Valley Players host ‘Cabin Fever Follies’ and ‘Willy Wonka’ auditions next weekend
March 24, 2023 | By Waterbury Roundabout UPDATE April 5: Another audition date has been added for Monday, April 10, at 6 p.m. Directors are still looking to cast kids ages 8-12 and adults for some roles.
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The Valley Players Theater in Waitsfield will be busy next weekend with the 35th Annual Cabin Fever Follies along with auditions for a summer production of “Roald Dahl’s Willy Wonka” musical.
The Follies are on stage Friday, March 31, and Saturday, April 1, at 7:30 p.m. Auditions for the summer musical will be held Saturday, Sunday and Monday, April 1-3, with callbacks by invitation on Tuesday, April 4.
35th Annual Cabin Fever Follies
The high-energy variety show features singing, fiddling, banjo playing, storytelling, poetry, clowning, and Mad Libs among its acts. The show’s World Famous Raisinettes will even dance across the stage to share thoughts and messages to the audience for a small donation.
Back this year is limited seating at tables of 10 for pre-show dining (doors open at 6:30 p.m.) There will also be individual seating on risers. All tickets: $15.
Started in March 1986, the Cabin Fever Follies was the creation of a group of Mad River Valley thespians who decided to put on a show after a hard winter with the community restless for spring. The group of theater enthusiasts organized and recruited local talent.
In the first few years, local residents Bob Gove and Ed Eurich were a regular act, getting on stage together and ad-libbing their stories and singing songs. Joan Foster was always on hand to play the piano for anyone who needed accompaniment and to entertain the crowd between acts.
Other insider details: Judy Reiss was the longest tenured emcee, from the mid-1990s until her death in 2018. Peter Boynton directed the show for 10 years from 1997 to 2006, when Doug Bergstein took over. Bergstein and fellow board member Susan Loynd took over emcee duties in 2019. For tickets and more information go to valleyplayers.com or call 802-583-1674. Recordings of the 2022 live Cabin Fever Follies on stage and the 2021 show on Zoom are on the Valley Players YouTube channel.
Families encouraged to audition for ‘Willy Wonka’
Auditions are scheduled for both child and adult actors needed for the family-friendly musical “Roald Dahl’s Willy Wonka,” to be presented this summer Thursdays-Sundays, June 29-July 16.
On Saturday and Sunday, April 1 and 2, at 1 p.m., kids ages 8-16 and their parents who also want to audition should attend at the Valley Players Theater. Auditions on Sunday, April 2, and Monday, April 3, at 6 p.m., will be for those aged 17 and up. Prospective actors need to attend just one audition session unless asked otherwise by the directors. After the Saturday-Monday auditions, callbacks will be held at 6 p.m. Tuesday at the request of the directors.
“I am so excited to offer this show to the community,” said Director Ruth Ann Pattee. “I would really encourage families to audition – performing on stage with your family is a wonderful experience!”
The story: “Roald Dahl's Willy Wonka” follows enigmatic candy manufacturer Willy Wonka as he stages a contest by hiding golden tickets in five of his famous candy bars. Whomever comes up with these tickets will win a free tour of the Wonka factory, as well as a lifetime supply of candy.
Four of the five winning children are insufferable brats, while the fifth is a likable young lad named Charlie Bucket, who takes the candy factory tour with his equally amiable grandfather. The children must follow Mr. Wonka's rules in the factory... or suffer the consequences.
The show features the beloved songs from the 1971 film starring Gene Wilder and new songs by Leslie Bricusse and Anthony Newley.
The musical has roles available for 12 children and 12 adults. Actors of any gender identity are encouraged to audition for any role, however all roles will be performed as the gender indicated in the script.
Auditions will consist of learning a short, easy stage movement routine, singing, and reading from the script. No preparation is required, but selections from the script and a song from the show that will be taught at auditions are available to download from the Valley Players website to preview.
There is a possibility that some roles will be double-cast, which means that two actors would play the same part at different performances. The rehearsal commitment for these roles is the same, but the performance schedule will vary.
Once the cast is chosen, rehearsals will begin on April 11 and will be held on Sundays, 2-5 p.m., and Tuesdays and Thursdays, 6-8:30 p.m.
Actors may be excused from rehearsal April 24-28 if they already have plans for the school break.
Not all actors will be required to attend every rehearsal; June 22 and June 25-27 are mandatory rehearsal dates. A schedule will be provided.
A note for parents and kids: A show like this is an intensive experience. Children will be expected to be quiet and attentive when learning songs and stage movement, and must be able and willing to follow rules and directions similar to being in a school classroom.
More information is online at valleyplayers.com. Email any questions to Director Ruth Pattee at ruthann@valleyplayers.com.
The Valley Players Theater is located at 4254 Main Street (Rt. 100) in Waitsfield.