WHY RRPA?
There are many positive advantages to participating in Rock Ridge Performing Arts. Students who participate in the fine arts, generally score 102 Better on their SATs than students who do not, for one! Students who do the plays and musicals, learn skills like time management, leadership, public speaking, collaboration, innovation. We foster a community of creativity that builds student confidence. Most importantly though, RRPA can serve as a strong foundation to launch your children into a college and career ready program that will provide them with unique training and opportunities.
CONGRATULATIONS!
Your child wants to audition for the fall play, and that’s wonderful! It takes courage, preparation and determination to prepare for an audition and we are so excited to welcome your child and your family into our RRPA community. Below are some methods that you may be able to help your child through the auditioning process.
READ THE MATERIAL ON THE AUDITIONS PAGE
The audition information page is chock-full of information and facts that will help you and your child be successful. Be sure to read the entire selection. Some of the items are suggestions, but there are also many requirements. Read them along with your student. Be sure your student reads the entire section.
HELP YOUR STUDENT FIND MATERIAL
Many beginning theatre arts students are not familiar with a wide variety of plays or songs from musicals. If you have a favorite play or a favorite role in a play or a favorite song from a musical, your student will benefit from that knowledge. Take them to a library and look in the 800 section for plays to choose a monologue from.
AUDITIONING CAN TAKE A LONG TIME
Even though the initial auditions can be quick, the callback process can take hours. Your student may not be called back, but if they are they may be at Rock Ridge High School until 7pm. We want to make sure we are providing a fair audition, while placing students into their most appropriate roles.
MUSICALS CAN TAKE EVEN LONGER
Musicals add the dimension of singing and dancing to the auditioning process and will take more preparation time and more time during the week to complete.
EMOTIONAL SUPPORT
Auditioning requires a lot of pre-work and may at times make the students feel vulnerable in front of their peers and their teachers. The biggest hurdle to auditioning is getting over stage fright. This is a natural response to the audition process. Encourage your child by making sure they are prepared. Are they memorized? Have they read the play?
Every student spends a great deal of time preparing for an audition. Every student has a “dream role” and you too may feel your child is appropriate for a specific role. Please remember though, that as a casting team, we are putting a large puzzle together and placing students where we feel they most appropriate.
Getting cast in the ensemble (which is an incredible opportunity) or not getting cast at all, may be a very real possibility. Getting a speaking role is not easy. If your student does not receive the part he/she desires, help them through their disappointment. Your student should not rely solely on their friends and peer to help them through this time as they too may feel very similarly. Encourage them to embrace their role. Remind them how successful they were even auditioning. Remind them, that we work hard to showcase all of our students in the program!
Most importantly, take a deep breathe with them. You too may be hurt. Please try not to allow your student or you to take casting decisions personally. Share with your child your wisdom and emotional maturity. Help them cope and overcome their challenges. Wait at least 48 hours before contacting us about the audition so that you have time to process. And remember, we care about ALL of our students and we are doing the best we can to showcase them in the RRPA program.
CONTRACTS
Being in a production requires a lot of commitment, time and energy. Academics always outweigh production requirements. However, understanding the expectations and obligations of being in a production are key to your student’s growth and success. Reading, understanding and then signing the Production Contract should be done by both you and your student. You must bring your Audition Contract to the audition, so that you are fully aware of the commitment. Signing the contract says that your student is accepting the performance or technical role offered and that you are accepting your role in supporting both your student and the RRPA Drama program as a whole.
YOUR ROLE
Congratulations! You have been cast in the role of PARENT in a RRPA Drama production! If your student is cast as a Performer or selected as a Technical Crew Chief, you are expected to contribute to the production as well. Theatre is a collaborative art and the large productions that RRPA mounts are very public events needing large parent and community support. There are a wide variety of contributions you can make, some small, some large, some requiring little time and some where you may feel you have actually joined the cast and crew! We will ask you to sign up for a role after the show’s casting. Contribute as much as you wish. Spending time with young performers as they hone their craft is incredibly rewarding.
PRODUCTION FEES
Producing quality theatre is expensive. The licensing fees alone for a musical alone around $7,000. Please note though, that all of the money we raise goes right back to the students. That’s not counting lumber, paint, material, lighting, sound equipment, props, programs, T-shirts, ticket stock, power tools, posters, etc . . . We receive no money for the after school program and must raise all monies internally. We ask that every member of the production pay their production fees by the date of the audition and participate in any fundraisers throughout the production. We know this is a lot, but remember, all monies raised goes right back to the students.
PARENT MEETING
If your child participates in the program than you must attend the parent meeting. Not attending may mean expulsion from the company. The parent meeting is on the Audition Contract.
There are many positive advantages to participating in Rock Ridge Performing Arts. Students who participate in the fine arts, generally score 102 Better on their SATs than students who do not, for one! Students who do the plays and musicals, learn skills like time management, leadership, public speaking, collaboration, innovation. We foster a community of creativity that builds student confidence. Most importantly though, RRPA can serve as a strong foundation to launch your children into a college and career ready program that will provide them with unique training and opportunities.
CONGRATULATIONS!
Your child wants to audition for the fall play, and that’s wonderful! It takes courage, preparation and determination to prepare for an audition and we are so excited to welcome your child and your family into our RRPA community. Below are some methods that you may be able to help your child through the auditioning process.
READ THE MATERIAL ON THE AUDITIONS PAGE
The audition information page is chock-full of information and facts that will help you and your child be successful. Be sure to read the entire selection. Some of the items are suggestions, but there are also many requirements. Read them along with your student. Be sure your student reads the entire section.
HELP YOUR STUDENT FIND MATERIAL
Many beginning theatre arts students are not familiar with a wide variety of plays or songs from musicals. If you have a favorite play or a favorite role in a play or a favorite song from a musical, your student will benefit from that knowledge. Take them to a library and look in the 800 section for plays to choose a monologue from.
AUDITIONING CAN TAKE A LONG TIME
Even though the initial auditions can be quick, the callback process can take hours. Your student may not be called back, but if they are they may be at Rock Ridge High School until 7pm. We want to make sure we are providing a fair audition, while placing students into their most appropriate roles.
MUSICALS CAN TAKE EVEN LONGER
Musicals add the dimension of singing and dancing to the auditioning process and will take more preparation time and more time during the week to complete.
EMOTIONAL SUPPORT
Auditioning requires a lot of pre-work and may at times make the students feel vulnerable in front of their peers and their teachers. The biggest hurdle to auditioning is getting over stage fright. This is a natural response to the audition process. Encourage your child by making sure they are prepared. Are they memorized? Have they read the play?
Every student spends a great deal of time preparing for an audition. Every student has a “dream role” and you too may feel your child is appropriate for a specific role. Please remember though, that as a casting team, we are putting a large puzzle together and placing students where we feel they most appropriate.
Getting cast in the ensemble (which is an incredible opportunity) or not getting cast at all, may be a very real possibility. Getting a speaking role is not easy. If your student does not receive the part he/she desires, help them through their disappointment. Your student should not rely solely on their friends and peer to help them through this time as they too may feel very similarly. Encourage them to embrace their role. Remind them how successful they were even auditioning. Remind them, that we work hard to showcase all of our students in the program!
Most importantly, take a deep breathe with them. You too may be hurt. Please try not to allow your student or you to take casting decisions personally. Share with your child your wisdom and emotional maturity. Help them cope and overcome their challenges. Wait at least 48 hours before contacting us about the audition so that you have time to process. And remember, we care about ALL of our students and we are doing the best we can to showcase them in the RRPA program.
CONTRACTS
Being in a production requires a lot of commitment, time and energy. Academics always outweigh production requirements. However, understanding the expectations and obligations of being in a production are key to your student’s growth and success. Reading, understanding and then signing the Production Contract should be done by both you and your student. You must bring your Audition Contract to the audition, so that you are fully aware of the commitment. Signing the contract says that your student is accepting the performance or technical role offered and that you are accepting your role in supporting both your student and the RRPA Drama program as a whole.
YOUR ROLE
Congratulations! You have been cast in the role of PARENT in a RRPA Drama production! If your student is cast as a Performer or selected as a Technical Crew Chief, you are expected to contribute to the production as well. Theatre is a collaborative art and the large productions that RRPA mounts are very public events needing large parent and community support. There are a wide variety of contributions you can make, some small, some large, some requiring little time and some where you may feel you have actually joined the cast and crew! We will ask you to sign up for a role after the show’s casting. Contribute as much as you wish. Spending time with young performers as they hone their craft is incredibly rewarding.
PRODUCTION FEES
Producing quality theatre is expensive. The licensing fees alone for a musical alone around $7,000. Please note though, that all of the money we raise goes right back to the students. That’s not counting lumber, paint, material, lighting, sound equipment, props, programs, T-shirts, ticket stock, power tools, posters, etc . . . We receive no money for the after school program and must raise all monies internally. We ask that every member of the production pay their production fees by the date of the audition and participate in any fundraisers throughout the production. We know this is a lot, but remember, all monies raised goes right back to the students.
PARENT MEETING
If your child participates in the program than you must attend the parent meeting. Not attending may mean expulsion from the company. The parent meeting is on the Audition Contract.
