Archive for December, 2007

Happy Holidays from UPTA 2008!

As time quickly flies into the New Year, I hope that you are all having a wonderful holiday season as we finish up 2007.

Over the next month, I’ll be sending out a few emails to you to keep you updated and get you ready for your auditions and production interviews here in Memphis.

To begin, here are a few quick notes…

• Our talent roster filled up faster than ever before! With the exception of a few AEA slots on Monday, all audition slots and waiting lists are full.
• There are still production interview slots available, so tell all your tech and arts admin friends who will be available year round to register online now!
• If your plans have changed, and you find out that you cannot attend UPTA for any reason, please let us know ASAP so we can process your cancellation and move folks off the waiting lists. You can contact my assistant Lindsey at “lindsey@upta.org” to process your cancellation.
• As of this email, 98 companies have registered. 6 more than last year at this time.
• Kiersten Mays, our choreographer, has prepared some notes for any folks who might be invited to dance call - click here to check out her valuable advice.
• As you know, we’re separating musical and non-musical auditions. Musical auditions will begin each day and non-musical auditions will end each day. In either case, you have 90 seconds to audition.
• All AEA folks, musical and non-musical, will be in the same group immediately following the lunch breaks on Sunday and Monday.
• If you are singing, remember you must still include at least one monologue in your 90 seconds. There are no “singing only” auditions. You must include at least one monologue in your 90 seconds.
• Actors, keep your audition under 90 seconds total - that includes transitions between pieces. The 90 seconds does not include the statement of your name and number. Also, you do not need to introduce your pieces.
• Production personnel, make sure you bring all appropriate support materials with you: resumes, prompt books, photos, letters of reference, etc.
• Visit our Registered Companies page at www.upta.org often so that you can keep tabs on which companies will be in the room when you audition and which companies are holding production interviews and/or collecting production resumes.
• Keep in mind that some companies are watching both musical and non-musical auditions — others are not. Some are watching both AEA and non-AEA, others are not. Some are holding production interviews, some are only collecting production resumes, still others are doing neither. Bottom line, be prepared for who will and will not be in the room when you audition or interview.
• Check out the UPTA FAQ page at “www.upta.org/faqs.html” for more information.

OK, I think that’s it for now. If you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to contact us. For audition info or cancellations, please contact my assistant Lindsey at “lindsey@upta.org” and I’m also available at “upta@upta.org”.

Prepare well, and I’ll be in touch again soon.

Take care,

Michael Detroit
Audition Coordinator
UPTA