musicals – Jerusalem English Theater Community

The JET Community’s C.B. Davies spoke with alumni Yossi Caldaron in the spring about his experience with the Jerusalem English Theater Community.

How did you find the English theater community in Jerusalem?

So I was actually an unemployed oleh chadash, and looking to find something that had meaning to it, something I could focus on and which would make me feel like I was working towards and achieving something. So I said, you know what, I love to perform. I love to act and sing, and I’d had some experience in both professional and community theater type situations. I knew people through the grapevine like Eli Kaplan-Wildmann and others, so I was able to figure out what was going on in Jerusalem and Tel Aviv, which was where I was living. There wasn’t really much of a community theater scene [in Tel Aviv], so I had to travel to Jerusalem.

Talk about your first community theater experience in Israel.

Rent was my first experience with community theater and it was an absolutely amazing, rewarding, phenomenal experience. I met fantastic and talented people. I really can say, in the four years that I lived in Israel, doing Rent–and, of course, meeting my husband–but doing Rent was the highlight of my aliya experience. It was really just–I can’t even say how amazing of an experience it was.

Was Rent the only show you did?

I also did a smaller production called Danger. It was an original with Danny Palmer. He wrote it. That was my second and my last experience, and then I moved back to the U.S. shortly thereafter. Danger was also a really positive experience, but you know it was a very small production. There were only five or six people. So it wasn’t the same–you know, meeting new people and bonding–it didn’t have the same sort of camaraderie of a larger cast.

Did you see any other shows?

It was difficult, living in Tel Aviv, but I actually did see you in a show; you played a nazi soldier, right? That was really good. It was excellent actually. It was hard to get to Jerusalem to see shows. Our goal is to move back to Israel after we’ve worked [in the United States] for several years and saved up as much money as possible. One of one of the things I look forward to is returning to Israel. We’re thinking when we return of where we might live–it might be Jerusalem, it might be Tel Aviv–but I would definitely want to get involved again in community theater when we return.

So you plan on coming back?

Yeah. We know we don’t know what Hashem has in store for us, but in our mind [New York] is a temporary move, and our goal is to get back to Israel, certainly.

What you miss most; in Israel and in the community?

I wasn’t so entrenched in the theater community because I only did two shows and I lived in Tel Aviv; but the two shows that I did, I was made to feel so welcome and like I was part of the community. I do miss that feeling–that feeling of togetherness, of camaraderie–like you’re in something with a lot of other people, like you’re in it together. I miss that. I also miss falafel, hummus, and sabich.

You can’t get that in New York?

Not like in Israel. I’ve missed the food so much. I can’t even tell you.

Do you plan to come and visit?

Yeah we do. We do come and visit from time to time, because Amir’s family’s there. So we’ll be there next time for the holidays. Maybe until after Yom Kippur. But if we have enough time then we might be able to stay through Succot. So we’ll see.

So you’re in the Diamond business. Is that what you did in Israel?

At first I wasn’t working, for about a year and a half. Then I worked for the GIA–the Gemological Institute of America–as a diamond grader. I’d had a business that I had sort of walked away from in order to live in Israel. Then I started getting a lot of interest again. At that point–right after I did danger–is when I started travelling back and forth. I would fly to New York every month to work with my clients and then I would fly back to Israel and it just became difficult, and the parnasa was here, and it was a lot more than I was able to make in Israel. So I said let’s try America for a while and save up as much as we can, and then, God willing, we’ll get back [to Israel].

Have you stayed connected with the community?

Not so much. I mean Eli, we’ve been in contact a little bit. When he came to New York we hosted him for Shabbat lunch. I actually had lunch with some of the rent people–probably a year ago now–Coren Feldman and Noa. I can’t remember if anybody else came but a few of us got together and we had lunch over at By Chloe. It’s an amazing vegan fast food restaurant.

Was Jerusalem your first community theater experience? Does your experience in community theater help you today?

It’s sort of a point of nostalgia for me when I look back at the years that I lived in Israel. It puts a smile on my face and it makes me miss the experience a little bit more. I’m not sure that it contributed to my professional life or anything. I had done some very high quality community theater productions before, in Hawaii actually. I felt a similar type of camaraderie, except it was different because, you know, being in Israel with a lot of olim and having that shared experience of living in a different country and getting used to new ways of doing things and being in it together felt a little more special than the previous times that I had done community theater productions.

Would you recommend that others become part of the english theater community in Jerusalem?

Yes sir. Certainly I would recommend it for anybody that wants to put themselves on a stage, whether they’re highly experienced or looking to get into it [theater]. I would really recommend the experience because I think it’s something special, and that they will remember it for the rest of their lives, and will also build new friendships and have a good time in the process.

What was unique about the Jerusalem theater community?

I felt like there was less attitude and ego. Maybe there is and I just didn’t see it, but I felt like people were just really nice and open and were having fun and also very talented. The quality of the productions was really good. I felt like everyone had an open attitude and was very accepting of everyone and it was a really great environment. It was a nurturing environment. I think when you get a bunch of performers together there can be a sense of “diva-ness,” for lack of a better term. Like who’s this or who’s better or this or that. None of that really mattered. It was just people getting together wanting to put on something of high quality and have a great time doing it. It felt like there was just a really good environment. I always tell Amir that doing Rent was really the highlight of my aliya experience. I always tell him that. I was watching the movie Rent and I got a little teary; I started to cry a little bit.

How can we help people learn about the Jerusalem theater community?

I think this website that you’re doing to centralize all the happenings in community theater into one location–so that they’re easily accessible and people have more information–is fantastic. I think it’s a great step. Other than that, social media is always amazing. Like maybe an Instagram–an account that just takes pictures of all the different community theater happenings, of when the shows are, of the actors in action, of all the different productions. I think that could be a really good way to get the word out.

For those wishing to be cast in a show, there is usually an audition process. Encore (Pirates of Penzance), and J-Town Playhouse (Irena’s Vow, The Tempest) are both theater companies that have recently announced auditions.

Most of the companies in our community hold open auditions. However, each audition process is as unique as the companies are themselves. Here is a break down of the audition processes in our community to help you better navigate the auditions and know what to expect.

Within the audition posting, you may be asked to select an audition time slot. Other times the auditions will be scheduled on a first-come first served basis.

Different Companies will have different production staff present at your audition depending on the company and what style of show you are auditioning for. Sometimes, the only staff present will be the director. You might also be auditioning for the producer, writer and other production staff. If you are auditioning for a musical, than expect the musical director and choreographer to be at the audition as well.

Some companies hold each audition in a room where it is only you and relevant production staff, while others hold a public audition where everyone is in the room, including other performers, and everyone gets to see your audition. There is also a middleground: Two to three potential performers in the room at once for a simultaneous audition, though this is more common in Callbacks (round two of the audition process) to see if different actors have natural chemistry and can work together.

An important way to make the right impression in an audition is to come prepared. Make sure you read all the information in the audition brief–whether that be the Facebook page or event, or an email or other posting. Often you will be asked to prepare something in advance.

Musicals will often require you to prepare a song to sing at the audition that is relevant to the musical you are auditioning for. Rarely, if ever, do they want you to sing a song from the musical itself, but rather something similar. Research the musical beforehand and find songs that match the mood and genre. For instance, if the musical you are auditioning for is Singing in the Rain, you want to find a song that is jazz (matching music genre) and fairly upbeat (matching the mood.) A quick Google search should head you in the right direction. If you are asked in the audition brief to prepare an song for a specific character, research what kind of songs that character sings in the show (Ballads? Upbeat? Depressing?) and prepare something suitable.

More often than not, you will also be expected to showcase your dancing skill for musical auditions. This can be as simple as filling out a questionnaire asking for relevant experience, or more complex–performing a short dance on the day. If you are asked to perform a dance, here are two common formats to expect:

A. You will be taught a short dance at the audition to present when it’s your turn. To prepare for this, research the musical you wish to audition for. Often, musicals are choreographed based on one or two distinct dance styles (jazz, hip-hop, ballet). Once you know what they are, take the time to polish your skill, or if you are a beginner, consider taking a few classes to bring you up to speed.

B. It is rare that you will be asked to choreograph a dance piece before the audition, but if that is the case make sure to present something relevant to the musical that follows the specifications of the audition brief.

For all auditions, musical or not, you will often be asked to prepare a monologue. The monologue is usually about a minute long, and it is your chance to showcase your dramatic talent. Sometimes you are required to memorize it, but in most cases you can keep a copy nearby in case you need reference. Either way, know it well. Once your monologue is complete, the director may ask you to read lines from various characters in the show. This doesn’t always happen and whether it does or not isn’t necessarily an indicator of the success of your audition. It’s also important to note that reading for a specific role does not guarantee that you will receive that role once the show is cast. You may get another role. Reading prepared lines from the show gives the director an insight into what characters you could play, but is not a guarantee of anything.

None of these audition elements are guaranteed to be a part of your audition. That is why it is crucial to read the audition brief before arriving on the day. It will tell you exactly what to prepare, as well as relevant information about the audition’s location, and whether or not you need to RSVP.

Most importantly, have fun! The companies are rooting for you. They want to find good people to be a part of the community. They want to showcase people’s talents. Enjoy yourself in the room. Give it your all. Let them know who you are and what you bring to the table. We hope this has been helpful and we can’t wait to welcome you with open arms to our community.

Tag: musicals

Our Community: Alumni Edition #2: Yossi Caldaron

The Audition Process