The W. Daniel Mills Apprentice Program and The Young Company

The W. Daniel Mills Apprentice Program and The Young Company

Mills Apprentice Program, Grades 9 – College Freshmen

W. Daniel Mills Apprentices at Orlando Shakes will have the opportunity to make meaningful, professional connections within the industry, interact personally with nationally renowned artists, and become important contributors to the Orlando Shakes community. The year-long program consists of:

• Participation in The Young Company: June 3 – June 30 (includes a $500 stipend)
• Master Classes with Professional Theater Artists: September – May
• Professional Opportunities: September-May (includes up to a $500 stipend)

The Young Company is an introduction to the world of professional theater which culminates with performances in the Margeson Theater. Having been cast through an audition process or technical interview, the company engages in an intense four-week rehearsal period, including table work, exploration of meter, status, voice, and movement. Working with professional directors and costume, light, set, and sound designers, this program culminates with ticketed performances on stage.

For more information and to schedule an audition/interview, contact: Monica Long Tamborello, Mills Apprentice Coordinator, at monicalt@orlandoshakes.org.

AUDITIONS / INTERVIEWS

Auditions and Interviews will take place at Orlando Shakes on Saturday, April 20, 11am – 6pm.

Those interested in performance roles please prepare either:

• a one-minute monologue (contemporary or Shakespearean) and 16 bars of a song from a musical,
• or two one-minute monologues (one Shakespearean and one contemporary).

Those interested in non-performing roles will go through an interview. A portfolio of your work is encouraged but not required. Letters of recommendation are encouraged for all applying.

Auditions/Interviews:

Saturday, April 20, 11am – 6pm

Callbacks for The Young Company:

Saturday, April 27, 1 – 6pm

To apply and schedule an audition or interview:

Please complete and submit our online Unified Auditions form, which can be found here: WDMT Audition / Interview Form. The deadline to submit an application form is Wednesday, April 17, 2024 at 11:59 pm. We will not be able to accommodate applications we receive after this deadline.

Once you have submitted your form, you will be contacted via email with an audition or interview time. We will do our best to accommodate conflicts on a first come first serve basis.

Lastly, provide us with a recommendation letter, preferably from a theatre director or other coach (i.e. vocal, acting coach, etc.) or teacher familiar with your work. The person recommending you needs to email a pdf copy of your recommendation letter to monicalt@orlandoshakes.org by Friday, April 19 at noon. (If they prefer to send it to you and have you email it to us, that’s fine, too.)

After you’ve submitted your online form, please allow 48 hours to receive your audition or interview time. Please direct questions or issues to monicalt@orlandoshakes.org.

If the United Auditions form embedded link above does not work, click here: https://forms.gle/Jx5iUjb7C4ALkT836

For more information email Monica Long Tamborello, Mills Apprentice Coordinator at monicalt@orlandoshakes.org.

ABOUT DANIEL MILLS

The W. Daniel Mills Program was founded by Harold and Rosy Mills in memory of their son Daniel, who tragically passed away in 2020. Since then, the Mills family has been committed to assisting and serving young artists throughout Central Florida by providing opportunities they might otherwise not receive.

“We are proud to partner with Orlando Shakes in providing these apprentice experiences to the young students of our community looking for a place to express themselves, thrive, and discover what it means to work in a professional theater setting, Daniel was passionate about theater being the place where everyone has the opportunity to be their authentic self – a place where they can call home.”

Orlando Shakes is excited to offer this new extension of The Young Company funded by the W. Daniel Mills Apprenticeship program to continue the experience throughout the year.

It’s easy for parents to describe their children as kind or friendly and it’s not hard to find a parent eager to brag about their children and their accomplishments, and we of course are no different.

Courageous Empathy

However, there was always something a little different about our Daniel. It was this interesting combination of courage, authenticity, and empathy. I call it Courageous Empathy.

Daniel knew full well that every human was flawed in some kind of way. Maybe it was a physical flaw, maybe it was an emotional or character flaw, maybe it was a mental health flaw- no one was perfect. On one hand, that meant he idolized no one. On the other hand, he celebrated everyone. While some portend flaws should be “looked past” or even ignored, Daniel not only thought these flaws should be acknowledged, but they should be cared for, nurtured, fought for, and even celebrated. In his mind, the good and the bad, our strengths and our weaknesses made us our true authentic selves and that was worth fighting for.

Even from a young age, when his sisters got in trouble, he would negotiate with us (the parents) on their behalf. While acknowledging their mistake he would argue whether their punishments fit the crime (so to speak). He wanted affirmation that they were being treated fairly.

In high school, he debated with his teachers about why the US grading system was unfair and sets students up to fail. Why did only the top 30% get an acceptable grade when in Europe it’s the 70% that succeed? He laid out his argument with detailed research comparing our system to superior education systems around the world.

Maybe we should call him Daniel the Defender. He hated bullies of all kinds. If the topic was his cousin Justin whom we adopted into our family or his classmate at Montverde both of whom were diagnosed on the spectrum, Daniel defended them against all aggressors. Simultaneously, he encouraged them to not see their diagnosis as a hurdle but as an asset. He pushed them to treat their “uniqueness” as their special superpower.

Practice What He Preached

He didn’t like sports because someone had to lose. That along with inspiration from his sisters brought him to musical theatre. No one loses in theatre (maybe with the exception of the rare villain character). It was an environment where everyone had the opportunity to pursue excellence based on their merit, tenacity, and work ethic. Theatre is also an environment that is consumed with empathy. Actors must embrace empathy in order to mirror a character’s thoughts and feelings and bring those alive on stage. Audiences have empathy thrust upon them as it’s key to their involvement in the story, how they process the emotional plot, and understand a character.

He became a member of the Montverde Theatre Conservatory. The only High School program of its kind in Central Florida. This is where he worked to develop his skills as an artist and perfect his weaknesses. He worked and worked and worked. He would ask a million questions and want to know “what else”- even to the point of annoyance. His theatre director would say “Daniel, it will come. Don’t try so hard”. But he kept asking the questions. That is what made him a great artist. His ability to get back up. And keep trying. Keep asking. He loved when he succeeded. But he loved when he failed too. Even when his director told him to not worry so much- he did anyway. Maybe it wasn’t him worrying but it was him wanting so bad to be the best HE could be. That tenacity led him to win numerous awards and accolades.

His legacy

It is our hope that his memory is a blessing to all who knew him and all whose life he touched. It is our hope that we all learn to have courageous empathy and are inspired to stand up for others while celebrating their whole person. It is our hope that his legacy will be one that touches the lives of hundreds and thousands of other students who love the stage of life and the theatre stage and want to pursue that career as their passion. Our family has established a scholarship for the Florida Thespian Society. Separately, we established a scholarship to ensure money doesn’t prevent talented young people from attending and thriving in the award-winning MVA Theatre Conservatory.

But just as critical is the launching of the W. Daniel Mills Apprentice Program, yet another pioneering first for Central Florida. In partnership with Orlando Shakes and Rollins College, this program provides a year-long opportunity for students to study and hone their craft within real theatre life. Whether they have performing, stage management, director, or design and production interests, students will have the opportunity to attend workshops, develop skills, and work alongside actual theatre professionals. Imagine performing in a real professional show with professional actors including yourself. We aim to provide a strong foundation that will lead to long sustainable careers for these apprentices.

History

The Young Company (TYC) was conceived in 1991 by Dr. Stuart Omans and Judith Rubinger as the primary educational branch of the Orlando Shakespeare Theater. Servicing local high school youth of economically diverse communities who are predisposed toward the performing arts, TYC’s staff of professional artists use theater to facilitate the emotional, social, and academic growth of young people.

*JC – Junior Company