiration - and to hear it.  Auditions for the show are in January and March, and rehearsals begin in April.  It is VTC's Shakespeare in the Park this year, and they're gonna give us 2 WEEKENDS!!! very  unusual, and very exciting.

Of course this reading is Just For Fun, no pressure to join the cast... yet ;).  It will just help me and my team get our momentum going and get excited about this AWESOME show.

INFO
TIME: 3pm-6:30pm
DATE: Saturday 11/19 or Sunday 11/20 (currently undecided, weigh in if you like)
LOCATION: currently undecided, but in Brattleboro somewhere - SIT, Austine, or BS&L maybe.
FOOD: Bring it to share.  We have no kitchen facilities, but we will have a table set up buffet style for food-sharing.  We'll provide plates, etc.

Let me know if you can come and which day is better for you.  Thanks and love you all!
Jess