Shakespeare Team auditions

To everyone who auditioned for the Shakespeare Team:
Wow.
Thank you so much for wanting to be involved. I feel lucky to teach at a school where such a large part of the student body appreciates theatre and Shakespeare.

This evening I watched 112 audition monologues. That is more auditioners than any other theatrical event Hillcrest has ever had since I've been here (possibly excluding the big musicals where we don't have to cut anyone). I can fit 53 of you on the bus to the competition in Cedar City. If you're good at math, you will have figured out by now that that means less than half of you will end up making the team.

When the cast list is posted, there will be many of you who will not find your name on the list. In all honesty, many of you who end up not being cast, I really wish could be cast. A lot. I am sorry if this is disappointing to you, but please remember that you are still a valued member of Hillcrest's theatre program.

To reitterate: not being cast does not mean I do not want to work with you or don't think you deserved to be on the team. Many of you that I sincerely want to work with and deserve to be on this team will not be. Many of you.

There will be people who have been on the team in the past who will not be on it this year. Not because I did not think you were brilliant, but because I wanted to open the door for some other people that may not have had the experience yet.

There will be some new people that I so desperately wanted to work with, but did not put on the team knowing they will have more chances in the future.

There are some people whose preparation for the audition just didn't reach the level of many others who have been working night and day for the past couple of months.

So, if you do not find your name on the cast list when it is posted, please do the following:
1-Stop yourself from getting discouraged. You still have much to offer the world through theatre.
2-Audition for the musical next Tuesday. We need some great actors in this show as it is more intense than any musical we have done in the last 5 years. As long as you audition, we will cast you in the show.
3-Start preparing a piece for the Region/State drama competition this year. We need many great pieces to be part of our team and the more/earlier you prepare, the greater your piece will be. For more info on this, talk to Mr. Long or a presidency member.

Thank you all so much for being a part of this program and sharing your enthusiasm and soul with me and our audiences.

---Mr. Long

PS---the list will go up either late Thursday or early Friday.