If you feel the urge to get on stage, auditions are coming up for a couple of big productions happening in the spring and summer.

 Up first, Hatrix Theatre is excited to present Neil Simon’s farce “Rumours”, set to run May 29-June 1 at a location to be determined.
 Auditions are Monday, Jan. 21 from 6-8 p.m. at Casa. Callbacks will be the next day at Casa at 7 p.m.
 The production requires a large cast of 10 to play four couples and two police officers.

“We’d like to start rehearsals right after auditions,” said director Karolyn Harker, who is excited to tackle a Neil Simon play.
“I’ve done Neil Simon’s Plaza Suite twice, once as an actor and once as a director,” she said, adding comedic timing is essential for the play to be a success.

“Neil Simon died last year at age 91. He grew up in a home with a lot of marital discord so he tried to find some humour in that. He always considered Rumours to be his first actual farce,” she said.

“It’s about four well to do couples on Long Island who hold a party. Someone shoots the host and the couple try to hide it from the other couples because he is a political guy.  But they aren’t very successful. We learn more about the couples and their problems as they find out,” Harker continued.

She is looking for people who will be able to commit to three rehearsals a week.
“Neil Simon has a great rhythm for dialogue.  Because it is all about timing. Without timing, you lose the humour,” she said.

Shakespeare in the Park is also holding auditions this month for their summer production of “the Scottish Play” MacBeth.
 Auditions are at the University of Lethbridge in W422, Thursday, Jan. 31 from 6:30 -10 p.m. and Friday, Feb. 1 from 5-7 p.m. at Casa.

 Director Monique Danielle wants auditioners to prepare a short 1-2 minute long classic monologue. While it doesn’t have to be Shakespeare, it needs to be classic rather than from a modern play. She encourages people to play with gender and age group. Bring a performance résumé if you have one, though there will be info sheets to fill out at the auditions.

 Performances will be every Thursday and Friday night throughout July and the first two weeks of August in Galt Gardens, plus two Wednesday night performances in Galt Gardens, at the end of the run, July 31 and Aug. 7. There will also be out of town performances  and out of town performances,  at the Emoress Theatre, July 12 , in Nanton, Sunday, July 21 and Saturday, July 27 in High River.
 Rehearsals will be May through June on Mondays, Wednesdays and Thursday evenings.