Chickadees,

My name is Ashley Diane Long. I’m a senior double majoring in Theatre Studies and Biology and a proud member of the fall production’s cast of Uncle Vanya. Our first day of class was this past Tuesday. We devoted this day to filling the remaining roles for the cast. I’ve only sat in on one other audition process, but it did not include the variety in artistic choices that I saw that day. From dancing to singing, in addition to monologues and duet scenes, no performance was short of surprising. We filled all of the positions for the production and I’m glad to welcome Phil, Rory, Madeleine, Aurelia, Bart, and Jaya to the already existent cast of Vanya. I can’t wait to start working on this amazing and innovative rendition of Uncle Vanya with all of you. On the second day of class we watched Vanya on 42nd Street, which is a 1994 film by Louis Malle and Andre Gregory. The film echoes to many of the ideas we will be exploring in our take of Uncle Vanya: breaking the barrier between what happens between the rehearsal process and producing a completed show, a side that most audiences never get to see. I’m curious to play with these ideas and let you know how they are fashioning out. Until then, talk to you later chickadees.

Love always,

Ashley Diane Long