Village Squire, 1980-06, Page 7being up with the footlights," he said.
"They are used to being an audience."
Amateur casts, consisting of Stratfdrd
and ares.residents. have been limited tg 10
members for the company's first produc-
tion, Godspell, and eight for their latest
effort, the Fantasticks, scheduled to open
June 12 at Stratford City Hall auditorium.
Mr. Finan said numbers will be gristly
increased for the musical theatre's third
production, Bye Bye Birdie, where 46
persons will be included in the cast.
CONTRASTING CHARACTERS
It's said contrasting characters make a
good marriage. If a theatre company could
be described in equally simplistic terms,
Mr. Storms and Mr. Finan said they would
be like two magnets pulling in opposite
directions. But this, said Mr. Finan,
creates a successful balance.
"Jim (James Storms) is a real musician,
I look for personality," said Mr. Finan.
"He goes right for the voice and I look for
sparkle."
He said sparkle is seen in someone who
reacts well on stage, who seems eager,
who possesses that special vitality an
audience associates with and reacts to.
"A good director always sits himself in
the audience and looks to see if his
characters have an interesting face or an
interesting reaction," he said. "Good true
reactions that are sensible reactions are
probably most important."
During auditions, Mr. Finan said people
are asked to read from a script, and to sing
and sometimes dance. He said it is
important that you not only listen to would-
be performers read, but, you see if they
actually understand wnat they are reading;
in this way you learn how well they may or
may not takdirestion
"Then I would ask myself, can 1 direct
this person?"
Gaining the trust and confidence of a
cast is probably one of the most difficult
jobs for a director, said M•r. Finan.
However, he said, he has been lucky in that
respect because actors have appeared
receptive to his ideas and direction.
VERY TRUSTING
"They've been very trusting with me. I
think they respond to what I put into it as a
director," he explained.
Directors for the musical theatre said
ideas and direction contributions from cast
members are often welcome during re-
hearsals when there is some question as to
a movement or a line.
"You have to work with the people
you've got, so you have to give them room
because they're always thinking too,"
said Mr. Finan. "Kids in the show have
come up with some great ideas in the
past."
Mr. Finan and Mr. Storms both estimate
they spend close to 25 hours a week on
rehearsals and other work directly related
to the theatre company. However, that's
James Storm, musical director tor Stratford Musical Theatre's
latest production the Fantasticks, concentrates on staging a
scene In the play. The Fantasticks will open June 12 at thA
Stratford City Hall auditorium. (Photo by Heer)
not to say everyone puts in that many
hours. Mr. Finan said it detiends on the
position and the show, but a lead part
may require two or three nights rehearsal a
week, where a person working on set
construction may only have to volunteer
two or three hours of their time a week.
"When you're directing, you have to
remember these people are giving up their
time also."
On February 21, 1980, a small crowd of
curious theatre goers partially filled the
Stratford City Hall auditorium. Behind the
stage curtain, on a stage extended six feet
to house the Godspell performance,
waited 10 anxious performers some who
would be stepping out on stage for the first
time. That performance would be the
birth or death of the new musical theatre.
BUBBLING ENERGY
Critics, (or at least the two who attended
opening night) noted difficulties with
VILLAGE SQUIRE/JUNE 1980 PG. 6
J