It is officially the midpoint of the “Flung” rehearsal process, which has prompted me to be somewhat more reflective than usual about how far we’ve come, and where we are headed.
In any project, whether it goes smoothly or rockily — or a little bit of both — it’s hard not to get somewhat fixated on the journey. That from whence we’ve come. The twists and turns of the road linger, long after they have come and gone.
I’m happy to report that this ride has been a joyous adventure thus far.
Set design is complete, and the walls and risers are up. Character qualities and relationship backstories have been explored. Lines have been memorized within a decent range of accuracy. Blocking (where the actors move) for each scene is roughly defined and stitched together to ensure nobody who has just exited stage left needs to suddenly appear on stage right.
This is where one would hope to be, at this stage of the process.
On top of that, you can imagine my delight that we also have almost all of our props procured, wardrobe nearly complete, and set dressing fully underway — which in my experience are aspects you continue to chase all the way through to tech week, just before opening night.
This post was originally published on Heather Hudson’s blog, Muttering Retreats.
Heather Hudson has been a member of Rosedale Community Players since 2009 and was last seen in Cliff Dwellers, one of many short plays featured in RCP’s 2019 One Act Festival. Over the years she has also served as actor, director, producer, and sound designer at RCP. Heather holds a B.A. in Psychology from Michigan State University and works at a professional services organization in Detroit as a vendor contract negotiator. In her free time, Heather enjoys writing (especially blogging), acting, photography, and watching endless Netflix entertainment with her three teenagers and two cats.
My love for theater began on a family vacation when I was 9 years old. We were on a cruise ship and the talent presented a condensed version of South Pacific. I was completely mesmerized by the story and then there was singing AND dancing. It is hard to explain if you don’t love theater but I felt this thrill and excitement surge through me as I watched this live-action performance in front of me. The next school year I found myself at a school assembly watching the 8th graders do a play. Now I was mesmerized again, because I couldn’t believe kids could get on stage and do this too!
The year was 1982 and my big goal was to be in a play. This was not something my parents knew anything about so it took 3 more years before I found an article about auditioning for a children’s play. My big debut came in the fall of 8th grade in A Christmas Carol with St. Gertrude Players. After this experience I was hooked and participated in 10 plays before graduating from college with a degree in elementary education.
Even though my love for theater never waned, my life got busy with my first real job teaching, completing graduate school, getting married, having babies, and raising kids.
In 2016 I found myself hitting a wall. I was grateful for my amazing life and family but gosh something was missing. Where was I in being a teacher and mother and wife? I needed something for myself; I needed a creative outlet. That’s when I remembered my love for being on stage. With the internet I was able to quickly find several community theaters within 45 minutes of my house.
I researched plays and started to audition, but it did not go well at first. No one knew me, I am not a good cold reader, I suck at accents, and I hadn’t been on a stage in about 20 years. Even though I was frustrated and doubtful I could land a role, I kept trying.
Suddenly, I came across an audition for a play that was set in an elementary school. OK this is familiar territory, hell yes I can be a teacher on stage. The play was called Minus Some Buttons and Rosedale Community Players was putting it on. I was hoping for the small teacher role with less than 10 lines. Instead I was cast as the school secretary Myrtle; a strong supporting role. At first I really freaked out. Could I really pull this off working full time, still parenting, AND memorize lines? Turns out I can, like any theater project it slowly comes together.
You have to trust the process especially when you have a dedicated cast and awesome directors. Yes, Barb I will always love and appreciate you for pulling me out of that bathroom and nudging me back on that practice stage. Eric, you made my heart soar when you smiled at me and said, “you’re one of us now.” I was a complete stranger to this group yet given an opportunity to breathe life back into my creative arts soul.
Almost 7 years later I absolutely adore this group. Life still keeps me busy so I might work a show backstage or maybe only have time to be an usher and cheer for my peeps on stage. Then, every so often, a script comes along that speaks to me and I cross my fingers and audition. If you get that tingle of excitement while watching or participating in live theater I highly recommend you check out RCP!
AnnMarie in It Came From Mars at Rosedale Community Players in 2017.
Such is the mantra of a theatre artist trying to recruit actors to the try-outs.
It’s an insane delusion which directors must sustain, especially in these beginning labor pains of putting a play together. The delusion that people are going to give their time, without pay. That they’ll be committed to building a world that doesn’t exist, and pretending for a couple months to be people they are not, only to tear it all away like so much gift wrap and move on to the next fictional adventure by the time the weather warms up again.
Yet that’s the gig. To be just a little bit delusional.
Because the ideas are fun — and even rather sexy — but the doing, that’s where you really have to drum up your inner crazy person.
Case in point: enduring the drudgery of creating publicity. Can’t create a thing if nobody knows you’re doing the thing.
But egads, it can be plodding sometimes.
Sometimes, these things are a slow exercise in teeth pulling, trying to get each piece of the puzzle approved by committee, then revised, then approved again, then it’s a waiting game before the details finally “go to print”.
Sometimes, it’s so cumbersome as to make Congress look like a well-oiled machine.
And yet … Not so, for this project.
I had been mentally preparing myself for at least a week of follow ups and questions, oversight and required modifications. That’s not what happened, at all. What happened was a single day — today — in which there was a flurry of emails and texts, back and forth, with a speed that would rival NASCAR. Filled with devoted volunteers who want nothing more than to see the project be successful. Who are utterly dedicated to supporting the vision.
We are building it, and holy frak I do hope they will come.
Meanwhile, today was a wonderful reminder of why I have called this theatre group, my home. My deepest thanks and respect to everyone who stepped up and made this first step such a terrific experience.
Thus it continues …
This post was originally published on Heather Hudson’s blog Muttering Retreats.
Heather Hudson has been a member of Rosedale Community Players since 2009, and was last seen in “Cliff Dwellers”, one of many short plays featured in RCP’s 2019 One Act Festival. Over the years she has also served as actor, director, producer, and sound designer at RCP. Heather holds a B.A. in Psychology from Michigan State University and works at a professional services organization in Detroit as a vendor contract negotiator. In her free time, Heather enjoys writing (especially blogging), acting, photography, and watching endless Netflix entertainment with her three teenagers and two cats.
Rosedale Community Players is pleased to be presenting six one act shows written by our very talented members. The 2022 One Act Fest runs May 13-15, and 20-21. Visit our online box office for tickets.
Maureen Paraventi
Maureen Paraventi is an award-winning playwright, actor and musician. Her full-length and one act plays have been produced in Michigan, Florida, New York and Minnesota. (After a long delay due to the pandemic, her full-length play, “The Bucket List of Booze Club,” is being produced by the Freshwater Theatre in Minneapolis in May.) Maureen has worked as a morning radio personality, a personal assistant to a movie star and as an office manager for a talent agency. Her current day job is as the editor of a B2B magazine.
Tony Targan
Tony Targan‘s plays have often been featured at the RCP One Act Fest, including Turbulence (winner of the People’s Choice award at 2019 Michigan AACTFest), Memory Foam (also staged in Chicago), and Thought Bubbles. In 2022, I’m Not Wearing Any Pants was a finalist at the Snowdance Festival in Racine, Wisconsin and will be part of the Farmington Players One Act Festival in June, in which Tony is also Artistic Director. Tony’s monologue play Do You Trust Me? was recently a finalist in The ONE Festival in NYC, and in June he will be appearing onstage as Shylock in St. Dunstan’s performance of Something Rotten! More info at www.tonytargan.com
Sean Paraventi
Sean Paraventi is an actor, playwright and stand-up comedian. He is always thrilled to be working with RCP and next fall, RCP will be producing his full-length play, The Hero and the Hag. You can learn more about Sean by visiting his (in need of an update) website, www.seanparaventi.com. Thank you for coming out and supporting live theatre.
Meg Berger
Meg Berger is a local playwright who focuses on stories about women identifying characters, and the LGBQTIA+ community. Her first ever play was in the RCP One Act festival a few years ago, and she is delighted to be back again. This summer, her play, “It’s My Party” will be touring the Metro Detroit area as part of Open Book Theatre’s Driveway Theatre. When she isn’t writing, she can be found running very slowly around the neighborhood, playing table top games with her twin boys, or pursuing her budding political career. She could not do any of it without the support of her husband and partner, JB, or her family and friends.
Danny Dubin
Danny Dubin has written over 15 short and one-act plays, most of which he also performed in. He wrote a full-length stage play that was submitted for off-Broadway consideration. His latest one-act play, “Socrates High”, was written for grade school kids and will be performed at Novi’s In The Mitten Productions (The Hawk) in July by children, all using sock puppets. He is also writing a screenplay, “Dare 2 Speak”, that takes a deep dive into a young boy with a severe stutter who is mercilessly bullied and ultimately learns to believe in himself.
Dave Durham
Dave Durham is so proud to be contributing to his fourth RCP One-Acts Festival this year. His play, ROYALLY TOUCHED was voted audience favorite in the very first festival. Proof that RCP nurtures local talent, Dave has gone on to write many more pieces, including the full-length comedy, OF DIVINE INTEREST, which was part of last year’s main season here at RCP. THE DRIVEWAY SALE came out of a writer’s group challenge to pen a ten-minute play centered around a piece of clothing. For more information on Dave’s literary works, as well as other projects, you can visit him at www.stagescreenandme.com.
Rosedale Community Players is dedicated to the growth and development of our members. If you have ever thought you would like to try writing a script, we have a playwright’s group where members encourage, support and offer suggestions to each other. Read this post for words of wisdom from many of the playwrights featured in this year’s One Act Fest.
And when you are ready, we invite you to join RCP and get involved with our many opportunities to experience the theatre!
While Rosedale Community Players will be presenting our One Acts Fest, RCP member and 2022-23 director Heather Hudson will be directing a live show on YouTube with Secondhand Rose Players
We open in 4 days. Preview performances tomorrow and Tuesday.
I find myself desperately reaching for ways to fine tune it, to get it another inch or two closer to what my mind’s eye can see just around the corner. A little closer to perfect.
So many things are going right, and a handful of things are going wrong that we can’t quite figure out how to fix. Might not be able to fix. In some ways it’s like seeing the perfect slice of chocolate cake through the bakery window and not being able to find where the door to the shop is, and the voice in your head is telling you that by the time you find it, they will be flipping the sign from open to closed and locking the door in your face.
Yes, I am at the point in directing a show where I’m having that dream.
At the end of the day, I feel like this could be one of the biggest theatrical failures of my career, or it could be one of the most incredible ones. The show will go on either way – and almost certainly fall somewhere between those extremes that the fear center of my brain likes to indulge in.
The good news, as so often happens when making art, is that life does have a habit of imitating it. This story we are telling, is all about being imperfect. It’s all about trying your best and falling short, then finding a way to continue on and bring out the best in ourselves — despite the many failures and foibles along the way.
In a way, all these imperfections may make this show just about perfect.
Pay-what-you-can tickets to the livestream performances arehere. Running May 12-14 and 19-21.
Heather Hudson has been a member of Rosedale Community Players since 2009, and was last seen in “Cliff Dwellers”, one of many short plays featured in RCP’s 2019 One Act Festival. Over the years she has also served as actor, director, producer, and sound designer at RCP. Heather holds a B.A. in Psychology from Michigan State University and works at a professional services organization in Detroit as a vendor contract negotiator. In her free time, Heather enjoys writing (especially blogging), acting, photography, and watching endless Netflix entertainment with her three teenagers and two cats.
All my life, I’ve been compelled by the magic of a good storyteller, telling a good story, in a good way. It’s no wonder that this is my compass — my mantra, even — when designing a new theatrical showcase (which I find myself doing, from time to time).
Or to put it another way: all I really need to do, as Script Selector, is to uncover a piece — or pieces, if it’s a festival — about interesting people doing interesting things in interesting places, that is interesting.
Perhaps I am oversimplifying it. I am certain that many a true literary critic (armchair and certified alike) are rolling their collective eyes at this sentiment. But I remain convinced, for the time being, that this is pretty much the gig.
And I’m gonna go out on a limb and say – it is one of the most wonderful, horrible, inspiring, and emotionally wrecking creative experiences I’ve ever known.
Every damned time.
And there have been lots of times.
It’s a bit surreal to think back on my first foray into this particular discipline, about a dozen years ago. I was sitting next to a dear friend of mine at our theatre group’s annual awards celebration, and I remember asking him if he ever considered writing. It was as evident to me as the color of his shirt that he had a natural gift for it (you couldn’t hear this man speak three words without sensing the wordsmith within) but he had yet to really throw himself into it. He certainly hadn’t thought about trying to write something that would then be produced, and legitimately performed …
But that’s exactly what we did — not just a one-act play written by this fine gentleman, but short pieces by 4 others in the group with whom I had similar conversations — thanks in large part to a veritable village of people from the group supporting the effort behind the scenes, who were (for whatever reason) inspired, and wanted to join us in elevating and celebrating our hidden playwrights. When I think of humanity at its finest, I think of those amazing people, who dared to take a chance on this weirdo and her crazy ideas.
A year later, we produced our group’s first one act fest (aka, the OAF — because who doesn’t love an ironic acronym), to sold out audiences and rave reviews galore. Which led to those festivals happening every year. As a matter of fact, they’re still going — auditions for this year’s OAF are actually happening today.
But none of that could have happened — nor does it happen now — without the blood, sweat and tears of getting those darned scripts.
So many conversations and texts went into that first one. Suggesting while trying not to push. Encouraging while attempting not to nag.
Until the deadline. Then there was lots and lots of nag.
As the festival evolved over the years, and more people got wind of it and started to write in preparation for it, so did the storm that is script selection rage in all new ways. Now I didn’t have to implore people to just please write something that ties words together in a way that somewhat resembles a plot, because the scripts were now rolling in, and the challenge had changed.
The challenge of making choices.
Ugh, those choices. How do we put it all together to make a cohesive night of theatre? What about that one story that was so intriguing and different and yet if we chose it, it would only leave room for a handful of others? How do we best serve the festival and the writers — when sometimes those two goals seem to conflict?
And after the choices are made, that devastating, heartbreaking day where you make all those phone calls and send the emails to people who worked so hard and stepped out of their comfort zone to put a short play together, whose work didn’t make it in.
Yet somehow, many of them keep writing. Many of them move on, try again. Remain inspired.
And that makes it all worthwhile.
Which makes me wonder, maybe that’s why I got into this creative line in the first place. To do something that makes this world a better place. To do something that inspires.
Maybe, underneath it all, that’s the real magic that has compelled me, all along.
Heather Hudson has been a member of Rosedale Community Players since 2009, and was last seen in “Cliff Dwellers”, one of many short plays featured in RCP’s 2019 One Act Festival. Over the years she has also served as actor, director, producer, and sound designer at RCP. Heather holds a B.A. in Psychology from Michigan State University and works at a professional services organization in Detroit as a vendor contract negotiator. In her free time, Heather enjoys writing (especially blogging), acting, photography, and watching endless Netflix entertainment with her three teenagers and two cats.
Originally posted on the blog Muttering Retreats by RCP’s own Heather Hudson. Her words about what it feels like to get out resonates with us as we deal with the ever changing pandemic world we all must adapt to.
I used to suffer from mild panic attacks. This isn’t that. I don’t feel panicked, exactly. But there has been a flutter in my heart. A feeling of having swallowed a bunch of stones. A tickle in the back of my head like you get when you feel someone is staring at you.
Like feathers.
I’m no stranger to ambivalence about things that I love. My best example? Community theatre. I’ve been on the stage since the womb, thanks to my mother’s love for the art which she kindly passed along to me through the umbilical cord, and I have enjoyed every minute of it … and also have been completely horrified by it. Some people jump out of airplanes in order to get that sweet, powerful rush of feeling more alive than alive; all I have to do is pretend to be someone else in front of a crowd.
In order to do this, however, I’ve had to drop a few tricks into my bag of holding. Deep breathing. Running through all my lines at a breakneck pace 30 minutes before curtain. Listening to that perfect song that I’ve been listening to prior to every rehearsal, that puts me into the headspace of my character. Creating that textbook “moment before” and focusing on that singular thought. All of these things move my stage fright needle an inch or two.
But the best trick I’ve ever been taught, to deal with this unwanted brain-guest otherwise known as anxiety, is to focus on the hope. Which isn’t that hard, because excitement (hope) and fear actually come from the same area of emotion, and I am legitimately excited about being on stage. Sure, the reality is that both feelings are happening, but with practice, I’ve gotten better at choosing which one to focus on. By choosing the more positive, “excited” and “hopeful” interpretation, I’ve been able to hone in on a more fun part of my emotional life and give a backseat to the dread.
So I’ve starting going out, because I love it, the way I love being on the boards. And these days it’s more similar than ever to that going-live-in-front-of-an-audience feeling. And all the love-hate that comes with it
But I’ve been doing it. I’ve re-entered society, a little bit, going here and there. To outdoor concerts, half empty restaurants, and the biggest undertaking (but perhaps most rewarding) of them all: sat in a chair in the salon for 3 hours for a full court press color and cut. I even attended a small wedding.
And when I feel the flutter of fear, I push my mask a little tighter against my cheeks, and think of Emily and her little bird.
Now that we’re struggling with vicious variants and mixed messages and the daily drama of the pathetically political, I still find myself reaching for those feathers, like a modern day Dumbo.
Because that darned little creature refuses to stop singing
True to Emily’s word, it never stops, at all.
Heather Hudson has been a member of Rosedale Community Players since 2009, and was last seen in “Cliff Dwellers”, one of many short plays featured in RCP’s 2019 One Act Festival. Over the years she has also served as actor, director, producer, and sound designer at RCP. Heather holds a B.A. in Psychology from Michigan State University and works at a professional services organization in Detroit as a vendor contract negotiator. In her free time, Heather enjoys writing (especially blogging), acting, photography, and watching endless Netflix entertainment with her three teenagers and two cats.
Hello everyone! First I want to apologize for a lack of any posts in the last few weeks. We have been busy trying to plan new and exciting opportunities for our members and patrons since the world is slowly starting to open back up to live theatre!
And it is indeed slowly coming back! Just in the last week, RCP hosted a Virtual One Acts Fest, and we are excited to see some of our fellow community theatres starting to schedule outdoor performances. In fact we are really looking forward to Ridgedale Players outdoor production of Freaky Friday, which features a face familiar from the RCP stage, John Tonkovich. It also features RCP’s own newsletter Editor, Lily Godau.
We are really hopeful for many more in-person shows being available within the year! So are you ready to start auditioning again?
Well, you are in luck! We are hosting an Improv Workshop with local performer David Moan that will help you gain new skills and it has the potential to really help improve your auditions and performances. It is a one evening workshop, so it is the perfect way to start getting warmed up for the upcoming theatre season!
Now, who is David Moan? I first met him a decade ago as the musical director while performing at another area theatre, I could not sing. At all. But under his direction I learned that I was ranged incorrectly, and I have much more control. Finally I can sing without making all of the neighborhood dogs howl! So he has always been one of my favorite instructors.
Since then, he has become a friend and one of my favorite local performers. His performance as Ash in Evil Dead the Musical has turned our family into dedicated Deadites.
So when I was looking for an improv teacher for my son, I was thrilled when he volunteered. And during the pandemic, when all classes were online, my kids were totally over it. However, Online Improv with David has remained Charlie’s favorite activity. He now asks me to text David every time he makes a joke. I don’t (you’re welcome, David), but I love that Charlie has developed a love for this skill that will help him no matter what he does in life.
Improv is known to build confidence, because you learn to listen and think on your feet. And with a good improv team, you learn to work together. All skills that will apply on stage, or doing a presentation for your clients or boss.
“You get all the benefits of theatre,” says David about Improv. “Good public speaking skills, self confidence, physical awareness… and an idea of how we work together as a team.”
“But what improv also gives us is life skills that you can apply outside of the theatre,” he continues. “Listening is a key tenet in improv. So is empathy. Putting ourselves in someone else’s shoes. Thinking like somebody else.”
David says improv gets us to think outside of the box to problem solve as a team.
So many benefits that can help you inside the theatre and out!
In the improv world David is one half of the musical improv group Torch Song with Jeremy St. Martin and as a cast member of the revival cast of Rock-o-Matic at Go Comedy. He also coaches the Improv Club at Dexter High School.
When relying on other people’s words and music, David can be seen on some of the most renowned stages in the area. Notable performances include John Wilkes Booth in Assassins (Wilde Award Winning) and Sweeney Todd in Sweeney Todd (Wilde Award Nominated) at the Encore Musical Theater Company, Martin in Candide with the Michigan Opera Theater, and Ash in Evil Dead The Musical (Wilde Award Nominated) with The Ringwald Theatre.
And I would be remiss to write about David without telling you he is a huge Batman fan.
So please join us Tuesday, May 25th 7pm for what promises to be a lot of fun, while stretching our skillset. Cost is $27 for the 90 minute workshop. Click here to sign up.
Devene Godau has been a member of RCP since the 2018 One Acts Festival and is currently the Promotions Chair on the Board of Directors. Devene holds a B.A. in Journalism from Michigan State University. She works as a freelance writer as well as a professional dog trainer when not helping out at the theatre. She lives in Metro Detroit with her husband, three kids, three dogs, two cats and a tortoise.
Next week, Rosedale Community Players will be holding our first auditions in over a year! And we want YOU (yes, you) to consider auditioning.
After over a year of having your activities limited, aren’t you ready to stretch your acting muscle, or try something new? Whether you are an experienced actor, or you have always wanted to try your hand at acting, we will be rooting for you.
When you audition for our upcoming One Act Fest, you will be given scenes from the One Act scripts to read and perform for our show’s directors via Zoom.
I will admit that for me, personally, auditioning rattles my nerves more than performances in front of an audience. But it doesn’t get easier until you just start jump in and try it.
“Take a deep breath and audition,” says RCP VP Barb Mathers. “Veterans are only veterans because we took that first step, gathered our courage, found our passion and hit the boards running.”
It is easy to feel like you are being judged when auditioning. But remember that directors aren’t looking for perfection. Characters and stories tend to evolve once they start putting the puzzle pieces of their production together, which includes finding the cast that helps bring their vision to life.
“Don’t try to be perfect,” says Eric Goldstein, who both acts and directs at RCP. “We’re looking for willingness. We’re looking for potential. And if we give you some direction, we’re looking to see if you can take direction.”
And in fact, when you read for a part, don’t try to jump to conclusions about a character and their energy.
“Change it up if you get to read more than once,” suggests RCP actor and director Larry Rink. “Directors like to see versatility.”
And don’t get stuck on the character you want to play.
“Read for any part that is a possibility, no matter how slight,” shares RCP member Janet Turner.
I will tell you honestly, my favorite character that I have ever played is a character I don’t think I would have ever purposely auditioned for. It stretched me beyond what I thought I was capable of. When I said I couldn’t, my director, RCP member Claudia Scott (who will also be one of our One Act directors), encouraged me to go above and beyond. It was scary. But it was so very rewarding.
And while at its surface, acting seems to be about pretending, the most successful performers are able to bring an authenticity to their roles.
“Find the character’s motivation and make the character your own,” says RCP member Carole Shirley-Browne. “Be ‘real’ and have fun.”
Laurie Smalis, one of our One Act directors, agrees. “Be honest and true to the character. Relax . Be natural,” she says.
No one knows his characters better than playwright Tony Targan. His script “Home for the Challah Days” will be performed in the Virtual One Acts Festival. But he likes to see the different interpretation of these characters.
“Don’t try to become a ‘character’,” he recommends. “Draw upon an authentic, slightly dramatized version of yourself.”
And if you are thinking that it is too late to start acting now, I want to challenge that. I did not step on stage until I was nearly 40. If I can do it, I can guarantee you that you can too, as long as it is something you have a drive to do.
“Most community theaters I know make room for people exactly in your shoes,” says RCP member and playwright Dave Durham, whose script “Moments” is part of the festival. “If they see a spark of ambition and even a glimmer of talent, there is a good chance you will get a call to join the cast. Obviously a MUCH better chance than if you don’t audition. Come to auditions. You are welcome there.”
Most of all, we want everyone that comes to auditions to have fun. RCP president Chuck Goddeeris stresses this with his words of wisdom.
“Relax, have fun, make big choices, have fun, be confident in your decisions,” he says. “Have fun, don’t be afraid to make a fool of yourself.”
So take a deep breathe and jump in. And no matter what the outcome, be proud of yourself because it is hard to break out of your comfort zone. But trying new things is the spice of life.
“Take a deep breath and let it out right before you start reading/monologuing,” says Meg Berger, who is spearheading our Virtual One Act Fest. “Have fun. Go big. It’s always easier to bring an actor’s energy down rather than bringing an actor’s energy up. Directors will notice that. Reward yourself after your audition whether you get the part or not. Auditioning is hard work and you’re awesome for attempting it!”
If you are ready to claim your audition spot sign up here.
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Devene Godau has been a member of RCP since the 2018 One Acts Festival and is currently the Promotions Chair on the Board of Directors. Devene holds a B.A. in Journalism from Michigan State University. She works as a freelance writer as well as a professional dog trainer when not helping out at the theatre. She lives in Metro Detroit with her husband, three kids, three dogs, two cats and a tortoise.
Rosedale Community Theatre is excited to be presenting our first ever virtual One Act Festival!
Our annual live One Act Fest was derailed in 2020 (I am sure we don’t have to tell you why!!). I missed this popular kick off to our season, which was a great way to showcase local writers and actors. The One Acts was my first RCP event, and I have come to relish seeing both veterans and newbies on stage together for these 10-15 minute plays.
And I love opportunities for local playwrights to submit new scripts. I am always in awe of all of the talent we have locally.
So I was super excited when member Meg Berger proposed to spearhead a Virtual One Act Festival with the tagline “From Script to Screen in One Month”.
Last week we put out out a call for scripts and within seven days and we had 13 submissions.
Five scripts were selected:
A Call for Directors
Have you ever wanted to direct? Think fast! Because we need names of all people interested by tomorrow April 16th. If this piques your interest email megmberger@gmail.com ASAP!
If you have thought about directing, but this is all too sudden, stick around and get involved with RCP. As we are able to offer more performances, there will be opportunities to get some experience behind the scenes. Follow this blog, as we hope to have some upcoming artilces on directing too.
Upcoming Auditions
Auditions will be formally announced after director selections, but we are aiming for them to be on or around April 21. The best way to stay up to date with upcoming opportunities is to follow us on our Facebook page.
Auditions and rehearsals will take place via Zoom. We encourage all skill levels to give auditioning a shot. If you have always wanted to give acting a try, this is the perfect opportunity!
And with our virtual One Acts being presented online, all of your family members can safely watch your performance from the comfort of their own home. From your cousin Ted in Alaska to your Grandparents in Florida!
We Love an Audience
If you aren’t able to come be part of our One Acts team as a director or performer, we still hope you will consider letting us entertain you. We have all be itching to get back to performing art and now, after flying high from the success of our online radio show, The Maltese Falcon, we are excited to bring even more artists’ work to your screen.
We hope to premiere our performance around May 22nd. Stay tuned to this site for more news about our show!
Devene Godau has been a member of RCP since the 2018 One Acts Festival and is currently the Promotions Chair on the Board of Directors. Devene holds a B.A. in Journalism from Michigan State University. She works as a freelance writer as well as a professional dog trainer when not helping out at the theatre. She lives in Metro Detroit with her husband, three kids, three dogs, two cats and a tortoise.
lost onstage 