In spite of COVID and following all CDC guidelines, the Colquitt County Arts Center has staged one youth production and is preparing to hold auditions for the next one. In December a cast of 26 students performed ELF, Jr. for the community. Twice during the rehearsal period the cast had to be quarantined. However with the magic of ZOOM, students gathered around their phones and computers and continued rehearsing as a group until they could gather in person again. 

The Colquitt County Arts Center is excited to announce auditions for the youth production of “Once On This Island.” Come and celebrate storytelling with this rousing Calypso-flavored tale of one small girl who finds love in a world of prejudice.

From the Tony Award-winning songwriting team of Lynn Ahrens and Stephen Flaherty (“Seussical,” “Ragtime”), comes the Olivier Award-winning “Once on This Island.” This highly original and theatrical Caribbean adaptation of the popular fairy tale, “The Little Mermaid,” garnered eight Tony nominations for its Broadway run, including Best Musical, Book and Score.

Ti Moune, a peasant girl, rescues a wealthy boy from the other side of the island, Daniel, with whom she falls in love. Unbeknownst to Ti Moune, the pompous gods who preside over the island make a bet with one another over which is stronger, love or death, the stakes being Ti Moune’s life. When she pursues Daniel, who has returned to his people, Ti Moune is shunned because of her lowly status. Her determination and capacity to love, though, is not enough to win Daniel’s heart, and Ti Moune pays the ultimate price; but the gods turn Ti Moune into a tree that grows so strong and so tall, it breaks the wall that separates the societies and ultimately unites them.

Auditions will be held Friday, Feb. 19^, from 4:30-6:30 p.m. Children in grades K-5 will be asked to stand on stage in a group and tell their name, grade, where  they go to school and their favorite thing to do. They will sing a song as a group. Students in 6^th-12^th grades will be asked to have a 30-second monologue prepared and sing one verse or chorus of a song a capella style. No previous stage experience is required and all students will be included in the cast. Students who would like to participate in the technical needs of the show including lights, sound, makeup, costuming, stage hands, etc. should come to auditions to fill out the appropriate paperwork but will not be required to audition.

Rehearsals will be held by age groups on Monday, Tuesday and Thursday afternoons with K-5th grade students meeting from 3:30-4:30 and 6^th-12^th grade students rehearsing from 4:45-6:00. Classes will be combined for full cast rehearsals as performance dates draw closer. 

 For more information call the Colquitt County Arts Center at 985-1922.