Presenting....your Heart-A-Rama 2014 musical cast currently starring in "The King of All Cases." You can catch their act May 1, 2, 3 and 8,9,10 at the C.E. Hamilton Community House in Two Rivers. But then, if you're reading this, you are most likely familiar with HAR and already have your tickets. If you don't, rush over to Manitowoc Piggly Wiggly or Inman's Jewelers in Two Rivers while the selection is still good.
What sort of case has this group looking so serious? That's Judge Cutie in the green wig. She will have the heavy task of deciding a case that could potentially ruin a lifelong friendship and end a bromance. She does not take this responsibility lightly, and will most likely be needing help from the audience to make her final judgement.
This is just one of the many skits casts and crews are rehearsing. Oleo. Statins. Opie. Cats. Condiments. Toilet seats. They'll all turn up one way or another during the show.
It's time to LEGALIZE HEART-A-RAMA. And, if you don't watch your step,
you might find yourself in a mug shot.
If you're wondering how this show all comes into being, here's a short synopsis. Shortly after the end of a run, general co-chairs and producers meet to brainstorm themes for the coming year. Once a theme is chosen, directors meet to divide up responsibilities. Then the weeks of writing begin. No, the scripts do not fall from the sky; each director pulls together a group to crank out a script. Sometimes things fall into place nicely, sometimes there are revisions and revisions and revisions before a script is done.
Even before February auditions, crews begin to assemble to plan food, shirt designs, sell advertising, design the program. And that's just a sliver of what takes place behind the scenes.
After auditions, directors spend up to three hours deciding who will be given parts. The chart at the left is one tool they use to make decisions. In round 1, directors choose who they want in each role. Round 2, they look for conflicts. For example, if someone is in back to back skits, they won't have time for costume changes. Finding and eliminating those conflicts is challenging. Round 3 is for balance. Is someone in 4 or 5 skits? If so, that needs to be changed. Round 4 - compare casting with conflicts listed on individual audition sheets to see if the people cast have enough open rehearsal dates. After each round, names and casting slots are read and checked to be sure that all directors have the information correct. Time consuming, but fun...and word in the wind has it that there is sometimes wine and cheese to aid the process.
What happens after all of this? Stop by again to find out.
