Monday, March 12, 2018

Additional Information for Parents/Guardians




The 14th Annual New Works Festival
EYE to EYE

-Additional Information for Parents/Guardians-

                                               
PARENT/ GUARDIAN MEETING - TUESDAY 4/3 at 7:30p - AUDITORIUM
This meeting is mandatory for parents/guardians of students participating in this production.  Even if you're a Lincoln Drama parent/guardian veteran, and you think you've heard it all, we ask that you participate in this meeting.  Each show represents things that are unique and important for every parent/ guardian involved to understand.  

When you attend the meeting, you are helping set the best example in the entire world for your child. We thank you for your interest and support of your child's passion for theatre.  

CAST AND CREW EXPENSES
Please review the required play expenses for which we ask your help.  Scholarships are available. If your family needs a partial or full scholarship, please alert Jim Peerenboom, Michelle Richards or Kathy Weidenbaum.  

Pay by check to “Friends of Lincoln” with “Drama” in the memo line OR click the DONATE link on our secure ticketing website to pay by credit card:
The DONATE link is in the upper right hand corner of that page.

If you would like to donate above the amount we ask for, our performing arts program and the students will absolutely benefit from your help.  We historically have around 15% of our cast and crew who need financial assistance to cover all or some of what we ask.

If you would like to sponsor the New Works Festival at the $1000 level, you will receive the following as our way to thank you:

- 4 complimentary tickets to a show
- Name prominently displayed on all the programs and lobby thank you sign
- Name on the posters
- Mentioned to the audience at all productions
​- 1 or 2 original t-shirts, custom-designed for the play

SUMMARY OF COSTS

Mandatory Fee:  $125
$50 participation donation
$75 food cost

Add-On Fee/Purchase/Donation: $50 and up
$50 volunteer fee
$15 DVD
$ xx donation for gifts for director/designers



EXPLANATION OF COSTS

$50 PARTICIPATION DONATION
Helps cover the cost of your child’s custom designed show t-shirt, as well as the costs associated with producing the show, including our professional director and designer fees, as well as the scenic, lighting, costuming, sound, properties, and marketing expenses.

$75 FOOD COST
We will be catering the food to feed the cast and crew for this show, as organizing parents/guardians to cook and bring in food has not been working successfully.  Paying for these meals and snacks is not an option.  We ask every family for $75 worth of help in this cost category.  FYI:  The week before opening, we feed everybody on tech weekend, Saturday and Sunday.  And then we provide dinners Monday, Tues, Wed, and Thurs of opening week.  And on closing night after the performance, and as part of the on stage celebration, we provide something like pizza for the students to enjoy.

$50 VOLUNTEER FEE
It takes a village to produce the plays in Lincoln Drama's outstanding program.  And it's because of parents/guardians like you that Lincoln's Drama program enjoys an excellent reputation in the theatre community. The only way we can continue to achieve that is with your help:  to build the set, run errands, help with the box office and concessions during performances, help with marketing the Festival, etc. We ask you to write a separate $50 check to Friends of Lincoln for us to hold and not cash if you volunteer for a minimum of 4 hrs, or we will cash it at the end of the production if you can't or don't volunteer a minimum of 4 hrs.  

$15 DVD
You can order a DVD of the recorded performance for $15 each.  This is an optional purchase.

$ xx DONATION FOR GIFTS FOR DIRECTOR AND DESIGNERS  
We traditionally gift the adults who work with your kids during this theatre experience.  If you factor the amount of hours they work vs. how much we pay them, you probably pay your babysitter more per hour.  Our professionals do all this work because they share the same passion for theatre as our kids, and love to help give our kids great experiences in the world of theatre. 

The people for this show we will thank are five in number:

-Matthew B. Zrebski (director/dramaturg/composer/sound designer)
-Jim Peerenboom (producer/costumer)
-Kyra Sanford (set designer/master carpenter)
-Becca Priddy (lighting designer/electrician)
-Jerod Schmidt (graphics design advisor)

Your gift of money that we can use to buy meaningful gifts and thank them is very appreciated.  



In advance, thank you for all you do and contribute so as to keep the Lincoln High School Drama Department thriving.  We look forward to seeing you all during the process from page to stage!

Wednesday, March 7, 2018

Conflicts and Mandatory Dates



PLEASE READ CAREFULLY

As you fill out your audition forms, please pay special attention to the conflicts section.  Only put down dates / times that are actual conflicts.  If a conflict is optional, meaning - you are simply "hoping" to get that day/time off - please put "optional" by the request.  I'll always do what I can.  

Be very clear about when you can arrive...and/or when you must leave.  That is the key to how I plan.  If you only give me the time of your conflict, that does not tell me when you are actually available.

RIGHT WAY
Tuesdays:  I can arrive by 4:30p.
April 16:  I must leave by 5:45p. (optional)
April 18:  unavailable

WRONG WAY
On Mondays, I have appointments at 6:00p.
3/13: I could be there for a little while.
Sometimes I have track practice.
Choir!

NOTE:  By auditioning, you have noted the mandatory dates.  Do not list these as conflicts.  As well, even if you have an ongoing "Tuesday conflict", it is assumed that you are getting out of that conflict for mandatory dates.

MANDATORY REHEARSAL / PERFORMANCE DATES:
TH 3/15, F 3/16, SA 4/14
All dates from 4/23 - 5/14 (see audition packet for more detail)

After you turn in your audition form, you may still request time off via email, but no request is guaranteed.  You may make a "request".  You may not "tell me".  The same goes for parents/guardians.  I accommodate when I can, but I also reserve the right to refuse a request and to recast should actors not show up when called.  In addition, once a specific schedule is posted, no conflicts will be entertained except for actual emergencies.  

As always, let me know if you have questions:

matthew.b.zrebski@gmail.com

And please remind those new to the New Works Festival to CHECK THIS BLOG!!!  Help each other out with the communication style of this annual event:  

consistent, specific, transparent


Monday, March 5, 2018

Your NW14 SM!

Who is this?



Yes, the one and only Lydia Fecker.  

She will be the stage manager for NW14.  I'm thrilled to have her on board.  Intelligent, diligent, talented, organized, professional... we're lucky to have her!  

AUDITION PACKET!!!



AUDITION INFO PACKET!

All actors wishing to audition for New Works 14 must thoroughly read the audition packet, make sure your legal guardians have also read the audition packet, and bring in the signed audition form (last page of the packet) along with a headshot.  If you cannot print at home, copies will be made available by Jim Peerenboom.

**** PLEASE:   NOTE THE MANDATORY DATES IN THE PACKET!!!   COULD NOT BE MORE IMPORTANT!!!****

PACKET:  HERE

All actors wishing to audition need to make sure they have read the current drafts of the plays.  (See previous blog post!).


Everyone is encouraged to come out and audition regardless of grade, age, race, cultural background, religion, gender identity, sexual orientation, ability, or body type.  We embrace the spirit of diversity and welcome everyone to the process.  AND...I absolutely DO NOT cast based on grade or seniority.  Everyone enters the general audition on level playing ground.  So those new to the drama program?...Come out!  I'd love to see you!

The sign up sheet for generals will be up on the door soon.  You may ask:  will I really be needed until 8:00p?  Not necessarily.  I will release people when I have the info I need.  If you need to leave early, you must notify me at the top of the audition.  But note that leaving early may have an impact on casting considerations.  That said, please come audition even if you have to leave early.

No one should audition if they cannot be present for callbacks on Wed. 3/14.  Again, you might need to leave early that day, and you may tell me that.  But missing the day entirely will not be permitted.

Never hesitate to email me with questions.  And never feel like a question is "dumb".  I'm happy to help you through the process and clarify anything!

I am at:  matthew.b.zrebski@gmail.com
(be sure to spell that carefully as many people have emailed only to find out I never got it due to a typo!)

I hope to see a huge group at generals!




Tuesday, February 27, 2018

NW14 - Auditions!



The 14th Annual New Works Festival
Eye to Eye

AUDITIONS
Tuesday 3/13
and
Wednesday 3/14
(4:00p - 8:00p)

The only preparation needed will be to become very familiar with the plays.

The sign up and audition packets will be available on Tuesday 3/6.  Until then, start your prep by reading.  

Audition Drafts:  HERE

What does "Audition Draft" mean?  It means these plays are in process and still have numerous changes that will occur prior to rehearsals beginning and prior to performances.  As always, the new works process is one that requires actors to be agile and to be ready for changes at any time.  That said, these drafts are a strong representation of the scripted work.  And don't forget...multiple other pieces will be devised...

More soon!  Enjoy!

Friday, January 19, 2018

Stage Management?






The Lincoln High School Drama Department presents
The 14th Annual New Works Festival:
Eye to Eye


Wanna be the Stage Manager?

Anyone interested in this exciting job - with tons of responsibility - needs to email director Matthew B. Zrebski no later than Wednesday 1/24 and request details on how to apply. 



Friday, July 7, 2017

NW14 Writer Selection



The selection process this year was incredibly rigorous.  There were 17 applicants. My initial assessment led me to narrow this to 10 finalists.  The proposals and writing samples from the 10 finalists were sent to two out-of-state colleagues of mine - two women playwrights / dramaturges who read them "blind", meaning names were removed from the documents.  I held interviews with the 10 finalists and scored the interviews.  A conference call was then held with my two colleagues, and they offered their scores and thoughts.  Everything was averaged.  And the results are below!  

If you were not selected, please know that the overwhelming sentiment was that all the finalists possess immense talent.  And I will add, so do all the writers who did not make the finalists list.  I urge every single applicant to keep writing.  And I hope everyone will want to be involved in the festival in some way.

Congrats to everyone for the hard work and thoughtful applications!!!


The Lincoln High School Drama Department presents
The 14th Annual New Works Festival:
Eye to Eye
directed by Matthew B. Zrebski


Playwright:  Michael Walsh
Genre:  Absurdist Comedy
Casting:  3 teen men, 1 teen woman
Length:  15 - 25 minutes
Issue:  The death penalty

Playwright:  Sammy Martin
Genre:  Psychological Thriller
Casting: 2 teen men, 4 teen women
Length:  15 - 25 minutes
Issue:  The American diet and the relating health crisis

Playwright:  Tucker Litch
Genre:  Surreal Romantic Drama
Casting: 3 teen men, 3 teen women
Length: 15 - 25 minutes
Issue:  LGBTQ and gender

Playwright:  Barrett Kent
Genre:  Farcical / Satirical Comedy
Casting: 4 teen men, 3 teen women
Length:  15 - 25 minutes
Issue:  The impact of media

Playwright:  Rory Hays
Genre:  Naturalistic Drama
Casting:  1 teen man, 1 teen woman
Length:  15 - 25 minutes
Issue:  The education system in America

Playwright:  Bowen Hampton
Genre:  Devised (tonally varied, pending discovery)
Casting:  3 teen men, 4 teen women
Length:  4, 5-minute segments and 3, 90 second segments
Issue:  Division in America