In the basement of Mahaffey Hall, people bustled in and out of the theatre rehearsal room. Individuals awaited their chance to impress the directors, going over the scripts they were just handed in pairs or groups of three or four.

The 13 directors from the Directing class held open auditions Oct. 24 and 25 for their Showcase of Scenes, which will be presented Dec. 4-6.

For the 33 roles that they needed filled, almost 50 people came out to audition, according to junior Caitlyn Olson, one of the directors.

Everyone who auditioned received a callback.

Because all of the plays at Linfield are open school-wide for auditioning, the theatre department gets a lot of new talent.

“The callbacks went really well,” Olson said. “We saw a lot of new faces as well as new aspects of actors we already know. By having all auditions campus
wide it is more low key for people to audition and is much more accessible.”

This was true for a number of individuals who were there Wednesday evening.

Junior Julia Prow, who has no previous theatre work, wanted to come support her roommate, Brita Gaeddert, who is directing “Sunday on the Rocks” by Theresa Rebeck.

Prow said she felt she could relate to this scene. Gaeddert said that she knew Rebeck from another piece, “Spike Heels,” that she acted in and was excited to be directing this scene.

The plot greatly supports women in society and “women’s power.”

Senior Bradley Keliinoi and freshman Mackensie Sempert, who were running lines together, both said they weren’t after a specific scene or role, and they were just there for the fun of it and hoping they would get cast.

“Auditioning is fun, but one of the most nerve wracking things I’ve ever done,” Keliinoi said.

These one-scene performances make theatre an option for people who wouldn’t otherwise have the time to devote.

Freshman Jessica Newton, a nursing major, hasn’t had much free time on her hands, but was “pretty psyched” when she was cast for “Sure Thing” by David Ives and directed by junior Chris Forrer.

When asked what drew her to this scene, she said, “it just sounded fun and quirky and enjoyable to watch. Also, I think the ways relationships start out are usually hilarious and this just solidifies that.”

This is also a great chance for theatre majors and minors to get more acting experience.

Freshman Nicholas Granato, a theatre major who recently performed as Smirnov in “Chekhov Shorts,” has been cast in two scenes.

In “Not A Creature Was Stirring” by Christopher Durang and directed by Rom Giles, he will play a father who is “almost clinically insane” and tries to claim that he wrote “‘Twas The Night Before Christmas.”

The second scene he will be in is “The Moon Please,” written by Diana Son and directed by Olson, which he said is a “much heavier and intense scene.”

“In all honesty, I came into the auditions just
wanting to have fun,” Granato said. “I for sure wanted to be in a comedic scene. I love doing comedy.”

Granato said that he enjoys the way acting allows him to take on different characteristics and personality traits in a safe environment.

“It is so much fun to just be able to get up and act completely different from what I normally get to in an atmosphere where it is totally accepted,” he said. “I am very glad that I get to do two contrasting scenes, and I’m really excited for this experience.”

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Lydia Driver/For the Review
Lydia Driver can be reached at [email protected].