CALL FOR PERFORMERS MANWEL DIMECH PROJECT teatrumalta.org.mt We are currently working on a newly returned to his origins as a singer and song-writer, commissioned music theatre, site-specific collaborating with the Big Band Brothers in their production to commemorate the life and last album Xehda. work of Manwel Dimech (1860-1921) on the 100th anniversary of his death. This will be a Who is Kris Spiteri? multidisciplinary, audio-theatrical production, Kris Spiteri graduated in music studies from set to a variety of music genres, and performed the University of Malta. He co-wrote Porn, by an ensemble. the musical which won Best New Musical at the Off West End Theatre Awards and was This project is written and directed by Victor critic’s choice in Time Out London. He directed Jacono with Kris Spiteri as the composer and Hairspray, Fiddler on the Roof, My Fair Lady, the musical director. Mamma Mia, We Will Rock You and numerous pantomimes. In 2015 Kris joined Daniel Cauchi for the duo project Kafena, and they recorded Background information the album called Lukanda Propaganda with the Malta Philharmonic Orchestra. With his jazz Who is Victor Jacono? trio Noir, he recorded the album Till You Switch Dr. Victor-Emmanuel Jacono is a theatre-maker Off the Lights and performed it at the Malta and educator. He is coordinator for the Performing Jazz Festival. In collaboration with Immanuel Arts at the MCAST Institute for the Creative Mifsud, Vince Briffa and Teatru Anon, Kris wrote Arts, where he teaches acting and performance the music for Daqsxejn ta Requiem lil Leli, a production. He has written and directed original theatrical piece which was performed at the works for the theatre both locally and abroad, Malta International Arts Festival in 2018. Other including Il-Ħasla, a Valletta 2018 Foundation works by Kris include Tbissem, sung by Ira production nominated for the Best Project Losco and Matthew James Borg, a rearranged in the Community award in 2019. He has also version of Kemm hu Sabiħ performed by 17 collaborated on various projects with a number singers in the International Arts Festival, the of artistic entities, including Astragali Teatro music for the short movie Nosferatu: Fragments (Italy), Teatro Ridotto (Italy), the Théâtre National of a Symphony of Horror. Spiteri is a director of de Bretagne (France), the Valletta Cultural Tunin’ Entertainment, and also performs with the Agency, ŻfinMalta, and Theatre Lab Malta, which working band known as The Residents. produced his last original play Ramel in 2020. With an artistic formation influenced by Western and Eastern performance cultures, Jacono has trained performers in Malta, Italy, France, Spain, Greece, and Slovenia. Recently, he has also (2) · Manwel Dimech Project: Call for Performers Who was Manwel Dimech? him. Following an agreement with the Church (1912) Dimech resumed his efforts to liberate the Manwel Dimech was born in Valletta, on Christmas Maltese people from oppression and superstition. day of 1860. Poor, and having lost his father at The break of World War I in 1914 gave the the age of thirteen, he spent most of his youth in authorities an opportunity to arrest him under the and out of prison for various petty crimes, until false charge of being a German spy. Never tried, at the age of seventeen (1878) he killed Pawlu he was deported, first to Sicily and soon after to Genuis, a man he knew, in a rage. This cost his Egypt, where he spent his last years imprisoned. innocent companion, Ġużi, the gallows, while Petitions by his wife and friends for his return to he got a twenty-year prison sentence seeing Malta, even after the war had ended, were in as Dimech was still a minor. The illuminating vain. With his mental and physical health severely encounter with Rev. Wisely in prison gave Dimech deteriorated, in November of 1920 Dimech the opportunity to pursue a holistic education suffered a stroke which lead to his eventual death and embark on a profound personal journey. in exile at the age of sixty on 17 April 1921. He was Out of prison (1897), Dimech started investing his buried in an unmarked grave. energies in the liberation of a nation oppressed by the power of the British coloniser and the Church. The answer was to boost literacy, education and critical thinking, especially among the poor. He channeled his efforts through the publication of text-books for the learning of modern languages, the publication of a journal entitled Il-Bandiera tal-Maltin, and founding the foundation of the association Ix-Xirka tal-Imdawwlin. He also published poetry and novels. Above all, Dimech fought against injustice and the rampant corruption he witnessed particularly during his last years in prison. He defended the poor, workers’ rights, and sought the emancipation of women. In so doing he incurred the condemnation especially of the Church, which accused him of spreading false ddoctrines which resulted in him being excommunicated from the church in 1911. This nearly led to his killing by a mob incited to stone Manwel Dimech → (3) · Manwel Dimech Project: Call for Performers Roles How do you apply? Auditions will be held for all roles, beginning from If you are interested please send your artistic that of the protagonist, to chorus roles for adults. CV and headshot (if possible, kindly include your voice-type and voice range). Who are we looking for? Please send your application by email on [email protected] by not later than Applicants must be performers who: Monday 30th June at 12.00PM. — Are confident actors, movers and singers; — Have a keen musical sense; Auditions will be held on the 5th, 6th or 7th — Are ready to perform in up to two runs per day of July 2021 from 5PM onwards. Following over a period of 10 days, from the 3rd to the your application, you will be contacted back 13th of December 2021; confirming your audition slot. — Have a good command of the Maltese language; What do you need to prepare for your audition? — Are 18+; — Two contrasting songs, from the musical — Are in possession of a valid VAT number or are theatre repertoire, that best portray your willing to register for one. vocal range: kindly provide an mp3 version of the accompaniment at the audition as piano accompaniment won’t be available;. Extra information — A short monologue in Maltese of your own choice. Rehearsals: — Rehearsals will begin in September 2021. — The performers will be required to rehearse part-time on weekdays, and during the day on weekends. Remuneration: Remuneration will be determined according to the role and confirmed at a future date. Dates: Two runs of max 90 minutes each, from 3rd to 13th December 2021. (4) · Manwel Dimech Project: Call for Performers.