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HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Citizen, 2005-06-29, Page 13BLYTH FESTIVAL SALUTE, JUNE 29/30, 2005, PAGE 13 Casting the kids Lqu«cxn«ru • Contractor. Agricultural & Industrial Supplies • Honda Engines • Chain Sharpening ‘Full Line of Laser Chain Saw Equipment & Accessories • Small Equipment & Tool Rental • Tool Sales & Services and Safety Equipment • Small Engine & Chain Saw Repair Centre • Hitachi Power Tool Sales In a play about a family of 13 children, plenty of kids are needed. Lots of young actors applied for roles in The Thirteenth One Festival artistic director Eric Coates plays games with young actors to see who can respond with enthusiasm. There’s a special challenge for the creative team behind the scenes of The Thirteenth One. With the heart of the play’s story being the imminent birth of a 13th child in a Depression-era family, there’s a requirement for the 12 other children. In order to cast those parts, in early June Festival artistic director Eric Coates, his associate Gil Garratt and Michelle Fisk, the play’s director, held open auditions for children from the surrounding region. They were swamped with 62 people showing up for nine roles (the eldest of the children will be played by a professional actor and the second by a local actor already cast). With so many children to get through in a short period of time, individual auditions become impossible. The team is prepared. Coates leads the first group of 10 five and six year olds through a series of games. He assigns each a number and asks her or him (girls outnumber boys by a wide margin) to leap forward when he signals and shout out their number “like it’s the happiest day of your life”. Later, he asks them to run across the floor and pretend they’re finding a treasured gift under a Christmas tree and show their joy. The children are asked to start reciting a poem or nursery rhyme on Coates’s signal, then stop in mid­ sentence when he signals another young actor to recite. Later, each is asked to jump for joy and announce “I’ve got a baby sister!” Later Fisk explains the goals of the games. They’re trying to single out kids with energy, yet who have an ability to concentrate, she says. They hope to fund a sense of spirit. Because aLI the young actors play members of the same family, they need to look like they could be related. Most of the younger children will be on stage together during a few crowded scenes so most won’t have much to say. Playwright Denyse Gervais Regan has been historically accurate in calling for children from two-and-a- half to 17 years of age, Fisk says. Though it might be possible to use a two-and-a-half-year-old in a movie, on stage where they must take part in every performance, it would be impossible. Instead. < Fisk says, they’re looking for children of five or six who can look younger. And, “We’re looking for kids who want to be here.” Fisk says. And parents who understand what they’re signing on for. The young actors have to be available every day during the rehearsal period. In the final few days as the show prepares for opening, that means 12-hour days. Fisk says she told parents they could only count on having Sundays off during rehearsals. The kids are also on stage right at the end of the play so that means they’ll be up until after 10 each performance night. While there are days off once the show goes into the repertory of the season, alternating with other plays, there can be no week-long family holidays. Still, there are lots of takers for the roles and the choices are hard. Fisk, Coates and Garratt have to schedule call-backs of the most likely candidates before deciding the final casting. Michelle Fisk, director of The Thirteenth One, Suzanne Roberts Smith, one of the cast members and Gil Garratt, associate artistic director, react to the children’s performances. THE 149,h LISTOWEL FAIR July 14 to 17, 2005 The Sweeter Side of Farming Parade * Ambassador Competition Tractor Pull * Homecraft Displays Kids' Day * Vintage Farm Show Dairy & Goat Shows * Midway Demolition Derby * Baby Show Lawn Tractor & ATV Pull * Talent Show Heavy & Western Horse Show * Seniors' Day ...and much, much more "SEE YOU AT THE LISTOWEL FAIR i i /WHERE THE TOWN & THE COUNTRY MEET*', / For Your Free Fair Book call Lynne @ 519-291-2776' 286 Huron Street, Clinton, Ontario 482-7930 FAX: 482-7463 WovOy Cui E4u«ynen j&PasJode J <rxl Sovxr Ceotw Ml OHd/WlC Cook at home pizza NO TAX * Subs * Salads * Soups Blyth ~ 523-4303 Wingham ~ 357-3400 CONGRATULATIONS BLYTH FESTIVAL on your 31st season ”'l'Sh Li • Crop Inputs • Grain Handling 887-9261 leg Walton J Crop Care [ BED & BREAKFAST Doreen & Murray Siertsema 457 Gypsy Lane, Blyth, ON N0M 523-9248 /ihfili tyeAibual cm 31 SeaAwA howick (519) 335-3561 MUTUAL INSURANCE COMPANY Wroxeter, Ontario NOG 2X0 • Prompt Claims Service • Competitive Rates • Over 125 Years of Community Service rfo."