Merry Wives auditions start tomorrow, Sunday, February 7 at 3:00 p.m., and I am hoping that despite it being Super Bowl Sunday folks will turn out to audition because Shakespeare can be just as fun as the Super Bowl…
An outrageous claim some of you might say, but it’s true!
In Merry Wives, for instance, there are several teams vying for a prize: there’s Falstaff, wanting to get it on with the two Merry Wives: Mrs. Ford and Mrs. Page; there’s Mrs. Page and Mrs. Ford wanting to teach Falstaff a lesson for insulting their honor by even insinuating that they might commit adultery; there’s the jealous Mr. Ford trying to catch Falstaff in the act and protect his name from ever being associated with that of cuckold; there’s three unlikely suitors all desiring the beautiful Anne Page’s hand in marriage; and poor, simple, hilarious Mistress Quickly as go-between amongst them all.
There’s also, like the half-time show (featuring the Who this year, woo-hoo!), Spectacle to be had. Undergarments go flying on at least one occasion, there are outrageous disguises – including some cross-dressing, even fairies put in an appearance!
Which team will you root for? Who will win in the end? Come to auditions on Sunday, so you can find out. We’ll make sure you’re out before kick-off!
Or, if you decide that you just can’t make it tomorrow, come Monday night instead at 6:00 p.m. Come join the fun with bawdy, Billy Shakespeare!
Welcome fellow theater lovers to another season with the Camden Civic Theatre. The 2010 Season marks the 42nd consecutive year that C.C.T. has been bringing Quality Theater to the Midcoast of Maine.
The new Board of Directors has had their first meeting of the New Year and is very excited about the coming season and the addition of two new directors who will be adding their talent to our productions this year. Rebecca Gross will be starting us off with William Shakespeare’s outrageous comedy The Merry Wives of Windsor. Auditions will be held at the Camden Opera House on February 7th at 3:00 pm and on February 8th at 6:00 p.m. Next up Mim Bird will be bringing to life Tennessee Williams’ classic tale of love, lust and insanity in A Streetcar Named Desire. Closing out the 2010 Season veteran C.C.T. director Paul Aron Weintraub will be reviving the musical Godspell last produced by (and directed by Paul) C.C.T. in 1975.
The new Board of Directors that was elected last year consists of the following members; President – Tiare Messing, Vice President – Mim Bird, Treasurer – Paul Weintraub, Secretary – Victoria Crain, Publicity Director – Caroline Bobola, Directors at Large – Hal Owen, Devin Fletcher, Kate Fletcher, George Grey, Rebecca Gross and Randall Merrifield. The Board is setting up committees to help C.C.T. run smoothly and anyone interested in serving on a committee can contact any member of the Board to do so. Committee members do not need to be members of C.C.T., although we, the Board of Directors do advocate joining this long running, high quality organization.
In addition to welcoming all interested parties to join C.C.T. the Board urges everyone to get involved with our productions. The directors are looking for, in addition to actors, behind the scenes personnel. To show your interest you can contact the director of the show or, once again any Board member.
Camden Civic Theatre is looking for both sponsors and program advertisers to help us produce and cover the costs of our productions. C.C.T. is first and foremost a civic organization. This company belongs to you, the people of Midcoast Maine and without your help and support we can not survive. Support comes in many ways; monetary, volunteers, show attendance and your ideas in how to make C.C.T. a better organization. C.C.T. relies on your support to continue to bring Quality Theater to our patrons.
Camden Civic Theatre would like to send out congratulations and kudos to past actor and C.C.T. member Caitlin Fitzgerald who is one of the leads in the major motion picture It’s Complicated. Caitlin is the latest in a long line of C.C.T. actors who have gone on to follow their dreams in film and on stage, we congratulate them all. Anyone who has an item of interest that you would like included in this newsletter should contact your newsletter reporter at paulw@midcoast.com.
Last, but not least, we urge you to support the Camden Opera House and any and all theater in your area. We suggest you go to our website, www.camdencivictheatre.com to stay informed and to www.camdenoperahouse.com to see all the wonderful productions that will be appearing in that historic house. Bye for now and Good Show, Good Show!
Paul
It is rumored among literary historians that Shakespeare wrote the Merry Wives of Windsor at the request of Queen Elizabeth I. She so enjoyed the character of John Falstaff from the Henry IV Part 1 and 2 history plays that she wished to see him in a comedy and in love! Shakespeare obliged on at least half of her wish –
Be a part of this bawdy, hilarious Shakespearean comedy and find out if he followed through on the other half…
Theater Techies Wanted! The Camden Civic Theatre is looking for technically minded folks for their spring production: Shakespeare’s Merry Wives of Windsor, which will run April 9, 10, 11, 16, 17 and 18. The play will be directed by Rebecca Gross. We are actively seeking: a producer, set painters and builders, lighting assistants, sound technician, costume master, props coordinator, and more to get this show off to a great start.
If theater is your thing, or you’d like it to be, come down and PLAY with us!
If interested, please go to the Merry Wives of Windsor page at camdencivictheatre.com and fill out the pdf Techie form or contact merrywives@camdencivictheatre.com
Auditions for Merry Wives of Windsor will be held on Sunday, February 7 at 3:00 p.m. and Monday, February 8 at 6:00 p.m. on the third floor of the Camden Opera House.
When ever I start a new play, either acting or directing, I try to get at the nut of the character. There is an essential core that makes each one who she or he is. With A Streetcar Named Desire, the central theme around which everything else revolves is Blanche’s fragmented spirit and her inability to resolve the traumatic moment of her young husband’s death.
According to Darryl E. Haley, Assistant Professor of English, East Tennessee State University, “Tennessee Williams claimed that all of his major plays fit into the “memory play” format he described in his production notes for The Glass Menagerie. The memory play is a three-part structure:
Blanche is doomed to repeat her trauma until she can grieve it properly and move on. And as long as she keeps on hiding from her own truth, she is hiding in her own shadow. She is not crazy. She is stuck.
That’s the way I see it.
The membership met in September and voted to put on three productions in 2010: Shakespeare’s “Merry Wives of Windsor” in April, Tennessee Williams’ “Streetcar Named Desire” in June and July, and the musical “Godspell” in August.
The membership also voted in new board members and officers. Tiare Messing will serve as President, Mim Bird as Vice President. New directors include Kate Fletcher and her daughter, Devin Fletcher, Carolyn Bobola-Murphy, Rebecca Gross, etc.
Rebecca Gross will direct Merry Wives of Windsor while Mim Bird will direct Streetcar. Paul Aron Weintraub, who has just stepped down as CCT President, will direct Godspell.