It's hard to believe we are halfway through our summer camp season!   This week is our 5th week out of 9 WEEKS OF CAMPS!

We've had a BLAST so far and we know that our students are leaving camp feeling better about themselves and with greater abilities!

Here are some pictures of the fun we're having!

There is still a little bit of room in our remaining camps: Stagestruck Acting Camp, Broadway Bound Musical Theater Camp, Storybook Summer Beginning Acting Camp and FairyTale Adventure Beginning Acting Camp.  Register HERE!

Class showcases are this coming week, May 22-29.  Are you ready?

Admission for all showcases is FREE, so come and support your friends and Stone Oak Youth Theatre at any of these fantastic showcases next week!

Saturday, May 22
10:00am - Beginning Acting Showcase
11:00am - Hullabaloo presents "Hullabaloo: The Talent Show" (Free Admission!)

Monday, May 24
5:00pm - Showcase for Acting I, Dance for Stage and Ballet/Jazz Combo
6:00pm - Showcase for Acting II

Tuesday, May 25
6:00pm - Tuesday Night Live! (Showcase for Sketch Comedy Class)

Wednesday, May 26
7:30pm - Teen Acting Class Showcase

Thursday, May 27
6:00pm - SA Shakedown Performance (Pop Performance Class Showcase)

Hey everyone! Don't miss our two newest camps this summer, Storybook Summer and Fairy Tale Adventure.  These camps are perfect for Ages 3-6, and introduce the basics of theater through games, stories and songs!

Only a half-day long, snacks are provided and students will put on a special performance on the last day of camp!

Check out more info on our CAMPS page!

HULLABALOO, Stone Oak Youth Theatre's new in-house performance troupe, opens their first show ever on Saturday, May 22 at 11:00am. 

Hullabaloo is a brand new kind of theater experience for youth, by youth.  Eleven talented young women present stories with themes of friendship, respect, honesty and more through songs and sketches.  Come watch as these "real-life role models" navigate their way through the problems that face young people today!  If you're a student at SOYT, you'll recognize many of these faces as friends of yours from class or productions.

Our first production "Hullabaloo: The Talent Show" opens this Saturday, May 22 at 11:00am.  A big Hullabaloo talent show is in the works and all the girls are excited to share their talents.  Everyone has something special to share...everyone except Sevanna.  Will she discover her gifts before it's too late to be a part of the show?  Come help her discover what her talents are - and show yours off, too!

Admission is free, but please call 210-481-2400 to reserve your seat today!

Congratulations to the cast and crew of our Spring 2010 season!  Fools, Seussical the Musical Jr., and Alice in Wonderland Jr were all such wonderful successes.  We couldn't be prouder directors and teachers! 

Don't forget to get your tickets for FOOLS, opening this weekend, April 8-10.

The show, starring our teen actors, is about the small Ukrainian village of Kulyenchikov. Two hundred years ago, it was placed under a terrible curse that left each and every resident with no sense at all! A young schoolteacher, Leon, has taken on the challenge of breaking the curse by trying to educate the poor citizens. Of course, it's harder than he thinks, especially when he falls in love with one of the village girls and finds out he only has 24 hours before he, too, falls under the curse!

Don't miss this wonderful show! You can order tickets online for the Friday and Saturday performances.

Rehearsals are in full swing for Hit The Road's new show: Disney Spectacular! The songs they'll be performing are all classic Disney tunes like Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious, Candle on the Water, Heigh Ho, and Someday My Prince Will Come.  Check out some fun rehearsal shots!

Hit The Road usually tours to nursing homes and community events, so if you know of an event or if you have a loved one you'd like for us to visit, please let us know!  You can contact Terrie Becan for booking at terrieb@soyt.org or 210-481-2400.

Alright, so this post may be a little belated, but here are some of the pictures from Hit The Road's fantastic performance at Six Flags Fiesta Texas.

We performed Christmas Time Is Here as Stars of the Season on December 22.  The performance was AMAZING!  I've never seen so much "Schwa"!  We even got a certificate to hang up in the theater.

Miss Maryclaire and Miss Jillian are starring in Beehive! The 60s Musical down at San Pedro Playhouse.

The greatest hits of pop music superstars of the past, performed in the present by our own stars of tomorrow.  Relive those good times and outrageous hairdos to the tunes of Tina Turner, Aretha Franklin, Janis Joplin, Leslie Gore, Connie Francis, Dusty Springfield, Petula Clark and many more.  BEEHIVE is a hot show guaranteed to lift your spirits and have you dancing in the aisles!

The show runs January 22-February 21, 2010. 
Friday and Saturday night performances start at 8:00pm and Sunday performances start at 2:30pm.

We would be thrilled if you would come to the show and see your teachers in action!  The San Pedro Playhouse Box Office has set aside a block of tickets for Sunday, February 7 for any families from Stone Oak Youth Theatre who would like to attend.

Just call the Playhouse at 210-733-7258 and tell them you would like to be seated with the group from Stone Oak Youth Theatre.  See you there!

We're having auditions this Saturday for three different shows and three different age groups:

Alice In Wonderland (Ages 7-10)
Seussical The Musical (Ages 10-17)
Fools, A Comedy Play (Ages 13-17)

So, I'd like to give a few notes on the art of auditioning, from a director's perspective. Granted, when you are a young actor the casting staff is very forgiving, but that doesn't mean you shouldn't work your hardest to prepare and to put a few special things into practice.

1. READ THE AUDITION NOTICE.
The audition notice will tell you just about you need to know about what you need to prepare. For example, the audition notice for our upcoming shows reads, "All auditioners should prepare a one-minute memorized monologue. Those auditioning for a musical should also prepare a short song selection (please bring an accompaniment CD!) and be ready to learn a simple dance combination."
If a student shows up without a song or monologue, we know they have not taken the time to read the audition notice...so we cannot be convinced that they will put the necessary effort into a role. If the monologue or song is not memorized, we are not reassured that they will be able to memorize lines for an entire production. And if the auditioner should arrive in restrictive clothing and flip flops, they are certainly not ready to learn a dance combination.

2. DO YOUR RESEARCH.
To perform well at an audition, you must know what you are auditioning for. For example, if the show is a snappy, happy musical, preparing a monologue from The Diary of Anne Frank or something equally somber is a poor choice. Likewise, you wouldn't want to sing "Tomorrow" from Annie for something more dramatic. Know the show, know the character that you'd like to be considered for, and choose an audition piece that fits the tone. It is usually not a good idea to choose a selection from the show you are auditioning for, unless the audition notice calls for that. At our theater, we are not picky about that, but many directors are...so keep it in mind. Try to show a little more variety!
Look to sites like Stage Agent for character and show descriptions, and look up musical numbers on YouTube or similar sites to really get a feel for the show.

3. PREPARE.
Once you know you are going to audition, start practicing right away! The more practice, the better! Have your monologue and song memorized perfectly. Show the director that you care about the show and that you can be a responsible member of the cast.

4. HOW TO CONDUCT YOURSELF WHEN YOU ARRIVE.
Every moment you have at an audition is a chance to make a good impression. Be polite and considerate of the other auditioners...trying to intimidate others lower your chances of looking like a team player. Be kind and gracious with other staff members or helpers at the theater.

5. THE AUDITION.
When it is your turn to audition, the first thing you should do is introduce yourself. When I audition, I always try to shake hands with the director and tell them my name. I want them to know I am a confident person. If the setting isn't right, or if that's something you are not comfortable with, that's fine.
Before you begin your audition, you should always slate. Slates vary depending on genre, age, agency, theater, etc, but at Stone Oak Youth Theatre, we like slates to go something like this, "Hello, my name is Suzy Creamcheese. I am thirteen years old and I go to Anytown Middle School. I will be singing the song "The Sun In The Morning And The Moon At Night" from Annie Get Your Gun." When your audition is complete, say thank you and follow the directions given (i.e. waiting for the dance audition, time to go home, etc.)...don't forget to smile! It's done and you can breathe a little easier now, huh?

This is just a basic overview...and I hope it helps new auditioners get an insight into what a director likes!

BREAK A LEG!