Children’s Workshops

January 6th, 2016

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STUDENT ACTING WORKSHOPS COMING TO WHEATON DRAMA 

Kindergarten Through Eighth Grade Classes

A Fun Experience For All!  

Young performers will learn basic onstage and acting techniques while they develop their imagination and creativity.  All children will have a blast as they explore acting through a series of theater and improvisational games.  This ensemble building class will foster each student’s self esteem and help him/her become an independent thinker both on and off the stage.

Program instructor Anne Marie Irey has been involved in theater for over twenty years.  She minored in Theatre at St. Mary’s College and earned her Master’s in Education degree at DePaul University.  Anne Marie is an alumna of The Second City, and spent several years performing improv in Chicago.  Recently, she taught fourth grade at Sacred Heart, where she founded an after school drama program.

Six-week sessions will be offered this winter/spring at Wheaton Drama.  (There is a discount if you register for both classes.)

All sessions will be on Tuesday afternoons at these times:

Grades K – 4:  4:00 p.m. until 4:55 p.m.

Grades 5 – 8:  5:00 p.m. until 5:55 p.m.

Winter/Spring 2016

Session 1: January 12 through February 16 (Make up February 23)

Session 2: March through April 19 (Make up April 26)

Note: Classes are subject to change based on enrollment.

$100 per session per child

$180 per child for both sessions

(Applicants must register for both sessions at same time to receive discount.)

Contact Amy Brockman for more information at

workshop@wheatondrama.org  or call 630.260.1820 and leave a message about registration. 

Director Application, 2016-2017 Season

January 2nd, 2016

Are you interested in directing one of our 2016-2017 shows?  Please download and complete the Director Application. Applications are due by February 15, 2016.

Our 2016-2017 Season includes:

Forbidden Broadway’s Greatest Hits – September 16 – October 9, 2016

Shrek The Musical – November 18 – December 11, 2016

The Elephant Man – January 20 – February 12, 2017

Outside Mullingar – March 24 – April 15, 2017

The Producers – May 26 – June 17, 2017

WHEATON DRAMA AUDITIONS FOR QUARTET

December 10th, 2015
WHEATON DRAMA ANNOUNCES AUDITIONS FOR QUARTET
BY RONALD HARWOOD
 
Director, Toria Hollyn, announces upcoming auditions for the inspiring, heart-filled and funny play QUARTET to be held at Playhouse 111, 111 N. Hale Street in Wheaton, IL 60187.
This show is cast with seniors about senior opera artists.  Please consider that we are looking for opera singers that may pass for 70+ years.  Singing is not done in this production, however, you will be expected to learn to lip-sync a recording. All interested in auditioning should prepare using the sides from the script. We will be looking for this to be performed with British accents. Therefore, we will want to hear accents at the auditions.
Description of the Play: Retired opera singers Cecily, Reggie, and Wilfred reside in a retirement home for musicians in Kent, England. Each year, on the tenth of October, the residents perform in a concert to celebrate Verdi’s birthday. Jean, a Grande Dame of opera and ex-wife of Reggie, arrives at the home and disturbs their balance. The touching and poignant comedy explores these aging former stars as they come to terms with physical and mental deterioration and maintaining relevance. 
 
Auditions
Saturday, January 9, 2016, 3:00 to 6:00 p.m.
Sunday, January 10, 2016, from 3:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m.
If needed, callbacks will be Tuesday, January 12, 2016, at 7 p.m. to 10 p.m.
Alternate Wednesday, January 13, 2016, 7-10pm (snow date)
Performance dates are: March 18th – April 3rd on Thursdays, Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays. 
 The Featured Performers Are:
Wilfred Bond (baritone):  An easy-going artistic sort with a bawdy sense of humor.  He hides behind comedy to avoid the reality of growing old.  Full of teasing and taunting but fiercely protective of his former colleagues.
Reginald Paget (tenor):  A dapper and dignified gentleman who takes pride in his appearance.  He is an intellectual writing his biography and searching for the meaning of art.  Very bitter, he has never gotten over Jean walking out of their marriage.
Cecily Robson (mezzo):  Kind soul suffering the very early stages of dementia, forgetting things as well as mixing up her memories with reality.  Buxom but innocent-appearing.  She has a real fear of being sent away to a home that caters to dementia.  She is the driving force of positiveness and often provides the comic relief.
Jean Horton (soprano):  “The Grande Dame” of opera feels the sting of her fall from grace to end her days in a charity home.  The demanding former diva is selfish, has no filter, and lacks empathy.  Now frail and scared, her refusal to participate in the Verdi celebration forces her to come to terms with her past.
 
Audition Requirements:
The audition sides will be provided by sending your e-mail request. 
The sides used are the following:
Page 8 Wilf’s first line – Page 11 Wilf’s line: bloody foreigners
Page 17 Reggie’s monologue
Page 18 Wilf’s monologues
Page 24 Cissy’s monologue
Page 38 Jean’s first line – Page 41 end of scene
Page 46 Jean’s entrance – Page 49 Cissy’s line: I expect she’s missing sunnier climes.
Page 52 Jean’s monologue
Please prepare one verse and chorus of an aria, art song, or musical theatre selection to lip sync at auditions.  Please bring your CD or mp3 player track with vocals and music; we will provide equipment with which to play the CD.  However, no singing is required for auditions or performances.
 
We will be looking for this to be performed with British accents. Therefore, we will want to hear them at the auditions.
 
Audition Headshots: A photographer will be available to take your head shot at the audition if you do not have one. Questions can be addressed to – quartet.wdi@gmail.com

WHEATON DRAMA ANNOUNCES RABBIT HOLE CAST

December 1st, 2015

The 2016 winter show for Wheaton Drama is the poignant story, Rabbit Hole.  Director Charles Berglund announces the following cast:  Becca – Sharon Voss, Izzy – Lisa Dawn Foertsch,  Howie – Garrett Ard, Nat – Suzy Krueckeberg and Jason – Tyler Kauffman. 

Chuck states, “We had 28 audition for five roles and there were many hard choices.  I’m excited about this cast, and look forward to directing this production.” 

Rabbit Hole runs January 29 through February 14, with shows on Thursday, Friday, Saturday at 8:00 p.m., and Sunday at 3:00 p.m. All performances will take place at Wheaton Drama’s Playhouse 111, located at 111 N. Hale Street in downtown Wheaton. For tickets, call 630-260-1820 or visit www.wheatondrama.org.

Holiday Cheer!

November 18th, 2015

Just a quick reminder that the holiday party will be one week earlier this year to accommodate rehearsals for Miracle on 34th Street.
Come on out to WDI on Tuesday, December 8 at 7:30 to enjoy an evening with all your crazy theater friends.
It’s a festive potluck so if your last name begins A-M please bring a sweet dish (dessert) to share, and if your name begins N-Z please bring something savory (hors d’oeuvres).
Also, if you wish to participate in the White Elephant gift exchange, please bring a White Elephant gift $5 or less.
And finally, if you wish to dress to impress, please wear something festive. More details will be forthcoming, but there will definitely be an Ugly Sweater Competition – so start digging out those forgotten or hard to forget sweaters.
Many thanks to Amy Johnson, Aimee Kennedy and Margie Gustafson for helping organize the event.
We look forward to seeing you all there.

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