Metamorphosis

The set of Metamorphosis features a large cage that was originally built for People in Cages in 2007. It is good when parts of sets can be reused, it saves on materials and work. The cage is being adapted so that actors can climb on the top and hang from the inside of it. Mindful of health and safety the construction team have also worked out a way of cutting up mattresses and laying them out on the floor of the cage just in case anyone falls.

 

One aspect of putting on a production that people may not be aware of is getting the licence to perform a play. The first step is to get permission to perform it. This is usually straightforward and all that is involved is paying the nightly performance fee. Sometimes permission is not given - usually because there is a professional production on at the same time. Some licence holders also have strict rules about how the play is performed, the most common one being that none of the text should be changed. Director Joanna Rogowska cast the part of Gregor as a woman and her sister as a brother changing the names slightly to reflect the gender change. She was however told that she couldn't do that and the names had to remain as in the script. She has responded to this by keeping the name Gregor but still having the part played by a woman. This fits in with what she sees as one of the main themes of the play, the difficulty of being yourself when all the pressures are to conform and do the sensible thing. 

The play has also been updated from the 1900s to modern day. This meant a few minor changes to the text, for example switching letters for emails and permission was given for this. They were also allowed to switch one of the characters from playing the violin to the saxophone as the rehearsal schedule didn't allow the actor time to learn a new instrument!

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Coming up...

Auditions for The Ash Girl by Timberlake Wertenbaker Sunday 3rd October 11am at Mencap 21 Alexandra Road and Wednesday 6th October 7.30 pm at Progress Theatre

Metamorphosis by Franz Kafka 11th to 16th October 2010

Writefest 4th to 6th November 2010

Ajax by Sophocles 25th November to 4th December 2010

See Progress Theatre website for details of all our productions and auditions.

Auditioning for Writefest

You obviously need creative people in a theatre but you also need people with organisational skills. Chris Moran, producer of this year's Writefest is creative - she writes, directs and acts and when she's not at the theatre is busy teaching quilting and making her own quilts. She also has great organisational skills that she put to good use in running yesterday's Writefest auditions. 

There are 7 plays in Writefest and there is one audition attended by all the directors and anyone who wants to be cast in any of the plays. There were 17 actors hoping to be cast and they were all given a form to record their contact details and any play preferences. They were also given a sticky label with their name and a number. Each director was also given a form to record the numbers of the actors they were interesting in casting.

The audition itself consisted of readings from each play, giving each actor a chance to try out appropriate parts. The format of auditions at Progress will vary from production to production they may include improvisation or physical exercises in addition to reading from the script if these skills are considered important for the particular play or because of the director's style. All our auditions are open to members and non-members and new comers are made very welcome. If you are cast in a production you will be asked to join Progress.

The part of the process I didn't get to see was the final part where the seven directors get together to fight over the available actors. Chris was there to mediate and I'm sure it was all agreed amicably! You can see the successful auditionees in action during Writefest 4th to 6th November 2010.

If you are interested in what goes on at Progress Theatre then sign up to this blog. Enter your email in the box under ‘about us’ and click on subscribe. New postings are made weekly so you won’t be swamped with emails.

Coming up...

Metamorphosis by Franz Kafka 11th to 16th October 2010

Writefest 4th to 6th November 2010

Ajax by Sophocles 25th November to 4th December 2010

See Progress Theatre website for details of all our productions and auditions.

Breathing Corpses - the last lap

Progress Blog made it to the theatre for the first dress rehearsal of Breathing Corpses, unfortunately I got there at 9.15 and they had just finished. It is a short show leaving plenty of time for a drink and chat in the bar afterwards. For those interested there will be an opportunity to join a discussion with the cast and director in the auditorium after the show.

The rehearsal seemed to have gone well and director Carole Brown's comments were about minor tweaks and small problems with props. The main discussion was about the need for one of the actors to wear shorts under her short skirt to avoid showing more than intended on stage!

Thanks to Aidan Moran for these photos from the dress rehearsal - he managed to get there in time.

Another issue that always has to be sorted out at the dress rehearsal is the curtain call -  where the actors come back on stage to take their bows. The director needs to work out how to get the actors from their final position into the curtain call. When should the lights come back on? What music should be used? It is also important to think about keeping in tune with the mood of the play. I once saw a professional production of Death and The Salesman where the actors came on laughing and clapping for the curtain call, completely undermined the sombre ending of the play.

If you'd like to have the opportunity to act on Progress Stage but are worried about the time involved in rehearsing a full length play then consider coming to the Writefest auditions on Sunday 12th September. Writefest is an evening of 7 new plays with plenty of different parts. It is a good opportunity to get involved if you don't have time to be in a full production.

If you are interested in what goes on at Progress Theatre then sign up to this blog. Enter your email in the box under ‘about us’ and click on subscribe. New postings are made weekly so you won’t be swamped with emails.

Coming up...

Breathing Corpses by Laura Wade 6th to 11th September 2010

Auditions for 5th Writefest, Sunday 12th September 2010, 2.30 pm Progress Theatre.

Metamorphosis by Franz Kafka 11th to 16th October 2010

See Progress Theatre website for details of all our productions and auditions.

Breathing Corpses and moving Celebrations

Progress Blog caught up with the cast and crew of Breathing Corpses at their first run though. The play is made up of a number of scenes in different settings and with different actors so this was the first time many of the actors had come together to rehearse.

One of the major things to sort out at this stage is how to move people and props smoothly from one scene to the next. Stage manager Emma Walsh was there taking detailed notes about exactly what needs to be moved and when. Attention to this sort of detail makes a difference to the audience’s enjoyment of the play. For example there was some discussion about what to do with the lid from a box of Celebrations one of the characters opens. It was decided to throw it away – doing away with the need to take the lid of during the scene and remove it at the end.

Production manager Liz Carroll was also at this rehearsal and I took the opportunity to ask her what a production manager for a show actually does. She explained that they organise all the things that need to be done around putting on the performance leaving the director free to concentrate on the artistic side. They ensure that there are people to run the lighting and sound and organise the front of house rota. Liz has booked audition and rehearsal dates as well as helping run the auditions. She did ask me to point out though that in this case there wasn’t much to do as director Carole has been was so well organised! The production manager’s involvement in a show starts with a production meeting before the show is even cast. This meeting includes any technical crew and the director explains their vision about the production. Liz’s final job is chasing up all the cast members to make sure they hand in their biographies in time to go in the programme. As you can tell from the photo Liz has also been helping with set painting – not part of the job description.

If you are interested in what goes on at Progress Theatre then sign up to this blog. Enter your email in the box under ‘about us’ and click on subscribe. New postings are made weekly so you won’t be swamped with emails.

Coming up...

Breathing Corpses by Laura Wade 6th to 11th September 2010

Auditions for 5th Writefest, Sunday 12th September 2010, 2.30 pm Progress Theatre.

Metamorphosis by Franz Kafka 11th to 16th October 2010

See Progress Theatre website for details of all our productions and auditions.

Breathing Corpses and Crash Test Drama

Breathing Corpses is a tense whodunnit full of black humour. The plot unfolds through a series of scenes and monologues based around various linked deaths. Glynn Oram plays Charlie who is described in one review as "charming but psychopathic".

Glynn has been involved with Progress for many years. He ran Progress Youth Theatre between 2002 and 2004 producing David Mamet's The Water Engine,  and Much Ado About Nothing,  set in the 1980s. He has appeared himself on the Progress stage, although the last time was in 2004 when he was in Arthur Miller's The Crucible,  in the same year he directed The Demon Headmaster. The photo shows him as Captain Scott from a February 2010 production of Terra Nova by Ted Tally at Woodley Theatre. 

Glynn worked in Australia for a number of years and while he was there got involved in a drama group called Crash Test Drama. He has now come back to Reading and has created Crash Test Drama UK. The first event is Sunday 22nd August 6pm at the Rising Sun, Silver Street. The idea is that 10 minutes plays are rehearsed and performed on the night and the actors and director of the one voted the best get to share a cash prize. The evening is open to all either to act or just watch. For more information see here.  

If you are interested in what goes on at Progress Theatre then sign up to this blog. Enter your email in the box under ‘about us’ and click on subscribe. New postings are made weekly so you won’t be swamped with emails.

Coming up...

Breathing Corpses by Laura Wade 6th to 11th September 2010

Auditions for 5th Writefest, Sunday 12th September 2010, 2.30 pm Progress Theatre.

Metamorphosis by Franz Kafka 11th to 16th October 2010

See Progress Theatre website for details of all our productions and auditions.