Northern Outlook, Jan 24, 2015
The text reads:
By SHANNON BEYNON
Wanted young men to fight for king and country. Well, sort of.
The Rangiora Players have been holding auditions for ANZAC, the latest play from these local troubadors.
While the roles of Gladys and Violet were hotly contested, they have encountered a desperate lack of young men to play the lead and
other male parts, says director Graham Wilson. And they don't need any experience, he says.
"I've had young men with no experience and buckets of natural talent before, who have absolutely shone on the stage."
"We need guys in their early to mid-20s who are willing to have some fun, learn some lines, and be part of the show."
The play revolves around the story of Tom, who fights with the Anzac corps in World War I, and his sisters, Gladys and Violet, who
are left behind.
While there are moments of brightness and fun, the play gets progressively darker, says Wilson. "It's a very real and powerful
story of the experience of war, told on both the battlefields overseas and in the battlefield of the home."
The play will be the company's first performance in the newly renovated Rangiora Town Hall, and Wilson's second time
directing. The Rangiora Players is a genial collection of talented, committed and passionate people.
Five women from around North Canterbury have auditioned for the two main parts, and Wilson will now spend the next couple of
days matching faces, mannerisms, energy and abilities.
"I know what I'm looking for and it's a matter of putting the right people together to create the right chemistry to bring the story to life."
A second round of auditions was held on Tuesday evening, with a third round planned to go ahead in the coming weeks as well.
If you're aged between 18 and your early 20s, and would like a taste of the stage in the refurbished town hall, scripts and
further information are available from Graham Wilson, phone 424 1583.
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