Stephen Vance, Staff
Organizers of the Kids in the Meaford Hall theatre group are gearing up for their eighth annual holiday season performance at Meaford Hall, and they will be looking for actors to be cast in a production of The Grinch during auditions that will be held on September 15 and 17.
For the third year in a row, the cast for the annual holiday season performance will be entirely filled with youth actors, so the theatre group will be looking for young actors in the Grades 5 to 12 age range to audition.
Director Michelle Biggins told The Independent that even those lacking the acting bug but who have a desire to participate in the production in other ways can attend the auditions.
“We invite everyone to come out, even if they’re not wanting to audition to be on stage, but they want to participate – and that can be either adults or kids,” explained Biggins.
Asked if there were any special talents required for this year’s play, Biggins said they are looking for people that can sing.
“There will be more singing this year,” advised Biggins, adding that they are also looking for a solid voice for narration throughout the play.
Auditions are being held in the Terrace Room at Meaford Hall from 6 to 9 p.m. on Thursday, September 15, and from 1 to 4 p.m. on Saturday, September 17.
Those wanting to participate will need to be available for rehearsals, which will be held on Tuesday and Thursday evenings from 6 to 9 p.m., beginning Tuesday, September 20.
The Kids in the Meaford Hall program was launched in 2009 by Meaford resident Gunter Neumann, who is still active with the organization, raising the funds required to stage the play each year.
Producer David Baker told The Independent that putting on the holiday production – which local schoolchildren are able to attend for free – costs the community theatre group roughly $8,000 each year, the majority of which goes to the rental costs for Meaford Hall. Those funds are raised each year from local businesses and individuals.
The Kids in the Meaford Hall’s production of Dr. Seuss’s The Grinch will be performed on December 8 and 9, and Baker said that the goal this year is for 1,000 students to attend the play for free during the daytime performances, and there will be an evening performance with tickets for sale to the general public.
For more information about the Kids in the Meaford Hall contact: David Baker, 519-538-2919.
