Auditions for our fall musical, SpongeBob, are quickly approaching. Preliminary auditions will be conducted both virtually and in-person. For the virtual audition, students will: prepare a short acting side (either Mayor or Squidward monologues) sing 60 seconds of a song of their choosing (in the style of the show) or the selected cutting of the “SpongeBob SquarePants Theme  Song” For the in-person audition, students will:   come to one of two dance call times. Dance calls will be held from 7-9pm on August 24th and from 4-6pm on August 25th. During this time, students will learn and perform some brief choreography. Please bring water, dress for movement, and plan to wear a mask. All the necessary auditions materials can be found HERE. All preliminary auditions must be submitted by Monday, August 23rd at 5pm. After that deadline, the submission window will close, so the production team can review auditions and begin preparing for callbacks. The callback list and details will be posted on the Loft Stage website by Wednesday evening. Students will use the following Google form to submit their audition: Audition Form * The audition form will not work using your school account. Please use this form only if you DO NOT have an alternate Google account: Alternate Audition Form Callbacks will be held in-person on Thursday, August 25th. A virtual option will be made available for students who indicate that preference on their audition form. If your name isn’t on the callback list, there is a definite chance you will still make the cast list. The final cast list will be posted the evening of callbacks. There will be a brief, virtual informational session at 4pm on Wednesday, August 18th where we will review all audition information and answer any questions students may have about the process. A recording of the meeting will be posted later, so if you are unable to attend, feel free to watch the view to see what was discussed. Join Zoom Meeting https://zoom.us/j/92398891985?pwd=WlIrR2pvbUFBS1ZoUE9mMDJ3UVRTQT09 Meeting ID: 923 9889 1985 Passcode: m4VyuP

What happens if it rains?

In the occurrence of inclement weather (ie – high winds, rain, thunderstorms, etc.), our outdoor performance of Grease will be rescheduled. Tickets for a rescheduled performance will automatically be moved to the corresponding Sunday (June 13 or June 20). If, for some reason, you are unable to attend the rescheduled rain date, please email tickets@theloftstage.org for a refund of purchase price; unfortunately, patrons cannot be refunded the processing fee. While rescheduling a performance is not ideal, we know this decision is in the best interest of student, staff, patron, and equipment safety.

How long is the show?

Grease runs approximately 1 hour and 45 minutes. There will be a 15-minute intermissions between Acts I and II.

Do I have to bring a chair?

No, folding chairs will be setup for guest usage. Some chairs may have padded seats; others will be traditional metal folding chairs. If you are concerned about comfort, consider bringing a seat cushion.

Do I need to wear a mask?

Per the most recent governor’s orders, guest in our open air theatre are not required to wear masks; however, masks are strongly encouraged in more congested areas (i.e. bathrooms, box office lines, concessions, etc.).

Will the performers be masked?

As part of our district-approved COVID protocols, performers wore masks for the majority of rehearsals, but will be unmasked for performances.

Why perform outside if Governor’s orders are lifted?

Our production team has been planning this show for MONTHS, so by the time the orders were lifted, we were already too far along in the process to change venues. Additionally, the show, Grease, lends itself to a “Summer Night” show and open-air theatre is something our program has never tackled. We are excited for both students and guests to experience this one-of-a-kind show!

Can I bring snacks and/or beverages?

Unlike our indoor theatre, food and beverage are allowed outdoors. We kindly ask that guests be respectful and courteous, making sure that refreshments don’t become distracting and that any messes made are thoroughly cleaned. The production will take place on school grounds, so use of alcohol and tobacco products are strictly prohibited.

Where do I park?

The student lots, nearest the activities entrance (see image below), will likely be your best bet.

If, for some reason, parking is limited on that side, the bus lot, nearest the main entrance (see image below), is another close option.

Where can I drop off if I’m attending the show with someone in a wheelchair or with mobility issues?

Depending on where your seats are located, you may choose to drive up to either the main entrance or the student lot. House left is nearest the main entrance, whereas house right is nearest the student lot (indicated in red below).

Are there bathrooms on site?

Yes, guests will have access to indoor bathrooms just inside the activities entrance doors.

Stage Manager	Leo Ouradnik
Deck Captain	Casey Christensen
Assistant Deck Captain	Hanna Meinders
Props Captain	Morgan Gilboe
Stage Running Crew	Ava Meinders
	Haejin Lee
	Emily Anderson
	Grace Ballard
Sound Board Crew	Ann Winston
	Riley Gisch
Pit Sound Board Crew	Caleb Doran
Mic Crew	Mikayla Gillard
	Shridula Arun
Lighting Crew	Ethan Olson
	Alex Ireland
Video Crew	Cheney Yao
	Maddie Gerber
	Mikayla Gillard
	Katelyn Renner
Costume Crew	Kendall Rander
	Ava Cyr
	Kaia Heltne
	Amelia Kullman
	Grace Ballard

Grease is hands down one of the most popular musicals to ever exist; in fact in the process of making the show we learned that it is, in fact, the most-produced musical in the world. A lot of this can probably be credited to the iconic movie and the rest to the relentlessly-catchy music. Even if you’re not a regular theater goer, you’ve probably heard a slightly off-key but enthusiastic “Summer Nights” at karaoke or watched your third cousin pull a muscle dancing to “Greased Lightning” at a wedding.

Despite its popularity and formative role in my own childhood, I had my doubts about selecting Grease as our musical. At first glance, I didn’t love the “change yourself for a man” moral that has received (fair) criticism across the internet in the past 10 years. However, after a bit more digging and some discovery about the original show (did you know it was a musical before it was a movie?!) I started to see Grease in a different light. To be clear, I still don’t think you should change yourself for a man, or for anyone for that matter, but at its core, this quintessentially teenage show is about so much more. 

Grease is a story about being true to who you are. I think it’s easy to see Sandy as a stereotypical All-American, 1950s teenager corrupted by Danny, Rizzo and the gang. But with a slightly closer look at the cultural and societal norms of 1959, it’s clear that when we meet Sandy she is a product of these external forces. Between prescribed gender roles, age discrimination, and culture war, Sandy enters into adulthood with a narrative that’s already been written for her. The Greasers don’t require her to change: they give her permission to be who she is, something that’s still not easy to do, 60 years later. 

This crew of misfits, rough around the edges but loyal to the core reminds us that growing up is messy. They’re imperfect but we love them for it. And Grease is like that too. There certainly are moments in the show that don’t align with our current social values; however, not everything we put onstage is meant to be a model for behavior. Instead, it gives us an opportunity to look at our past with clear eyes and see it for what it was — the good, the bad, and the in between. 

This process has been an adventure in every way, but well worth it to be making theater again. It’s been so long since we’ve all been able to gather and we are so glad to see you under the stars for a “Summer Night” you’ll surely remember.

–Kajsa Jones, artistic director

For those who missed it, here’s the Google Slides for the May LoftPAC Meeting.

May LoftPAC Slideshow