Post by Admin on Apr 16, 2019 1:14:26 GMT
- We made a lot of progress today but we've still got a bit of a ways to go.
This is a random list, so if it seems jumbled...it actually is.
-Lines and Lyrics- We need to work on getting them solid. My former Drama teacher used to tell us that if we didn't have our lines down that we should never be seen without that script in our hand. Brushing your teeth? Look at your script. Eating breakfast, lunch or dinner? Have that script in front of you. Can't sleep? Get a flashlight, turn it on under your blanket and look at that script.
-Microphone stuff- Remember, I cannot turn up your microphone without getting feedback. You need to project into your microphone. I can turn you down...but I can't turn you up. Also (and maybe someone can tell Chip this too) DO NOT wrap your microphone cord around your mic pack. That'll break the wires in the microphones. If you left early (Ivanna) remember that you can't have someone touch your mic. You need to be responsible for picking it up...and putting it back.
-Door stuff. The door to MC-8 was left open...There's a reason that I lock it. We've had people just walk into my classroom while everyone was on stage and do some "shopping" in the past. When that happened, I made it a point to always lock that door. If you latch it open...it defeats the purpose. If you want it open when people are in the room, cool. But you have to close it if people will not be in the room.
-PHONE stuff- We had a few instances of cell phones on stage. Either cast members were looking at them during scenes or they were out on stage. That's a big "NO NO" 1) There are no cell phones at the time this show is set 2) The stage is cement. Like your mic packs, cell phones have a low chance of survival vs the stage. If you are afraid your phone will be stolen, have an area where you can "hide" it. Pro Tip: Do not hide it in the piano. You can use the drawers of my desk if needed. This is also the main thing that was stolen that time the door was left open during a show.
-Remember who this show is being presented to. For a few of the major songs, cast members are looking everywhere but the audience. You are singing to them, especially if you are in the ensemble. One of the reasons I put in a tv to show your conductor is so you can look at the audience and not the pit. Use it for those cues.
-This is a bad week to go home from rehearsal and to not think of the show until the next rehearsal. Think of anything that you think you could work on and work on it. Since we're rehearsing the same things, more or less, everyday now, the chances of things sticking into your brain improve greatly.
-This is a note for stage crew-- We really need to be careful moving things off and on stage. The deer head incident was pretty bad...Gaston's chair "antlers" were also broken this afternoon from being bent back somehow. We need this set to stay in shape until May 5th. I'll fix the mysterious broken wheel on the wall tomorrow before rehearsal.
-Characters- Another Drama teacher that I had always used the phrase "practice makes permanent." That means whatever you do in rehearsal, spills into you doing it in performances. One of those things is breaking character. I can see many of you doing a great job with your characters and others of you kind of, sort of, going through the motions of being a character, but whenever something distracts you, it's totally thrown out the window. If you can't keep your character from the moment you enter the stage to the time that you exit, you're doing it wrong. At this point (one week and one day before your first audience) I should not be seeing ANYONE not in character on stage. We're past that point. I'll pick out specific people in my notes tomorrow if I need to.
Speaking of tomorrow (April 16) we are running the entire show. We will start at 2:45 and will end hopefully close to 5:30. When you arrive, grab your mics. Some of you will be in costume because we have The Marysville Globe guy coming in to interview some of you and to take pictures. Warmups will need to happen by 2:45. It's your job to know where you are supposed to be and when you are supposed to be. So please, pay attention to the show that's happening on stage and don't get distracted backstage. This is a big moment in the history of our show, and the goal is to have it go as smoothly as possible. I'll be taking notes and also recording your dance numbers for your enjoyment afterwards.
If you read this message, please spread the info. These are all things that will help our show in the long run (and save you from having your personal property stolen!)
See you tomorrow! Feel free to add to this if you'd like. Any comments about anything show related? Share them here.
This is a random list, so if it seems jumbled...it actually is.
-Lines and Lyrics- We need to work on getting them solid. My former Drama teacher used to tell us that if we didn't have our lines down that we should never be seen without that script in our hand. Brushing your teeth? Look at your script. Eating breakfast, lunch or dinner? Have that script in front of you. Can't sleep? Get a flashlight, turn it on under your blanket and look at that script.
-Microphone stuff- Remember, I cannot turn up your microphone without getting feedback. You need to project into your microphone. I can turn you down...but I can't turn you up. Also (and maybe someone can tell Chip this too) DO NOT wrap your microphone cord around your mic pack. That'll break the wires in the microphones. If you left early (Ivanna) remember that you can't have someone touch your mic. You need to be responsible for picking it up...and putting it back.
-Door stuff. The door to MC-8 was left open...There's a reason that I lock it. We've had people just walk into my classroom while everyone was on stage and do some "shopping" in the past. When that happened, I made it a point to always lock that door. If you latch it open...it defeats the purpose. If you want it open when people are in the room, cool. But you have to close it if people will not be in the room.
-PHONE stuff- We had a few instances of cell phones on stage. Either cast members were looking at them during scenes or they were out on stage. That's a big "NO NO" 1) There are no cell phones at the time this show is set 2) The stage is cement. Like your mic packs, cell phones have a low chance of survival vs the stage. If you are afraid your phone will be stolen, have an area where you can "hide" it. Pro Tip: Do not hide it in the piano. You can use the drawers of my desk if needed. This is also the main thing that was stolen that time the door was left open during a show.
-Remember who this show is being presented to. For a few of the major songs, cast members are looking everywhere but the audience. You are singing to them, especially if you are in the ensemble. One of the reasons I put in a tv to show your conductor is so you can look at the audience and not the pit. Use it for those cues.
-This is a bad week to go home from rehearsal and to not think of the show until the next rehearsal. Think of anything that you think you could work on and work on it. Since we're rehearsing the same things, more or less, everyday now, the chances of things sticking into your brain improve greatly.
-This is a note for stage crew-- We really need to be careful moving things off and on stage. The deer head incident was pretty bad...Gaston's chair "antlers" were also broken this afternoon from being bent back somehow. We need this set to stay in shape until May 5th. I'll fix the mysterious broken wheel on the wall tomorrow before rehearsal.
-Characters- Another Drama teacher that I had always used the phrase "practice makes permanent." That means whatever you do in rehearsal, spills into you doing it in performances. One of those things is breaking character. I can see many of you doing a great job with your characters and others of you kind of, sort of, going through the motions of being a character, but whenever something distracts you, it's totally thrown out the window. If you can't keep your character from the moment you enter the stage to the time that you exit, you're doing it wrong. At this point (one week and one day before your first audience) I should not be seeing ANYONE not in character on stage. We're past that point. I'll pick out specific people in my notes tomorrow if I need to.
Speaking of tomorrow (April 16) we are running the entire show. We will start at 2:45 and will end hopefully close to 5:30. When you arrive, grab your mics. Some of you will be in costume because we have The Marysville Globe guy coming in to interview some of you and to take pictures. Warmups will need to happen by 2:45. It's your job to know where you are supposed to be and when you are supposed to be. So please, pay attention to the show that's happening on stage and don't get distracted backstage. This is a big moment in the history of our show, and the goal is to have it go as smoothly as possible. I'll be taking notes and also recording your dance numbers for your enjoyment afterwards.
If you read this message, please spread the info. These are all things that will help our show in the long run (and save you from having your personal property stolen!)
See you tomorrow! Feel free to add to this if you'd like. Any comments about anything show related? Share them here.
