Youth Theatrical Outreach

Release Date: 10/3/2000. Expired: 10/28/2000

Area Students Given Chance to Perform On Stage At Renaissance Center

Auditions Scheduled Oct. 28, 2000 For Dickson

The Renaissance Center Youth Theatrical Outreach Program for students in grades 1-6 will conduct auditions for Dickson County students Saturday, Oct 28, at 10 a.m. in Room 223. The cast will perform a play entitled “Who Wants to be a Fairy Heir?” written by Kim Leavitt, director of Theatre Education.

Hickman and Houston County students will audition Saturday, Nov. 4, at 10 a.m. and Humphreys and Perry County students will audition Saturday, Nov. 11, at 4:30 p.m.

This weeklong process begins with open group auditions and culminates in two public performances for each county. The performances will be held in the center’s Performing Arts Theatre. The Dickson performances will be held Saturday, Nov. 4, at 2 p.m. and again at 7 p.m.

The performances for Hickman and Houston counties will be Saturday, Nov. 11, at 11 a.m. and 2 p.m. The final performances by Humphreys and Perry county students will be held Saturday, Nov. 18, at 2 p.m. and 7 p.m. Tickets are $5 adults and $3 for seniors and children under 13.

The Youth Theatrical Outreach Program is an extension of community theatre and is free to all participants. The students work with a team of professional actors and directors in the setting of the Performing Arts Theatre using the best technology available at The Renaissance Center.

As many as 50 young actors and actresses learn lines, songs and choreography to perform a full-length theatrical production by week’s end.

“This year’s play is about everyone’s favorite fairy tale and nursery rhyme characters who collide in a magical romp to discover the true origin of the hit TV game show Who Wants to Be a Millionaire?,” states Leavitt. “Contestants such as Harry Potter, Goldilocks, and the Dish who ran away with the Spoon, compete - not for a million dollars - but for a wish from the fairy of their choice.”

Rehearsals take place 3:30-6:30 p.m. Monday-Thursday at the center. Two public performances take place on Saturday. All individuals auditioning should be available to attend each of the rehearsals and performances throughout the week.

While the Dickson students will rehearse at the center, rehearsals for the other counties will take place at a school of one of the participating counties.

Assisting Leavitt in this year’s outreach program are Pacer Harp, choreographer, who also portrays Michael Faraday for field trips in the Faraday Science Theatre and is a member of the Dinner Theatre company, and Jan Dial, director of The Renaissance Repertory Co., who has a role in the play.

Damon Stevens, director of piano, arranged all the music for the play. With Leavitt re-writing lyrics to old favorites like “Take Me Out to the Ballgame” and “I’ve Been Working on the Railroad,” Stevens has also thrown in some other special effects as well.

The center’s technical director, Tom Stanziano, is in charge of lighting and sound for the performance.

“This is a great way to get kids involved in theatre,” states Leavitt. “Theatre helps build their self confidence and teaches good communication skills and stage presence. There is no better sound than applause and kids feel a great sense of accomplishment and pride when that applause is for them.

“Theatre, and particularly the outreach program, is a wonderful tool that helps kids to feel good about themselves. They work so hard throughout the week with four 3-hour rehearsals. We schedule two performances for them so they have two opportunities to perform on a real stage, with real lights, and real costumes. It also gives their family and friends two chances to see their performance.”

For more information on the Youth Theatrical Outreach Program, call Leavitt at (615) 740-5551.