January 30th Rehearsal

Wow! Isn't Meg great! Carob knows how to find talent. We were blocking at a furious pace at rehearsal Saturday under Meg's direction. She really knows this play and knows how to set a scene. She asked us to take good notes during our rehearsals, so it's up to us to make sure her creative vision isn't left out of the play. Remember she gave us some great pointers on how to do scene analysis and create notes. She used an example from Othello. Refer back to the example sheet to prepare your own notes in your script. We also tried on some of the costumes for the ladies. These are lovely simple dresses which resemble period fashion. Great work Carob!

First Theater Rehearsal

Hello friends!

We had a great rehearsal on Saturday at the Little Theater at Spanish Fork High School. We started some blocking exercises at the direction of Carob and Meg. We also covered some basics about the stage layout, which will help us take direction in the future. We are learning the language of theater! Exciting! We are just warming up and are about to hit our stride. We have some exceptional and energetic talent leading us who have experience and vision. We have a great group of players and we are starting to get comfortable and loosen up. As we warm up to each other and get comfortable and friendly with everyone in the group, our acting will become natural. This is the debut show for Theater in the Park and we get the chance to make first impressions in our communities. We want the families who attend to bring their friends back next year! In the future blog entries will be added at least once a week on Sunday evenings and will include a recap of our Saturday rehearsals, a summary of our board meeting discussions, updates on funding, venues, schedules and costumes.

If anyone has friends and family, bring them in for a visit to a rehearsal and maybe we can convince them to join us as an extra! We are also looking for anyone with carnival talent to join the show, i.e. juggling, unicycle, acrobats, tumblers, fire breathers, sword swallowers, minstrels, the works! (Kidding about the sword swallowers!)

New Read-Through time

Due to scheduling conflicts, this Saturday's read-thru will be from 8-10 instead of 9-11. It will still be at the church on Main Street in Spanish Fork, directly across from the library.

Read Throughs

We will have read throughs on November 7 and December 5 from 9-11 am. Both days are Saturdays. They will be held at the LDS City Center Building in Spanish Fork -- directly across the street from the library.

It would be great if you could all pick up a copy of "no fear shakespeare" or bring your laptops and read it online. Used book stores may have it as well I'll check tomorrow in Orem. If not enough we will just read from the script.

We will meet just inside the south doors of the church in the relief society room. Please be on time! My goal is to have you back with your families by noon!

It's really important that each of you is attend.

CAST LIST!!!

After seeing the incredible amount of talent available, we decided to double cast a few roles. Please note, these are not understudies. We plan for them to do the same amount of shows.


Benedick................Alex Hansen and Dan Hoffman
Beatrice..................Brighton Sloane and Chelsea Pyle
Claudio...................Jason Wilkinson
Hero.........................Melanie Adams and Beki Diamond
Don Pedro..............Darin Bartholomew
Don John................Matt Moody
Lady Conrad.........AJ (Alyssa) Christensen
Borachio.................Chris Laird
Leonata..................Dinah Bradford
Ursula.....................Becca
Margaret................Krista McClellan
Antonia...................Serena Bennish
Dogberry................Nathan Lowe and Brian Sheets
Verges.....................Sarah Allen
Friar........................Richard Robbins
Watchman #1......Andrew Cannon
Watchman #2......Ty Jacardis
Watchman #3......Brianna McKell

Cast List

Due to still needing to cast some of the male roles I have not posted the cast list. However if you auditioned tonight there is a personal email for each of you ladies. Guys you will know on Thursday who has which part.

Thanks so much the auditions were a success and I think we have a great cast. I have to say you guys did what I asked as far as "Bringing it" and people I hadn't really considered surprised us!

I hope you will all accept the roles offered I'm excited about the cast, the show, and working with each of you.

And now at last, I am going to bed!

Carob Bartholomew

Carob Bartholomew, founder and director of Spanish Fork's Theater In The Park, is excited to bring this opportunity to the people of Utah county. After moving to Spanish Fork in March 2009 Carob fell in love with the library park and found it to be the perfect venue for such a production. Carob loves to teach and loves to learn. Her passion for theater and creativity is second only to her love of people.

Carob has been acting since the age of 9 when she starred in weekly vacation bible school skits. During high school she was very involved with a small Shakespeare company not unlike Theater In The Park. In Her junior year of high school she was accepted into Cornish College of the Arts. She completed her education at the Northwest Actors Studio in the conservatory program. Carob has worked with many of Seattle's prestigious theaters. She has also written, acted and directed for various fringe theaters and church productions. Carob has most recently become a member of the Spanish Fork Community Theater Board and the Spanish Fork Arts Council.

Carob believes that theater should be fun, accessible and open to everyone! She is a big believer in inclusion theater and strives to cast productions with diversity in mind. She welcomes everyone regardless or age, race, religion, ability or disability to come be a part of the show!
When Carob is not involved in theater she loves to entertain friends and spend time with her two princes Liam (aka the Monkey), and Adam, the most supportive husband ever! (He'd have to be to let her do this.)