The Great Dickens Christmas Fair Missive
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Great Dickens Christmas Fair 2014 - September Missive #2
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Notes from your Missive Maven:
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A tale of two Scrooges (three actually), more about the Dickens Character Auditions and other audition notices, plus a reminder about Sal's Roses auditions this Friday and upcoming dancing fun.
Cat
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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Mr Scrooge, I Presume?
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The face of London's favourite curmudgeon will look both different and familiar this year. Don Hardy, who stepped into Martin's large and well-loved shoes for Dickens 2012, will be snarling his way through the streets again this year! Other commitments drew him away from last year's show, and Dennis Parks, who made a striking impression in his maiden voyage at Dickens Fair as the deliciously loathsome Wackford Squeers (Other Books cast - Nicholas Nickelby) stepped in to give a bravura turn in 2013. He is returning to his first love, improvisational interactive theatre, as Squeers and promises other delights as well.
Please welcome Don back to the family, and support both of these actors as they settle into their roles.
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Character Audition Location & Particulars
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Auditions for characters from A Christmas Carol, Oliver Twist, Pickwick Papers and the various Other Books are scheduled for Friday October 3rd in Pacifica, CA. Please allow time to find the room 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 Tuesday September 24th. 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: http://charlesdickenspage.com/works.html
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~ Tagging Tiny Tim (A Christmas Carol)
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(from Therese Porter)
God bless us, everyone" - we need a new nipper to fill the crooked shoes of Dickens' immortal invalid, Tiny Tim. What is wanted is a small, strong actor who can be winsome, adorable and inspirational while also small enough to be comfortably hoisted up on our Bob Cratchit's slim but sturdy shoulders.
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~ Seeking a Snodgrass (Pickwick Papers)
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(from Colin Hammond)
Augustus Snodgrass: An upbeat gentleman poet, whose lack of written poetry does not reflect his truly poetical (and slightly ridiculous) nature. Singing ability not required. Improv skills a must!
Mr. Snodgrass, as a member of the Highly Esteemed Pickwick Club, will join an already established group of 4 other seasoned Dickens Fair actors, who will help familiarize the player with bits and idiosyncrasies of the character, and will make the player feel welcome and a part of the group. This is after all a group/club/ensemble role.
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~ Tracking Down Villains (Oliver Twist)
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(from Jeff Scattini)
Fagin - The avaricious old skeleton. The obvious mastermind behind nearly all of Oliver's troubles and the leader of a gang of child pickpockets. Engineers the murder of Nancy. Greedy, selfish, and conniving. Male, Late 30's - Mid-50's. Must have stamina to be out in the streets most of the day and still have energy for emotional and physical breakdowns/murders/lynching at the end of the day.
Sikes - The absolute worst (fictional or represented historical) person in all of Dickensian London. Evil, vicious, and surly. Housebreaker, murderer, and all around jerk. His only redeeming feature is Nancy, whom he murders. Male, early 20's - early 40's. Must have emotional fortitude to be vilified and hated throughout the day, do (scripted) horrible things to nice people, and then wrap up the day by being lynched or otherwise done in.
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~ Casting for Characters (The Other Books)
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(from Therese Porter and Rydell Downward))
The Other Books cast at the Dickens Fair portrays the wide variety of characters from works of Dickens that nobody's familiar with because nobody's filmed a musical based on them, hence, the "other" books.
We are looking for experienced improvisational, interactive performers to help fill out our cast and populate the streets of the event with the vivid and memorable characters from the fevered imagination of Charles Dickens. We put the "Dickens" in "Dickens Fair"!
We are a company of improvisational actors and our job at Fair is to continually interact with our guests and fellow actors. We need folks with energy, enthusiasm, strong improv skills and tremendous esprit de corps.
If you're interested, please prepare yourself: 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.
While we don't have a definitive list of the roles we'd like to fill (which would be too numerous to list here) please peruse the works of Dickens or watch some of the brilliant British TV and film adaptations of his works, and have some characters in mind. Even if the roles you're thinking about are filled, it gives us some idea of the "type" that interests you, and we can often match you up with a role that you find fulfilling.
At this time, the books from which we're featuring characters are:
Nicholas Nickleby
Martin Chuzzlewit
David Copperfield
Bleak House
Great Expectations
Our Mutual Friend
Little Dorrit
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Concerning Costers
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(from Mimi Walker)
Are you an actor who is fearless (or would you like to learn to be)? The Costermongers of Dickens Christmas Fair are known for taking terrified non-actors and turning them into enthusiastic performers. We are looking for additional performers to join us this year at DCF 2014. We are a very supportive company and accept both brand new/inexperienced, as well as experienced performers, all ages, all genders, all ethnicities. We promise to help the new and stretch the experienced.
We have been described as "guerilla theater" which means we do short improvised interactions with as many patrons as possible over the course of the day, no memorizing necessary, although if it works for you we welcome it. I can say from personal experience, we have an absolute blast every year. Please contact our new director Mimi Walker at [email protected] for more information or just come audition with us after the scheduled workshops in November (location TBA).
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Mad Sal Seeks a Few Good Men
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(from Laura Gregory)
And, now, for something COMPLETELY DIFFERENT!Mad Sal is also looking for A Few Good MEN!!!What we *are* looking for is a few "bouncers/doormen" types. You know what I mean. Intimidating enough to intimidate, but also personable enough to be fun and interact with the guests, girls, stage management, and Sal herself.This is a for-real position at Mad Sal's, with actual responsibilities, along with the usual fun, revelry, and debauchery.
If this sounds like something you would be interested in, PM me here on FB, or send me an email to [email protected].
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Reminder: Mad Sal's Dockside Roses Auditions -
This Friday, September 19th
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(from Laura Gregory)
I need fearless, fierce, talented, smart, tireless actresses.
Dockside Roses are quickly becoming the "It" cast to be in. Life as a Rose is fast and fun and exhausting and probably one of the best times you can have at Fair. Roses are expected to arrive at Fair by 9:00am, and be ready to go by 10:00. We perform and gig all day long, and don't finish until 7:00pm, when final Blowout is done on the Mad Sal Stage. It is a long day, and it is packed with gigs and bits and performing. You will be tired, but you will never, EVER be bored.
Requirements:
Strong improv skills and street acting chops.
Must sing. Not all women need to be soloists, but MUST be able to carry a tune. (Dance and musical instruments a plus.)
Strong overall performer, and strong character actor.
All women MUST have complete availability, and be willing to commit to the entire run and rehearsal process.
Sal's Roses must be aged 21 years or older.
This is not a paid position.
This year, the Roses and Sal will perform in a twice-daily stage show to be performed on the Mad Sal Stage, as well as improv gigs in the streets and throughout London.
For your audition: prepare a song that shows you off to your best. It doesn't need to be period. It does, however, need to be RAD. Show us what you can do. If you play an instrument, incorporate it. If you dance, let us see. If you are a great actor, bring a song that lets that shine through. Bring sheet music. Accompanist provided.
DATE: Friday, Sept 19 TIME: 7:00 PM (by appointment only)
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PEERS: Girl Genius Ball: October 4th
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(from Cathleen Myers)
On Saturday, October 4, PEERS presents the Girl Genius Ball - a Steampunk/Gaslamp Fantasy Ball inspired by the classic online graphic novel "Girl Genius" - at the elegant Alameda Elks Lodge at 2255 Santa Clara Avenue in Alameda, CA. After a dance lesson at 7pm, the celebrated Celtic Fusion rock band Avalon Rising plays an evening of Victorian and Neo-Victorian dance music - from waltzes and polkas to Steampunk line and set dances (all pattern dances will be taught and called). Victorian, Steampunk, Oktoberfest, or Girl Genius-inspired costume is admired, not required. There will be a no-host bar, a light snack buffet (potluck contributions welcome), and special performances by the Alameda Vintage Dancers and the Peerless Music Hall.
For ticket information, please see the ball website at http://www.peersdance.org/girlgenius.html
Tickets are $15 (through September 27); $20 at the door.
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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://www.dickensfair.com/informed
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