Posts Tagged ‘Crime and Punishment’

Congratulations to the cast of Crime and Punishment. Auditions went very well, and we had several surprises. Karen and I had some tough decisions to make, and, to be frank, we took some risks in the casting; but after the first read-through, I am quite convinced that we chose a well-balanced team with a LOT of potential. I am very pleased to be able to work with such a passionate and talented group of people on the stage adaptation of one of my favorite novels.

Rehearsals will begin in late September / early October.

True to AVT’s core principles, the production will be focused on depth of character and delicious dialogue. Technical elements will be artfully sparse; they will be subtly and carefully composed to supply just the right hint of effect to support the actors – any more is a distraction and a waste in our staging philosophy. Jeremy and I agree that our small space is actually an excellent platform for this production; Crime and Punishment is being designed for a very “in your face” and “up-close and personal” effect.

It was a marathon run yesterday with a full day of auditions for our production of “Crime and Punishment”.  After several surprises and some deliberation, we have decided on the following cast:

Raskolnikov – Kevin Hogan

Porfiry / Marmeladov / Koch – M. Steven Felty

Sonia - Anna Delrosario

Alyona / Lizaveta / Mother – Kara McCollum

Karen and I were very pleased with the turnout.  Every single candidate impressed us for different reasons, and we had multiple good options for every single role… a director’s dream, and a difficult decision.

Congratulations to the cast, and a big thank you to all who auditioned!  I appreciate your willingness to be a part of something new, and your enthusiasm for our project.

AVT's costume designer, Anna Delrosario, during tech rehearsal for her recent role as the spirit of Jeanne d'Arc.

I had the wonderful opportunity yesterday to sit down with Anna Delrosario, costumer designer for AVT and co-star of our first production.   Our conversation ranged from her experiences with the start of the project and her role as the spirit of Jeanne d’Arc in “Voices” to what’s coming up in the costume department for “Crime and Punishment” and the rest of our 2010 Season.

.

Podcast #2: Anna tells us about "Voices" and costume design for upcoming shows [ 9:10 ] Play Now | Play in Popup | Download (342)

.

This podcast was recorded at Best of Europe Deli, on the corner of 50th St West and Avenue M in Quartz Hill.  A genuine local establishment, this family-owned importer of European meats, preserves, teas, coffee, and eclectic soft drinks has been in business for 10 years!  Stop by for their excellent sandwiches, fine imported goods, and friendly atmosphere.

AVT is on an ongoing mission to post spontaneous interviews with cast, crew, fans, and innocent bystanders.  So here is the second in our series of (what I hope are) interesting podcasts, focused on personal experiences with the project.

Want to hear more?  View all posts with embedded podcasts, or search for “Antelope Valley Thespians” on the iTunes podcast directory to subscribe for automatic updates.  Enjoy!

AVT is pleased to announce auditions for Fyodor Dostoyevsky’s “Crime and Punishment”, a drama by Marilyn Campbell and Curt Columbus, and produced by special arrangement with Dramatic Publishing.

Please contact the Production Stage Manager, Karen Gruca (karen@avthespians.org) to schedule an appointment for Saturday, August 15th.  The format will be cold reading.

Rehearsals will be at most weekly, beginning in mid to late September. There will be three performances, two on Saturday January 16th, and one on Sunday January 17th.

We are looking for:

• One male for the lead, Rodion Raskolnikov.  Lots of lines, on stage almost continuously for 90 min.  The character is dark (metaphorically), disturbing, fidgety, and psychologically off-balance.  Primary desired quality is intense depth of character.
• One male to play Porfiry Petrovich (a detective), as well as minor roles Marmeladov (a drunk) and Koch (town citizen).  We need a versatile actor to play multiple, very different characters.
• One female to play Sonia (a prostitute), as well as minor roles Alyona (a miserly pawnbroker), Lizaveta (an innocent victim), and Mother (a saintly figure).  We need a versatile actress to play multiple, very different characters, with little time in between switching roles.

Due to the subject matter and a few instances of profanity and violence, this play is not deemed suitable for youth actors.

This new, award-winning adaptation of Dostoyevsky’s literary masterpiece Crime and Punishment is set in 1860’s St. Petersburg, where Rodion Romanovich Raskolnikov relives the thoughts, ideas and feelings that drove him to his horrible crime. This “conversation on the nature of evil” becomes a dark journey into the mind of a killer and his search for redemption. Raskolnikov speaks directly to the audience at times, putting his case to them, so that the audience becomes another character in the telling. This is an intense psychological and spiritual journey which seeks to unveil hidden dimensions of the human condition, and the power of faith to heal even the gravest and most disturbing wounds of the soul.

After a couple of weeks off after “Voices”, the production team met on Tuesday to start working on the vision for “Crime and Punishment”.  The 90-min script has been divided into 16 scenes with no intermission.  So far we have identified 30+ light cues in 6 different moods, 9 music cues, unknown number of sound cues, and 8 characters/costumes for 3 actors… whew!  This will certainly be a huge step up from “Voices”, but I’m confident that we have what it takes to pull this off.

Auditions will be held next month, so be on the look out for a notice.

Financially, we are doing well, but cash flow is still a problem.  A summary of our current finances and our biggest challenges is documented in the “Voices” Production Final Report, please see the earlier post.

Also, we would like to welcome to the production team Sarah Bialobroda.  The co-star of our last production is interested in learning lighting design, and will be apprenticed to Jessica over the next couple of months.  Jessica unfortunately will be leaving us for a year to go to school in Arizona… we will miss you Jessica!  And a thank you to Sarah for volunteering to help to fill in.

AVT is pleased to announce that we have acquired the rights to our next production: Crime and Punishment, by Fyodor Dostoyevsky, adapted to the stage by Marilyn Campbell and Curt Columbus, and produced by special arrangement with Dramatic Publishing.

This new, award-winning adaptation of Dostoyevsky’s literary masterpiece Crime and Punishment is set in 1860’s St. Petersburg, where Rodion Romanovich Raskolnikov relives the thoughts, ideas and feelings that drove him to his horrible crime. This “conversation on the nature of evil” becomes a dark journey into the mind of a killer and his search for redemption. Raskolnikov speaks directly to the audience at times, putting his case to them, so that the audience becomes another character in the telling. This is an intense psychological and spiritual journey which seeks to unveil hidden dimensions of the human condition, and the power of faith to heal even the gravest and most disturbing wounds of the soul.

I am very pleased to be able to produce and direct this play, as it has been one of my favorite books for a long time.  There will be three shows, two on Saturday January 16th, and one on Sunday January 17th.

Look for an audition notice on the AVT Forums sometime in early August, and rehearsals will begin around early September.  We will be looking for one male for a darkly disturbing lead, and another male and female to play several supporting roles for which demonstrated versatility at playing multiple very distinct characters will be the key factor.

Would you like to help support this production?  Check out the Patronage page to see how you can be a part of our unique arts movement on your local community.

Praise for the theatrical version of Crime and Punishment:

2002-2003 Joseph Jefferson Award for Best New Adaptation

“Who would have thought that the novel no high school student has ever finished reading would make such engrossing theater?” —New York Times

“Stunningly lean, taut and emotionally searing… a work of theatre that never feels like a condensation of a seminal 500-page novel, but rather has the swift, sharp impact of a blow from an ax.” —Hedy Weiss, Chicago Sun-Times

“Only occasionally can the production of a classic make us see the work differently…this adaptation and production remind us how thrilling a classic can be. On opening night you feel the audience holding its breath throughout the performance. Go: it will leave you breathless, too.” —AISLESAY Chicago

“Crime and Punishment, in a feat that rivals the construction of the Hoover Dam, has been distilled into a taut 90-minute play.” —New York Times

“Raskolnikov’s journey may be, in essence, a 90-minute exercise in logic, but here it’s a remarkably absorbing one.”
—New York Times