2009 Phantom's Feaste Auditions!

Wednesday night found me out at the KC Renaissance Festival grounds standing in an empty feast hall with about 30 other people. All of us were ready to lay our emotion on the line, bare our souls to an as of yet unknown audience, and show how we can break through our own limitations and comforts. Yes ladies and gentlemen, we were there to audition for the 2009 Kansas City Renaissance Festival’s Phantom’s Feaste: Kansas City’s only Adult Halloween Dinner Theatre.

(2008 Phantom's Feaste: Adam as Ancil, and Me as Vlad)

I hadn’t actually been sure I was going to audition this year. I had been looking at being a server, and dancing in the Macabre Cabaret, and doing those wouldn’t have allowed me to perform. When I hadn’t heard back about being a server, I made the decision that I still wanted to be a part of the show, so I’d audition for all the roles I could, and just see what happened.

(2009 Phantom's Feaste: Wendy as Bella)

By the time the evening was over, I had auditioned for Frankenstein’s Monster, Igor, a Maniac, Dr. Jekyll/ Mr. Hyde, Dorian Grey and a Cabaret Dancer. Each role was fun to audition for, and after losing the weight I wanted to, I had no problems running around in next to nothing. Even though I was exhausted, and not at the top of my game, my mind wasn’t making the leaps and connections it normally would have.

(2009 Phantoms Feaste: Maniacs)

(Matt, Me, Andy, Cody)

(Adam, Curtis)

I feel that I gave a very strong audition, and casting could have gone a number of ways. Cody and I were pretty neck and neck for the roles we were both going for (Maniac, Monster, Igor), and we were feeding off of each other’s energy. What made me really happy, was that we weren’t competing! We helped each other because neither of us were in a this or nothing situation. Even though Cody really wanted to be a Maniac, he couldn’t help but be awesome as the Monster or Igor, and I believe that even though he didn’t feel the connection with the Monster, he had it. And that is why the casting went the way it did. Cody will be Frankenstein’s Monster, and I will be Igor! Check out the full Cast List, everyone did a really great job this year. I did not envy Maestro at all, everyone put on their best performances, I was so proud and impressed!

An intriguing Concept...

So I was stumbling the internet yesterday (thanks Stumble Upon!) when I came across http://survivingtheworld.net/Lesson407.html by Dante Shepherd. Now normally his daily lessons are just funny, but this one really got me thinking. He proposed the thought of the Sixth wall in theatre (wait sixth! When was there a fifth!? Read the link):

“The sixth wall, of course, involves two plays on different stages interacting with each other sporadically over the course of the evening. The audiences will be forced to choose sides in the potential war between casts and crews. Lighting designers will play key roles in utilizing the spotlights in flashbang style attacks. And theater critics will rip into both sides gleefully”

Now Dante might have been joking, but it struck a chord with me. All of a sudden I got this image in my head of a theatre with stages at either end, and all the chairs rotate so that the audience can switch back and forth. I know, most of you are probably thinking “That would never work” but I beg to differ. I can remember going to the Drive In as a kid, and it had 2 movie Screens, one at either end of the parking lot, and if you got bored with one movie, you could turn around, change the radio station, and watch the other movie! It was great!

I know, I know, it had a radio, and you didn’t have to listen to both movies at once, that’s a very good point. But this idea would need a new kind of show. Imagine if you can, a play performed on two different stages at the same time, each stage appears to be presenting a different kind of show, but in reality they have been written to give a complete picture. The only way to get the full story is to watch bits and pieces of each show. The lighting and sound crews would have to have their cues down, and the actors would need some of the most incredible timing. But think about it, you could tell a story from multiple perspectives by having action on both stages. It could bring a whole new concept to musicals! Think about being able to watch a show like West Side Story, and re-write the opposing groups songs to be sung at the same time! I know, I’m starting to ramble, but I think it would be pretty awesome! It could really show that while we may all be different, we are all very much alike.

Best,

Mike