Try On Theater Days offer a welcoming introduction to theater making in the Princeton theater and music theater program at the Lewis Center for the Arts. At scheduled times throughout the year, the program holds community evenings and workshops to encourage students (and other campus community members) to participate in our student-driven season in many capacities. This process replaces traditional solo auditions with group workshops and serves as an opportunity for students to get involved in other aspects of theater, such as stage management, design, sound engineering, production, and more.
Try on Theater Days was highlighted as a feature story and included among 2022’s 10 Most Popular Posts in American Theatre, the national magazine for the American professional not-for-profit theater industry.
Try on Theater Days: April 29, 2024
Students participate in Try on Theater Days community event on Sept. 5, 2023, in the Wallace Theater. Photo by Allison Ha
Come learn, play, and move! Try-on some theater making — and be cast in a show or sign on to participate backstage. No experience needed. Our 90-minute casting workshops replace traditional auditions with group exercises, games, and generative activities alongside the directors and project leaders of our spring shows. No preparation is needed and no participant will be required to perform alone. Graduate students, staff and faculty are welcome to participate in casting workshops, although typically performing opportunities are first offered to students. Our drop-in theater production & design workshops offer the chance to learn about opportunities offstage in design, stage management and production. All evenings are intended to be educational and enjoyable, whether or not you plan to participate in upcoming productions. There will be snacks!
Casting for Theater & Music Theater Program Shows
April 29, 2024
6-7:30 p.m. (session 1) and 8-9:30 p.m. (session 2)
Studios at Lewis Arts complex
Come and join us for a collaborative workshop if you are interested in performing. Sign up for a slot for Casting. The following shows will be casting:
- Anon(ymous) by Naomi Iizuka, directed by professional director Bi Jean Ngo. Anon(ymous) is a powerful retelling of Homer’s epic Odyssey, exploring themes of identity, coming-of-age, and the shifting nature of home, through the story of a young refugee and a large diverse cast. Performances will be held early November in the Berlind Theater. This rehearsal and performance process will be a THR 451 course, meeting on Friday afternoons from 12:30-4:20. Additional rehearsals will be held outside of class time on Wednesday and Friday evenings and Saturday afternoons. Although not all students will be called for all rehearsals, you should be regularly available at these times to take this class and participate in the show. Additionally, all students are required to attend a weekend of technical rehearsals in late October, as well as all dress rehearsals and several performances over two weekends in early November.
Design & Production Workshop: Write Lighting Cues with Tess James
April 29 from 6-8:30 PM
Light Lab, Lewis Arts complex
Try on the role of Lighting Designer in this hands-on, drop-in event. Make something and ask questions about elements of design and explore what non-performance roles the LCA has to offer. Feel free to join us for as long or short a time as you have available. No advance sign-up required.
Questions?
For questions about TOT Days, please contact Carmelita Becnel at cbecnel@princeton.edu or Jane Cox at janecox@princeton.edu.
