The Greek Play

I’ll admit it . . . people’s reluctance to come out on the weekend had me more than a little nervous by Monday afternoon. But a remarkably talented and good-humored bunch auditioned on both days, and we have, I believe, an extraordinary cast for Elektra.

In her second Greek Play outing, Brittany Costa will play the title role. We can’t wait to see her singing and dancing in the Dell.

Anneka Freeman will show off her prodigious versatility by playing two men and a woman. She’ll be the only one who has to manage a really quick change, when at one point she has to switch from the Tutor, who has just reported in detail (but falsely) the death of Orestes, into Chrysothemis as she runs in to say that she’s sure that Orestes has come home.

Adam Brown will break new ground for the Greek Play. Taking us back, of course, to the way the Greeks did it, he’ll be the first man to be an actor in the Whiteside Greek Theatre. He’ll play both Elektra’s brother Orestes and their mother Klytemnestra.

Lorenzo Alvarez will join him in our new gender-blind era as the first male member of a Chorus in the Dell. Laura Allan, a veteran of the Clouds Chorus, will be able to show him the ropes. Also in the Chorus: Kimberly Nesbitt, who auditioned from Reading, England; Megan and Alexandra Barrett, making their theatrical debuts; and Rhiannon Knol, who may also accompany the singers.

Rounding out the cast for now (until we audition first-years to fill out the Chorus in the fall) are Nicole McLoud, Dani Dunn, and E.J. Tate.

Now we start making costumes and masks. Let us know if you want to help!

In a week we’ll have seen our first auditioners! It is getting increasingly hard to concentrate on anything besides the play, and we’re not even close to rehearsing yet.

More great crew news: Olivia Vescovo has agreed to stage manage, and Raquel Cruz is pulling together a design team for the set. Brandi Bowling, from the Cloud Chorus, is leading off the Groupie Crew until she graduates, when she’ll leave it in the good hands of Brandon Morgan, Caleb Moxley, and Ashley Haugh (also a Cloud!).

Melissa showed us some great first drawings of the costumes (purples, browns, and greens . . .), and I think there’s going to be some actual spring sewing after dance concert finishes up.

Look for strange activity in the dining hall this week as we encourage people to try out.

And let me know what you would like to see posted here. What should I blog about?

Cast coming soon . . .