This week’s gathering was a joyful reminder of what makes the ensemble special—collaboration, humor, and shared ownership of the process. The evening was devoted to one of the most important decisions of the season: how auditions would work.
After warm laughter during check-in, the ensemble discussed several options. Should auditions be before or after Thanksgiving? Should they keep the traditional SIP style of performing solo monologues? Every opinion was heard. One member pointed out that holding auditions before the holiday would avoid scheduling conflicts; another agreed that it would “leave more time for the read-through before the break.” A single voice spoke up for post-holiday auditions, but when it came to a vote, the decision was clear—pre-Thanksgiving auditions won overwhelmingly.
The conversation then turned to the format. The group quickly agreed to return to the traditional style—each person performing a monologue on stage—and began calling out suggestions. The list grew fast: Adriana 2.2, Luciana 3.2, Antipholus 3.2, Egeon 1.1, and Dromio 4.4. One participant read Adriana’s piece and admitted, “I didn’t like it—there were a lot of words I didn’t know.” Another followed and declared, “I loved it! Straight up!” which sent the group into laughter.
Another member gave a lively reading of Luciana’s speech that earned enthusiastic cheers from her peers. The discussion that followed was full of encouragement and curiosity. Together, the ensemble narrowed the options down to five audition pieces:
- Adriana 2.2
- Duke 1.1
- Luciana 3.2
- Antipholus 3.2 (paired with #3 for a optional scene)
- Dromio 4.4
- Or any other piece that “speaks to you”
The evening closed with everyone sharing which roles they hoped to explore. The room buzzed with anticipation—some dreaming of leads, others of comic side roles—and plenty of laughter along the way. By night’s end, the group had charted the path forward democratically and joyfully.