Tag Archives: black friday

Black Friday, This Weekend

Black Friday, the epic rock opera music thesis of Sam Ottinger ’09, debuts tonight and is playing until Saturday at the ’92 Theater.

This description is from early last semester, but according to Aural Wes the show still promises to be a macabre musical tale of American consumerism and blind religious rapture:

This opera is inspired by God, Death and the mall. The music, a mix of stoner metal/drone/jazz/classical & tom waits. The place, anytown U.S.A. Shopping Mall built inside of a MEGA-CHURCH. The day, Black Friday, the annal orgy consumer culture. The people, Seven sinners left behind after the rapture by a Zeus like Demi-god who urges them on as they decide their fates. There’s a chorus of shoppers, a chorus of angels and demons, a pervert who loves God more than anything but can’t help watching women change, an alcoholic security guard, a money grubbing evangelist and a power crazed prophet. EVERYONE DIES…almost…

Free Preview:
Wednesday, Feb 25th: 11:00pm
(No ticket necessary, just show up)

Performances:
Thursday, Feb 26th: 8:00pm
Friday, Feb 27th: 8:00pm
Saturday, Feb 28th: 2:00pm and 9:00 pm
(tickets available for free at the box office the day of the performance)

The show will run about two hours, including a fifteen-minute intermission.

More info on Facebook and Aural Wes.

Black Friday Auditions (Round 2)

From Ross Shenker ’11:

As some of you might know, we held auditions for “Black Friday“, the Senior Music Thesis of Sam Ottinger ’09, last November. Due to scheduling conflicts we didn’t end up casting the show that weekend. We are holding fresh auditions this semester on…

Thursday January 22nd 6-9PM
Friday January 23rd 6-9PM
Usdan Multipurpose room (basement- B25)

Callbacks on:
Saturday January 24th
10AM-Onwards
Location TBA

Bring a 1-2 minutes of a song to sing either a Capella or with piano accompaniment. No need to sign up ahead of time, just show up. See you there!

Part-Time Wal-Mart Employee Trampled To Death

Jdimytai Damour, 34, a part-time Wal-Mart security guard was trampled to death yesterday morning by a teeming crowd, which had gathered outside of a Wal-Mart awaiting its 5 a.m. opening. The shoppers proceeded to step over the dying man in order to start shopping, eager to get the best deals on Black Friday, America’s unofficial shopping holiday.

The New York Times: Wal-Mart Employee Trampled to Death

Audition for spring rockopera "Black Friday"

Auditions start today for Black Friday, “A New Rock Opera,” written and composed and music directed by Sam Ottinger ‘09, and directed by Ross Shenker ‘11. It is:

“A tragic tale of crazed Shoppers, hopeless Romantics, Perversion, Piety, and Vice set against the backdrop of Judgment Day. Lead by a power-crazed prophet, Angels and Demons vie for the souls of those left behind. “

Audition times are Thursday, November 20th (6:30 – 9 USDAN 108) and Friday, November 21st (4:30-7 Fayerweather). Callbacks are on Saturday, November 22nd.

Show dates are Thursday February 26th 8PM, Friday February 27th 8PM, and Saturday February 28th 2 PM and 8PM.

You can find sign ups for auditions and more information on the callboard of the CFA Theater Studios. Feel free to e-mail sottinger@wes or rshenker@wes with questions.

More Operas Need You!

Operas are in this year. Sam Ottinger ’09 writes,

I am also writing an opera to be performed in the Spring and I need production staff. It’s called Black Friday.

This opera is inspired by God, Death and the mall. The music, a mix of stoner metal/drone/jazz/classical & tom waits. The place, anytown U.S.A. Shopping Mall built inside of a MEGA-CHURCH. The day, Black Friday, the annal orgy consumer culture. The people, Seven sinners left behind after the rapture by a Zeus like Demi-god who urges them on as they decide their fates. There’s a chorus of shoppers, a chorus of angels and demons, a pervert who loves God more than anything but can’t help watching women change, an alcoholic security guard, a money grubbing evangelist and a power crazed prophet. EVERYONE DIES…almost…

I need a director/assistant director, a stage manager, lighting designer, set designer, sound designer and costume designer. Also if you are a singer/actor and you think you might be interested, please get in touch. Auditions will be soon.

Sam can be reached at sottinger@wes.

Next, Sean Chin ’09 has a plea for Wesleyan skaters:

Dear Wesleyan,
It seems I am in need of a skateboard for the Theater Department’s production of The Threepenny Opera. If you have any sort of skateboard-like device, being of old or new, used or virgin, swanky or traditional, massively upgraded or bare essentials, and find that the poor thing merely sits in your corner for months on end, please help a poor thespian out.

Can you help? Contact him at smchin@wes.