Is this just like the book? How many songs are in it? The play stays true to J.R.R. Tolkein’s original story, but condenses it into a shorter version with some characters and events changed to make it work better on stage. There are no songs – it is not a musical!
How many roles are available? Between 40-50. All roles will be played by students! Between 20-30 roles have lines, but all are incredibly important to the success of the show.
Do I have to do anything special or have something prepared to audition? No! All you need is a filled out form!
Do I have to know how to sing or dance? No, this version of The Hobbit is not a musical. Dance ability will be helpful to your movement in the play, but it is not required!
Do I have to provide a costume? No, costumes are provided by the theatre department. You may be asked to wear pants or shoes of a certain color for the show, but all specialty pieces will be provided.
When will the cast list be posted? Results will be posted on campus before school on Tuesday, September 5. It will be posted on the internet on Monday, September 4.
Where will the cast list be posted? In four places: in the window of the Fine Arts Building lobby, on Mr. Strickland’s office door, the elementary school office, and on the internet at http://www.fpdtheatre.org (Look for The Hobbit links!)
When will the first rehearsal be? Tuesday, September 5, 3:15 – 4:00 PM in the auditorium. Students will receive a script and rehearsal schedule at this time. Parents are encouraged to attend this first rehearsal!
If I’m not cast can I work backstage? Yes! I will announce a time for backstage helpers to meet in a week or two.
If I’m not cast does it mean that I’m horrible or that Mr. Strickland doesn’t like me? No! I often have many more talented actors than I am able to use. If you are not cast PLEASE audition again. Nothing makes me more miserable than not having a role for an interested student!
Can you tell me all those dates and things that were on the form I filled out?
Certainly…
I strive to make the auditions fun and low-stress for young performers. We will be playing some acting games, doing a short warm-up, performing a movement exercise, and reading from the script. Friends and family members are not allowed to watch the auditions (it becomes very distracting for the kids and often keeps them from doing their best), but are encouraged to wait for their child in the auditorium lobby.
The Hobbit will be performed October 3 & 4 at 7:00 PM in the Clark Fine Arts Center. There will also be a 1:00 PM performance scheduled on October 6. To audition for this play you MUST be available for all performances.
Rehearsals for The Hobbit will be held after school from 3:15 – 5:00 PM. I will design a schedule around conflicts of cast members, but there will generally be five rehearsals each week. In the past we have limited it to four rehearsals a week, but we have a very short time to prepare this show and need every minute we can get! No rehearsals are held on weekends, though. The week before the show we will have at least one evening rehearsal. Not every child is called to every rehearsal. I only schedule students for rehearsal when they will actively be needed! However, students with many after-school activities may not have the necessary time to commit to this production.
Thank you SO much for auditioning and sharing your
God-given talents with the theatre department at FPD!
