Freedom Tour-2008

(Updated March, 28)

Thank you for your interest in the Freedom Tour-2008! The Lord has blessed Cornerstone Arts with an opportunity to bring an entertaining evening to American soldiers of the five U.S. Military branches, and I'm so excited to be able to open this opportunity to American citizens.

A spectacular God and Country production will be presented to the thousands of men and women on the American military bases near Seoul, South Korea in August of 2008. This will truly be a trip of a lifetime as we accomplish three things:

1. Glorify the Lord
2. Honor the United States
3. Salute our American soldiers

Through this star-spangled musical, I hope to be able to honor all those who are far away from home in order to protect the very freedom that you and I enjoy. This musical (in the finishing stages and yet to be named) is a fitting tribute to our brave men and women, and also, a lesson in how God has been in the forefront of the creation of this mighty nation we know as the United States.

I have prepared a Q & A Sheet for those who might have some preliminary questions. Please begin to pray how you might be involved with this once-in-a-lifetime patriotic production. I hope to see you at the auditions!

May God always bless America,

Richard Montez
Director
CornerstoneArts

Question and Answers

Q:

When are the dates of the show?

A:

August 21-23, 2008

Q:

Where will the performances be held?

A:

On the American military bases in Seoul, Korea.

Q:

Who is needed for this musical?

A:

24 adults. 8 dancers, 16 singers.

Q:

Are children needed?

A:

Yes, but they will be made up of the children from the American military families already stationed in Korea. No children will be cast from the U.S. No exceptions.

Q:

Can spouses or other loved ones accompany us to Korea?

A:

This will be handled on an individual basis. Permission will be granted based at the discretion of the artistic director and the tour director (usually based on occupancy). This is an "adults only" tour.

Q:

When are auditions?

A:

Monday, April 7, 2008 from 4 p.m. to 10 p.m.

Q:

Where are the auditions?

A:

Covenant Church - Carrollton
2644 E. Trinity Mills Road, Carrollton, TX 75006
972-416-5466

(For directions, go to Google, and MapQuest this address for a map and directions, or go to www.covenantchurch.org and find the map link at the bottom of the opening page)

Q:

What are the audition requirements for Singers?

A:

Singers MUST bring prepared accompaniment ON CD. A CD player will be provided. Singers may sing A Capella (without accompaniment), but 2 points will be deducted from your overall score of 10.

Q:

What are the audition requirements for Dancers?

A:

For Dancers: It is not necessary that a dancer sing, as the choir will carry the production vocally (but it certainly doesn't hurt your audition if you can sing! In fact, it helps!) A short routine will be taught by the choreographer at the audition. Dancers, please come prepared to dance: wear comfortable, but modest attire to move in.

Q:

What are the audition requirements for Narrators?

A:

For Narrators: Text will be available at the auditions. When you arrive, you may pick up a sample text to peruse and to prepare for your reading before the judges. Note: We're not looking for readers, but those who can make the words sound as if they're coming from your heart.

Q:

How long will the auditions be?

A:

The auditions are on a "first-come, first-to-audition" basis. Your actual audition will actually last about 2-3 minutes. The length of the wait depends on the turnout (which I suspect will be rather big, so come early).

Q:

Will the singers, dancers and narrators audition at different times?

A:

Yes. In consideration of those auditioning, here is a schedule for the auditions:

4 p.m. - 6 p.m.	Singers
6 p.m. - 7 p.m.	Dancers
7 p.m. - 8 p.m.	Narrators
8 p.m. - 10 p.m.	Singers

Q:

When will we be notified of the results of the auditions?

A:

Immediately. The first meeting with the new cast will be on Tuesday, April 8 at 7 p.m. The new cast will be notified by phone where the location will be.

Q:

When will rehearsals be?

A:

A rehearsal schedule will be given to the cast at their first meeting on April 8. Here, the new cast will receive scripts, sheet music, CD's with rehearsal music, rehearsal schedules, and detailed itineraries and other information. We will have six months to prepare, so the rehearsal schedule will be no more than once a week for the dancers, and even less for the singers and narrators.

Q:

Will we be paid for our participation in this production?

A:

No, this is our "gift" to the American military men and women. In fact, there is no budget at this time set for the production.

Q:

How long will we be in South Korea?

A:

Ten days. August 15-24, 2008.

Q:

Who will pay for our trip to South Korea?

A:

At this time, each artist is responsible for their own airfare, plus a few incidentals.

Q:

How much will the trip cost?

A:

Currently, we're expecting each artist to pay $1600 per person. This will include your visa, airfare, lodging, ground transportation, three meals daily, sightseeing and tips.

Q:

Can you give us an idea of our itinerary while we're in South Korea?

A:

Yes!

Day	Date	Tour content
1	FRIDAY August 15	Depart DFW - San Francisco - Seoul, Korea. En route.
2	SATURDAY August 16	We will arrive, be met by our Korean guides and military representatives, and go by bus to our hotel. After a short break, we will have a meeting with the director and military leadership. We'll discuss the agenda for the week. We'll rehearse a little, then we'll go to a traditional Korean restaurant to sample fine Korean cuisine! Evening free to unpack and explore.
3	SUNDAY August 17	After breakfast, we will go by bus to Yoido Full Gospel Church, pastured by Dr. David Yonggi Cho. Yoido is the world's largest church with more than 850,000 members. After service, we will enjoy lunch, and some sightseeing at Namsangol Hanok Village(traditional Korean village). This village is a time capsule of Korea hundreds of years ago which makes it a perfect spot to take a walk. You can also have traditional tea and watch traditional games.
4	MONDAY August 18	Week of the Show. We will go to the military base and stage each number, preparing for the performances. Lunch and regular breaks. Dinner with some free time afterwards.
5	TUESDAY August 19	The sets arrive! We will begin working with the sets, with staging and with all platforms in place. We'll then use the rest of the day to go to Itaewon, the most exotic place in Seoul to shop for clothes, bags and souvenirs. Many people say, "You may not know Seoul, but you should know Itaewon."
6	WEDNESDAY August 20	The children's choir arrives! We will begin complete run through's for the show, to get a sense of sequence and timing. We will have a full Korean crew backstage to assist you with makeup, costumes and moving sets. The rest of the day will be free time at the hotel. Tomorrow's a big day.
7	THURSDAY August 21	FIRST PERFORMANCE! We will spend the day running the show with full sets, lights, sound, and costumes. We'll break for lunch and after dinner, we'll prepare for Opening Night! We will perform for Coast Guard and Navy soldiers. Cast pictures with the military afterwards.
8	FRIDAY August 22	SECOND PERFORMANCE! We will take you to the king's home. Established in 1395, Gyeongbok Palace is also called "Northern Palace". This stunning palace represents buildings of the Joseon Dynasty, and housed the emperors of Korea for centuries. We will then have notes, tweak any production numbers, and after dinner, prepare for the Second Night as we perform for the Marines and Air Force soldiers. Cast pictures with the military afterwards.
9	SATURDAY August 23	THIRD PERFORMANCE! We will take a tour to Namdaemun Market, the largest traditional market in Korea. It is becoming a worldwide tourist attraction. We will then go to the military base for dinner. Afterwards, we'll prepare for our Final Night as we perform for the U.S. Army. Cast pictures with the military afterwards.
10	SUNDAY August 24	We will let you sleep in, and pack. After lunch, you'll be taken to the airport, as you will say goodbye to your new Korean friends. Fly Seoul to San Francisco to DFW.

Q:

What if I have more questions?

A:

You may write Lori Jackson, administrator for the event. Her e-mail address is: jacksonloril@verizon.net. You may also call her at: 214-394-3722.

NOTE: If you are interested in Auditioning, please contact Lori Jackson and leave her your contact information: Name, Phone numbers, E-mail address. She will contact you about specific Audition information.

Thank you, and God bless you.