05/10/13 The Wagon Wheel Theatre is Warsaw is offering high school students an opportunity to experience the Summer Youth Pit Orchestra Workshop.  The experience will include a performance of Gilbert and Sullivan’s Pirates of Penzance. 

Students who have an interest in performance music will be rewarded with the opportunity to work with professional musicians.  Ideal participants would be students who have a positive attitude and are eager to work hard and be ready to learn what it takes to become a team player in a pit orchestra. Students will have approximately 40 hours of sectional and individual coaching time by members of our professional musical staff and will work alongside the high school actors which will culminate in a performance to be given on Saturday, July 13th at 1 p.m. 

 Rehearsals will be June 10, 13, 17, 24, 27, 30 and July 1, 4, 5, 8, 11, 12, and 13.    Times will be determined by student schedules and participants must attend most if not all rehearsals.

The Wagon Wheel is searching for students who play the following instruments: Flute, Clarinet, Oboe, Trumpet, Horn, Trombone, Violin, Viola, Cello, Double Bass, and Orchestral Percussion

Live screening auditions will be held at the Wagon Wheel Theatre by appointment on May 19th from 1 to 8, May 20th from 6 to 9, and May 27th from 10 to 6.    If these dates are not feasible for your student, they will try and accommodate a different date and time.  All auditions must be completed between May 17th and June 1st. 

Students who are interested in auditioning should have a parent or guardian email Thomas Stirling, Musical Supervisor of Wagon Wheel Theatre at musicmaestrotom10@gmail.com to schedule an audition time no later than Sunday, May 26th.  Please include the student’s name, contact phone number, instrument(s), and all available times to allow flexibility in scheduling the audition.  Students will be scheduled for an approximate 15 minute time block. 

Participation Requirements include students finishing 8th grade through 12th grade.  Participants will perform a prepared solo/etudes at audition – up to 7 minutes in length and will be asked to sight-read at the audition.  Percussionists should be comfortable on timpani and orchestral percussion.  A letter of recommendation by a music instructor is also required.   There is a $75 participation fee required per student.