The Theatre Arts Department is putting on a fall performance of the Tom Stoppard play, "Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead." Directed by George Yé, the department invites all students, faculty and staff to audition for this undergraduate production about Rosencrantz and Guildenstern, two of Hamlet's former college buddies in William Shakespeare's "Hamlet."
As Hamlet's madness grows in the end of "Hamlet," the wary King Claudius gives Rosencrantz and Guildenstern the very ambiguous task of following Hamlet and discovering what is the cause of his apparently insensible madness. This task evolves beyond the pair's control, as Hamlet, despite the mastery of vocabulary that each Rosencrantz and Guildenstern possess, eloquently and outwardly out-words the two.
Eventually the pair, via vague orders from King Claudius, leads Hamlet to England, where they are to deliver a letter to the King ordering the immediate execution of Hamlet. Unfortunately for the pair, they are not told that this message is what the letter contained. Hamlet discovers the letter and replaces it with one of his own, sealing the demise of Rosencrantz and Guildenstern. For those of you unfamiliar with Shakespeare's "Hamlet," the tragedy is absolutely essential for not only understanding the world of Rosencrantz and Guildenstern, but to be understood as a testament to genius literature.
Towards the end of "Hamlet," and going along with the theme of death, we discover, albeit a minor event in Hamlet, that "Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are dead." Tom Stoppard takes this one line and brilliantly creates a three-act story of these two ill-fated characters.
Stoppard interjects scenes directly from "Hamlet" into this recreated Shakespearean world, including the moment that King Claudius and Queen Gertrude, the incestuous parents/cousins of Hamlet, actually send the pair on their quest. The affluent and worrisome royalty commonly mistake Rosencrantz for Guildenstern and vice versa, a mishap so common that even the hapless helpers themselves begin to make the mistake.
Eventually our duo sets sail with Hamlet, accumulating in the plays title, when the Ambassador of England proclaims, "Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are dead." It's a unique and comical play that takes an outsider's approach to the satirical world of Shakespeare. Stoppard's existential and often ridiculous look into this world produces a terrific tragic comedy that withstands the keen criticism that a contemporary Shakespearean play should warrant while superseding expectations. It is the defense case for the deaths of two characters who ultimately did little to deserve their original deaths in Hamlet.
For more information on the play, visit the callboard website at sandiego.edu/theatre/callboard/auditions, or take a look to the left. A one-minute monologue from either "Hamlet" or "Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead" is required and must be memorized.
Callbacks will consist of cold readings of the play in groups of two or more. Reread (or read for the first time) both of these plays and find a unique piece that shows your ability to understand and interpret the language while demonstrating a wide array of emotion. Copies of the play can be picked up in the Theatre Department office, located in Camino 130.
There is ample opportunity to get involved, even if you are not a theatre major or minor. Whether you're an actor, designer or just someone who enjoys the theater, the USD Theatre Arts Department provides many avenues for participation.
Best yet, you don't have to be formally trained in theater or production to become involved. Check out the Theatre Arts Callboard. They have positions from stage managers to props, lights and sound crew, to front-of-house positions as well, and you don't have to be an expert to give it a go.
If acting is your thing, or if you've ever thought about giving it a try, the department is open to actors of all backgrounds. So, as an incoming freshman, if you're looking to either continue with theater, or give the thespian lifestyle a try, the USD Theatre Arts Department has something for everyone.
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