Auditions Announced for
Marquee Theatrical Production
Winfield, Kan., April
8, 2021 – The Marquee Performing Arts Center will be producing theatrical art
for the first time in many years. Plans are developing for the May production
of P.J. Barry’s family comedy The Octette
Bridge Club to be performed at the Marquee. Auditions will be held April 20
and 21 at 6:00 pm at the Marquee Performing Arts Center, 1007 Main Street.
Programming committee
chair, Allyson Moon stated that “the Marquee’s plan for 2021 includes a wide
variety of virtual and live visual and performing arts, along with educational,
business and other social events. The
Octette Bridge Club will be the first live performance planned for the
Marquee space in several years. “After this last year’s challenges, it will be a
great joy to gather as a community at the Marquee.”
“Our goal is to
entertain and grow individually and together as a community” says Moon. “There
is nothing quite like being in a space to hear, see and respond to a live event
together with other audience members. Not only can we have the energy of that
communal experience in the moment, but we can talk about it, process the way it
makes us feel and think, and even how it may have changed us.”
Marquee, Inc. Board of
Directors’ President Roger Moon will be directing the upcoming production.
“The Octette Bridge Club is a comedy about family and the importance
of growth and change” said Allyson Moon. “Like any family or community, large
or small, growth and change aren’t easy for these eight sisters as they live in
changing times. We believe this is the right production for us as a community
in our challenging times. The sisters gather every two weeks to play bridge, eat,
sing, laugh and grow together. But, however strong their bond, they find it
difficult to grow individually and support each other as times change.”
“Performance is the
apex of the production process,” said Michelle Zakharov, a new member of the
Programming Committee and also the event coordinator for The Octette Bridge Club. “We plan to have as much fun creating the
show as we do in the final performance. After the last year, just getting a
bunch of Winfield actors together for auditions will be as much fun as doing
the performance.”
“With current
developments in vaccination for the Covid-19 virus we are hopeful, but will
continue to be cautious,” said Zakharov. “We’ll stay in contact with our local,
state and national health leaders and follow all necessary protocols. But we’re
going to do theatre!”
The cast includes eight
sisters with a range of ages, and the two acts cover 10 years of their lives. “That
would be a realistic range of 20 to 30 years for the characters in the play,”
said director Moon, “but this is theatre and we all have great imaginations. With
the abundance of mature talent in this community, we would love to have a much
larger range, even 50 to 60 years.” There is also one role for a young reporter
who comes to interview the sisters for the local newspaper.
The production will be
staged with actor’s performing with scripts in hand. “Memorization is not
necessary for great acting any more than it is necessary for great story
telling,” Moon laughed. “We are planning 10 rehearsals over the 4 to 5 week
period. Scripts will be in hand at all times, but the audience will forget
about them in a few minutes, and we can create a brilliant production for all
of us to enjoy and celebrate.”
Auditions will be held
April 20 and 21 at 6:00 pm at the Marquee Performing Arts Center, 1007 Main Street.
No preparation is
necessary for the auditions. Those auditioning are asked to bring their love of
family, a plan to have fun working and growing together, and a schedule of
conflicts for the rehearsal period from auditions through the last of April until
the May 21-23 performance dates. Audition materials will be provided.
People interested in
volunteering for front of house operations including ushering, concessions, box
office, and publicity, as well as back stage work in stage management, sets,
costuming, props, lights, sound, and make-up are needed, and all ages are
welcome. Contact Michelle Zakharov at michellelzakharov@gmail.com,
or Roger Moon at 620-262-7700 or roger.s.moon48@gmail.com.
