12/19/11: Seasons Greetings and Audition Announcment

In this Issue

    Season's Greetings from Willamette Shakespeare
    Auditions for Much Ado About Nothing
    The Oregon Cultural Trust
    How You Can Help
    Shakespeare Around Town

 

Season's Greetings from Willamette Shakespeare

The holidays are nearly here and although we are still more than half the year away from opening Much Ado About Nothing, there is a lot going on at Willamette Shakespeare. On the logistical side, we are gearing up for a Spring fund-raiser and finalizing performance locations and details.

On the creative side, we have lined up most of our design and technical team and continue to develop the production concept, edit the script, and organize auditions for January. Over the next few months, you will hear details on the upcoming season and meet our new production team.

Until then, we wish you and your families a joyful holiday season. Thank you for your continued support, and we will see you in 2012.

Daniel R Somerfield
Artistic Director

Auditions for Much Ado About Nothing

It's audition time again. We are going to be doing things a little differently this year. Rather than hold our own auditions, we will be participating in a joint audition with other Shakespeare companies from around the greater Portland area.

Sarah McGregor as Diana in All's Well That Ends Well

So, if you audition for us this year, you will also have the opportunity to audition for Post5, Portland Actor's Ensemble, OPS Fest, and Northwest Classical Theatre Company. Post5 has been kind enough to offer to host all the companies at the Mile Post 5 "Community for Creatives" in NE Portland on January 15th and 16th. We hope to see you there!

Audition Details
Milepost 5
900 NE 81st Ave
Portland, OR 97213

Sunday, January 15th     10:00 am - 5:00 pm
Monday, January 16th    4:00 pm - 10:00 pm

Please prepare 1 or 2 classical monologues. At least one piece should be from Shakespeare and at least one piece should be in blank or rhyming verse. The piece(s) should total no more than 3 minutes. You must be registered to attend.

For registration instructions and further details, please see the audition website at http://www.pdxshakespeare.com.

The Oregon Cultural Trust

The year is coming to a close, and as a supporter of the arts in Oregon, you have a unique opportunity to double down on your donations.

Chet Wilson, Anna Gettles, Nathan Dunkin, Jim Halliday and Phillip Berns in A Midsummer Night's Dream

Here's how it works: donate $50 to a Willamette Shakespeare or another participating arts and cultural organization. Then go to the Cultural Trust website. Donate $50 additional dollars to the Cultural Trust, matching your donation to Willamette Shakespeare. Come tax time, that $50 donation to the Cultural Trust comes back to you in the form of a credit on your Oregon taxes. Think of it as telling the State of Oregon to use some of its collected tax dollars to support the arts.

The money that goes into the Cultural Trust comes back to the arts community via direct grants and through the OCT's cultural partners. Many local theatre companies, including Willamette Shakespeare, have been supported directly or indirectly by the Cultural Trust.

We encourage you to start a holiday tradition of donating to the Oregon Cultural Trust and help the arts thrive in Oregon.
 

How You Can Help

If you want to participate in Willamette Shakespeare's upcoming season, there are a number of ways to do so.  If you are an actor, we encourage you to attend our open auditions at the beginning of the year.

Frank Woodman as Lafeu and Susan Jonsson as the Countess in All's Well That Ends Well

If you are interested in participating in the design or technical aspects of the production, please send a resume to daniel@willametteshakespeare.org. If you are not experienced in theatre on or off-stage but still would like to participate, there are other ways you can help.  We always need volunteers as ushers, as house-managers, and for poster placement, etc.

And, of course, we welcome donations.  We are committed to keeping the shows free, and we can't do that without help from people who can afford to make a contribution.  Willamette Shakespeare is a 501(c)(3) public charity, and any contribution made to the organization is tax deductible and can be matched with the Oregon Cultural Trust for a tax credit.  More information on contributing via check or online is available at our website.

Shakespeare Around Town

Just because Willamette Shakespeare is done for the season, doesn't mean there isn't Shakespeare to be seen in the area. We encourage you to attend the performances offered by the companies listed below.

Northwest Classical Theatre Company - Hamlet
Hamlet! A rare chance to see what many people consider to be Shakespeare's greatest work in the intimate Shoebox Theatre. Alana Byington directs.

Hamlet runs December 16th - January 22nd.

$20 Adults / $18 Students
The Shoebox Theatre
2110 SE 10th Ave
Portland

Portland Center Stage - Shakespeare's Amazing Cymbeline

PCS Artistic Director Chris Coleman's adaption of this lesser-known Romance will be performed in the intimate Ellyn Bye Studio.

January 31st - April 8th
$41 - $51 ($25 for students)

Ellyn Bye Studio
Gerding Theater at the Armory

128 NW 11th Ave

Portland

More Shakespeare to report? Email info@willametteshakespeare.org. We will add your show to our list.