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Fall 2018 Open Classes

Posted on by Mufson, Michael

TA 113 A & B Improvisational Theatre I & II

Tuesdays • 12:45-3:55 PM • PAC 127 • Michael Mufson • 3 Units

TA 113A • 71765
TA 113B • 72421

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TA 115 Acting I | 2 Sections Available

MW • 11:10 AM - 12:35 PM • PAC 127 • Michael Mufson • 71693 • 3 Units

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Acting Studio • Combined Acting II, III, IV

 TTh • 11:10-12:35 AM • PAC 127 • Lizabeth Hinton• 3 Units

This combined acting studio empowers students to develop skills appropriate to their level under the guidance of experienced theatre professionals.

TA 116 Acting II • 72422
TA 215 Acting III • 71754
TA 216  Acting IV • 71755

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Musical Theatre Scenes • TA, DNCE, Mus 173 • 3 Units

MW • 3:55-5:20 PM • O2 • Case + Music and Dance Faculty • 73138 • 3 Units

This class is cross-listed with Dance and Music.

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TA 105 • Introduction to Technical Theatre • 2 Units Lecture & Lab • Chris Sinnott

M & W • 9:00 AM - 12:05 PM • PAC 116 and PAC 111

Enroll in lecture section 72417 • automatically co-enrolled in lab section 72418

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TA 106A • Basic Costume 1: Technology • 2 Units Lecture & Lab • Staff

M & W •230 - 5:05 PM • PAC 213 (Costume Shop)

Enroll in lecture section 73423 • automatically co-enrolled in lab section 73425

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TA 107 •Lighting For Stage and Television• 2 Units Lecture & Lab • Staff

T & Th •230 - 5:05 PM • PAC 131 (Studio Theatre)

Enroll in lecture section 73047 • automatically co-enrolled in lab section 73048

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TA192A-D • Technical Theatre Practicum I-IV | Crew for O Beautiful • 1 Unit Lab

48 Hours To Be Arranged of crew work on the production of O Beautiful between 08/27/2018 - 10/07/2018

All running crew and production support positions enroll in the appropriate section of this class. No auditions necessary; however, please contact Chris Sinnott to arrange hours [crew position] PRIOR to signing up for this course: csinnott@palomar.edu

Section A • 71855 • 1 Unit Lab
Section B • 71860 • 1 Unit Lab
Section C • 71862 • 1 Unit Lab
Section D • 71864 • 1 Unit Lab

TA Production #1: O Beautiful by Theresa Rebeck, dir. by Michael Mufson
08/27/2018 - 10/07/2018

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• Theatre Arts •

Fall 2018 | Production 01

Seeking a Large,  Diverse, Thoughtful, Empathetic and Courageous Cast • Over 20 Characters

O Beautiful

By Theresa Rebeck
Directed by Michael Mufson
Performances OCT 5-14

Theresa Rebeck pens a theatrically inventive mash-up of contemporary American life and the history that got us to this politically polarized age. This fiercely funny story explores the lives of high school students, teachers, and their families as they cope in a world of real personal problems and extremist ideological rhetoric that gets so heated that Jesus, Saint Paul, Joan of Arc, John Adams, Patrick Henry, and Benjamin Franklin, among others, show up to weigh-in and mix it up.

Warning: This production contains controversial portrayals of Jesus and the Founding Fathers as well as mature themes and language.
Perusal Scripts available upon request: mmufson@palomar.edu

Performances are OCT 5-14, Fridays & Saturdays at 7 PM, Sundays at 2 PM and Thursday at 4 PM.

AUDITION INFORMATION

Open Call • Friday, August 24 • 6:30 PM • STUDIO THEATRE
Callbacks • Saturday, August 25 • 1 PM • STUDIO THEATRE

Please prepare  a 1 to 2-minute contemporary monologue – dramatic or comic

Rehearsals will be Monday – Friday 6:30 – 10:30 PM beginning August 27 and some Saturdays.

Technical Rehearsals will be Saturday & Sunday, September 29 & 30 10AM-10PM and October 1-4 • 5PM-11PM

Casting preference to actors with no schedule conflicts.

Participants are required to enroll for 2 units of college credit (TA 191 Rehearsal & Performance)

Character Breakdown:

General Context: O Beautiful is set within a mostly conservative, Christian community, and we meet characters from four different families struggling with basically all the “trigger issues” present in America today: teen pregnancy and abortion rights, gun control and gun violence, physical and cyber bullying, etc. Add to that controversy about who controls the high school curriculum and basic communication breakdown between the generations. On television, we’re presented with a Glenn Beck/Alex Jones type who (through the miracle of theatre) interviews some of the Founding Fathers, including Benjamin Franklin, Thomas Jefferson, and John Adams, trying to delve into their original intent, thereby forwarding his own agenda. Through it all, Jesus is available as a personal savior to all who invite him in, though it mostly seems that what they want is approval rather than counsel. Everything culminates in a town hall meeting that turns ugly with lots of rancor and very little listening. A prime example of what Civil Discourse is not.

 

HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS:

ALICE FLETCHER: She has become pregnant from a date rape encounter and is struggling to make sense of her life.  She is intelligent, empathetic, outspoken and brave, but also confused and traumatized.

LENNIE RYAN: A sensitive young man who lacks confidence and does not fit in socially. He is an easy target for the Bullies.

LUKE SIMPSON: Bully.  Cool kid. Dating Gwen. Responsible for getting Alice pregnant but does not take responsibility.  Conservative Christian. Shames Alice for wanting an abortion.  Bullies Lennie.

GWEN TURNER: High School student. Cool kid. Dating Luke. Conservative Chrisitan. Bully.

ERIK WATERS: Hangs out with Luke and Gwen and participates with their bullying behavior, although he is generally not the instigator.:

PARENTS:

LINDA RYAN: Mother of Lennie.  Warm, loving and encouraging of Lennie. A bit naïve.  She is very concerned when her husband (Brian) starts to bring guns into their home.

BRIAN RYAN: Father of Lennie. Hangs out with the guys and is very susceptible to their peer pressure.  He is influenced by an “unnamable” fear that is currently pervasive in certain communities. He has recently begun to purchase guns.

ARLENE FLETCHER: Mother of Alice.  Kind and loving. Strictly Christian.

DON FLETCHER: Father of Alice. Tries to be a good father but is typically insensitive.

MARCIA TURNER: Mother of Gwen.  Conservative Christian.  Sees no flaws in her daughter.  Somewhat militant in her conservatism.

BRENDA WATERS: Mother of Erik.  Warm, loving and caring.  Fierce defender of her son.

JOE SIMPSON: Father of Luke.  Really into guns. Aggressive.

OTHER ADULTS:

TY JANALERIS: African American. In his first year of teaching History at the local High School.  His teaching becomes controversial because he insists on providing handouts to augment the prescribed text book.  He is a kind and stands up for the justice of his students.

SONDRA JANALERIS: Sister of Ty.  Wise and earthy.

SIMON WEST: Conservative talking-head on television.  Modeled after Glen Beck and quite simiar to Alex Jones of InfoWars.

MRS. LOOMIS: School Principal.  Caught between pressure from School Board, Parents and Faculty Union.

HISTORICAL FIGURES:

JESUS: Jesus relates and communicates as if he is another member of the community.  It is revealed later in the play that all the characters see and hear the “Jesus” that they wish to see and hear.  The actor playing Jesus must be a great listener, exude compassion and have some ability to mimic vocal rhythms and characteristics. Casting is open to all races, ethnicities, genders and ages.

PATRICK HENRY

ALEXANDER HAMILTON

THOMAS JEFFERSON

JOHN ADAMS

BENJAMIN FRANKLIN

ST.  PAUL

ST. DENIS

JOAN OF ARC

OTHER PARENTS, TEACHERS, AND STUDENTS etc

 

for more information email mmufson@palomar.edu

Fall  2018 | Production 02

The Children’s Hour

by Lilian Hellman
Directed by Francis Gercke
Performances NOV 30 - DEC 9

What do you do when everything you say is made to mean something else? Lillian Hellman, one of our country’s most significant playwrights, tackled this question long beforefake news, spin, and political correctness overwhelmed our popular culture. In 1934 Massachusetts, two teachers, Martha and Karen, establish a successful private school for young women only to be confronted by a community that punishes the innocent with rumor and innuendo. As Mark Twain observed more than a century ago, “A lie can travel halfway around the world while the truth is putting on its shoes.”

AUDITION INFORMATION will be posted when available.

contact francisgercke@gmail.com

Peter and the Starcatcher Cast

Posted on by Mufson, Michael

 

To All who auditioned, thank you for your time and commitment.  It’s a blessing to have such an abundance of skilled and talented actors to choose from. This has been one of the hardest casting situations for me.

Cast, first rehearsal will be Monday, January 29th at 6:30 PM on the Howard Brubeck Stage.  Please arrive on time (10 minutes early if possible) dressed for movement and thoroughly prepared for the adventure of this show.  During the break you should read the play several times and begin working the script and memorizing lines.  I will send an email with access to the script.

We have 4 weeks of rehearsal before tech. This is one week shorter than I thought.  Somehow, I miscalculated when I looked at the production schedule.  To ensure that we have the most amazing show possible, I’m considering adding some rehearsal. I’d like to do three sessions during the week of January 22, devoted primarily to physical and vocal training to prepare for the shows.  Because classes are not in session yet, it might be possible to meet in the daytime instead of night.

Please send me an email confirming that you accept your role and detailing your availablilty during the week of January 22.  I’m thrilled and excited for our work on this magical adventure story. mmufson@palomar.edu

 

Molly                                                 Isabell Oraha

Boy/Peter                                          Jonathan Middleton

Aster                                                 Noah Parr

Black Stache                                     Viviana McCormick

Smee                                                 Sara Kinney

Mrs Bumbrake; Teacher                   Matthew Whetstone

Alf                                                     Erin Brunansky

Ted                                                    Mikala Tolbert

Prentiss                                             Ky  Kinney

Grempkin; Mack; Sanchez                Caden Berry

Bill Slank; Hawking Clam                  James Soto

Captain Scott                                    Elias Questenberg

Fighting Prawn                                 João Vincent Lewis

Ensemble                                          Amira Dia, Iko Starks, Rusty Dimagiba

Brave New World Cast

Posted on by Mufson, Michael

Hello Folks. Thank you all for your time and commitment to the callbacks.  I saw a lot of excellent work, which made it quite difficult to make my final casting decision.  Thank you and I’m looking forward to working with all of you. First Rehearsal is tomorrow, Monday, August 28 at 6:30 PM in the Studio theatre.  Please arrive promptly and be ready to start at 6:30 P.M.

Ali Sadiq……….Police Officer, Ensemble

Amira Diaz……….1st Beta Gir, Indian Crone, Ensemble

Anthony Soriano……….DARWIN BONAPARTE, Ensemble

Austin Thatcher……….John Savage

Austin Williams……….Henry Foster

Caden Berry……….Police Officer, Ensemble

Caty Hill……….Lenina Crowne

Darcie McClain……….Dr. Shaw, Miss Keate, Ensemble

Gabriel Saberón Nelson……….ARCH COMMUNITY SONGSTER

Gina Marie……….Linda

Hinako Nishikawa……….Waitress, Ensemble

Isabel Baker……….2nd Beta Girl, Ensemble

Jacob Stadler……….Nero Smith, Ensemble

Jonathan Williams……….Benito Hoover, Ensemble

Ken Fujimoto……….Penitent, Ensemble

Mark Tellez……….Elevator Epsilon, Ensemble

Matthew Whetstone……….SUB-BURSAR, Ensemble

Mikalah Tolbert-Smith……….Nurse, Ensemble

Neha Curtis……….Mustapha Mond- World Controller, Priest

Noah Parr……….Helmholtz Watson

Omar Fox……….Savage Guide, Ensemble, Assistant Director

Ryan Balfour……….Director of the London Hatching and Conditioning Center

Sara Kinney (Carl)……….Bernard Marx

Shane Murphy……….Fanny Crowne

Ensemble roles still to be determined:

Warden (voice over), Delta Children, Hospital Workers, 11 Solidarity Partners, Ceremonial Dancers, Crowd of Gawkers, Various groups of citizens creating the action of the locations throughout the play.