10 - We've heard it's going to be another scorcher this year. Escape the heat into the air conditioned Merc for rehearsals and performances.
9 - There's always somebody in the cast who likes to cook and/or bake. You might get fed a lot. 8 - Applause. The Methow community is, hands down, the best audience there is. There's nothing in the world quite like the gratification one feels when the lights come up on curtain call and everyone is sending bushels of love your way. 7 - It's The Importance of Being Earnest. The costumes will be incredible. 6 - You don't have to prepare anything for auditions - you just have to show up. 5 - It's The Importance of Being Earnest. It's funny and amazing and the characters are Fabulous with a capital F. 4 - It's Oscar Wilde - you're bound to learn about 100 pithy and useful one-liners to pull out in future conversation. 3 - WE NEED YOU. We can't do live theater without live performers. 2 - Have you ever heard of the Theater Family? It is the greatest group of people you'll ever experience while you spend time together working on the show. Cast members become your closest people in just a short matter of time and some lifelong friends will be made. If you've never experienced it - you should. And the number-one reason to audition for The Importance of Being Earnest? - The Magic of Theater will transform your summer into an all-out adventure well worth the challenge and hard work. Working with Ki will improve your acting skills, whatever your level of experience, and you'll have a great time doing it. You will not regret it! Come try out for the show to see how rewarding it will be! See you at The Merc!  Lillian Cooley, 8th Grade, Medieval Manuscript Letter Student art is on display at The Merc for the run of our Children's Theater Production of As You Like It. Robin Neslon Wicks, art teacher at Liberty Bell Junior/Senior High School, curated student work with contributions from eighth graders through seniors. Showcasing a variety of mediums, the work compliments the time period and genre of Shakespeare's play which is currently onstage.
Also on display in The Merc's window is a mural painted by Ashley Watson, senior at LBHS. Ashley's senior project aimed to create an installation for The Merc using only acrylic paint. Her project portrays many of the talented people who represent The Merc's community and recent productions. Ashley invested over 50 hours of studio time planning, drafting, and then painting the mural in order to have it installed for Opening Night of As You Like It. Join us for the final weekend of As You Like It to view the art. The weekend starts with Pay What You Can Night on Thursday, March 12th and goes through Sunday, March 15th. Thurs - Sat, show starts at 7:00. Sun matinee starts at 2:00. Tickets available online and at the door. Doors open 30 minutes prior to showtime. Bring your nickels for Nickel Shakespeare scenes performed in the lobby before the show starts. Rod Molzahn, director of our upcoming kids show, has provided a nice synopsis for As You Like It so that theater-goers know what the heck is going on in Shakespeare's well-loved, and perhaps funniest, comedy. Here's how it goes:
Oliver, the older brother of Orlando, refuses to share the family inheritance with his younger brother. He also refuses to let Orlando go to school. Orlando feels that he is treated worse than the horses. The old Duke, who had ruled the city for years, has been overthrown by his younger sister, the new Duchess, and banished to the Forest of Arden with his followers. Orlando agrees to a wrestling match with Charles, the Duchess’ undefeated wrestler. At the wrestling match Orlando and Rosalind, the old Duke’s daughter, meet and fall in love. Orlando defeats Charles. That makes the Duchess angry and she banishes Orlando. Then she banishes Rosalind. The Duchess’ daughter, Celia, goes with her cousin, Rosalind, and the court jester, Touchstone, to the Forest of Arden to find Rosalind’s father. Rosalind disguises herself as a boy and Celia dresses as a servant to be safer on the journey. In the forest they meet several farmers and shepherds. Rosalind and Celia buy a farm. Rosalind and Orlando meet in the forest but Orlando doesn’t recognize her because of her disguise but a young shepherdess falls in love with her thinking she is a boy. Celia finds all the confusion very funny as you will when you see the whole play. As You Like It opens Friday night, March 6th. Doors open at 6:30 and show starts at 7:00. Performances run March 6th - March 15th. Thursday, Friday, Saturday at 7:00. Sunday at 2:00. Purchase tickets online or at the door. $15.00 for adults, $5 for kids. Pay What You Can Night is Thursday, March 12th.  Tech week is the most exciting time at The Merc. It's when all the moving pieces and parts come together in the magic of theater and bring the show to its much-anticipated Opening Night. Cast members finalize acting notes from the director, costumes are fitted and tweaked, lighting and sound are incorporated with each scene, and last-minute touch-ups amend the sets. It's the busiest week of rehearsals, and honestly? Usually it looks like a tornado whipped its way through backstage at the end of Tech Week rehearsals. I think Will, our janitor, called it "disarray." But what might look like chaos is actually the team working together on all fronts to produce a terrific show. It takes full commitment from every individual, and remember, "There are no small parts..." especially at this point in production. Even the parents who drive the car pool are essential to the productive tech week that leads to the successful run of a show. Everyone is important and we can't thank all the troupers enough!
Then, somehow by Friday night, magic happens and Opening Night is here before we know it. All of the hard work culminates into the excitement of a live audience. I particularly love openings of our children's shows because of the joy that comes from watching a child grow through rehearsals, navigate nerves and performance anxiety, and then marvel at audience appreciation with the first round of enthusiastic applause. Children are frequently experiencing that emotional roller coaster for the first time in our kid's shows. Their excitement is contagious. It's a very busy week, but by Friday we will be ready to entertain friends and relatives with our 2015 Children's Theater Production of As You Like It. Its' a comedy. Be ready to laugh. Come back this week if you've never seen or read the play. I will post a short synopsis by the director of the show, Rod Molzahn, so that you know what the plot is all about. Like all Shakespeare, it is rife with shenanigans, disguises, and people falling in and out of love, so we'll make sure to arm you with the outline. See You at The Merc! Missi |
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The Merc Playhouse | 101 S. Glover Street | PO Box 425 | Twisp, WA 98856 | 509.997.7529 | info@mercplayhouse.org
The Merc Playhouse is a registered 501(c)3.
The Merc Playhouse is a registered 501(c)3.