Page 43 - San Angelo

Directors Elena Kent and Jane Lewis spent a full day in the actual auditions and many hours reviewing performances and comparing their notes to make casting decisions. Cast lists were posted several days later online and in the theatre. Some youths were cast as understudies and others volunteered as stagehands and backstage managers. Elizabeth Schults, the sixteen year-old actor who played the title role of Annie Oakley, had no real acting experience outside of her school in Blackwell, Texas. Her singing voice, her carriage, and her acting potential impressed the directors at the audition. “We work very hard on this decision. We are kind of known for our casting,” explained Jane Lewis.

“The theatre accesses all forms of art,” explained John Southwell, ACT’s box offce manager. “I don’t act, but give me a hammer and some paint and I can build you something you can use on stage. Give me a computer and I will run your box offce.