All posts by ATOI

Upcoming Auditions

Auditions Announced

The Actors Theater of Orcas Island announces auditions for the upcoming production of the play: “The Outrageous Adventures of Sheldon and Mrs. Levine”. This play is a rollicking journey for each character as they each seek self discovery. Lots of laughs and heartfelt moments throughout this play make it a lot of fun.

This production will be a fully staged Readers Theater. While primarily a readers theater, there may be some parts that will be memorized. The cast of this play consists of Mrs Levine, the mother, and Sheldon Levine her son. There will be four performances of this show: June 23rd, 24th, 30th and July 1st.

Auditions will be held at the Grange at 6:30 pm on Tuesday, April 11th. If necessary, call backs will be held at the Grange at 6:30 pm on Sunday, April 16th. A copy of the Script will be available at the Library. If you can’t make the scheduled audition date or need additional information, contact the Director, Suzanne Gropper, at (360) 220-0846.

Upcoming auditions for the play “The Tin Woman”

The Actors Theater will present the play “THE TIN WOMAN” later this spring.

Auditions for this play will be held at the end of January.  See below for more details.

The Tin Woman is the story of a woman who receives a heart transplant and her eventual meeting with the family of the donor. Instead of relishing life after her heart transplant, Joy becomes depressed, unsure whether she truly deserves a second chance. Meanwhile, Alice and Hank each mourn the loss of their son, Jack, whose heart was used to save Joy, in their own way. Based on a true story, The Tin Woman uses humor and drama to explore loss, family, and what it means to be given new life.

Auditions will be held at the Orcas Grange on Sunday, January 22nd and Wednesday, January 25th from 6:30 to 8:00 pm. Call-backs, if necessary, will be on January 30th. Auditions will be from readings from the script. The Tin Woman has roles for four women to play characters in their 20’s through their 60’s and two men to play roles of characters in their 30’s to 60’s. Rehearsals will begin on March 8th with eight performances at the Orcas Grange between May 12th and May 28th.

A copy of the script is available for reading at the counter of the Orcas Library. If you are interested but not able to make either of the scheduled auditions or have any questions, contact the director, Doug Bechtel at (360) 317-5601.

Actors Theater Presents the 2022 Christmas Show

It’s that time of the year, islanders, when carols fill the air! Time to dig out your Christmas sweaters and your blinking light necklaces and embrace the holiday spirit. To help put you in the mood, The Actors Theater of Orcas Island invites you to enjoy some good old-fashioned radio theater at their upcoming Christmas Show, Thursday, Dec. 8 through Sunday, Dec. 11.

More than a dozen of your friends and neighbors come together to present “The Shop around the Corner” and “The Miracle on 34th Street” in the style of radio shows from the 1930s and ‘40s, complete with Applause and On Air signs lit for audience participation. The evening will end with a rousing Christmas classic. And yes, there will be Christmas cookies!

All performances begin at 7:30 p.m. at The Grange, 3398 Orcas Rd. Tickets are only $10 and available at Darvill’s Book Store, online at www.orcasactors.org and at the door. Questions? Contact Doug Bechtel at (360) 317-5601. For On-line tickets click
>HERE
 

Auditions for our 2022 Christmas Show.

Upcoming auditions at The Actors Theater

The Actors Theater of Orcas Island will hold auditions for their upcoming Christmas Radio Show at the Grange on Tuesday, November 8th and Thursday, November 10th at 6:30 pm. You will only need to attend one of the two auditions.

If you have ever wondered what it would be like to be in a play, this is your chance to find out!!! A full production normally requires 35 to 40 three hour rehearsals over two or more months. This radio show will have six or seven rehearsals spread over a few weeks. Instead of having to memorize hundreds of lines, you will read from the script. The Actors Theater hopes to cast as many people as possible.

Auditions will consist of fun theater games and readings from the poem “T’was the Night Before Christmas” and other potential Christmas stories. Copies of the poem can be found below or in numerous other places on-line. There is a notebook with the poem, anticipated rehearsal and performance schedule and other documents at the Library counter. There may be minor changes to the rehearsal schedule to accommodate the needs of the actors.

There will be four performances of the Christmas Radio Show at the Grange between Thursday, December 8th and Sunday, December 11th. All performances will begin at 7:30 pm. Actors will need to arrive at the Grange by 6:30 pm each night.

For more information, or if you would like to audition but can not make either of the above dates, contact the Director, Doug Bechtel at (360) 317-5601 or at bechtel@rockisland.com.

‘TWAS THE NIGHT BEFORE CHRISTMAS

‘Twas the night before Christmas, when all thru the house,
Not a creature was stirring, not even a mouse;
The stockings were hung by the chimney with care,
In hopes that St. Nicholas soon would be there.

The children were nestled all snug in their beds,
While visions of sugar plums danced in their heads,
And Mamma in her ‘kerchief, and I in my cap,
Had just settled down for a long winter’s nap.

When out on the lawn there arose such a clatter,
I sprang from the bed to see what was the matter.
Away to the window I flew like a flash,
Tore open the shutters, and threw up the sash.

The moon on the breast of the new fallen snow,
Gave the luster of mid-day to objects below;
When, what to my wondering eyes should appear,
But a miniature sleigh, and eight tiny reindeer,

With a little old driver, so lively and quick,
I knew in a moment it must be St. Nick.
More rapid than eagles his coursers they came,
And he whistled, and shouted, and called them by name:

“Now! Dasher, now! Dancer, now! Prancer, and Vixen,
“On! Comet, on! Cupid, on! Donner and Blitzen;
“To the top of the porch! to the top of the wall!
“Now dash away! dash away! dash away all!”

As dry leaves before the wild hurricane fly,
When they meet with an obstacle, mount to the sky;
So up to the house-top the coursers they flew,
With the sleigh full of Toys, and St. Nicholas too.

And then in a twinkling, I heard on the roof
The prancing and pawing of each little hoof.
As I drew in my head, and was turning around,
Down the chimney St. Nicholas came with a bound.

He was dressed all in fur, from his head to his foot,
And his clothes were all tarnished with ashes and soot;
A bundle of toys he had flung on his back,
And he looked like a peddler just opening his pack.

His eyes: How they twinkled! his dimples how merry,
His cheeks were like roses, his nose like a cherry;
His droll little mouth was drawn up like a bow,
And the beard of his chin was as white as the snow.

The stump of a pipe he held tight in his teeth,
And the smoke it encircled his head like a wreath.
He had a broad face, and a little round belly
That shook when he laughed, like a bowl full of jelly.

He was chubby and plump, a right jolly old elf,
And I laughed when I saw him in spite of myself;
A wink of his eye and a twist of his head
Soon gave me to know I had nothing to dread.

He spoke not a word, but went straight to his work,
And filled all the stockings; then turned with a jerk,
And laying his finger aside of his nose,
And giving a nod, up the chimney he rose.

He sprung to his sleigh, to his team gave a whistle,
And away they all flew, like the down of a thistle.
But I heard him exclaim, ere he drove out of sight.
Happy Christmas to all, and to all a good night.

Whither The Wind Blows

The Actors Theater of Orcas Island will present the world premier of  Whither the Wind Blows, for two weekends August 4-6 and 11-13, 2022 at the Orcas Grange. The play, written by Rick Gossett, from Seattle, is directed by Tom Fiscus. The story, narrated by Tony Lee, is set in a Scottish Hebrides fishing village in the 1930s. Only the fish buyer boat and the mail connect the village to the outside world.

Keen McKeg (Larry Hampel) and his wife Ona (Suzanne Gropper) live there with their 18 year-old son, Jon (Moose Kinsey), whose aspirations are to be a writer, not a fisherman. However, the loss at sea of his older brother a few years before brings Jon’s plans into conflict with his father’s fisherman ethic and the family’s needs. Add in the influences of Keen’s friend, Dorf (Lew Thomas), the village priest (Tom McDonough) and the town “witch”, Soji (Aaimee Johnson) and a powerful, moving story of loss and
hope emerges.

The play will follow a special concert of Hebridean and Celtic music beginning at 7:30 pm performed by a group of local musicians, led by Dave Zoeller. Tickets are $10, and can be purchased at Darvill’s Bookstore, at the door or by clicking the link above.

In view of the resurgence of Covid infections and the need to keep the actors safe, audience members will be required to wear masks throughout the performance. Actors Theater appreciates your patience in helping everyone stay healthy.

Photo’s from a rehearsal of Whither The Wind Blows: