The Playmaker's auditions for the summer youth production, "Nightingale," an award-winning adaptation of the famous tale from Hans Christian Andersen, are scheduled for Friday, March 16, 5:30 pm, and Saturday, March 17, 1:00. Both auditions will be at the Playmakers' Theatre, 121 W. 3rd, Grove, OK. Students auditioning must be at least 8 years of age or older and must be registered for one of the audience dates. Call 918 786 8950 to register and to request more information. Rehearsals will begin in mid-May with performances beginning July 15. Please bring all summer scheduling conflicts to discuss with the director.
The production is an elegant and subtle take on the classic tale and its exotic location by John Urquhart and Rita Grauer. It won the American Alliance for Theatre Education's Distinguished Play Award.
It is a participatory play of the highest quality; an important achievement in the often underestimated but difficult genre of participation plays. Participation by the young people in the audience occurs when they are asked by an actor for help or for a particular type of response which is essential to move the story forward. The creative and expandable script calls for dancers (6-8), musicians (8) who have no lines, and ancient oriental gods (2-4) who do have few but important lines. The musicians play such simple instruments as wooden xylophones, a drum, wood blocks, a triangle, wind chimes, etc. Dancers perform stylized movement using ribbons and streamers, and the oriental gods have flags. The servants provide some comic relief. The Nightingale must sing and dance skills would be helpful. Some tumbling and acrobatics may be included. One other speaking part is the Servant when acting as narrator and also as the kitchen maid who leads the emperor to the nightingale. This part might be split for two actors. There are also non-speaking parts for those who can help with the participatory elements of the play--the costumed crew, so to speak.
The story begins with an emperor who is obsessed by his worldly possessions and has grown blind to the needs of his people and the real treasures of life.
At the end of the emperor's forest, where the emperor has never been, is a deep blue sea where fishermen come with their nets to feed their families and to hear the sweet music of the nightingale. The emperor is outraged to learn that such a treasure exists in his own forest, and yet he has not seen it. When he orders the nightingale brought to him, a kitchen maid (the only one at court who knows of its whereabouts) leads the court to a nearby forest, where the nightingale agrees to appear at court. When the nightingale sings, it brings tears to the Emperor's eyes, and the he declares that the bird must remain at court. He puts it in a golden cage where it must sing to him every day, allowed out only when tied to silken strings. Then, one day, a leader of another countr