The “Peter and the Starcatcher” auditions were held from Monday, Aug. 19 to Wednesday, Aug. 21, giving aspiring stars the chance to take the center stage in this play.
Over the course of two days, several students gathered at room T1 to audition for the fall play. The auditions began with vocal exercises as warmups, followed by students reading their scripts and singing. On Wednesday when the best performers were called back, they all sat on stage in groups as characters in order to see their chemistry working together.
“I prepared for this audition before we even had the audition materials. I watched the play from a video on YouTube and prematurely looked up what the material might be,” freshman Tobias Silva-Jameson said. “Once [it] was given, I just practiced a lot.”
After auditioning for their desired role, students received feedback from Drama Director Danny Campbell to help refine their performance. Depending on how they did, they would receive a callback where they would be asked to play the parts again or make different character choices.
“When I go in the room for my audition, I try not to let my nerves get in the way and try to just put on a smile and perform the scene like I had practiced,” senior MJ Manalo said. “When making choices, I try to think about what would be most fitting for the character as well as what makes most sense for the setting of the scene.”
Campbell chose “Peter and the Starcatcher,” a prequel to Peter Pan, for its diverse roles, aiming to challenge students to step out of their comfort zones and showcase their talents. Campbell looked for students who fully immersed themselves in their roles, bringing energy and passion to their performances. He paid close attention to how they utilized body language, voice and speech to make choices in conveying the character’s emotions and intentions.
“Peter and the Starcatcher has many parts [that] are fun and can show a range of what student actors can do if given the opportunity. This show should challenge them to create new characters and step out of their comfort zone while I get to know them personally – including their acting habits, quirks, and personalities,” Campbell said. “It’s super fun, exciting and gives the audience a reason to laugh along with a great sense of adventure throughout.”
