“Pardon Our French: A Fourth Season of Firsts” will highlight Sansami’s strengths with two sketch comedy shows and its first mainstage comedy, a production of “Figaro” in Champaign County beginning in June, with auditions slated for May.
“We are really excited getting to four seasons and hope you’ll ‘Pardon our French’ and enjoy a laugh at our expense in 2017,” said Sansami Artistic Director Sawyer Shafer.
The season’s title was inspired by the frustrations that characterized 2016, Shafer said.
“We’re jumping headfirst into what our audience knows us for — making them laugh,” he said.
The fourth year of Spotlight Tonight begins the season on June 9 (and continues June 10, 16 and 17) and will feature 16 all-new sketches of family-friendly comedy written by Shafer and Logan Boggs.
Following those shows will be a brand new alternative production, Spotlight: Late Nite!, with humor aimed at ages 17-older where no topic will be off limits. These will be the same dates as above and begin at 10 p.m.
“Figaro” is a show the group has returned to since early on when considering productions and everything fell into place to go mainstage in 2017. Shafer will direct.
“ ‘Figaro’ is ingrained in our culture with a lot of underlying political commentary in it and timely, dealing with some of our present issues in a comical way,” said Shafer. “The content speaks volumes and it has multiple strong female characters.”
“Figaro” will be presented at 8 p.m. July 21, 22, 28 and 29.
Performance venues for all productions will be announced in March. Shafer hinted the shows may be performed in both Champaign and Logan counties.
The troupe’s average age is 22, with a couple below that and a few older among its 16 members.
Auditions and interviews are open to performers ages 12-older regardless of training or experience. Audition dates will be 5-7 p.m. May 11 and 12 and 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. May 13.
Registration for auditions and location will be available no later than April 15 on Sansami's website, www.sansamicw.com/. Audition requirements will also be available there.
Sansami is also looking toward 2018 to possibly adding a year-round schedule and its first original full-length play.
“We’re giving it a lot of focus and thought as we get ready to celebrate five years,” Shafer said.
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