Join us on June 25th for an evening of comedy with Mary Lynn Rajskub (24, Little Miss Sunshine) to benefit the Teenage Drama Workshop! This is an 18+ event -- the humor is geared to adults - and any donations collected will help us provide scholarships to under-privileged youth in the Greater Los Angeles area!
It's 5:00 p.m. on Friday of the first week of the 58th Teenage Drama Workshop. The students have left, the hallways are quiet, and I'm sitting here in my office reflecting on the past few days. We've had a really great first week. It can take a while to adjust to the program, especially for those who are in their first year here. There's the rigorous schedule to adjust to, everyone is still in the process of making new friends, roles in both shows were still being cast. But through it all, I have seen so much positivity, creativity, and energy from our students. What a stellar group of young people we get to work with at TADW!
Below are some snapshots from various parts of TADW during Week 1:
Costumes
Christiana told me what she was making here, but I have since forgotten.
Fabric for one of Ariel's costumes
Wonka's jacket
A seagull in progress
Fitting Sebastian
ML and Gail working on costumes for Charlie and the Chocolate Factory
Tech/Design
Slicing metal pipes
Yay for girls using power tools!
Nicolaus grinding metal pipes. I am a sucker for photos with sparks in them.
Taking a break in the coral reef
Discussing design projects
Garrett, Ben, and Ducky working on the Charlie and the Chocolate Factory sets
Classes
Chris imparting wisdom in acting class
Some physical conditioning in dance class
Students sing in front of one another in voice class. Diane asked them to provide feedback for each other on what were the strongest parts of their performance in terms of voice and acting.
Rehearsals
Rehearsals for The Little Mermaid started out with the whole cast learning some of the big group numbers, like "Under the Sea."
Similarly, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory spent some time this week going over group numbers with the whole cast.
Ronnie directing cast members of Charlie and the Chocolate Factory
Fun and Shenanigans!
Ok, not really "shenanigans," but hopefully fun: parent volunteer (and TADW alum) Mike helps build a calliope!
On Saturday, June 6th and Sunday, June 7th, the halls of TADW filled once more with the bustle of students and staff as we held auditions for the 2015 Teenage Drama Workshop.
Doug Kaback addresses the future TADW students
An absolutely stellar group of young people showed off their singing, dancing, and acting talents.
Chris Halsted gives students direction during acting auditions
Running choreography during dance auditions
Auditioning for The Little Mermaid
Auditions for Charlie and the Chocolate Factory
Some of our fabulous students in the Tech/Design option came by, as well!
Tech/design students and staff keeping it real at TADW auditions
After two days of auditions and some very tough decisions, the casts for Charlie and the Chocolate Factory and The Little Mermaid were determined:
Charlie and the Chocolate Factory
Candyman - Danny Halsted
Charlie - Henry Parker-Elder
Grandpa Joe - James Johnston
Willy Wonka - Will Riddle
Augustus Gloop - Dylan Halsted
Violet Beuregarde - Rosey Murrah
Verruca Salt - Marisela Venolia
Mike Teavee - Mikey Fabisch
Mr. Bucket - Haller Rice
Mrs. Bucket - Olivia Riddle
Grandma Josephine - JoyAnne Tracy
Grandpa George - Patrick Fitzsimmons
Grandma Georgina - Liliana Magnanimo
Mrs. Gloop - Maya Wimberger
Mrs. Beauregarde - Jenny McNabb
Mr. Salt - Michael Smith
Mrs. Teavee - Sarah Sperling
Cornelia Printzmetel - Megan Ehrenberg
Oompa-Loompas - Sammy Raskin, Spencer Ehrenberg, Zanna Hocker, Mackenzie
Rickaby, Charlotte Barnett
Narrators - Sammy Raskin, Danielle Efrat, Rachel Saporito, Nathan Anderson,
Mackenzie Rickaby, Charlotte Barnett, Adam Jacobson, Megan Ehrenberg, Joey
Nadler, Zanna Hocker, Spencer Ehrenberg
Candy Peddler - Jeremy Bernstein
Slugworth, Fickelgruber, Prodnose, Prince Pondicherry, Oompa-Loompa Chief, and
Others!! - TBD
The Little Mermaid
Ariel - Ariana George
Eric - Canaan Smith
Ursula - Lyrissa Leininger
Sebastian - Griffen Hamilton
King Triton - Noah Gephart-Canada
Scuttle - Colin Mika
Flounder - Daisy Billington
Flotsam and Jetsam - Melanie Besnilian and Liana Leininger
Chef Louis - Mateo Gonzales
Grimsby - William Diament
Pilot - Tom Johnston
MerSisters,
Princesses, Maids, Gulls, and Dancers- TBA:
Janelle Avila
Emily Besnilian
Taylor Carlson
Ana Chapiro-Luboff
Atticus Cougar
Brittany Dakoske
Madison Esmailbeigi
Natalie Friedman
Elizabeth Grossman
Samantha Harnick
Sierra Heimlich
Amanda Ju
S. Myles Keys
Ella Kriegel
Cameron Maitre
Monica Montoya
Paulina Padilla
Haley Perkins
Megan Phung
Clementine Rice
Chelsea Rifkin
Aria Sie
Rachel Siegel
Jessica Vad
We can't wait to get started on the 58th Teenage Drama Workshop this coming Monday, June 15th!
Can you believe it: auditions for the 2015 Teenage Drama Workshop are less than two weeks away! Audition information has been sent out to those enrolled in this year's workshop - if you're enrolled and you didn't receive the email, please let us know by emailing us at tadw@csun.edu.
Below is all of that information, and a little extra, to help you feel as prepared as possible:
What are the auditions for?
Everyone who is enrolled in the performance option of TADW will be cast in one of our main productions. (Other performance opportunities, such as the 10 Minute Play Festival and the Munch & Crunch musical revue, will be cast later.)
The purpose of these auditions is to determine which production you will be in and which part you will play.
Additionally, these auditions are used to place students who have requested Musical Theatre as their elective. (The Musical Theatre elective is by audition only.)
When and where do I go?
Auditions will be held on Saturday, June 6th and Sunday, June 7th. We will meet in the Little Theatre in Nordhoff Hall at Cal State Northridge. (Check out the link to the map of CSUN on the right side of this page.)
We will begin at 8:30 with a welcome and introduction, and go until 12:15. Students are invited to bring a lunch and picnic with TADW friends until 1:15. Some students may be asked to stay until as late as 2:30 on Saturday (see below for more info).
Do I need to come both days?
Yes, if at all possible. The auditions will be different on each day. If you can only make it to one day of auditions, or if you have to leave before 12:15, please let us know!
What do I need to bring/prepare?
You will need to bring the forms that were emailed to you (medical release form, lunch order forms, image release form, off-campus permission form) - again, if you didn't get this email, let us know!
Bring dance shoes (or sneakers, if you don't have dance shoes yet) and appropriate clothing for the dance audition.
You should prepare a song to sing. It can be any song you feel comfortable singing, but as a rule of thumb, musical theatre songs work much better than pop songs for an audition. You probably will not get to sing your entire song; in the interest of time you will likely only perform a few bars. Please bring accompaniment for your song - either sheet music for the pianist (preferred) or a backup track (with no vocals) either on CD or an MP3 player. We prefer that you do not audition a cappella (without accompaniment) because we want to hear that you can match key and timing as you sing.
You do not need to prepare a monologue or a scene for the acting audition.
You do not need to prepare a routine for the dance audition.
You should bring a lunch if you would like to stay and eat with your new (or old ) TADW friends after the audition.
What will happen at auditions?
As previously stated, the Saturday and Sunday auditions will be a bit different. On both days, you will check in with the TADW staff outside the theatre. This is where you will turn in your forms (and checks, if you have them).
On Saturday:
We will break everyone up into three groups. The groups will be divided by age, so you will be in a group of people about the same age as you are. (For those of you who know about the TADW "levels" - these groups are not necessarily the same as the level you will be in). Each group will rotate through three different audition areas (not necessarily in the following order):
Dancing: With a group, you will be taught a short dance routine and asked to perform it. Many students who don't have dance experience may feel intimidated by this, but don't worry - you won't be alone up there, and attitude is just as important as skill.
Singing: Here, you will be asked to perform the song you have prepared. Again, students often feel nervous if they aren't used to singing in front of people. Don't be! TADW has students of all levels, and this is a very supportive group of people.
Acting: You will either be asked to improvise or you will be given "sides" - short pieces of the script - and asked to read them. You may not get to read for the exact part that you want, but this does not mean that you won't get that part.
On Sunday:
The auditions will be structured more like call-backs, where you will be auditioning for a specific show. Students will be split into groups. Each group will audition for one of our productions. After an hour and a half, the groups will switch. On this day, directors will be taking a closer look at who they want for their show and in what role. Again, performers will be given sides or asked to improvise or possibly to sing a little bit. You do not need to prepare any material for this audition.
When will I be done?
We will stop at 12:15; most people will be done with the audition at this point. You are invited to bring a lunch and picnic with us until 1:15.
After lunch on Saturday, some people may be asked to stay no later than 2:30. If you are asked to stay, you will know by 12:30 so that you can call your parents (or other transportation) and let them know.
On Sunday, we will be done at 12:15.
What does it mean if I am/am not asked to stay?
This is not a callback, and it does not mean that you will or will not be given a certain type of part. If you are asked to stay, it simply means that the director feels he needs to see more of you.
If you are not asked to stay, that does not mean that you are not going to get a good part. It may be that the director already knows how he wants to cast you and doesn't need more time with you to figure it out.
Are parents supposed to stay for auditions?
Parents are welcome to come and check their students in and to stay for the welcome speech on Saturday if they like, but parents are not allowed to watch the auditions. If you choose to park and accompany your child to sign in and for the welcome speech, please be advised that you will have to purchase a $6 parking pass from one of the machines in the parking lot, or you risk getting a ticket.
When will I know what show/part I got????
The directors will be casting the show immediately after the auditions on Sunday, so the cast lists will be ready on Sunday afternoon at around 2:00-3:00. Once the cast lists are determined, they will be disseminated in various ways:
1) Posted on the call board at TADW - some students (usually only a hardy few) tend to hang around and wait for this event to happen, but they may have to wait a couple of hours!
4) You will receive your TADW Student Handbook shortly after auditions, which will also include the cast lists.
What do I do then?
Show up at 8:15 am on Monday, June 15th READY TO ROCK AND ROLL!
Need some words of inspiration?
Anyone who's ever auditioned has probably heard the voice of their inner critic. TADW acting instructor and adventurer extraordinaire Chris Halsted delivers some inspiring words in this video from the 2013 TADW auditions:
On Sunday, April 19th, we held our annual Meet & Greet in Nordhoff Hall at Cal State Northridge, and a good time was had by all! It was wonderful to see the faces of many of our beloved TADWanians, and to see several new faces as well!
We always enjoy this event, as it's a great chance to catch up with everyone and to share our excitement about the upcoming program. It's also amazing to see how much our TADW students have grown since we last saw them (would you all stop that???).
Below are a few snapshots of the day. We can't wait to see you all in June!
It may be the middle of the holidays, but we at the Teenage Drama Workshop are already looking ahead to next summer. It's going to be a great season! We're very excited to be starting production on...
and
And of course, we look forward as always to the
If you're planning to join us for TADW 2015, we encourage you to sign up as soon as possible. Not only does it help the TADW staff to plan for the summer by letting us know how many students to expect, but it's a chance for you to save $300 on tuition. The cutoff for this early enrollment discount is December 31st, which is coming up quickly, so please don't let the opportunity pass you by! To sign up, visit our website at http://www.csun.edu/tadw/application.html.
We can't wait to see our returning students and meet our new ones. TADW is always such a magical place, both on stage and off.
Can't wait to see you all in summer 2015!
Some TADW 2014 highlights - we miss these crazy faces!
We're off to a running start with the 2014 Teenage Drama Workshop!
Level 1 acting class
Performance track students have been building foundations and stretching limits in their acting, voice, and dance classes. Students in the Playwriting elective have been busy writing drafts of their 10-minute plays, which will go into rehearsals starting next week. The students in the Improvisation elective are busy preparing for our first ever Improv Showcase this Friday (you're invited! - see below). Finally, those in the Musical Theatre elective have been selecting songs to perform at the Munch & Crunch musical review on July 27th.
Tech/design student
The Tech/Design students have been doing an amazing job of helping to construct the sets for our productions, as well as learning tech/design fundamentals. They've been painting, sawing, metalworking, building, and designing. "Techies" really get to do some cool stuff!
Joining the Spectrum rehearsal
Our productions are also developing into some beautiful shows. Everything is happening at once - sets are being built; students are memorizing lines, learning dance routines, and rehearsing songs; costumes are being designed and constructed. For Joining the Spectrum, our groundbreaking new production, the script and music are also being created as we go! These students work so hard, and there is so much talent! (The faculty, staff, and designers are not too shabby, either, if we do say ourselves.)
Cirque des Pirates rehearsal
Beauty and the Beast dancers
This summer's program promises to be particularly excellent. Tickets for the shows are on sale now, and we highly recommend purchasing them as soon as possible. Many performances will sell out - some already have! - and we'd hate to have disappointed friends and family members who weren't able to come. You can purchase tickets by contacting the CSUN Associated Students ticket office at (818) 677-2488.
Coming this Friday, June 27th: Our first ever Improv Showcase!
As mentioned above, the Performance track students in the Improv elective class will be demonstrating their skills in a performance this Friday evening at 7:00 in the Little Theatre in Nordhoff Hall on the CSUN campus. This is a free performance, and we would love for everyone to bring as many friends and family
Fun and games in Improv class
members as they like. This fun, interactive show will last about an hour.
That same evening, we are also doing a fundraiser at Pieology Pizzeria in Northridge. Between the hours of 4:00PM and 9:00PM, Pieology will donate 20% of the proceeds to the TADW Scholarship Fund to anyone who presents one of the fundraiser flyers below. For those attending the Improv Showcase, having dinner at Pieology before the show would be both fun and convenient. However, it isn't necessary to be a member of TADW or to be attending the show to participate in the fundraiser - anyone who dines at Pieology between 4:00 and 9:00 can help out by presenting a flyer and letting the restaurant staff know to make the donation to TADW. Please spread the word!
Several TADW parents and alumni have stepped forward to help us raise more money for our scholarship fund. We now have several fundraising projects in the works:
TADW Alumni Fund on Indiegogo: Even small donations can add up to making a big difference when enough people participate. Please help us spread the word by sharing this link with anyone who would like to support youth theatre! https://www.indiegogo.com/projects/teenage-drama-workshop-alumni-fund
Online auction - coming soon! We are looking for donated services, goods, TV or movie memorabilia, vacation rentals, tickets, etc. that can be auctioned “ebay” style. Please contact TADW via email if you would like to donate.
LuvnLocket Origami Owljewelry sale: Run by a TADW mother and daughter team, 20% of proceeds will be donated to the TADW Scholarship Fund.
This first week and a half at TADW has been great, and we know that this year's productions will be really fantastic. We look forward to seeing our TADW families and friends at the shows!
.JPG)
.JPG)
.JPG)
.JPG)
