Tartuffe Cast list

Orgon- Brian Wing
Tartuffe- Facundo Regazzoni
Cleante- Michael Larson
Valere- Andrew Holman
Damis- Brandon Prows

Loyal- Nick Peterson
Officer- Ben Tueller
Deputy- Ari Powell

Madam Pernelle- Lyndsey Conrad
Elmire- Mackenzie Nelson
Mariane- Madi Heil
Dorine- McKenna Austin
Flipote- Melissa Howarth
Housemaid/wench- Josie Layton

The ZANNI- MaryKate Steward, Abigail Roundy, Zac Orton

Thanks be to all who auditioned for the play. You all did excellent work. All cast members meet in Mr. Bauer’s room at 2:30 pm for a cast meeting/read through.

Cast List

Principles
Bobby- Wess Valdez
Polly- Lauren Peterson (Sr.)
Irene- Madison Hall
Bela Zangler- Brian Wing
Mother-Marykate Steward
Patricia- McKell Fechser
Eugene- Jordan Hendley
Deadrock Cowboys
Lank- Brandon Prows
Everett- Andrew Holman
Cowboy Trio- (Sam) Ari Powell
(Mingo) Taylon Mann
(Moose) Michael Larsen
Harry (Bartender)- Cameron Sumsion
Billy-Zac Orton
Wyatt- McKay Nelson
Junior- A.J. Whitaker
Custus/Perkins-Tyler Howarth
Pete- Ben Tueller
Follies
Tess- Kailey Green
Patsy- Maren Wilson
Mitzi- Jill Russon
Elaine (Dancer)-McKenna Austin
Louise (Dancer)- Rachel Farmer
Susie (Dancer)- Tara Richardson
Betsy (Dancer)- Rachel Uppencamp
Margie (Dancer)- Katelyn Eberhard
Shelia (Dancer)- Kasia Rouse
Vera (Dancer)- Madelyn Lubean

“Stage Manager”- Lindsey Conrad
Chauffer- Melissa Howarth
Directors- Abi Roudy, Carissa Holmes, Mackenzie Nelson
Showgirls- Christie Haynie, Madi Heil, Lauren Peterson (Frosh), Dyllen Cluff
Passing Crowd- Josie Layton, Cali Holcombe, Starla Eckhardt, Kayla Dastrup, Shelby Williams, Taylor Sorensen, Siera Rawley

Thank you to all who auditioned. We are having rehearsals starting Tuesday, September 7th at 2:30 pm in the choir room. A parent meeting is scheduled for Tuesday at 5:30 pm.

Call-Backs

Call-backs will be held in the choir room Friday September 3rd at 2:20 pm. Be there.

Bobby- Wess, Ari
Lank-Ari, Michael, Brandon
Everett- Andrew, Jordan, Michael, Brandon
Eugene- Andrew, A.J., Ari, Michael, McKay N.
Cowboy Trio-Andrew, Wess, Zac, Taylon, Michael, Ben, Cameron, Ari, Jordan

Polly- Lauren P. (Sr.), Kaily G.
Irene- Lauren P. (Sr.), McKell F., Madison H., McKenna A.
Patricia- Lindsay C., Madi H., McKell F.
Tess- Lauren P., Madison Hall, Kaily G., Jill
Patsy- Maren W., Kaily G, Jill, Madison Hall
Mitzi- Madison Hall, Maren W., Jill

Just because you have not been called back, does not mean that you are not in the show. We have only done call backs for the roles that we have not decided yet. Thank you to all who auditioned.

Cast list will be posted on http://provohighdrama.blogspot.com and http://my.uen.org/myuen/201521 by friday night. Rehearsals start Tuesday. and there is a parent meeting on tuesday night at 5:30 pm.

More Fantasticks

A Fantastick Show

My kudos go to all the students who made "The Fantasticks" a success. With all due respect to my former students, it was the most perfect show I have directed. I have thought a lot about this statement in the weeks since the show has ended. If something is perfect is it my favorite? Was the show perfect? Do we even want perfection? Every show I have directed has been a learning experience. Each succeeding show has benefited from what I learned from the previous. I have made mistakes. I have ruined moments. I have let things go that I should have fixed. But all of it has led to the quality show that was "The Fantasticks"
"Beauty and the Beast" taught me to take into account the confines of our space when designing a show. "Servant of Two Masters" taught me how to implement commedia in a show. "Pirates of Penzance" taught me no matter how funny a moment is, it must be focused to be successful. "Comedy of Errors" taught me that if the audience can't understand you, it's not funny. "Fiddler on the Roof" taught me to have faith in the abilities of my cast. "The Crucible" helped delve into character like I never had. "Joseph" taught me that even "fun" shows have messages. "Mother Courage" honed my ability to genuinely mix comedy and tragedy. (and puppets) "Henry V" showed me how to make the story arc from beginning to end. (and fighting with swords, lets not forget that) So with all that behind me, (and all the students as well) how could it not be the best?
Each show has had it's high points. Things that make it stand out in my memory as special. "The Fantasticks" is no different. I will remember it as the show that ran for longer than any show in PHS history. It is the show that gave McKenna Austin the chance to show what she could really do, and she did. It is the show with James, who took character at the high school level and pushed it to the stratosphere. It's the show where Steven and Brian stole the show and then gave it back when they're turn was over. It had Dexter look a cold in the face and say "You won't take this away from me!" It was a cast that could make an audience laugh till it hurt and then hurt till they cried. It's the show that we threw together in 6 weeks (musicals usually take 2-3 months) It is the show where my romantic lead broke his ankle and performed anyway. It's the show nobody saw but everybody loved. It's the show in which everyone came together and everything came together. It's the show that made me remember and follow.

Some Photos of Henry the V.

Love, Serve, Honor, and Obey

As we have worked to develop a Shakespeare Ensemble scene that is true to the nature of the bard as well as contemporary and socially conscious, we have created perhaps the most compelling and agressive piece of my directing career. Something that I have brought with me from my college days is a propensity to find damaging attitudes about women in classical works. Shakespeare is not immune to this scrutiny and, if anything, his "Taming of the Shrew" is the flagship of sexism on stage of the period. It is appaling to me that this play is still performed straight in this day and age. The final speech indicates attitudes about women that are misogynistic, plain and simple. So, I felt that we needed to discuss those issues, both as a critique of the Bard himself, and as a commentary on the current state of affairs. I have chosen 3 scenes from other Shakespeare plays to revolve around Katherine's speech, that represent the 3 types of abuse. Hamlet chides Ophelia to a nunnery is emotional abuse. Chiron and Demetrius in the rape of Lavinia is sexual abuse. And Othello strangling Desdemona is physical abuse. As we have put this scene together it has become apparent that all of the types of abuse are interrelated. There is something of sexuality and violence in Hamlet's maddening emotional teasing. When Chiron and Demetrius are done with Lavinia they violently abuse her by cutting her and then are not finished until they have emotionally crushed her. Othello has much of the same. What it leads me to believe is that abuse is abuse, and it is not long before one who emotionally abuses moves on to other things. My hope is that the kids in the class have gained a greater respect for women (if they are men) and for themselves (if they are women). Next Friday will show if we are a success.