Shakespeare roles attract 35 would-be actors to Southeast

Tana Howard, Bryan Parker and Sami Gross were at the Rose Theatre Wednesday night to try out alongside a bunch of college students for roles in "A Midsummer Night's Dream." Their grades don't depend on how they do. The three community members put themselves through the nervousness of auditioning because being on stage does something for them.

The production will be co-directed by Dr. Robert Dillon Jr. and Paul Zmolek of the Department of Theatre and Dance at Southeast Missouri State University.

Thirty-five students and community members turned out Wednesday night for the movement and singing part of the audition.

There were two renditions of "Oh What a Beautiful Morning," two of "Amazing Grace," one "Take Me Out to the Ball Game" and 16 bars from a couple of operas.

Howard was an undergraduate in the theater department at the same time as Dr. Kenn Stilson, now chairman of the department. Now a legal secretary, she has been part of many productions with the community theater group the River City Players.

The trying part of the audition for Howard, who is in her 40s, was an exercise that required tumbling through another actor's legs. "Those are kids on that stage," she said.

The 31-year-old Parker was a vocal major in his years at Northwest Missouri State University. He boomed out "Mr. Cellophane" from the musical "Chicago." Parker, who works in classified advertising at the Southeast Missourian newspaper, admits to being intimidated by Shakespeare.

"I decided to step out of my comfort zone," he said.

At 12, Sami was the youngest to audition. The seventh-grader at Cape Girardeau's Central Middle School caught acting fever when she appeared in Central High School's production of "Annie Get Your Gun" a few years ago. Now she takes dance and vocal lessons.

After she sang "Moonshine Lullaby" from the same show, Dillon took Sami aside to tell her she wouldn't be cast in "A Midsummer Night's Dream." Her youth was the reason, the contrast between her and the 20-, 30- and 40-year-olds on stage would be too jarring for the audience. Dillon told her to be patient.

The actors and actresses waited nervously in the lobby while the directors decided whom to call back. Dillon had reminded them that not being called back didn't mean they were out and getting called back didn't mean they were in -- just that the directors wanted to see more.

Howard didn't get called back. Parker did.

The wait for everyone has begun. The cast list will be posted at the theater by midday Friday.

"A Midsummer Night's Dream" will be presented Oct. 24 to 25 and Oct. 30 through Nov. 2.

sblackwell@semissourian.com

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