On September 1 and 2, roughly forty students gathered in the auditorium to audition for the fall production of Blithe Spirit. The callbacks were held on September 3.
At auditions, many sat nervously waiting for their name to be called. Others, like Morgan Papanestor, did individual things to calm themselves. Papanestor said, “It’s kind of weird, but I do the [warm-up] that Sharpay, from “High School Musical,” does.”
Lauren Wilder, a senior from Main Stage, said that she gives herself a pep talk before she goes on stage.
After a brief introduction by Lou Catania, director, everyone shuffled onto the stage for a group warm-up. “I really like the warm-ups we do together,” Karly St. Pierre said. “They give everyone a chance to see how [the theatre kids] are… And how comfortable we are together.”
In groups of four to five, students auditioned for one of the seven roles available. “You get to see how other people read the same part,” St. Pierre explained. As everyone had their chance to read from the script at least once, the directors watched from the house. Wilder said that it was nerve-wracking to wait while the directors talked amongst themselves after each group read.
Students whom the directors wished to see again were asked to come back on stage to reread a scene or two. Towards the end of the auditions, students were allowed to pick their own groups and scenes, and audition one last time.
At 4:30 on both afternoons, the auditions were complete. Students were left to wait until the call back list was revealed on that Friday. “I like to have a good attitude about [call backs],” Wilder said. “I know that anyone who made it deserved the part.”
Wilder was one of the ones who made call backs, along with eleven others. These twelve students auditioned one last time for the parts. The director described the different personalities of the characters as the students stood on stage.
Friday afternoon, the cast list was posted. Several students who attended call backs stood anxiously outside of the arts hall way. David Stammen, cast as Charles Condomine, celebrated after the cast list was posted. “It feels amazing [to be cast]!” Stammen said. “They’re all pretty cool people… It’s going to be great working with them.”
