The ARTS Resident Acting Company

   ARTS (which is based out of the Renaissance Theatre in Huntington) has come up with an exciting new idea for community theatre - here's the announcement they made last night:

Presenting… The ARTS RESIDENT ACTING COMPANY!

For its 2013 season, ARTS will be attempting something different; something ground-breaking. On November 16-17th (Friday & Saturday), 2012, ARTS will be holding auditions for a resident acting company for its 2013 season.

What does that mean?

ARTS will be presenting six shows in its 2013 season. Each show will have its own audition date approximately 10 weeks prior to the show dates. However, before any of that, ARTS will have auditions to be in the resident acting company. At these auditions, you will need to prepare a monologue (classical or contemporary / dramatic or comedic - it need NOT be memorized), 16 bars of a song to sing (just something so we can hear how you sing), and have an interview with the resident directors for the season. The directors for the current season are: Gene Anthony (2 shows), Bil Neal (1 show), Stephen Vance (1 show) and Mike Murdock (2 shows).

Each audition will take approximately 15 minutes. Those interested in auditioning should call (304) 733-ARTS to get a timeslot reserved on either available audition day, whichever works best for you.

What happens next?

After the audition and interview days are over, the directors will meet to discuss all applicants, and offers will be made to those we would like to see in the resident company. As with any audition, not everyone will be invited to the company that shows up. The directors will choose company members based on how they can best serve ARTS for that season. The directors will have to make difficult, reasoned choices. If you don’t get in the company, we encourage you to still audition for each of the season’s shows as they come up or inquire about working tech, etc., at ARTS. We also encourage you to audition for the company again next year, when perhaps, you might be a better fit for the shows, directors, etc.

“Offers”? What the heck is that?

Resident actors will be guaranteed three roles out of the six possible shows, and be obliged to work tech for one show they are not cast in. They are more than welcome to audition for the other shows as well, or do tech for them, but the offers will only be for four shows, in general.

So I’ll be guaranteed to be acting in at least half of the ARTS season if I’m a company member?

YES.

What do you mean “work tech for one show”?

Along with your acting assignments, you will be asked to work tech for one other show in the season. The exact job will vary depending on your skill set, etc. Perhaps you will be asked to help build a show or strike a show. You might be asked to run a light or sound board. We might need someone to hang posters or sell advertising. We could ask you to be on the running / backstage / front of house crew for a production. There will be plenty for people to do for each and every show.

What else do I get if I’m a company member?

Not only do you get to work on over half of the productions at ARTS for their season, you also get first choice of any classes that ARTS will offer throughout the year. Wednesday nights are education nights at ARTS, and we’ll be adding even more opportunities in 2013. Some of the classes in consideration are:

• Scene Study
• Classics
• Stage Combat
• Musical Theatre Dance
• Basic Tech Theatre
• Intro to Acting
• Singing Audition Workshop
• Audition Techniques Workshop
• A Study of Shakespeare’s Women
• A Study of Women in Contemporary American Theatre
• Voice / Projection / Diction for the stage
• Stage Movement

(Please note that these classes are all in consideration, and that some might not be available during the 2013 season, and others could be added at any time)

First choice of classes? Why does that matter?

Due to the success of Gene Anthony’s “Acting 101” class and the overwhelming amount of applicants, we feel there is a desire with the public to further its theatre education. We all want to get better and learn more, and we are offering chances to do just that. The main difference is that while the “Acting 101” class will remain free to the public, the rest of the classes available at ARTS will come with a cost of $150 per person for the 8- to 10-week course, unless you are a member of the resident acting company. As a member of the company, you are entitled to take any or all of the classes you like at ARTS, FREE of charge.

Classes are cool, but what ELSE?

All members of the ARTS resident acting company will receive free admittance to any ARTS productions for his or her year in residence.

Company members will have a featured profile on the ARTS website, Facebook page and in the lobby of ARTS for his or her year in residence.

As an added bonus, members of the ARTS resident acting company will also receive free show shirts for all of the productions they are involved in, as well as an ARTS Resident Acting Company shirt.

If I don’t get in the company, can I still audition for individual shows? Will there be any roles left?

Absolutely and absolutely. The goal of the company is to have people dedicated to ARTS for a year’s time, while offering them something in return for their time and talents. For those that feel they can’t (or don’t want to), each show will have general auditions approximately 10 weeks before the show dates. All roles not filled by resident acting company members will be available to the public at large, and any roles taken by company members will be advertised ahead of time at each show’s auditions.

So what if I don’t like the offer I’m given?

The ARTS staff will only make one offer. If you don’t like what is offered - no harm, no foul. We thank you for your time, wish you well and hope to see you at the general auditions for each show as they arrive.

The company auditions are for all six shows in the ARTS season. The offers will be made after consideration of your conflicts, your audition and your interview. The directors will create your offer based on how you can best serve the ARTS season. As previously stated, you will be offered 3 roles and 1 tech position out of the 6 available shows. If you turn down the offer, you would be turning down not only that, but also the rest of the benefits of being a company member.

If I'm a company member, can I still audition for other shows at other theatres?

Of course you can - as long as they don't conflict with your responsibilities at ARTS.

What happens if something happens and I can’t fulfill my company commitment?

The short answer is: not much, really. No one is being paid. We’re working on the honor system. We’re looking for people with skills we can use that we hope to completely count on for four projects in our season. In return, we’ll work to improve those skills, and give you a few other cool things as well throughout the year, hopefully making your dedicated time at ARTS worthwhile for everyone involved, especially you. We know that life can sometimes be unpredictable. If, for some reason, you only fulfill three of your commitments, for instance, we’re not going to ostracize you or curse your name to the heavens. We just hope it doesn’t happen because we are going to do everything we can to make each company member a success, which, latently, will make ARTS better.

How do the time slots work for the company auditions?

Auditions on Friday, November 16, 2012, will begin at 6:00 p.m. – Slots will be every 15 minutes (with an occasional 15 minute break for the directors).

Auditions on Saturday, November 17, 2012, will begin at 10:00 a.m. – Slots will be every 15 minutes (with an occasional 15 minute break for the directors and the possibility of a lunch break for the directors)

Please call (304) 733-2787 and leave a message with your name, phone number and a time slot or block of time that would work best for you and someone will call you back to firm up the schedule.

Why is ARTS doing this?

We believe that to be a true resource for the Tri-State, that we must aspire to something greater. By having a full season of shows: three musicals, three non-musicals – 4 mainstage shows and 2 ballroom shows, as well as having a resident acting company, ARTS continues to grow, forming a community of talented, dedicated, hard-working artisans, striving for the best possible theatre we can create. Together.

This is the first big step. We realize it can sound daunting, but we hope, more than anything, that is sounds exciting. We hope that you want to join us on the ground floor. This is the first of many seasons at ARTS. We hope to see you at the company auditions on November 16 and 17.

The six-show, 2013 ARTS Season will be announced on November 1, 2012. Big things are happening at ARTS. Won't you join us?

Thank you and sincerely,

The Staff of ARTS
900 8th Street
Huntington, WV 25701
(304) 733-ARTS
https://www.facebook.com/artstristate