1st in a three part series of articles about the Milford Area Players Fall Mainstage Production of The Foriegner by Larry Schue
The Audition Process
By Janine Leffler
Auditioning for a play is never easy nor is the process of casting. Auditions for the upcoming play, The Foreigner, took place on Tuesday and Thursday August 4th and 6th at the Amato Theater. Several weeks before the audition, a ‘casting call email’ was sent out which outlined the play and gave a list of characters including specifics such as age requirements. This gives the prospective cast members an idea of what the director is looking for.
When Jeannie Gall of Nashua auditioned for this upcoming fall production, she was both nervous and excited. . “Nervous, because I wanted to do well and impress the director; excited, because I was imagining getting the part and having fun at the rehearsals and developing the character and finally performing.” When asked further about her audition preparation process she states, “I always read the play several times before I audition. And I always scope out the characters that I might play and spend time rereading some of those key scenes. When there is a monologue required, I choose one that fits the style and tone of the character in the play, or I find a monologue that highlights a special quality in me and my ability that would be useful in the show.”
The Director of The Foreigner is Tom Partridge who shared his sentiments on the process of casting. “In casting most of the time it is both a physical look and the person can be made up to look the part, a good reading of the part and experience also help. Sometime it is an age requirement. People can be made to look older; it is hard to make someone look 20 when they are 50.” As far as the decision process for part selection is concerned, he said the following, “Usually after auditions are complete the director and assistant director review the names and come up with the person for the part in a couple of hours.” As soon as the decision is made the director will call the people who auditioned to let them know if they got the part. Within a week the cast gets together for a “reading” of the script to get to know each other and find out the relationship between the characters. Then rehearsals begin.
Partridge was in The Foreigner seven years ago and really enjoyed being a part of the cast. He took this into consideration while choosing which play to direct for Milford Area Players “I thought it would be a fun play for the Milford Area Players to do.”
While conducting my interviews for this article, out of the blue, I was asked to audition. This took me by surprise as I had not auditioned for a play since my college days. Similar to the rest of the people in the room I was nervous about whether or not I would make a good impression on the director.
Since the night of the auditions, the cast has been selected. I won’t be in the play but I will be following the rehearsal process for my next article, so stay tuned....
The Foreigner will be performed at the Amato Center for the Performing Arts at the Souhegan Valley Boys and Girls Club in Milford on October 16- October 25th.
By Janine Leffler
Auditioning for a play is never easy nor is the process of casting. Auditions for the upcoming play, The Foreigner, took place on Tuesday and Thursday August 4th and 6th at the Amato Theater. Several weeks before the audition, a ‘casting call email’ was sent out which outlined the play and gave a list of characters including specifics such as age requirements. This gives the prospective cast members an idea of what the director is looking for.
When Jeannie Gall of Nashua auditioned for this upcoming fall production, she was both nervous and excited. . “Nervous, because I wanted to do well and impress the director; excited, because I was imagining getting the part and having fun at the rehearsals and developing the character and finally performing.” When asked further about her audition preparation process she states, “I always read the play several times before I audition. And I always scope out the characters that I might play and spend time rereading some of those key scenes. When there is a monologue required, I choose one that fits the style and tone of the character in the play, or I find a monologue that highlights a special quality in me and my ability that would be useful in the show.”
The Director of The Foreigner is Tom Partridge who shared his sentiments on the process of casting. “In casting most of the time it is both a physical look and the person can be made up to look the part, a good reading of the part and experience also help. Sometime it is an age requirement. People can be made to look older; it is hard to make someone look 20 when they are 50.” As far as the decision process for part selection is concerned, he said the following, “Usually after auditions are complete the director and assistant director review the names and come up with the person for the part in a couple of hours.” As soon as the decision is made the director will call the people who auditioned to let them know if they got the part. Within a week the cast gets together for a “reading” of the script to get to know each other and find out the relationship between the characters. Then rehearsals begin.
Partridge was in The Foreigner seven years ago and really enjoyed being a part of the cast. He took this into consideration while choosing which play to direct for Milford Area Players “I thought it would be a fun play for the Milford Area Players to do.”
While conducting my interviews for this article, out of the blue, I was asked to audition. This took me by surprise as I had not auditioned for a play since my college days. Similar to the rest of the people in the room I was nervous about whether or not I would make a good impression on the director.
Since the night of the auditions, the cast has been selected. I won’t be in the play but I will be following the rehearsal process for my next article, so stay tuned....
The Foreigner will be performed at the Amato Center for the Performing Arts at the Souhegan Valley Boys and Girls Club in Milford on October 16- October 25th.
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