Community to have Shakespeare on the Tallahatchie

You’ve heard of Shakespeare in the Park? Our community is going to have it Mississippi-style with Shakespeare in the Park Along the River.

Magnolia Civic Center Manager Emily Draffen is going to present a sampling of the Bard’s more popular, often-quoted scenes rather than a full-length play.

She is looking for actors for the production, which is not going to be a classical British-style version.

“I don’t want anyone to be intimidated,” she said, referring to actors as well as audience.

“He wrote for the masses, the common people,” she said. There may be some content that was directed at the high-ranking playgoers of the day, but they were in the minority.

“There is plenty of low-brow humor,” she said, and even some contemporary sex jokes (for the time).

A brief explanation of what’s coming will preface each scene.

“I want to make this as fun and accessible and real as possible,” she said.

The production will be at the Park Along the River with comparatively minimal staging and will be free. Playgoers are encouraged to bring picnic meals if they wish. A date should be set this week but the performance will be in the evening sometime in early summer.

Auditions will begin Tuesday, May 25, at 6 p.m. at the Cine’ Theatre in the Magnolia Civic Center.

Those wanting to audition should sign up for an appointment time and prepare a 30-60 second monologue from Shakespeare. It can be either comedic or dramatic. There is no age limit.

Bring your completed audition form, downloadable here: http://magnoliaciviccenter.com/audition-forms/
Also bring your personal calendar (or a list of your upcoming conflicts).

Please sign up for your audition slot here: https://www.signupgenius.com/go/30E0C49AAAE2EA3FC1-audition