Phew!

Well we made it through 2012!

A few parting thoughts:

• Usually I don't keep a lost and found, but in light of (ha ha...) the power outages, I decided to be nicer this year.  If you are missing coats or shoes, I have several at my house.  I think I also have two backpacks, a purple lamp, and an assortment of other stuff.  Bottom line, if you're missing something, check with me.  
• If you didn't get the photos/videos and still want them, mail me a check for $25 and I will mail you back a copy both.  Make sure to include your mailing address.
• I hope you all come back for 2013!  Audition info, etc. will be posted here on the blog, so check back.
• If you want, you can read my standing ovation to you on my personal blog.  There is also a share-able orphan choir video there if you feel like sharing it.
• You are all amazing, and I am incredibly lucky to have worked with each of you.  Thank you for sharing your time and talents.

Merry Christmas!  And I'll see you all sooner or later.  That's how theater people are.

Andrea

Orphan Wranglers

I still have 3 open slots for orphan wranglers. Let me know if you can fill in!

For those of you signed up to wrangle, here's the schedule:

Friday the 7th
Head Wranger: Amy Linnett
Asst 1: Jennifer Koop
Asst 2: Wendy Whatcott

Sat. 8th Matinee
Head: Cindy Evans
Asst 1: Wendy Maxwell
Asst 2: Wendy Whatcott

Sat 8th Evening
Head: Amy Linnett
Asst 1: Amy McKinnon
Asst 2: Mark Evans

Mon the 10th
Head: Sarah Nelson
Asst 1: Amy McKinnon
Asst 2: Wendy Whatcott

Tues the 11th
Head: Cindy Evans
Asst 1: Tammy Delarosa
Asst 2: NEED ANOTHER VOLUNTEER

Wed the 12th
Head: Amy Linnett
Asst 1: Amy McKinnon
Asst 2: Wendy Maxwell

Wed the 13th
Head: Cindy Evans
Asst 1: Wendy Maxwell
Asst 2: Sarah Nelson

Thurs the 14th
Head: Amy Linnett
Asst 1: NEED ANOTHER VOLUNTEER
Asst 2: NEED ANOTHER VOLUNTEER

Fri 15th Matinee
Head: Sarah Nelson
Asst 1: Jennifer Koop
Asst 2: Wendy Whatcott

Friday 15th Evening
Head: Sarah Nelson
Asst 1: Amy McKinnon
Asst 2: Jennifer Koop

Dollar Off Coupons

Here are the dollar off coupons.  I was apparently wrong about pricing.  The $6 and $4 pricing I gave was the price with the coupon.  Send these out electronically or print them and hand them out.  They would also make a great poster to hang in your businesses!

To print: Click on the photo to open it in it's own window.  Use your browser's print functions to print the coupon.

REALLY IMPORTANT STUFF :)

1. Rehearsal schedule this week:

Wednesday 7 to 10: OLIVER (no orphans)

Thursday 7 to 10: SCROOGE (everyone)

Saturday 9 to 1: 9:00 - come watch the orphan choir rehearsal

                            9:15 - Run Oliver 

                           10:00 - Organizational Stuff

                           11:00 - Run Scrooge

                           12:00 - Fix stuff, finalize stuff, maybe leave early

2. DVDs and Picture CDs:

DVDs and picture CDs will be available for $15 and $5 respectively.  You can order both for $20.  (Fancy math, right?)  Money MUST be turned in to Perry NO LATER THAN Saturday.  Please email him with the quantity you'd like to order and pay him at rehearsal.  Checks can be made to the Dickens Theater Company.  Checks and cash only please.

3. SCRIPTS and CDs:

Script and CD check-in will begin Saturday morning at 10:00 am.  Please don't try to turn stuff in before then, because I need Perry running music at rehearsals.  But at 10:00 he would love to collect anything you're not using anymore so the performance weeks will not be so crazy.  You are not REQUIRED to turn stuff in until closing night.  However, it will make life easier on everyone if you are ready to turn it in earlier.

4. CAST PARTY:

There will be a cast party on Dec 15th at 4:00 pm.  This is for cast, crew, and all parent volunteers (see #5).  Each family should plan to contribute to our potluck, and pizza will be provided.  Perry will be handling food sign ups, so look for that soon.

5. PARENT VOLUNTEERS: (also called Orphan Wranglers)

I need (4) parents to attend each show to help wrangle orphans backstage.  This a HUGE part of the success of our show.  The job entails: gathering an assigned group of orphans from the Pioneer buildling, walking them to the stage, collecting coats and shoes, keeping them busy and SILENT backstage for about 40 minutes, and making sure they are prepared for the curtain call.  You will then help them get coats and shoes back on and walk them to a second stage to perform their orphan choir selections.  You will walk them back to the Pioneer building, where they become once again the responsibility of their own parents.  The time commitment for this is from 5:15 pm to 7:15 pm for evening performances, and from 12:20 pm to 2:20 pm for Saturday matinees.  If you are willing/available (and especially if you are the parent of an orphan), please contact Perry to sign up for a date and time.  We have 40 volunteer slots that need to be filled, so don't be shy about taking double duty.  Remember all wranglers are invited to the cast party.

6. MISSED REHEARSALS:  

Don't.  :)  I have a very small number of approved conflicts left.  PLEASE do not miss for any reason short of hospitalization.  If something major comes up, please contact me directly(801) 641-3898.

7. THANK YOU! THANK YOU! THANK YOU!  

It has been a tremendous year with new and old friends.  I can't wait to get to the real fun, the performances!

Hayden Bracken Challenge 2012

Hayden is brand new to Dickens this year but certainly not new to theater.  Hayden made a great impression during auditions, announcing his song to the pianist in his adorable British accent.  That impression of consistent hard work is proving true already as he prepares to play Oliver in Oliver!  Hayden will also get to grace the Scrooge stage as an urchin and in a Scrooge Family.  It is so great to have Hayden/Oliver!

A Picture is Worth a Thousand Words...

We are looking into offering a couple of keepsakes to the cast this year, but I need to judge the interest before I can make a final decision.  Please vote on the poll in the sidebar.  This isn't an official order form, but if the interest is high enough, Perry will follow up to collect orders.

(For those who are returning Dickens performers, I am doing a lot of research before selecting a videographer.  We will not have a repeat of last year's DVDs.)

2012 Challenge

I'm issuing a fun challenge for this season.  Find your character name out in the non-Dickens world, take a picture with it, and submit it to me.  I'll put it on the blog and include a bit of information about you.  If you don't have a named character, get creative!

Here's the first picture:

Soda Evans as Tiny Tim (at Tiny Tim's Tiki Treats)

This will be Soda's second year at the Dickens Festival.  He will be playing an orphan in Oliver! and Tiny Tim in Scrooge.  Soda is a great kid who knows how to work when it's time to work and how to play when it's time to play.  I am looking forward to hearing his great voice sing "Beautiful Day" and watch him pull on the heartstrings of all the grandmas in the audience who will just want to pinch his little cheeks.

Carpooling

I love that we often have cast members coming from various directions for the Dickens Festival.  I have already had two of you inquire about possible carpools, and I'd like to try to help arrange those if possible.

First, are there any parents/adult cast members who would be willing to volunteer to oversee the carpool list?

Second, if you would be interested in carpooling, please leave a comment with your name, character, and city of residence.  (No need for full addresses... I will have the carpool coordinator contact you for more specific information.)

Thanks!
Andrea

Scenes and Songs

The "SCENES and SONGS" list is up for your viewing pleasure.

Remember you can also use the "Calendar" tab to view upcoming rehearsals.

I can't wait to get started with rehearsals.  See most of you on Wednesday or Thursday, and everybody at some point on Saturday.

Oh, and contact info should you need it:

Andrea: (801) 641-3898
andrea.fife@gmail.com

Perry: (801) 889-9043
whitehairperry@yahoo.com

Jackie: (801) 631-3196
jackie_casdorph@yahoo.com

2012 Cast Lists

READ THIS FIRST:

Mandatory* Cast Meeting on Saturday 

 *unless it is marked on your conflict list

9:00 am to 10:00 am - All members of the Orphan Choir AND a parent

10:00 am to 11:00 am - All other cast members

(AND a parent for anyone under 12)

YOU WILL NEED TO BRING:

$5.00 (cash or check) for a materials deposit (fully refundable upon materials return)

An empty three-ring binder

A pen or pencil

AND NOW...

Announcing the amazing 2012 Dickens Festival cast:

Make sure you check both cast lists.  With the exception of some Orphan Choir members, most cast members will be in BOTH shows.

http://dickenstheaterco.blogspot.com/p/oliver-cast.html

http://dickenstheaterco.blogspot.com/p/scrooge-cast.html

Callback List

Thanks to all those who auditioned!  Wow, what an amazing group we have this year.  Remember, if your name is not on the list below, it does not mean you will not be in the show.  In fact, I have great things planned for each of you.  The final cast list will be posted by Friday at the latest, so make sure you check back later, too.

Here's who I need to see on Wednesday night to make final casting decisions.  I would like to adhere closely to the listed schedule, so please arrive on time.  Email me at andrea.fife@gmail.com or text (801) 641-3898 if you have conflicts or other issues.

7:00 pm - Kortnee
7:10 pm - Hayden B, Soda, Malaki, Blake
7:30 pm - Ravin, Hayden B, Greyson, Malaki
7:50 pm - Alisa, Kylee
8:10 pm - Chris R, Jason, Erik, Paris, Alix, Alexis
8:30 pm - Alisa, Kylee, Amy, Arlee, Kelli, Alexis, Bethany, Zackary, Colton, Tom, Ethan, Erik, Jason
8:50 pm - Brett, Chris R, Alisa, Kylee
9:00 pm - Arlee, Janneke, Celeste, Lisa, Brett, Erik, Chris R
9:20 pm - Charlie, Janneke, Arlee, Celeste, Lisa
9:40 pm - Janneke, Brett, Arlee

As is often the case, we could use a few more adult men to round out our cast.  If you have any friends in this demographic, please invite them to come audition at 6:45 pm on Wednesday night.  I will not be accepting any other late auditions (except the few which have been prearranged).

Thanks again for a very successful day of auditions.  It is going to be an amazing season!

Preparing for Auditions

Thanks to those who've already scheduled their audition time!  For all those planning to audition, please prepare:

• 16 measures of a song in the style of the show or a traditional Christmas song.  PLEASE BRING SHEET MUSIC.  An accompanist will be provided.
• A 30-second monologue or poem in a British or Cockney accent 
• Be prepared to dance a short combination

And a review of important dates:

• Auditions: Saturday, September 22nd from 9 am to 1 pmTo schedule an audition, please email Andrea with DICKENS AUDITIONS as the subject line and a two hour window of time during which you'd be available.  (EX: DICKENS AUDITIONS, Andrea Fife, 10 am to noon)
• Callbacks: Wednesday, September 26th from 7 pm to 10 pmPlease keep this night open so you will be available for callbacks as needed
• Cast meeting: Saturday, September 29th9 am to 10 am - Orphans (all orphan parents required to attend)10 am to 11 am - All the rest of you
• Performances: December 7, 8, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15 with matinees on both the 8th and the 15th. 

Around the Corner

It's that time of year when those of you who know how great the Dickens Festival is start panicking about auditions.  I've been thrilled to have several people approach me lately wondering if I know anything about this year.  Well, here's what I know:

A SLIGHT CHANGE IN PERFORMANCE FORMAT:

• No street theater - sort of...  
  Performers will be asked to volunteer for street theater time slots.  It will not be mandatory.  Orphans will perform in anOrphan Choir which will perform at scheduled times on a stage.  The orphan choir will generally perform right after Oliver and will not perform every day.)
• Increased number of performance days
  Performances will be on December 7, 8, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15 with double performances on both the 8th and the 15th.  This is more performances that in previous years.  
• Later call times
  With the change in the street theater format, there will be no more 4:00 call times!  Call time for most performers will be at 5:00 pm.  (12:00 pm on Saturdays)

SPREAD THE WORD TO ALL THOSE WHO SHOULD BE A PART OF OUR DICKENS FAMILY:

• Auditions: Saturday, September 22nd from 9 am to 1 pm
  To schedule an audition, please email Andrea with DICKENS AUDITIONS as the subject line and a two hour window of time during which you'd be available.  (EX: DICKENS AUDITIONS, Andrea Fife, 10 am to noon)
• Callbacks: Wednesday, September 26th from 7 pm to 10 pm
  Please keep this night open so you will be available for callbacks as needed
• Cast meeting: Saturday, September 29th
  9 am to 10 am - Orphans (all orphan parents required to attend)
  10 am to 11 am - All the rest of you
• (Optional) St. George Caravan: December 1st
  Put it on your calendars now.  Those who wish to caravan to St. George after our final Saturday rehearsal (December 1st) can come with the production staff to see closing night of the St. George Dickens Festival.  Be prepared to provide your own chaperones, transportation, lodgings, food, etc.

I can't wait to see you all in 6 weeks!

Andrea Fife

Director

 (801) 641-3898

A Little Cross-Promotion

A huge portion of last year's success was due to our incredibly talented Orphans and Pickpockets.  Since the Dickens Festival only takes up 3 months of the year, I thought I'd let all those talented kids know of a great off-season program to get them in shape for the 2012 show!

The Empress Theatre in Magna, Utah offers an incredible youth theatre program called EYT.  I am lucky enough to get to be the program coordinator and Director for this great program.  This year, we'll be rehearsing and producing Beauty and the Beast, Jr. during our 3 week workshop.  

Open Registration begins April 2nd, and the space is limited.  Head over here now to get all the information (including tuition, scholarships, workshop dates, etc.), and then mark your calendar to return on April 2nd (as early as you can to get your spot).

Of course I'm going to tell you it's the best program in the valley, considering I direct it.  But I'm telling you.  It's the best program in the valley.

I hope to see some of my Dickens crew over at EYT this summer!

Dickens 2011 Reunion

Alright, folks...

The replacement DVD's are ready and that sounds like a reason to have a party to me.

Saturday, February 11th
2:00 pm to 4:00 pm

Andrea's House
3266 Hunter Oak Way
West Valley City, UT

We're not doing anything fancy.  Just bring a snack, and we can all hang out and reminisce.  Come even if you don't need to exchange your video!

I have have an Xbox Kinect and a Wii.  If anyone has Karaoke or dance games, please bring them.  (I have Dance Central, Dance Central 2, and Just Dance 3 for the Kinect.)

Also, if you're dying to have access to the video files, you can actually download them here: http://www.chrisadzimaphotography.com/2012/01/dickens-festival/

The password is: dickens

And if you can't come (come on now, rearrange your schedules and just be there) and you need to exchange your DVD, they'll be at my house after that, so just contact me, and we can arrange a swap.

See you all in a few weeks!

(Don't forget to bring your old video to swap.)