By Michael Miller (September 14, 2002)

George Mason students turned out in unusually high numbers Monday and Tuesday to audition for this year’s fall play, The Crucible by Arthur Miller. Lasso Online interviewed Mr. Frank Marino, the play’s director and head of the theater department, about the decisions involved in the crucial selection of a play.
 

Lasso Online: What goes into the process of choosing a play?

Mr. Marino: Well, I have to know that I have people to fill the different roles. We also like to rotate between different genres of plays, like comedy, mystery, and drama. And of course, we have to select them according to the guidelines that the administration has set for us.

Lasso: What attracted you to The Crucible?

Mr. Marino: Well, last year we had a large number of students who expressed an intrest in this particular play. It’s a classic drama, and it’s taught in the 9^th grade English classes, so many students are familiar with it.

Lasso: How are the auditions to cast the show going?

Mr. Marino: We had a huge turnout this year, with 78 students auditioning for roles. Usually we only have about 40 to 50 students trying out. I’ll have to make some difficult choices since there were so many good performances.

Lasso: What are your biggest apprehensions about the play?

Mr. Marino: I’m afraid that the subject matter might be difficult for some of our student actors to handle. They’ve never done a true drama, and The Crucible is tough.

Lasso: How do you think the rehearsals will go?

Mr. Marino: We’ve tried to make improvements to the rehersal schedules. We’ve changed them to accommodate students with sports practices, especially.

Lasso: Why do you think that theatre is important to George Mason?

Mr. Marino: We pride ourselves on developing well-rounded students, and fine arts and theater are key to producing balanced individuals.