Wabeno Area Players

The Wabeno Area Players is excited to announce auditions for “The Letter.” This is the premier of this work by playwright Dr. Daniel Boatright. Auditions will be held at two different locations on Saturday, March 25th. The first location will be the Crandon Public Library, located at 110 W Polk St, Crandon, WI 54520, from 9:30 to 11:30. The second location will be at the Wabeno Town Hall, located at 4473 N Branch St, Wabeno, WI 54566 from 1:00 to 3:00. The show will run May 25-28, 2017.

 
“The Letter” dates from WW-II when it was left in the tank now near the Wabeno Legion Hall. It was written by one of the Andrews Sisters to the driver, who was wounded and whom they visited at a field hospital in Italy. He forgot to get it out of the tank when he was reassigned, and it has lain hidden since the war. It is discovered and the town decides to find out more about him and give the letter to his living relatives only to discover he is still alive. Inviting him to Wabeno for a civic affair and publicity opportunity, he flashes back to the war, the Andrews Sisters and the story unfolds. This production features music of The Andrews Sisters, Bing Crosby and Benny Goodman. Some of the songs are: Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy, Don’t Sit Under the Apple Tree, Rum and Coca Cola, In the Mood, Shoo Shoo Baby, Swinging On a Star, I’ll Be seeing You and many more.

 
All auditioners for the cast roles will be required to do a cold reading from the script, and an interview by the director. None of the roles require singing and dialogue is very limited. The following roles will be cast: 1 Male age 18 to 35, 1 Male age 60 to 75, 2 Males age 18 to 60, 2 females age 18 to 75 and several non-speaking roles. Rehearsals will begin for the speaking roles the end of April.

 
Those interested in performing in the band will be required to play any song of their choice. A sight reading piece will also be given of one of the selections from the production. The following instrumentalists are needed: 2 Trumpets, 1 Alto Saxophone, 1 Tenor Saxophone, 1 Clarinet, 1 Trombone, Guitar and Bass. Rehearsals will begin with the band in April. This is great opportunity for local musicians to showcase their talent and play in a Big Band ensemble.

 
For more information or questions please contact:

 
Wabeno Area Players
P.O. Box 325
Wabeno, WI 54566
(715) 889-1606
(715) 473-5466
wabenoareaplayers@gmail.com
www.wabenoareaplayers.org
Facebook @wabenoraeaplayers

The scholarship is in the memory of Erna Rousseau, a lifelong piano teacher and accompanist from Wabeno. Erna was a large presence in the community when it came to the arts and supporting these programs and the youth involved with them. It’s awarded annually to a student from Wabeno, Crandon, and Laona. The scholarships are awarded to students who have been involved in the arts in high school and plan on pursuing a college degree in education, art, graphic arts, music, dance, theater or TV/broadcast journalism. Scholarships are also awarded to current high school students to attend visual and performing arts camp and clinics. Since 1997 the fund has thus far given over $6000 in scholarships to area young adults.
The Erna Rousseau Scholarship Committee in cooperation with Wabeno Area Players has announced that the Goodman/Armstrong Creek School District will now be added to the scholarship. This makes students from this school district eligible to apply and receive the scholarships.

Postsecondary Scholarship
This postsecondary scholarship is designed to recognize area students who have demonstrated academic success, community service and involvement in the performing and/or visual arts. The amount of the scholarship is $500. This will be awarded to the recipient in the spring semester of his/her second year of college. The scholarship is open to applicants who will be enrolled in an institution of higher learning as an education, music, art, graphic arts, theater, dance or TV/broadcast journalism. The student must carry at least 12 credits a semester and have a minimum grade point average of 3.0 on a 4.0 scale. A letter of recommendation from a teacher or administrator must be submitted to the scholarship committee. Applications must be postmarked or hand delivered by April 1. The Scholarship Committee’s decision will be announced on class night or graduation day. The decision of the committee will be final.

High School Fine Arts Camps, Clinics and Workshop Scholarships
These scholarships are designed to recognize area students who have demonstrated success and talent in the performing and/or visual arts. The amount of the scholarship is $250. Two scholarships may be awarded per year. The scholarship is open to students in the school districts of Crandon, Laona, Wabeno and Goodman/Armstrong Creek who are freshmen, sophomores, or juniors at the time of the application. The scholarship is open to applicants who wish to attend a fine arts workshop, clinic or camp (music, art, theater, forensics, etc…), and who agree to attend the entire camp. Applicants must include a camp brochure or information from the camp/clinic/workshop. A letter of recommendation must be included with the application. This should be written by a teacher, administrator, or fine arts extra-curricular coach and should stress the student’s dedication to their art, academic strength, and good attendance record. Applications must be received no later than April 1 and scholarships will be awarded on or before May 1. The decision of the
committee will be final.
The school districts of Crandon, Laona, Wabeno and Goodman/Armstrong Creek have received the scholarship information. If anyone is interested in the scholarships they should see the school administration, counselor, fine arts teachers or extra-curricular coaches. For additional information please see the Wabeno Area Players Website at www.wabenoareaplayers.org and look for the Erna Rousseau Scholarship tab. Questions may also be directed to Laura Bobbe 715-674-6705, Carol Bartlein 715-473-5466 or Jackie Enders 715-674-4061. Correspondence can be sent to: Erna Rousseau Scholarship, C/O Laura Bobbe, 5775 West Shore Lane, Laona, WI 54541.

This is the only local scholarship designed to give to students that participate and excel in the arts. Wabeno Area Players is the financial fiduciary of the Erna Rousseau Scholarship. This 501c3 organization raises funds throughout the year for the scholarship. If you are interested in learning more about the Wabeno Area Players and would like to give to the Erna Rousseau Scholarship, please use the contact information below. All donations are tax deductible.

Wabeno Area Players
P.O. Box 325
Wabeno, WI 54566
(715) 889-1606
(715) 473-5466
wabenoareaplayers@gmail.com
www.wabenoareaplayers.org
Facebook @wabenoraeaplayers

THE HALLELUJAH GIRLS

Written by Jessie Jones * Nicholas Hope * Jamie Wooten

Sunday, December 4, 2016 at 2 p.m.

Monday, December 5, 2016 at 6 p.m.

Wabeno Town Hall, 4473 N. Branch St., Wabeno.

General Audition Guidelines:

Auditions are open to everyone.

No appointments are necessary; auditions are conducted on a first-come, first served basis.

You need only attend one audition date. You will be notified if your presence is required at a call-back audition.

Auditioners will be asked to read from the play.

This is a Southern comedy and although accents will be used, we invite you to tread lightly in audition. In particular, we do not want to offer up a parody of these Southern characters and instead portray them as real women and men telling their story. The writing lends itself naturally to a “Southern accent,” so don’t worry, there’s no need to overdo it. As the writers of the play say it: “The characters that populate Eden Falls, GA should be portrayed as real people, not Southern caricatures.”

Please review CHARACTER DESCRIPTIONS below and the REHEARSAL SCHEDULE. Bring any conflicts to note on your audition form.  Any Questions? Please contact us at (715) 889-1606 or email: wabenoareaplayers@gmail.com.

Rehearsal Schedule:

Please arrive with a calendar containing all possible conflicts for dates between January 2, 2017 and February 20, 2017. Rehearsals begin in earnest on January 2nd.

Current rehearsal schedule*:

January 2, 6:00pm Read-Thru

January 3-5, 6:00pm

January 8, 2:00pm

January 9-12, 6:00pm

January 16-19, 6:00pm

January 23-26, 6:00pm

January 29, 2:00pm

January 30 & 31, 6:00pm

February 1 & 2, 6:00pm

February 5, 12:00pm

February 6 & 7, 6:00pm

February 8, 6:00pm Dress Rehearsal

February 9-11, 7:00pm Performance

February 12, 2:00pm Performance

February 15, 6:00pm Rehearsal (TENTATIVE)

February 17, Afternoon Rehearsal (TENTATIVE)

February 18, Performance (TENTATIVE)

*subject to change – after casting, final rehearsal schedule will be made.

Synopsis:  Hilarity abounds when the feisty females of Eden Falls, Georgia, decide to shake up their lives. The action in this rollicking Southern comedy takes place in SPA-DEE-DAH!, the abandoned church-turned day spa where this group of friends gathers every Friday afternoon. After the loss of a dear friend, the women realize time is precious and if they’re going to change their lives and achieve their dreams they have to get on it now. But Sugar Lee, their high-spirited, determined leader, has her hands full keeping the women motivated. Carlene’s given up on romance, having buried three husbands. Nita’s a nervous wreck from running interference between her problematic son and his probation officer. Mavis’ marriage is so stagnant she’s wondering how she can fake her own death to get out of it. And sweet, simple Crystal entertains them all, singing Christmas carols with her own, hilarious lyrics. The comic tension mounts when a sexy, ex-boyfriend shows up unexpectedly, a marriage proposal comes from an unlikely suitor and Sugar Lee’s arch rival, Bunny, vows she’ll stop at nothing to steal the spa away from her. By the time the women rally together to overcome these obstacles and launch their new, improved lives, you’ve got a side-splitting, joyful comedy that will make you laugh out loud and shout “Hallelujah!”

Auditions will consist of readings from the script.

Character Descriptions:

CARLENE TRAVIS: (30’s to 60’s) A no-nonsense gal with dry wit. Married three times, Carlene says she’s been branded the “Black Widow of Eden Falls, GA” and that her “romantic life is history.” She’s convinced by Sugar Lee to take a chance on Porter. Carlene is Crystal’s sister.

NITA MOONEY: (30’s to 60’s) A very sweet, simple country woman. Nita works for the county, but really lives vicariously through romance novels and their storylines (which she has memorized.) She has a freeloading, lawbreaking son. Nita is a glass MORE than half full kind of person.

MAVIS FLOWERS: (30’s to 60’s) Has been married over forty years to a husband who is oblivious to her and anything else he is not personally interested in. A kind-hearted woman that longs for more romance and attention in her marriage.

CRYSTAL HART: (30’s to 60’s) Daffy and loveable. Very creative, extroverted, and undaunted. Crystal regularly dresses in costume and sings her own lyrics to popular Christmas songs. Crystal is Carlene’s sister. Actress playing this role must be able to sing confidently, but not necessarily perfectly. (simple piano playing a plus but not a prerequisite)

SUGAR LEE THOMPKINS: (30’s to 60’s) The ideal of a Southern woman. Dramatically attired in an explosion of color, Sugar Lee is vivacious, strong, and smart. It is her idea to turn the old church into a day spa – as she says, “a place where women can come and shed their worries, refocus their lives, and walk out feeling like they’re on top of the world.” Sugar Lee doesn’t comprehend that her past may be the one obstacle that she cannot overcome to save her small business, but when she realizes it, she leans on her long-time friends and allows her past to heal her future.

BUNNY SUTHERLAND: (30’s to 60’s) Upbeat and seemingly pleasant, Bunny wears an ever ready sunny smile all the while being deliciously judgmental and passive aggressive. The self-proclaimed social arbiter of Eden Falls, Bunny feels status is all important. She wants to take the church from Sugar Lee to open a museum in her name, even though the town already has a Bunny Sutherland Tennis Court, Dog Park and Azala Maze.

BOBBY DWAYNE DILLAHUNT: (30’s to 60’s) Unaware of his rugged good looks, Bobby Dwayne has a self-depreciating sense of humor and a charming manner. He dated Sugar Lee in high school and wanted to marry her. Since then, he describes his life as a “couple of failed marriages, couple of failed businesses, and a couple of knee operations.” Bobby Dwayne is now in construction and Sugar Lee reluctantly hires him.

PORTER PADGETT: (30’s to 60’s) A good hearted, gregarious blowhard. Porter doesn’t know when to shut up and tends to talk louder than most people. He really enjoys his own humor and has a big “horsey laugh.” Porter works for the post office and lives with his mother.