SAAC welcomes choreographer Mickayla Blue to the production team for the upcoming spring production of “The Three Musketeers”. To kick off the project, Blue will offer a free stage combat workshop January 19, before auditions begin on January 20 and 21.

Attend this workshop to learn about the fundamentals of stage combat in a safe, fun, exciting way. Mickayla will also have several types of weapons to see and touch. Come at 2:00 p.m. to help welcome Mickayla to SAAC and to sign in for the workshop, which will begin at 2:30 p.m. The directors will be on hand to answer questions about auditions. Participants are invited to preregister by calling SAAC or sending an email the directors at [email protected], but you can also just show up.

“This workshop is a fun, free way to learn more about stage combat,” said SAAC executive director Laura Allen. “We want everyone who is interested to have the chance to participate, so the workshop will be open to ages 14 and up, not only for people interested in auditioning for the play, who must be 18 and over.”

Mickayla Blue hails from Bossier City, Louisiana, and holds bachelor’s degrees from Northwestern State University in Theatre and Psychology, and is currently working towards a Master’s in Theatre at Louisiana Tech University. She is a choreographer and Advanced-Actor-Combatant, holding certifications in six weapons. Among her choreographic experience is Shakespeare’s “Othello”, “A Streetcar Named Desire”, “Beauty and the Beast”, and “Les Liaisons Dangereuses”.

“It was not actually my choice to start stage combat,” said Blue. “When I was a freshman in college, there was a combat club that met at eight a.m. I am not a morning person. However, one day after working in the lighting shop, my professor, Paul, looked at me and said, ‘See you at eight a.m. tomorrow.’ I was just a freshman, so I was too afraid to say no. I dragged myself out of bed that next morning and picked up my first sword.

“Stage Combat is safe, choreographed fighting for the stage and screen, and it is not as scary as people think! The number-one rule is safety at all times. It’s all about connection with your partner and creating a sense of danger believable to the audience. It takes a lot of hard work, but it pays off in the end. In this play, you can expect both sword and fist fighting. It’s going to be a lot of fun!”

The play revolves around combat, from the first scene with a sparring session to the final battle between good and evil. Each musketeer has his own style that plays to his strengths. They are like rock stars of their time, and fighting is their concert. Eight cast members, including female roles for Sabine and Milady, will be trained in sword fighting, but all the actors will participate in the choreography. “That may not include weapons or fisticuffs, per se, but they will be involved. There is a second act Battle Royale that involves the whole cast in one way or another,” said co-director Gary Hall.

Come join in on the raucous, musketeering fun and get a peek into this rousing show, sponsored by Murphy-Pitard Jewelers. For more information on the workshop or auditions, please call the SAAC office at 870-862-5474