Shakespeare Team!!!

"Sometimes we are devils to ourselves"

Its almost here! The 2009-2010 Season! Your first opportunity to get in on the fun is with the Shakespeare Team. Everyone agrees that this is one of the most exciting, memorable, and inspirational activities that you will be involved in all year long.

Auditions will be held Friday, August 28 after school. You can sign up for a time beginning on the first day of school. There will be a couple of monologues for you to read at the audition. HOWEVER, if you prepare a memorized monologue that suits your skills, you will be alot better off come audition day. In other words, having a memorized piece would be helpful, but it is not required (since auditions are the 3rd day of school).

The team will compete at the Annual High School Shakespeare Competition at the Utah Shakespeare Festival in Cedar City October 8-10. Last year there were 91 schools from 9 different states competing. It's the coolest thing ever and Hillcrest has a great and successful tradition to uphold. :-)

The Shakespeare Team will consist of three types of scenes you may be cast in:

1---An ensemble scene which will include anywhere from 20 to 70 people that is just under 10 minutes in length. Whoever is cast in this will for sure be competing in Cedar City. Rehearsals will be held on Saturdays, and mornings before school (for lead roles). This year's scene will be from the play "Troilus & Cressida" which is about the Trojan war. Helen. Achilles. Hector. And of course the lovers Troilus and Cressida. There will be lots of fighting, lots of loving, and a lot of intrigue. It will be epic! Bring your friends to audition. We will need all kinds of people for this scene.

2---Duo/Trio scenes. I will cast 4 of these scenes that will be 3-5 minutes in length. Although all of the students cast in these scenes will come to the competition, ONLY 2 OF THESE WILL ACTUALLY COMPETE IN CEDAR CITY. A Challenge Round will be held on Monday, September 21 at 5:00pm where all 4 scenes will perform and a panel of Shakespeare experts and alumni will select the 2 that will compete in Cedar City. You MAY be cast in a duo/trio scene as well as the ensemble.

3---Monologues. I will cast 6 of these pieces that will be 2-4 minutes in length. Although all of the students cast in monologues will come to the competition, ONLY 3 OF THESE WILL ACTUALLY COMPETE IN CEDAR CITY. A Challenge Round will be held on Monday, September 21 at 5:00 where all 6 monologues will perform and a panel of Shakespeare experts and alumni will select the 3 that will compete in Cedar City. You MAY be cast in a monologue as well as the ensemble scene (you may NOT however, be in a duo/trio and a monologue).

In addition to the actors and the Tech Olympics Team (who will be chosen from the Stage Crew class), there may also be a couple of dance pieces and a vocal number (new category this year) that will be part of the team.

There will be a team meeting after school on Monday, August 31 where more details will be given to those who make the team.

During both lunches on Thursday, August 27, the Theatre Presidency will be hosting mini-Shakespeare parties in the theatre room. You can come to get your questions answered, find good audition pieces, get some feedback on your audition, or just to meet new people so you are more comfortable at the audition.

GOOD LUCK!