There was much to consider in creating these casts. Vocal qualities obviously played a part, but I also had multiple options due to how much variety and flexibility was on show. Thank you for that! Congratulations to the following casts:  

“MAN IN BLACK” HOST………………………………………………..Mr. Neuman

“RADIO HALL” VOCALIST………………………………………………Allie Evans

Sorry, Wrong Number

MRS. STEVENSON………………………………………………………Kate McLellan
1st OPERATOR………………………………………………………………Parrish Noce
2nd MAN (“George”)/YOUNG OFFICER…………………Zach Socherman
1st MAN/WESTERN UNION…………………………………………..Jack Gordon
CHIEF OPERATOR…………………………………………………………Addison Witt
2nd/4th OPERATOR…………………………………………………….Malaika Ruirie
3rd/5th OPERATOR……………………………………………………..Sophia Burden
INFORMATION……………………………………………………….Samantha Kimpel
HOSPITAL RECEPTIONIST (“Woman”)…………………………..Brett Mason
SERGEANT DUFFY……………………………………………………Aymeric Burthey

The Hitchhiker

RONALD ADAMS…………………………………………………………………Eric McDevitt
MRS. ADAMS/ THE STOREKEEPER’S MOTHER………….Brigitte Chenevert
THE HITCHHIKER…………………………………………………………..Zach Socherman
GAS STATION ATTENDANT………………………………………………Masha Galtseva
THE STOREKEEPER…………………………………………………………Holden Peterson
WOMAN………………………………………………………………………….Ainslie O’Connor
TELEPHONE OPERATOR/ NEW YORK OPERATOR/
ALBERQUEQUE OPERATOR………………………………………………….Kaelin Kehm
LONG DISTANCE OPERATOR………………………………………………..Ellie Seward
MRS. WHITNEY…………………………………………………………………….Izzy Englund

Please email me with any questions. I’d like to have full play read throughs either Monday (10/5) or Tuesday (10/6). SWN could begin at 3.30pm, and HH at 4.15pm. But people are welcome to stay the whole time. Sarah will send an email about availability.

Great turn out. Great energy. Smiling faces. Good stuff! Thank you to all who took the time to audition. That was a first Zoom audition for me, and I think it went fantastically!

Some of you may have been called back for more than one role. Please note, just because your name appears under a specific role, that does not mean that is the only role I am considering you for. Tomorrow, the routine will basically be the same, except you will be reading scenes with others. I will likely create breakout rooms in order for scene partners to read through scenes prior to auditioning. *BE SURE TO JOIN ZOOM THROUGH YOUR SCHOOL GOOGLE ACCOUNT. The Zoom info will be emailed to you.

For this callback, I am making both scripts available to you. Feel free to read each script, but you will obviously be focusing on the character(s) you have been called back for. Find the appropriate scenes and become familiar with them. If your character is in multiple scenes, well, get to know all those scenes! I will be letting you know what scene/moment I would like you to read, and who you will read with, when we first gather on Zoom. I have indicated “Southern accents” for a couple characters. Do some research (You can look up Missouri accent on YouTube) and do your best! I may consider other accents for other roles after casting is complete.

Here is the link to the scripts (you have to be signed into your school Google account): https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1hCw4Tyi1DzqP7xscUBrKrUS1C2l-f7p-?usp=sharing

Here is the callback list:

Sorry, Wrong Number

MRS. STEVENSON
Brett Mason
Brigitte Chenevert
Kate McLellan

1st OPERATOR
Malaika Ruirie
Sophia Burden
Parrish Noce

1ST MAN/WESTERN UNION
Jack Gordon
Eric McDevitt

CHIEF OPERATOR (MISS CURTIS)
Allie Evans
Addison Witt
Ellie Seward

SERGEANT DUFFY
Aymeric Burthey
Jack Gordon

The Hitchhiker

RONALD
Zach Socherman
Eric McDevitt

GAS STATION ATTENDANT
Masha Galtseva
Izzy Englund

MRS. ADAMS/STOREKEEPER’S MOTHER
Kaelin Kehm
Addison Witt
Samantha Kimpel

STOREKEEPER (Southern accent)
Aymeric Burthey
Holden Peterson

WOMAN HITCHHIKER (Southern accent)
Ainslie O’Conner
Brigitte Chenevert

MRS. WHITNEY
Izzy Englund
Kaelin Kehm
Parrish Noce

Callbacks will begin at 3.30pm. I hope to be done by 5.30, but be prepared to stay a bit longer. If you have a conflict or another engagement and have to leave early, please email Sarah Tenison, our Stage Manager – tenisons@wlhs.wlwv.k12.or.us. If you have any questions about your character or the script, email Mr. B – beckings@wlwv.k12.or.us.

Break legs!!

The WLHS Theatre department will present two radio plays this fall:

Sorry, Wrong Number – original radio broadcast, May 25, 1943

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sorry,_Wrong_Number#Radio_play

The Hitchhiker – original radio broadcast, November 17, 1941

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Hitch-Hiker_(radio_play)

Both plays by Lucille Fletcher

Both plays will be rehearsed from October 5 – October 22 (days and times TBD). On Friday October 23, a Zoom recording of both plays will take place. Please note that the final edit of the radio plays will premiere on the “Paws for Thought Podcast” around Halloween. There will be no Zoom video presentation of the plays.  

These radio dramas are in the style of the classic film noir and melodrama. Sorry, Wrong Number was originally a play, then adapted into a film, then into a radio play. It is a crime thriller. The Hitchhiker is more of a ghost story. Performances should be a balance between very dramatic (as in, over-done), and believable….so as to pull the listener in.

Here is the list of characters:

Sorry, Wrong Number

MRS. STEVENSON

1ST OPERATOR

1ST MAN/WESTERN UNION

2ND MAN (“George”)

CHIEF OPERATOR

2ND OPERATOR/4TH OPERATOR

3RD OPERATOR/5TH OPERATOR

INFORMATION/YOUNG OFFICER

HOSPITAL RECEPTIONIST (“Woman”)

SERGEANT DUFFY

The Hitchhiker

RONALD ADAMS

MRS. ADAMS/ THE STOREKEEPER’S MOTHER

THE HITCH-HIKER/NEW YORK OPERATOR/ALBERQUERQUE OPERATOR

A GAS STATION ATTENDANT

THE STOREKEEPER

A WOMAN

A TELEPHONE OPERATOR/A LONG DISTANCE OPERATOR

MRS. WHITNEY

For the audition, you can either choose one of the leading role sides, or a supporting role side. I am keeping the sides limited for initial auditions so as to just hear how you tackle the style. I would suggest you watch some clips for a reference:

This clip is a Twilight Zone version of The Hitchhiker. We will still have the lead character male identifying.

INTIAL ZOOM AUDITION – Thursday October 1, 3.15pm-5.30pm

*PLEASE EMAIL MR. B FOR ZOOM INFORMATION – beckings@wlwv.k12.or.us

Please fill out the audition form prior to auditioning: https://forms.gle/4bVowat1uvr3XJ3Y8

Please choose ONE side from below to read during your Zoom audition. You do not have to be memorized, but please be familiar with the text, so you are free to take risks and make choices! Keep in mind that you may be considered for a role different to that of the one you read for. Once you join the Zoom meeting, you will remain in the waiting room until let in. People will audition one at a time on October 1.

If you are unable to make the Oct 1 Zoom audition, you may upload a video audition. There is a section on the Google Audition Form for this. Please only do this if you definitely cannot attend the Zoom audition session.  

Callbacks are on Friday October 2, 3.30-5, and by invitation only. You will likely read with others during callbacks. Sides for callbacks will be posted the evening of October 1.

INTERESTED IN A TECH POSITION? Please email Mr. B with any questions. Break a Leg!!  

Hey Hey….Happy Friday!

Episode #1, Futures Past, of the Paws for Thought Podcast is now available. You can subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Stitcher, and Spotify. You can also listen here:

https://www.pawsforthoughtpodcast.com

We have a great chat with former co-presidents Ella Johansen, Grant Halverson, and Angela Tinio.

Episode #2 will be an interview with my dear friend, Jon Jordan, an Emmy winning Wig Designer/Hair Stylist. He lives in NYC and is currently navigating his way through COVID and its effect on the arts industry. Some of Jon’s credits include:

Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf? (Broadway Tour)
The Lion King (Broadway)
End of the Rainbow (Broadway)
On the Twentieth Century (Broadway)
The Trial of the Chicago Seven (Film)
The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel (TV, Emmy Winner)
Fosse/Verdon (TV)
Annie (Film)
Men in Black 3 (Film)

Tune in!!

Hallo Hallo….

I hope classes are going well and people are healthy.

TOMORROW 9/17 from 12.05-12.20 we will have our first Virtual Thespian Meeting. It will be a brief one just to say hi and check in. Brigitte and Miranda will share some updates on what the heck the theatre department will look like, and what we might be doing!

Please email Steve at beckings@wlwv.k12.or.us for the Zoom info.

The Paws for Thought Podcast is now available through Apple iTunes/Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/paws-for-thought-podcast/id1530099465, and Google Podcasts: https://podcasts.google.com/search/Paws%20for%20thought

Episode #1 – “Futures Past” will be available soon!

As our live audience theatre experiences have been temporarily halted, I thought it might be nice to “keep the ball in the air” with a WLHS Theatre Podcast. Our 2020/21 Thespian Troupe 1915 co-presidents, Miranda Wiler and Brigitte Chenevert, along with myself, will host episodes containing a variety of content: interviews with theatre practitioners and other Oregon theatre students , improv, radio plays, and general philosophy and hilarity.

You can listen to episodes via the website: https://www.pawsforthoughtpodcast.com/

…or subscribe through Stitcher: https://www.stitcher.com/podcast/paws-for-thought-podcast or Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/329ZMItelvqmngQyDQ8SYA

(Google Podcasts and Apple Podcasts will be available soon!)

Thanks for listening and spread the word. Wishing everyone a happy virtual/hybrid learning experience….until we meet (in person) again!

It’s happening! We have three plays which will be performed as virtual stage readings. The performance of all three plays will be uploaded at 7pm on MAY 26 on the WLHS ASB YouTube page – https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCOKnxMQsrroKvgua5NEsV3A

THE PLAYS

Lafayette No. 1 by Mandy Conner

directed by Grant Halverson – Miranda Wiler, ASM

CAST LIST:

Lizzy Landry – Allie Evans
Anna Landry – Briana Alexander
Julien Poydras – Coleman Henry
Margaret Haughrey – Kaelin Kehm
Constable – Gabe Massey
Harris Carrol – Izzy Englund
William Limon (Moab) – Keith Tyler Revilla
Maggie McCarthy – Zoe Barnett
Marie Wagner – Grace Heaton
Margarette Wagner – Sarah Tenison
Geo Jackson – Isabel Preligara
Peter Hatcher – Zach Socherman
Felix “Fink” Zallesky – Karah Rhoades
Hannah Meyers – Kierra Koehn
Catherine Blake – Ainslie O’Conno

The Celebration by Anton Chekhov

directed by Ashley Yablonsky – Marshall Knowles, ASM

CAST LIST

Tatiana – Brigitte Chenevert
Hirin – Zach Socherman
Andre – Clay Barbee
Natasia – Rachel Dumas
Board Rep – Ainslie O’Connor

The League of Semi-Superheroes by Val Smith & Michael Bigelow Dixon

directed by Susie Walters

CAST LIST

Carol – Brett Mason
El Grande De Sayer De Nay – Ashley Alexander
Master of the Obvious – Xavier Davidson
Pushy Bob – Gabe Massey
Wabbit Woman – Parrish Noce
The Human Puddle – Gwen Jeuris

PRODUCTION TEAM

PSM – Ella Johansen

Sound Design – Grace McGovern & Steven Beckingham

Yes, that’s right, we are going virtual with SHORTS! If you are interested in auditioning, please email Mr. Beckingham (beckings@wlwv.k12.or.us) for the Thespian Troupe 1915 Google Classroom code (you do not need to be an inducted thespian to join the classroom). Any WLHS student is welcome to audition (note, it will be a Zoom conference audition).

More info on the performance itself to follow!

We regret to inform that the remaining performances of A Number and These Shining Lives have been canceled.