Experience UGA is a high-energy comedic and musical performance for Athens Clarke County third graders who visit the Fine Arts Theatre on November 20-21. Experience UGA is an internationally recognized program that inspires the children of our community to aspire to a college education through field trips each year to UGA to explore different areas of study from pre-K to high school. Our department hosts approximately 1000 third graders who come to learn about film and theatre. In addition to more informative segments, there will be two distinct performances. Play About Plays: Play About Plays teaches the audience about the different jobs in theatre, with characters including The Director, The Stage Manager, designers, and a pathologically enthusiastic Stagehand who tries too hard to do all the jobs while displaying boundless energy to dance and run around the theatre. Aesop's Greatest Hits! Staged by department student organization Children's Theatre Troupe and directed by undergraduate Abby McWethy. A rollicking and rambunctious retelling of some of Aesop’s most popular fables, including “The Boy Who Cried Wolf,” “Androcles and the Lion,” “The Tortoise and the Hare,” and more! It was exceptionally well-received as it toured area schools with the St. Louis Shakespeare Company. Presented by an enthusiastic and well-intentioned but frantic, funny, and frazzled trio of “Fableers,” Aesop’s Greatest Hits! is a fast-paced romp through morals and animals in the spirit of The Complete Works of William Shakespeare (Abridged). AUDITIONING Experience UGA will be auditioning alongside UGA Theatre's production of 9 to 5 on Aug. 19. All requirements will be the same. Visit the 9 to 5 Audition Page to sign up for a time slot and fill out your audition form! DATES & REHEARSALS Performances: November 20 & 21 from 9:45 a.m. to 11:15 a.m. Final dress rehearsal will be Nov. 19 and will be open to family and friends who would like to see the show. Rehearsals: Rehearsals will begin with a readthrough on Oct. 14, with approximately 3 rehearsals a week (tentatively Mon/Wed/Thurs at 6:00 p.m.): Aesop's Greatest Hits! will rehearse two of those days, with the Emcee Quartet and Play About Plays rehearsing one day for much of that time. A rehearsal is planned for Sun. Nov. 3 at 11:00 a.m. and will have an abbreviated schedule of 5:00-6:00 p.m. during tech week and opening of 9 to 5. There will be a tech/dress rehearsal Monday, Nov. 18. ROLES Auditioning actors will be cast in multiple roles across both Play About Plays and Aesop's Greatest Hits! Play About Plays: 5-8 actors. 2 Soprano, 2 Tenor. The Director Also serves as "Emcee 1"; Potential quartet member The Stage Manager Also serves as "Emcee 2"; Potential quartet member The Stagehand Not in the quartet. Plays "Stagehand" in Aesop's Greatest Hits! as well. The Costume Designer Edna from The Incredibles. Potentially playing all designers; Potential quartet member The Scenic Designer Wants to make noise and build things! The Lighting Designer Doesn't like being forgotten. Actor 1 Potential quartet member Actor 2 Potential quartet member Aesop's Greatest Hits! Note: Character names are simply placeholders and will be replaced with the actors' names or nicknames. All roles open to everyone, regardless of gender. "Phil" Captain of the troupe. Described as: Captain of the Aesop Fableers. Driven and intelligent, logical and practical. Phil is a planner with a short fuse who’s easy to wind up. "Mia" The experienced troupe member. Described as: long-time member of the Fableers. Mia is energetic and unflappable, but with a wily streak. She has much more patience with Ryan than Phil does. "Ryan" The new guy, lots of energy. Described as: new member of the Fableers. It’s a dream job that Ryan has gotten pretty much on passion and spit. Little intelligence and all heart, Ryan tries so hard in this, his (always) first performance with the Fableers. Stagehand Occasionally intrusive and incompetent stage crew. Also plays “the Sheep,” the “Villagers,” etc. No spoken lines, but makes their presence known.
