Ethnos performers conducted their first audition on Monday. The second audition will be on Oct.17. Students are working hard on their performances, which will run on Nov. 11-12.
Veronica Whitt, International Student Association president, said ISA puts on Ethnos every fall, ISA’s biggest production. After much practice and a series of auditions, students perform dances from their own culture or show off other talents.
“We have three type of auditions for the acts. For the first one they have to have 30 percent to 50 percent of the dance, and the second one they have to have 50 percent to 70 percent or 100 percent, and the last one they have to be able to show everything,” Whitt said. “We want to see their progress and make sure we know they are practicing.”
A simple plot provides continuity for the play. Short acts break up the performances. The theme of this year’s Ethnos transition acts is a family visiting a travel agency to decide where to go for a family vacation.
This year ISA will have an audition for actors. Last year ISA did not conduct the audition because the Department of Theatre partnered with the club and ran the auditions.
Whitt said the actors’ audition is partially based on people’s accents and how clearly they speak English.
“If they can’t speak English very well we might have to say that won’t do this time,” Whitt said. “We have to let the audience understand the dialogue.”
To get ready for the show, the transition performance group is already starting to practice their act, and producers are busy making sure everything is on track.
Students interested in being part of the show can do so in various ways: acting, performing talent or working backstage.
Lucius Patenaude, co-producer, said everyone can be part of Ethnos. ISA leaders can help students develop their performance.
“International students and regular students can be part of Ethnos through being one of the actors, being part of the transition shows and especially being part of the back stage crew,” Patenaude said.
The show includes many students. “It’s a showcase of talents from different parts of the world,” Whitt said.
