Assignment 2: Task 1 - Wizard of Oz Audition Process

Monday 7th November 2022 - Auditions

Today were the auditions for Wizard of Oz, I had chosen to audition mainly for the Tinman, but I also chose the lion for my backup audition. My Tinman audition was at 12.15am and I had already learnt the lines over the weekend I was just struggling with the Tinman's movement and was conflicted with how I should deliver my lines. Before my audition I helped other people practice their roles but then also focused on trying to see how much of the lion I could learn before I had that audition. My audition for Tinman came along and I went with in the room with a smile on my face and I was a tad nervous. I got asked why I had gone for the role, to which I answered with a stutter because I was nervous, my answer was 'The Tinman was the one I remember most from the film and the one I had more interest in altogether.' Kane read out Dorothy's lines to keep the flow going and help me out, I didn't use my script once as I knew the entire audition piece my only problem was the stiff walk, which Kelly and Kane said needed more improvement but other than that I was good. 

For my first real show audition I am proud that I managed to get through it without stuttering through the lines or shaking like I did when I did the globe audition for bartender. The only thing I need to work on now is getting the stiff like movement of the Tinman to perfect the piece. 

My lion audition was at 13:10pm. I hadn't practiced as much for the lion role as my main focus was doing the Tinman spot on. So, I went over the lines with a few of the people auditioning for lion to help me out. I managed to learn the whole first section which was the aggressive part, I just didn't have the chance to learn the section fully after it which was the cowardly part. So, I went in the room and asked if I could use the script for the end part since I didn't know all the lines. Kelly and Kane said that was fine as they wanted me to perfect the lines for the role I wanted more. The feedback I got after the audition was that they both loved my lion and that I showed the most change of emotion from that aggressiveness at the start to that cowardliness towards the middle and end. They also said that they see me as the Tinman more but still thought I did really well for both of them. 

Tuesday 8th November 2022 - Wizard of Oz Cast Chemistry

In todays lesson we got put into 5 separate groups and we had been given a scene to perform in front of the rest of the class. My group consisted of Elliott (as the cowardly lion), Jess (as the wicked witch), Morgan (as Oz), Gracie (as Dorothy), Jack (as scarecrow) and me (as the Tinman). We got the scene of the poisonous poppies. When we presented it to the class I knew my lines but I panicked a bit forget them, which made me forget about the stiff like movement for the Tinman and the accent. So when our scene finished I thought I had really messed it up. 

What I learnt from this lesson is to work together as a real cast and to get a scene made out of it and it also helps with rehearsal and learning lines. 

For my first time working together as an actual cast to get the scene across as perfectly as we could was not the easiest but it was exciting. Even though I know when I performed it I struggled and forget mostly all the lines after learning them, that's something I need to work on. I also found it really hard to keep the stiff like movement for that scene since I'm supposed to bend down and pick Dorothy up and carry her in a kings chair, the main reason I struggled was because I kept overthinking how the Tinman would try and pick someone up and carry them while also keeping that stiff like movement. 

Wednesday 9th November 2022 - Cast List / Munchkin Scene

Today was the cast list for the show and after yesterdays lesson I didn't think I would be getting Tinman as I struggled and panicked. But then my name got read out for cast two as the Tinman I was over the moon and excited. Every cast then had to think of how they think the munchkin opening scene would work in our heads. Our cast came up with the idea of getting into pairs and a group of three we would then slowly make our way on stage and spread out acting scared and confused and slowly start moving towards Dorothy. I paired up with Elliott and called my munchkin Gerald and he was a Baker but I'm thinking of changing his occupation to a doctor or a policeman. We got tasked with bringing in a blue prop for next week, something that fits the occupation of our munchkin. 

Rehearsals

The next couple of lessons we started rehearsing the beginning part of the Wizard of Oz script, we got up to the part after meeting the Tinman just before meeting the Lion. Callum started it off with the 'great historian' or 'Oz' line to which Taron (Uncle Henry), Phoebe (Aunt Em) and Millie S (Dorothy) came on stage and started doing the stage actions given. So that when Callum had finished introducing us to them they then started off with their lines before Dorothy got took to munchkin and in Oz. This is where Dorothy met Emily H (Glinda the good witch of the north) and the munchkins who were played by various students. We then had Laura appear as the wicked witch before moving onto the yellow brick road scene and meeting the scarecrow who was played by Jack. After that Dorothy and the Scarecrow continued on following the yellow brick road and continuing their lines before meeting the Tinman who was played by me! I feel like I could of worked more on getting the accent on point and trying to get the more stiff like movement of the Tinman but Kelly said she's going to arrange lessons on character movement and the American accent so that everyone can get it on point. We were also tasked with us all learning our opening scene lines.