Production Process and Company History

If nothing else, the women of FCR are scrappy. Put that on our headstone (Yes, we all plan on being buried side by side). Of the set pieces of our first show, I can only definitively give the origins of one of them. The steamer trunk was mine; I had bought it before I started college and moved it to every new place I moved after that. The clothing rack lived at my apartment at the time, although which of the roommates it originally belonged to has never been sorted out. I’m pretty sure Julia found the different milk crates in her family’s basement. We ran sound off of my laptop to two computer speakers. The Parks Department let us use Schmanska Park for nearly free, probably because they couldn’t figure out how we would actually use the space since it had no obvious performance area. We sacrificed our own clothes out of our closet to be ripped up and refitted and we all have burn scars from hot gluing fake flowers onto popsicle sticks in order to make the border of the stage. 

When it came time for Hamlet, we had a significantly bigger budget thanks to Burlington City Arts and other donations we’ve received, and a small but loyal following of people that want us to succeed. What could be worse? I’m serious. During As You Like It, desperation led us to creative decisions. The rack on which all of the actors’ costumes were on being onstage at all times so it could double as a set piece. We did that because we had to. It just happened to end up looking like a cool creative choice. While we were talking about press for Hamlet, Caitlin sent me some pictures of rehearsals and I told her to be sure to use the one that included my good ol’ trunk in it, because it’s become something of a signature piece of ours. Because we have it!!!!!!!! It’s free and we can step on it and kick it and use it as a million different things. And now it’s a creative trademark. We tricked you into thinking our cheap art was BRECHTIAN and MINIMALIST. 

So what do we do from here on out, as we grow as artists? As we try to balance matching the support we receive with higher quality theater, that has fancy things like real set pieces? What do we do without desperation? I hope I never stop getting hot glue gun burns. I hope my trunk remains onstage. And I hope that as we meet more and more brilliant artists and collaborators, we can use the inventive anguish that made us tick to put on a great show, while maybe not having to actually go broke doing it.

-Carolyne Sandoval, Hamlet program, summer 2021

Thank you for joining us!

We loved to see you all at our production of Sarah Ruhl’s Eurydice!

Eurydice has closed, but check back soon for more details about our upcoming season. #1 Must See Event on Seven Days’ Magnificent Seven March 23-29, 2022. See our review on BroadwayWorld Vermont

Your favorite Rebels have started work on our Spring/Summer 2022 Season!

From March to August, the Foul Contending Rebels Theatre Cooperative will be working with texts that explore women’s relationship with fate: Who controls a woman’s fate?  What does it look like when women take their fate into their own hands?  How do we regard female ambition? And what does “fate” mean to female characters in stories?  To any character in a story?  

The Rebels will be exploring these questions with three mainstage productions in March, June, and August of 2022, with some of our most diverse work yet.  For the first time, you can see the Rebels tackling contemporary works. Don’t worry though--we’re not saying goodbye to Shakespeare, either.  

We can’t wait to share our final choices with you all.  Stay tuned for a formal announcement of our Spring and Summer productions, coming soon! 

Double, double, toil, and trouble…

A drum, a drum: Macbeth doth come.

Both performances SOLD OUT for this thrilling and chilling production of Shakespeare’s Scottish play. THANK YOU to everyone who came out to support FCR’s Macbeth—what an incredible time we had!

#1 Must See event on Seven Days’ “Magnificent 7” for the week of 10/27-11/2.  See Lesley Becker’s review on Broadway World.

To be, or not to be…

THANK YOU to everyone who came out for Hamlet!! We are so grateful to everyone who came out to support us, even in some of the hottest days of the summer (or, for those of you who came on Opening Night— a swarm of flying ants hatching?? Gotta love the epic highs and lows of outdoor theater).

Hamlet has closed, but you can watch a full recording on our YouTube channel. You can still find our digital program here, and more info under our “Past Performances" page.

See our article in Seven Days here or our interview on WCAX here.

 Hamlet Auditions: Everything you need to know!

If you’ve found your way to this page, then you are probably interested in auditioning for the Foul Contending Rebels’ production of Hamlet, premiering in August. If you’ve attended or acted in an FCR production before or are just a fan of Shakespeare, welcome! Hopefully we can answer all of your questions here and now. If you have any other questions, please email our fearless stage manager, Katelyn Paddock at krpadd810@gmail.com and put “HAMLET QUESTION” in the subject line.

• We are looking for an ensemble of eight actors of any gender (18 and over), age, and body type to play a number of roles in our show. You will not be auditioning for a specific role. Acting experience is NOT required. Bonus if you can sing or play an instrument as we are looking to incorporate live music into our show.

• In person auditions will be held on May 29th and May 30th from 5 pm to 8 pm at the Lyric Theatre Company rehearsal space (7 Green Tree Drive S. Burlington, VT 05403). Use this link to sign up for an audition slot that works for you: https://www.signupgenius.com/go/10c0c45abae2baafccf8-fcrhamlet

• You can also choose to submit a video audition our foulcontendingrebels@gmail.com. Just attach the video of your audition piece and put your full name and “HAMLET AUDITION” in the subject line. We will be accepting video submission until May 28th. If you do choose this option, please be prepared for our stage manager to email you to set up a time for a quick, informal interview over zoom just so she and our director can get to know you a little.

• After auditions, callbacks will be held in person on June 6th from 5 pm to 8 pm at the Lyric rehearsal space. Our stage manager will contact you directly if we’d like you to join us then. After callbacks, we will be announcing the cast list on June 9th.

• Below, we have some Shakespearean monologues for you to use for your audition piece. You can also feel free to use any other Shakespeare monologue that you happen to love!

  • BENEDICK:

    I do much wonder that one man, seeing how much another man is a fool when he dedicates his behaviors to love, will, after he hath laughed at such shallow follies in others, become the argument of his own scorn by falling in love: and such a man is Claudio. I have known when there was no music with him but the drum and the fife; and now had he rather hear the tabour and the pipe: I have known when he would have walked ten mile a-foot to see a good armour; and now will he lie ten nights awake, carving the fashion of a new doublet. He was wont to speak plain and to the purpose, like an honest man and a soldier; and now is he turned orthography; his words are a very fantastical banquet, just so many strange dishes. May I be so converted and see with these eyes? I cannot tell; I think not: I will not be sworn, but love may transform me to an oyster; but I’ll take my oath on it, till he have made an oyster of me, he shall never make me such a fool. One woman is fair, yet I am well; another is wise, yet I am well; another virtuous, yet I am well; but till all graces be in one woman, one woman shall not come in my grace. Rich she shall be, that’s certain; wise, or I’ll none; virtuous, or I’ll never cheapen her; fair, or I’ll never look on her; mild, or come not near me; noble, or not I for an angel; of good discourse, an excellent musician, and her hair shall be of what colour it please God. Ha! the prince and Monsieur Love! I will hide me in the arbour.

  • EDMUND:

    Thou, nature, art my goddess; to thy law

    My services are bound. Wherefore should I

    Stand in the plague of custom, and permit

    The curiosity of nations to deprive me,

    For that I am some twelve or fourteen moon-shines

    Lag of a brother? Why bastard? wherefore base?

    When my dimensions are as well compact,

    My mind as generous, and my shape as true,

    As honest madam's issue? Why brand they us

    With base? with baseness? bastardy? base, base?

    Who, in the lusty stealth of nature, take

    More composition and fierce quality

    Than doth, within a dull, stale, tired bed,

    Go to the creating a whole tribe of fops,

    Got 'tween asleep and wake? Well, then,

    Legitimate Edgar, I must have your land:

    Our father's love is to the bastard Edmund

    As to the legitimate: fine word,--legitimate!

    Well, my legitimate, if this letter speed,

    And my invention thrive, Edmund the base

    Shall top the legitimate. I grow; I prosper:

    Now, gods, stand up for bastards!

  • JULIET:

    Shall I speak ill of him that is my husband?

    Ah, poor my lord, what tongue shall smooth thy name,

    When I, thy three-hours wife, have mangled it?

    But, wherefore, villain, didst thou kill my cousin?

    That villain cousin would have kill'd my husband:

    Back, foolish tears, back to your native spring;

    Your tributary drops belong to woe,

    Which you, mistaking, offer up to joy.

    My husband lives, that Tybalt would have slain;

    And Tybalt's dead, that would have slain my husband:

    All this is comfort; wherefore weep I then?

    Some word there was, worser than Tybalt's death,

    That murder'd me: I would forget it fain;

    But, O, it presses to my memory,

    Like damned guilty deeds to sinners' minds:

    'Tybalt is dead, and Romeo--banished;'

    That 'banished,' that one word 'banished,'

    Hath slain ten thousand Tybalts. Tybalt's death

    Was woe enough, if it had ended there:

    Or, if sour woe delights in fellowship

    And needly will be rank'd with other griefs,

    Why follow'd not, when she said 'Tybalt's dead,'

    Thy father, or thy mother, nay, or both,

    Which modern lamentations might have moved?

    But with a rear-ward following Tybalt's death,

    'Romeo is banished,' to speak that word,

    Is father, mother, Tybalt, Romeo, Juliet,

    All slain, all dead. 'Romeo is banished!'

    There is no end, no limit, measure, bound,

    In that word's death; no words can that woe sound.

    Where is my father, and my mother, nurse?

  • VIOLA:

    I left no ring with her: what means this lady?

    Fortune forbid my outside have not charm'd her!

    She made good view of me; indeed, so much,

    That sure methought her eyes had lost her tongue,

    For she did speak in starts distractedly.

    She loves me, sure; the cunning of her passion

    Invites me in this churlish messenger.

    None of my lord's ring! why, he sent her none.

    I am the man: if it be so, as 'tis,

    Poor lady, she were better love a dream.

    Disguise, I see, thou art a wickedness,

    Wherein the pregnant enemy does much.

    How easy is it for the proper-false

    In women's waxen hearts to set their forms!

    Alas, our frailty is the cause, not we!

    For such as we are made of, such we be.

    How will this fadge? my master loves her dearly;

    And I, poor monster, fond as much on him;

    And she, mistaken, seems to dote on me.

    What will become of this? As I am man,

    My state is desperate for my master's love;

    As I am woman,--now alas the day!--

    What thriftless sighs shall poor Olivia breathe!

    O time! thou must untangle this, not I;

    It is too hard a knot for me to untie!