MN Thespians produces an annual All State Show that performs during our MN Chapter Conference. Some of you may remember last year’s production of MEAN.

For 2014 we will be producing a staged reading of Omnium Gatherum, a play based on the events of September 11th, 2001. This show will audition on October 17th and 18th, with the first readthrough on October 19th. The show will rehearse over the winter and perform on February 16th, 2014 at the Chanhassen High School theatre.

Students currently enrolled in high school who are interested in auditioning for OMNIUM GATHERUM do not need to prepare anything prior to auditions. Students should, however, bring all conflicts for the following dates:
October 19
December 7 & 8
January 19 & 20
February 16 & 17

Auditions will be with sides linked below. Any actors who wish to present a monologue will be welcome to do so at the audition, but it will not be required. Headshots/Resumes are also optional.

Character List
Suzie – F, Caucasian
Roger – M, Caucasian
Lydia – F, Caucasian
Julia – F, African American
Khalid – M, either of Mideast or African descent – may consider a Caucasian, as well
Terence – M, Caucasian (He also has an English accent, so students should feel free to give this a shot in their auditions)
Jeff – M, Caucasian
Mohammed – M, either of Mideast or African descent

Reading sides for these roles are at: http://www.mnthespians.com/audition-sides.html

To audition, sign up at https://docs.google.com/forms/d/146e71-R2rj3EzpNulB-IYUhbxMEZUdxpSl6i6Kor4KM/viewform

Check out the facebook event at: https://www.facebook.com/events/174945296031677/

Visit MN Thespians at: www.mnthespians.org

As you know, the ERHS musicals are, hands down, the best theatre value around.  And you’ve heard this year’s show is already phenomenal in rehearsals!  Face it—you long to get swept up in the swoony, forbidden romance spectacle that is Aida.  Well, tickets are disappearing fast, so Get On It.  And if you really want to do it up in style, hit the pre-show Gala—the party of the year.

GALA FAQs

Q:  What do you get for your Gala and Show tickets?

A:  An $8 to $10 ticket to the opening night PERFORMANCE gets you:

• Awesome show for a ridiculously low price
• Awesome hand-decorated cookies
• Access to the Silent Auction, also awesome

A $10 ticket to the opening night GALA gets you:

• The chance to celebrate educational theater in a community that values arts education.
• Red carpet glitz and glamor, and, if you’d like, a great excuse to dress up
• A dazzling, thoroughly transformed, beautifully decorated party space
• Leisurely viewing of and bidding on all that Silent Auction swag
• Roving appetizer trays from Green Mill and a $10 coupon to Green Mill on the back of your $10 Gala ticket!
• Professional photographer, Jeanne Berget, to take spiffy family pictures
• Entertainment fit for Nubian and Egyptian royalty

SILENT AUCTION FAQs

Q:  Do I have to attend the Gala to bid on Silent Auction items?

A:  No.  All are welcome to check out the goods and place their bids.  Just sign up for a bidder number before you get started.

Q:  When do I know if I win, and do I have to be present?

A:  Bidding closes five minutes before the end of intermission.  People can check their bids either before the show’s second half starts or after the show is over.  We do prefer you pay for and pick up your winnings that same night.

Q:  What sorts of donations are you still looking for?

A:  Everything and anything.  We need people to ask retailers for donations–remember they may value the 900+ opening night audience publicity.  Cash always works.  Or put together a theme basket.  Here are some ideas to get you started:

Gift Cards:

For local services:

• Heppners Auto Body
• Oil change
• Teeth whitening
• Manicures/pedicures
• Massage
• Hair salons

and from local businesses:

• Liquor stores
• Starbucks/Caribou/Steepery
• Sporting Goods Stores (Dick’s, Sports Authority, Gander Mountain, etc.)
• Department stores, like Target (of course)
• Woodbury Lakes
• Boutique shops
• Restaurants in Woodbury, Hudson, Afton, Lake Elmo, etc.

Or throw together a theme basket, with or without gift cards, such as:

• Italian dinner (noodles, sauce, cheese grinder, cookbook)
• Tasting oil sampler
• Chips and salsa sampler
• Baking basket (baking pan, spatula, baking mix, cupcake liners, etc)
• Hostess basket: (lotions, holiday towels, fancy soaps, etc)
• Dog Lovers (gift card to a pet supply store, toys, treats, copy of Old Yeller, etc)
• Family Movie Night (look for holiday, teenage, children’s, and/or comedy classics to create a theme, then add popcorn)
• Slumber party basket (hair and nail supplies; Any John Hughes movie; snacks)
• Family Game Night
• Wine lovers
• Beer connoisseur
• Tea and coffee sampler
• Chocolate lovers
• Sports lovers
• Hair and Nail care for guys or gals
• Booklovers–Bestsellers, mysteries, young adult, etc.
• Essential cookbooks
• College student survival packages

Q:  Where should I drop off donations?

A:  Contact Sara Finn (tel # 651-714-9510 or snfinn@comcast.net)–she will pick up your donations from you.  OR, you can drop them off at Sara’s house—there will be a bin outside her front door for donations:

10580 Pinnacle Way, Woodbury MN 55129

Q:  When are donations due?

A:  As soon as possible!  We will take donations up until Monday, October 28. but since we need to put together descriptions for the items, the sooner we receive them the better.

Again, feel free to contact Sara at snfinn@comcast.net with any questions, and thanks again for your support of the Loft Stage’s largest fundraiser of the year!

                                                      Props needed for Aida!

Lots of props are needed to ensure Aida visually pops on stage, and the Loft Stage really needs your help to make this happen. George would be delighted to receive any of the following items when he is in the shop–hours are Monday-Thursday 6:30 to 9:00 in the evenings, or Saturdays 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.  The sooner you can get these items to George, the better.  Many thanks in advance!

George’s wish list:

• Baskets – Medium size and large hamper size
• Silk Flowers and greenery
• Vases – Rose bud vases that we can paint and medium size metal vases
• Bowls – Wooden or brass-like metal or tin
• Fake fruit and vegetables
• Jewelry – Fake jewelry and beads
• Wine goblets, plastic
• Wine pitcher plastic
• Metal trays
• Boxes – Wooden with/without lids
• Muslin fabric or white bed sheets
• Upholstery Fabric – Remnants in rich jewel colors
• Rope – Medium to thick twine-type
• Latex Paint – Any colors (no enamel paints or stains)

A benefit supporting the
Educational Theatre Association’s Student Scholarship fund

The Educational Theatre Association (EdTA) present Making Magic, Defying Gravity, an evening of “behind the curtain” conversation and music with working professionals from the National Touring Company of the Broadway Blockbuster Wicked.

On Saturday, September 28, 2013 at 8pm area high school students will join working professionals onstage for an evening of entertainment and conversation in celebration and support of theatre education. Representing Minneapolis and 10 area high schools will be Sophie Geerdes (Blaine), Mitchell Greene (St. Francis), Erin Hartford (Centennial), Zach Hays (Holy Angels), Sharon Houchins (Blaine), Coletrane Johnson (Washburn), Max Mauch-Morff (St. Francis), Corinne Nugent (Shakopee), Abilene Olson (St. Francis), Naomi Ridley (East Ridge), and Isabel Rousmaniere (Minneapolis South).

All proceeds benefit the EdTA Scholarship Fund for students across the country. Since its inception in 2012 Making Magic, Defying Gravity has traveled to over 14 cities across America as an advocacy outreach benefit.

Tickets are $15 and can be reserved online or purchased at the door on the day of the show from 6:45-7:45 p.m.

For more information about this one-night event and the performers, visit EDTA Website

View the Press Release
View the Poster

For those who missed the parent meeting, or who just want to review, a .pdf of the presentation can be found below.

Parent Meeting