Gallery 7 Theatre and Performing Arts is holding open auditions for its March production of Arthur Ransome’s classic adventure story, Swallows and Amazons, adapted by Helen Edmundson with music by Neil Hannon.
The audition will be held Wednesday, Dec. 5 at 6:30 p.m. and is open to male and female performers ages 16 to 65.
When John, Susan, Titty and Roger are granted their wish to camp on an island, they eagerly look forward to a summer full of adventure and fun.
Fueled by their imagination and a desire for new experiences, they set sail in their trusty boat, Swallow.
When they meet Nancy and Peggy, the self-proclaimed Amazon pirates, and the cantankerous Captain Flint, their adventure turns in a new and exciting direction.
This Canadian amateur premier promises to be a fun theatre experience for adventurers of all ages.
“We’re very excited to be the first community theatre company to present this play in Canada,” said Gallery 7 Theatre’s artistic director, Ken Hildebrandt.
“The play is super-fun with a lot of heart. Children today will delight in the adventurous story and adults will be taken back to those long summer days where as kids they looked forward to all sorts of vacation fun.”
While based on a classic children’s story, Swallows and Amazons is an entertaining musical for all ages.
A central theme of the show is the importance of the imagination and having a sense of play in life.
It explores those significant moments in childhood that help shape who we are as adults.
“This production will tap in and unleash the creative imaginations of both cast and audience members by using some unconventional theatre techniques,” said Hildebrandt.
Swallows and Amazons will feature a cast of up to 11 performers, with adults playing the roles of children.
The show runs March 8-9, 14-16, and 21-23 at the MEI Auditorium, 4081 Clearbrook Road, Abbotsford.
Rehearsals will commence on Jan. 7, and will occur on Monday, Wednesday and Thursday evenings from 6 to 10 p.m.
Two Saturday rehearsals will also be held.
For this audition, performers are asked to prepare 16 bars of music from a musical in their regular vocal range, and to be prepared to sing the song acapella at the audition.
Those interested in working behind the scenes in such areas as assistant stage management, sound operation, running crew and others are also invited to attend the audition.
For more information, or to register for the audition, call 604-504-5940 or email info@gallery7theatre.com.