KELCI PASCOE
The Corsair
The PJC Ashmore Auditorium is usually a quiet place during the evening hours, but last Monday and Tuesday night it was a swirl of singing and dancing from performers of all ages.
Auditions for the upcoming rendition of the musical The Sound of Music were held at PJC’s Ashmore Auditorium last Monday and Tuesday night. The auditions were open to anyone who was interested in being a part of the play, and parts were available for people of all ages.
“We look for singing ability and the ability to move,” Rodney Whatley, The Sound of Music director, said. “If a person can carry a tune in a bucket and can communicate from the stage they have most of the skills we are looking for in a performer. We figure if you can sing a bit and move, we should be able to teach you how to act before the end of the rehearsal process. And if you already know a bit about acting, that makes the artistic birthing process a little less painful.”
One of the great things about the auditions was that a person did not need to be a professional actor to land a part in the play.
Rebecca Palmer, a PJC student seeking her A.A with music in mind said, “I don’t have much acting experience; I was in a few plays when I was younger in school. I had auditioned for High School Musical in West Point New York, and was in a few things here and there. I’m trying to build up my resume. I am interested in playing the part of Liesl. She is interesting and close to my age. I think it would be fun to play her, and I really like the singing parts involved with playing Liesl.”
This will be the first time that The Sound of Music will be performed at PJC.
“I wanted to do something from the Golden Age of Musicals,” Whatlety said. “This is one that has not been done at PJC in the entire history of the school. I decided to rectify that absence.”
Students found out about the audition through flyers around campus.
“I saw the flyers for The Sound of Music auditions in building 8 on my way to piano lessons in the practice room,” Palmer said. “When I saw the flyers I immediately got excited about it.”
As the director, Rodney Whatley plays a huge part in both the production of the play and the auditions.
“The director supervises the acting of the cast, of course, said Whatley. “I supervise and unify the work of the musical director, the choreographer, the technical director and his team of designers such as costumers, lighting designers, set designers, prop designers, sound designers, and make sure the whole team is working towards the same goal. There are many cooks in the kitchen but I am the chef. I may not do all the work, but if anything is wrong with the play it is my fault. My main responsibility is to analyze the script and communicate my interpretation of the play’s central theme and action to the cast and crew, who then communicate that vision to the audience. I also design and supervise the rehearsal process. Whew! That’s a lot. Maybe I should ask for a raise.”
Rehearsals for The Sound of Music will be every Monday-Friday from 7-9 p.m. until the opening of the show on Nov. 13.