The 100 Mile Performing Arts Society is looking to the stars for their upcoming production of A Long Time Ago....
This pantomime is a comedic spoof of several sci-fi franchises according to first-time director Margot Shaw and longtime producer Kathy Wolczuk. Shaw said A Long Time Ago... is also a pantomime so there will be plenty of comedic whimsy and music for actors and audiences to enjoy.
"It's a space fairy tale pantomime. There's lots of silliness, good guys and bad guys, kings and princesses, dames and magic," Shaw said. "We're very excited, it's very silly and we have the band back. It's very family-friendly and people are more than welcome to come in their best Star Wars, Star Trek and Battlestar Galactica outfits."
Shaw said that the show has space for up to a dozen named roles in addition to children and adult choruses. All told Shaw has enough roles for between 20 to 30 people. This means during the audition process in September she is encouraging the theatre community, both veteran and first-time actors, to come out and join the cast.
Auditions are being held early next month on Thursday, Sept. 12 from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. and Saturday, Sept 14 from 10 a.m. to noon at St. Timothy's Anglican Church on Blackstock Road. Shaw is requesting potential actors come with a prepared monologue and song.
"It's a panto so you don't have to be a professional grade singer. There's music in it and a lot of the time it is chorus numbers and singalong songs," Shaw said. "We want people who want to come out, sing a little song and do a monologue so we get an idea of their voice and what they feel comfortable doing. It's a big cast so we are hoping to accommodate everyone who wants to come out to play."
Shaw noted that there will be a time commitment for those who join the production. The play's opening night is at the end of November so it will be a short turnaround with rehearsals kicking off Monday and Thursday evenings and Saturday afternoons until the end of October before moving into Martin Exeter Hall in November.
"We're doing eight shows and a couple of extra matinees this time. We're doing Nov. 29, Nov. 30 and Dec.1 at night and a matinee on Dec. 2. The following week we'll do Wednesday night, Thursday night, Friday night and another matinee on Sunday."
A Long Time Ago... is set on the planet Diptheria and revolves around what Shaw describes as "not a happy wedding" which no one but the groom seemingly wants. During the wedding, a villain named Evil Mange tries to take over the planet, a plot the hapless wedding planner and guests are pulled into.
"There are references to pretty much every sci-fi series you have heard of whether it is Star Trek, Star Wars, Battlestar Galactica, Space Balls, pretty much everything," Shaw explained. "It is not a direct correlation or plain ripoff of anything it's a pantomime. It has no pride, nothing uppity about it. It will rip off jokes from wherever it can find and make a crack about anything it can think of."
While Shaw has been an assistant director before and has acted both on stage and helped out behind the scenes, this is her first time running the show. She remarked she is excited to do everything she can to make the show go on and explore her new role.
Wolczuk said that from a design perspective, they're going for a colourful and almost cartoonish feel to the whole production. She added that they have also arranged for a choreographer to take part in the show this year, alongside the live band.
"So there is going to be some dancing which is a little bit more than what we have been able to get together before," Wolczuk said. "That's fun too."
Shaw said they'll have plenty of sing-along moments for the audience to participate in.
"I think the town is starting to understand pantos. This is the third one that we've put on," Shaw said. "A lot of the same silliness, jokes and performances go on. The prime directive is to have a good time."
Anyone looking for further information is invited to reach out to Shaw at pilgersh@shaw.ca or Wolczuk at katherinewolczuk@gmail.com.
