THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Sunday, February 25, 1996 TAG: 9602250049
SECTION: LOCAL PAGE: B1 EDITION: NORTH CAROLINA
SOURCE: BY CATHERINE KOZAK, STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: ROANOKE ISLAND LENGTH: Medium: 77 lines
The young man bounded from his chair, announced his song choice and filled the audition room with his voice.
The 19-year-old swayed and lunged his lanky frame as the pianist accompanied him through ``If I Were a Rich Man'' - then suddenly stopped, apparently forgetting the words.
He took a deep breath and looked at the panel judging his performance.
``That's good enough,'' he abruptly told the piano player.
``The Lost Colony's'' senior artistic staff laughed gently, maintaining the patience they showed for the nervous performers who auditioned Saturday for parts in the 56th production season of the nation's oldest outdoor drama.
``Y'all being as young as you are, you're doing good work,'' Fred Chappell, the production's director, told the college-age group when the presentations were over.
Rosalind MacEnulty, the music director in her 17th year with the company, said the cast hopefuls seemed to be even better, and younger, than last year.
Pianist Mary Moore (``without the Tyler and the money''), who rocks and taps and mouths words while she plays, agreed.
``Young and good - I hate 'em!,'' teased Moore, who has accompanied auditioners for ``years and years.''
Sprawled out on the grass and glorying in the springlike warmth, young adult theater majors waited outside ``The Lost Colony'' administrative offices with dozens of children, parents, former cast members and their friends for a shot to perform in one of the country's most famous historical plays.
Out of 125 cast and crew members, about 65 percent return each year. On Saturday, 13 dancers, 18 children and 30 actors auditioned.
``It's really a moving experience,'' Susan Webb of Richmond said of the drama. ``I understand why it's been around so long. The people make it a really nice place to be. It just gets into your blood.''
Webb, 26, was a choir member last season, but this year she said she might try reading for an acting part.
``I might as well do it,'' she said. ``What the heck.''
Brian Kidd, 23, Webb's fiance, was an actor and technician in the play for the past four years. He planned to audition this year for the choir.
``It's a lot of fun,'' he said. ``There's so much history, and you can't beat the location. It's gorgeous. And the show's not too bad, either.''
Saturday's audition was the first of three the production will hold, and the only one open to anyone - especially locals. Auditions will also be held March 6 through 9 in Louisville, Ky., and March 23 in Chapel Hill.
Local talents have filled the production for well over half a century, although their presence in the play is dwindling, Marketing Director Eric Hause said.
Since its first season in 1937, many performers have gone from childhood into adulthood in the cast, finding roles to fit as they grew. For example, Bob Midgette, starring as Manteo for the last 15 years, will begin his 26th summer with the company, Hause said.
But it's the children who really benefit from the local auditions; all eight cast members every year must live in the area.
Chappell said it's hard to determine what type of child will fit well in the drama. In general, he said, he looks for maturity and responsibility.
``Children have to hit the mark,'' he said, adding he usually casts children from age 6 to puberty.
``It works out real nice if you have parents who are in the show,'' Chappell said. ``It's a wonderful experience, because they're treated not so much as children but as equals, as far as carrying their load.''
``The Lost Colony,'' one of the largest of the 100 outdoor dramas in the country, will run six nights a week from June 6 through Aug. 23. Cast and crew are paid from $140 to $375 a week. ILLUSTRATION: Color photo
DREW C. WILSON/The Virginian-Pilot
Dancers Caryn Hall, left, and Holly Beedle audition Saturday at
``The Lost Colony'' building on Roanoke Island.
by CNB