The Lurking Place of E. Rochelle Potter
A Will Kempe's Sneak Peek
This past summer I brought my daughter to see Will Kempe’s Players' production of Twelfth Night and she was so inspired by what unfolded before her that by the end of the performance she yearned to become a part of their amazing process. Recently I learned W.K.P. would be holding auditions for their upcoming season, which promises to include Hamlet and A Midsummer Night’s Dream. If there’s one role I’ve dreamed of playing over the years, it’s Puck. Much as I would have enjoyed seizing the opportunity, the current circumstances of my life leave little room for the amount of time necessary to dedicate myself to such an undertaking. So sadly, I didn’t audition. However, despite her lack of knowledge about Shakespeare’s works, the impression W.K.P. left on my daughter lingers still and she was determined to try.
Auditions can be terrifying, especially for the inexperienced. When her turn came, her fear was evident. Though she’d had a short monologue memorized before we arrived, her panic made her forget. Words fled her mind and she looked like a scared rabbit.
What happened next illustrates what wonderful people comprise the beating heart of Will Kempe’s Players.
Before she could do a thing, Sandra Boynton, the guru godmother of W.K.P. looked at her and said, “The first thing you’re going to do is take a deep breath. And another. And another. Now I want you to put your lips together and make a motorboat sound—and we’re all going to do it with you.” The room filled with an amusing cacophony of improvised motorboat as the core members of a professional theatrical troupe made this sound with her and began flailing around like lunatics, just for the sake of putting this frantic teenager more at ease. It wasn’t “Do this foolish thing in front of us and try to relax,” it was “do this foolish thing with us, because we are indeed all fools!” There is a profound difference.
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While she still read her monologue off the page, her pantomime and singing afterwards were much more lively and well-received. And while I was unaware that they couldn’t cast her due to her age, they still invited her to participate in the call-backs. Inspiration swings both ways. While my daughter was inspired by their performance, they were also inspired by her interest and the sheer courage it took for her to stand alone as the only minor in a group of adults and not back down.
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As a professional organization Will Kempe’s Players stands elite. They knew they couldn’t cast her from the start but not once did anyone say, “You’re wasting our time.” The level of support and encouragement they displayed was staggering and while my daughter shed some tears upon learning she wouldn’t be cast, they swiftly made it clear that this was in no uncertain terms based solely upon the legal issue of casting anyone under the age of 18. They are genuinely eager to nurture her enthusiasm and to help cultivate her as a performer and that to me says an awful lot about the people of W.K.P.
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What an exceptional organization! While I continue to kick myself for not auditioning as well, I can’t wait for the upcoming season!
“...shall we set about some revels?”
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