An infinite number of minions...

So that's it - finally I have cast it. In the end we had 38 people come to auditions! Even with the four who subsequently dropped out it will be the biggest cast DramSoc has had in years. What do I do with them all?!

It was quite frustrating not to have enough speaking parts to go round - there was a lot of potential there and some people who could do very well but I just wasn't able to give them a big enough part. Still, most of them seem happy to be involved anyway. Now I just have to make sure I keep them entertained! The biggest challenge will be the first rehearsal on Sunday for which I've called everyone though a few people can't make it. I'm planning on lots of ice-breaker and acting games to ease us into the process and get to know each other before starting some basic blocking for scenes. Though since most of the 'extras' will be improvising there won't necessarily be a lot of blocking. Hmm. I'll think of something! :S

Very impressed with all the talent though and really excited about working with people. The guy cast as the villain was deliciously evil and there are several incredibly talented new faces - as well as a few familiar ones. The next challenge will be working out a rehearsal schedule that everyone can actually make it to. :S

The script is pretty much almost entirely finalised mostly. There are a couple of good lines I haven't been able to fit in, and a few major plot/character failings that are impossible to fix, but I'm quite pleased with it. I've got it down to fifty-six pages too which I'm really hoping isn't too long. Tomorrow will be the end of the road for script re-drafts as I have to print out thirty-four copies ready for the cast read-through! Fortunately I've had lots and lots of help, comments and suggestions. :)

Have also been messing around with a black/white theme for the posters but I'm not convinced it's really what we're after. What do you think?

Auditions

I'm actually in a play myself this week but I had to take a couple of hours out to some auditions for The Dark Side. There will be more auditions at the weekend but we thought we'd grab the people who turned up to the acting workshop - and there were actually quite a few. As the workshop finished at about 4pm we started off with about ten people and realised we didn't really have enough scripts to go round! As we got to five o'clock and had gotten through barely half of them, more and more people started arriving. There's wasn't a sign on the door, so people kept wandering in, and when they did, there weren't enough scripts for them and I had to jump up and explain the process in the middle of an audition. Co-director Nigel kept running outside to get copies of the relevant bits of scripts so he could read in for the other characters in the scene. It was chaos.

At this point the almighty Tosin turned up and proceeded to save the day. I have never been to an audition which needed a bouncer before, but Tosin fit the bill perfectly. He also managed to photocopy enough scripts for everyone and even did some crafty flyering for 'The Ugly One' as well! Both myself and my poor producer got a bit of an earful along the lines of 'this what you should have done! Why does no-one listen to me?!' :)

In the end there were twenty-four of them. Twenty-four! We were there till 7pm, bar a short but vital loo break. It's only the first audition and there are more than enough people to fill the parts already! It was also great to see so many new faces, and in particular so many very impressive new faces! We got a couple of people (villains in particular for some reason) who seemed perfect for a particular part - and many who I'm going to have trouble finding good enough roles for.

After the auditions I spend the rest of the evening in a combined tech/plot (or 'plotech' ¬_¬) for The Ugly One which opens tonight and is very awesome. Luke, Phil, Tosin and I spent most of it singing quite loudly, and when Henry and John Winters turned up they were told that the sex scene wasn't even in the play it was just Phil and I having fun. Hmmm. Managed to get the 12.36am bus home, so now am rather sleepy!

Oh, and I almost forgot - Chads (our props guy) auditioned too! He read the role of Josh - the props guy in the play, leading to the following status:

Chads Chadwick Is a techie acting as an actor by auditioning for a part playing a techie in a play he will be teching. This may be confusing.

The Story of a Play, Episode IV

Tuesday was Imperial College freshers' fair (or fayre). It was incredible to see the sudden burst of manic activity in college following a long summer of having the union to ourselves. I flitted down to the MTsoc table (half of which had been sneakily taken over by techies) on a couple of occassions but spent most of my time in the Union Concert Hall which had been taken over by Dramsoc. There I courted anyone who was foolish enough to poke their head round the corner, persuading all and sundry that they needed to join Dramsoc and audition for my play/be a techie.

To bring you up to speed then, I have written a play! And I thought that since this blog has been so neglected it needed a theme and a purpose. This purpose, I have decided, will be to keep you all informed of the progress of this year's Imperial Dramsoc Christmas Show - 'The Dark Side'.

Work has already begun - I've found most of my production team, had some very productive meetings with Set Designer Henry, got logo ideas from Adam, worked over the script several times (with thanks to Adam and Priyan among others for their helpful suggestions) and of course press-ganged everyone I know into auditioning.

May not be actual logo.

So basically this will be one giant plug. Hmm, that doesn't sound like it'll make for fascinating reading. I will have to find enough interesting occurences to give you all something exciting to read. Well we'll see how it goes, and I shall try not to bore you!

In the mean-time I have a job interview, work and extensive rehearsals to get to tomorrow so good-night until next time!