The Great Dickens Christmas Fair Missive
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Great Dickens Christmas Fair 2015 - October Missive #1
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Notes from your Missive Maven:
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Online participant registration, a reminder about the Dickens character auditions next Monday and other auditions.
Have a great weekend!
Cat
Reminders:
And boo! Workshops really do start on Halloween!
Please remember to contact the folks referenced in each notice above, rather than hitting "reply".
Cat Taylor
Entertainment Director, Missive & Social Media Maven
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Online Participant Registration!
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Since it was so successful last year, we will once again be using the EventBrite system for participant registration, as we do for the tickets to the Dickens Fair. This will be for all participants in all categories.
Everyone enters their registration information, and by clicking the appropriate boxes, have extra fields to fill in based on what they're doing at the fair. Once you've registered you will be emailed a receipt from Eventbrite that you will need to
print out and bring to workshops. Your registration receipt will have places for workshop sign-offs, director/booth owner acknowledgement and costume approval.
Once you have completed the pre-fair process you will take the completed Eventbrite receipt/registration form to the Pass House to be validated (scanned) and checked against the cast lists so you can receive your gate pass.
This allows us to have everyone's information in a computerized system in case of emergency etc, without having to enter every registration form manually. Last year this greatly sped up the lines and we will be doing this from now on.
All participants will still need to be on one of the director or booth owner lists, which will be cross-checked when each person brings their completed registration form to the registration desk or pass house.
This registration process will of course not be available to the general public so you will need a password to access.
The URL:
https://www.eventbrite.com/e/participant-registration-for-the-2015-great-dickens-christmas-fair-registration-18689794679
The Password: DCF2015Registration
So please get registered soon and we will see you on October 31st at workshops. Thanks in advance for your cooperation as we continue to develop this system.
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Reminder: Dickens Character Auditions Monday October 5th
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Auditions for characters from A Christmas Carol, Oliver Twist and the various Other Books will be held
Monday October 5th in San Francisco, CA.
Please allow time to find the location and get situated.
Location particulars will be given when you
schedule your appointment.
The character parts listed above are open as of now, if you played one of them last year and would like to do so again, please contact your director as soon as possible.
If you would like to audition for one of these roles, please email
Entertainment Department Assistant Rickie Bolin at
[email protected]
with the following information:
1. Your full name, email address and phone number
2. The character(s) you would like to audition for. (Please prepare a bit of the dialogue for that character - see web resources below - and be prepared to improvise as that character.)
3. Your first, second and third choice of audition time on
Monday, October 5th The auditions will be scheduled at 15 minute intervals, please be patient as we sometimes get a bit behind when auditioning promising actors.
4. Optional: A brief note of any experience you would like us to know about. We will have applications and accept resumes (not required) at the auditions.
Here's a great page to learn more about the characters and the books:
Available characters include:
Characters from A Christmas Carol:
The Ghost of Christmas Past
Tiny Tim
Nephew Fred
Mrs. Fred
Characters from Oliver Twist
Oliver Twist
Bet
Flash Toby Crackit
Mr. Monks
Characters from Nicholas Nickleby
Nicholas Nickleby
Mrs Nickleby
And more from:
Nicholas Nickleby
Martin Chuzzlewit
David Copperfield
Bleak House
Great Expectations
Our Mutual Friend
Little Dorrit
If you're interested, please prepare yourself - this is an audition. Memorize a monologue from a character you're interested in, or the type of character. We'll be looking for your ability to form a distinct characterization, your ability to project yourself vocally and physically, and we'll ask you to do some cold readings and free-form improvisation.
Important Note:
For specifics on available roles, please see previous missive at
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Reminder: Auditions for Alice
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(from Kim Murphy)
Auditions for the part of Alice in Alice in Wonderland will be held Oct 10th from 12pm to 4pm in Vallejo. Looking for a petite, young lady in her teens or older. She must know the two Alice in Wonderland stories and can learn and remember lines for stage shows. Also, must be able to commit to the full run of Dickens, willing to do workshops and have very reliable transportation.
Please contact me for the address if your interested.
[email protected]. Come play in Wonderland!
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West End Music Hall Auditions
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(from Paul Jennings)
The West End Music Hall is seeking a talented young woman to fill the much-desired ingenue position in this season's music hall - for details/audition, please contact the director, Paul Jennings at
[email protected]
This is a position with a stipend attached.
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Auditions for Miss Twinkleton & Toy Parade
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(from Robin Edwards-Harvey)
A note from the Toy Parade:
We are looking for a Miss Twinkleton! Ideally a woman between the ages of 25 - 60 who can work with pre-teen and teenage girls, leading them through the streets of London giving them "Lessons" on how to be a proper English woman. Must be able to interact and improve with all cast across the fair,
If you are interested being a part of the Toy Parade this year, please contact Robin Edwards-Harvey at
[email protected] for more information.
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Inspector Pearce
Mystery Adventure Tour is Now Casting
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(from Maimone Attia)
Daniel Good: Low-class, hard-edged, cockney speaking villain, 20 to 50 years old.
Chief Inspector Bowley: A pompous, by-the-book chief of police, often displeased with Inspector Pearce's unorthodox methods of solving crimes.
About The Mystery Tour:
The Mystery Tour is a 2 part interactive show in which guests are led throughout the fair by a police inspector and engaged to participate in solving a crime mystery. During the tour, guests are led to certain locations where they discover clues, encounter characters and observe staged events taking place.
If you are interested in auditioning, contact the director, Maimone Attia (Inspector Pearce) at [email protected].
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So you would like to help us sing in the holidays!
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(from Bob Crabb)
There is always room for more who would like to sing. Coventry Carolers is always looking for more singers especially basses. There will be rehearsals {and "auditions"} each afternoon at workshops. There is also a scheduled rehearsal on the 25th of October.
If you are interested or have questions, please find me and we will talk, I should be easy to spot or email me at: Bob Crabb
[email protected]
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(from Dave Batzloff)
Fezziwig's Warehouse is looking for cast members that enjoy dancing, like interacting with customers, and can act and sing a little.
The two most important qualities of aspiring Fezziwig cast members are, the ability to dance (or the ability to learn quite quickly) Victorian Ballroom dance, the ability to think and react quickly ever changing theatrical situation, and a fanatic devotion to the happiness of the customer. Fezziwig's requires some stamina and acting skills (one can be taught, the other can't)
If you feel that you'd like to become a member of the Fezziwig cast, please email the Director at
[email protected] and ask to be put on the cast email list.
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Saucy French Postcards - Looking for Cast & Crew
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(from Diana Young)
Postcards is looking for adventurous folks, 18 to 80, to join our hard-working and lively family! This is the 11th consecutive year of our comical romp, bringing to life the musings and memories of a happily married couple with vivid imaginations.
We need Crew - agile people to move sets and furnishings, dressers to help in quick changes backstage, and anti-camera house monitors to lurk politely but firmly.
We also need tableaux Cast - naughty Victorians, prim Victorians, cultural icons, gods and goddesses, heroes and heroines, fabled creatures of mythology and art.
There are roles both onstage and off to suit every degree of modesty - or lack thereof.
Auditions after regular workshops on Saturday, October 31. For more information or answers to your questions, contact Diana Young ([email protected]).
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Temperance Union is Recruiting
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(from Harry Steeper)
This season will be a rebuilding year for Temperance. I will be looking to replace several major characters and also recruit supporting players.
Major characters are:
The Temperance Lady (Mrs. Linnet). She is related to Mr. Byrd by marriage and a widow. She is a fanatic teetotaler. Rescued from the ravages of strong drink by Mr. Byrd, she has the fervor of the converted. She married into Mr. Byrd's family, and has lived with him since the death of her husband. Mr. Byrd wants her to remarry, but she is dragging her feet as she wishes to retain control of the Linnet estate. She not so secretly advocates for women getting the vote, as she believes that women would vote in MP's that support temperance. This character has been played by actors in their fifties to sixties, but I would consider a younger actor.
The Maid (Sparrow). She is Mrs. Linnet's maid. She has no use for temperance but feigns interest to retain her position. While Mrs. Linnet thinks she can do no wrong, Mr. Byrd thinks she is the worst maid in London. Since Mrs. Linnet pays her salary Mr. Byrd cannot dismiss her. She will mock Mr. Byrd behind his back, and hangs out with the Costers and drinks gin when she can. This actor could be pretty much any age.
Miss Aurora: Mr. Byrd's daughter or niece. She is that young Victorian girl who wants to go on safari but can't imagine not having the maid to dress her. Mrs. Linnet, Sparrow and Miss Aurora will often gang up on Mr. Byrd. She admires Mrs. Linnet, who has taken her under her wing. This actor could be in their late teens to early thirties.
Supporting players can be any age and male or female. Willingness to sing is required. But you don't have to be a professional singer. In Temperance we sing enthusiastically. Except for the maid, Temperance actors wear upper-class costumes. I would consider middle-class characters if costuming approves, as Temperance had many middle-class supporters.
Temperance is primarily a Meet and Greet/Improv troupe. The last few years we have had two main gigs where everyone is expected to attend. One is the Crossroads gig. We assemble at Grenadier Gate just before opening. For about the first hour we sing various temperance songs and Christmas carols. As the patrons stream by we try to get them to take the pledge, or we tell the stories of how we came to Temperance (witnessing). The other gig is the Coster Tea Party. The Costermongers put on a show where they sing various songs and tell bad jokes. Temperance interrupts them. We and they alternate singing verses of our Temperance anthem and their parody of it. Mrs. Linnet has a prominent role here. Finally, Mr. Byrd is arrested and taken away.
I am willing to consider part-timers if they can commit to the above two gigs. Last year, the Coster Tea was over at 1 pm. I have also been willing to have people who can only do one day a weekend. Part-timers could include Post Cards people looking for gate passes if our schedules don't conflict. Of course I would want as many full timers as I can get.
Anyone out in Facebook land that might be interested please PM me. I can also be emailed at
[email protected].
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Announcing the Return of Gaskell's! ~ October 24th
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(from Dave Batrzloff)
Ye Gaskell Occaisional Dance Society is holding just one dance this year and the date is October 24th!
The Gaskell Ball returns once more to the beautiful Scottish Rite Hall in Oakland for the annual pre Halloween Fancy Dress Ball. Please join in the fun, dance to the music of the Brassworks Band, show off your most creative costumes, marvel at the spectacular venue, dance with friends, and dance with strangers. More information and advance ticket are available at
http://www.gaskellball.com
Admission is $20 in advance and $25 at the door. Visa, Mastercard and American Express are accepted.
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(from James & Cathleen Myers)
Join us on Saturday, October 3, at Murder in the Ballroom: 1937 - a Swinging 1930's Dance Party - at the elegant Alameda Elks Lodge at 2255 Santa Clara Avenue in Alameda. Mystery spices up the program of waltzes, Swing, fox trots, tangos, Latin, and blues at this 1930's ball inspired by the Golden Age of Detective Fiction. Sara and Swingtime will play the latest American tunes for your dancing pleasure and, yes, they play waltzes as beautifully as they play Swing! At 7pm, there will be a pre-ball workshop in "Fred & Ginger-style" slow foxtrot with Skye and Cathleen (of Fezziwigs) and survival Swing with Skye and the lovely Sue Saltgiver. Formal dancing follows from 8pm to midnight. Vintage or modern evening dress is admired but not required. Light refreshments, no host bar, and a mystery!
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For specific questions regarding performing at the Fair, please email Cat Taylor
If your group would like to perform at the Fair for just one day (school caroling groups, etc.)
please email Robert Young
For specific questions regarding vending at the Fair please email Vendors
For specific questions the beverage department please email Beverage
For questions regarding costumes, please email Costumes
To join the public email list, please click here http://dickensfair.com/involved
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