Post by Admin on Sept 9, 2019 15:20:25 GMT
Marysville Pilchuck High School
Klem’s note: There were 3 evaluators that came to 3 different shows. So evaluator A didn’t see the same show as evaluator’s B and C. That could explain some differences in opinions.
Beauty and the Beast
Direction:
A: Good work with such a large production. Continue to work with the students
on picking up cues. The pace improved in Act II, overall, so strive for that forward momentum from the top. Some strong work with the actors which created lovely characterizations
amongst the principals.
B: Nice individual work with the characters to create successful relationships
(Belle and Beast, Mrs. Potts and Chip, Belle and Maurice, etc.). Continue to work
with the ensemble of unnamed chorus members to create ensemble characters
of purpose and depth so that they bring the world of the play to life in their work.
Help them have relationships, even though they may not be defined by the script.
I loved that all of the named characters treated this story with importance rather
than just trying to recreate a cartoonish replication of the animated film. There
were many grounded performances which made this a believable telling of the
story of family, love, acceptance and respect, and it is your approach which
inspired this.
C: Almost every person on stage seemed committed to telling the story. Good
job! This is an essential ingredient for a successful show and for a successful
drama program.
Musical Direction:
A: Nice harmonies in “Belle”. Keep working with the actors on projecting if you
are not all mic’ed. Exercises to connect to breath support may help with this.
Nice work with the chorus in the big group numbers like “Gaston” and “Kill the
Beast”.
B: Nice work with the principal actors in getting a good strength of purpose and
diction. Good work helping them to continue the character intentions while
singing. Continue to work with the ensemble to over exaggerate consonants
and to energize all of the singing. This will up the energy over all, and also help
overcome the challenges of having some people on mic and others not on mic
for a more consistent sound overall.
C: Enjoyed hearing the songs in these voices … There are varied skill levels at
MPHS, and all very nice--The spirit of the work came through. According to the packet, you don’t have much of a choir program; and it is challenging to get good singers. This is unfortunate, and creates a seriousproblem for an MD. If it is at all possible, to add a rehearsal pianist so that individual vocal coachings can occur at the onset of the rehearsal process during
rehearsals, and continue up to Opening Night. This will raise the level of the
singing all around as well as the students’ confidence, increasing levels of
animation and energy. Continue to have the students examine the lyrics and the
arc of the songs ... this will help develop better phrasing and interpretation, which
automatically affects vocal technique in a positive way.
Choreography/Staging of Musical Numbers:
A: Good simple staging for the opening. The staging for “Gaston” was good, and
I especially enjoyed the mug choreography. “Be Our Guest” was simple staging
that made everyone look good. “Kill the Beast” was well staged. Nice work.
B: Very nice work with the mug section of “Gaston” - very impressive movement
and especially great execution by all of your ensemble members! As I will say to
the Chorus in their notes, not only was the clinking clean and on the beat, but the
picture was sharp, with the actors; positions and lines were nicely spaced.
Continue to work to bring that precision in action and in spacing in the other
numbers, as well. Clumps of performers sometimes obscured the main action we
(the audience) should be focused on seeing. For example, on occasion people
were in clumps that covered the person who had the line we needed to hear in
the opening number. Good work with staging all of the physicality of the Lefou
character. I would encourage you to work with entrances and exits as a part of
the staging of the numbers so that everyone enters in character and with a sense
of purpose and the knowledge of why they are in that particular number.
Likewise include intentions for having them exit. This may mean that you try
staggering entrances so that the arrivals feel more natural to a scene. Thanks for
stressing the need for facial engagement! There was good facial engagement by
the ensemble - this is so important, as it shows that they are involved in the
storytelling and that translates to keeping the audience involved in the world of
the play.
C: Really enjoyed the mug work in “Gaston” Nice job. I also liked that all
performers were successful in their movements. What I would encourage this
choreographer to do in future productions is to look for more creative ways to set
up. What I consistently saw is performers lining up, and then we waited for the
movement. Is there a way to create more fluidity? Also, with the varied skill
levels, at the onset of auditions, check in with your cast to see who can do tricks
and special movements. This is what all Broadway choreographers do at dance
calls. They want to see what skills a dancer has so they can incorporate it into
the movement. Dancers in large numbers do not have to do a group dance ...
they can be divided up and given different movements that keep upping the ante
of the number ... leading to the more and more exciting elements. By doing this,
it will feature examples of higher levels and create great accuracy because
performers will be excited, thus leading to more animation and energy in the long
run. Good job.
Orchestra:
A: The overture was a bit rough, but the orchestra got better with each number.
The mix between actor and orchestra was fine if the actor was mic’ed. There
was trouble hearing actors that weren’t mic’ed, so I would urge you to keep an
ear (a staff member, perhaps?) in the house to help set levels for the most
advantageous balance for the audience.
B: Nice solid rendition of the score, with some very nice consistent playing from
the brass and flute/piccolo, especially. Continue to strive for unity of sound
through pitch accuracy. I would encourage you to see if it is possible to bring
down the volume during underscored dialogue, as we often had trouble hearing
the actors over the orchestra. Good tempi, which were easily handled by the
cast. I appreciated the connection between the conductor and the actors on
stage, which helped keep a nice unity between all of the musical elements.
C: Nice job on providing a live orchestra for this production, with a score that
presents a lot of challenges and special effects with the music. I especially
admired the work of the flutes. Some of those moments were really fantastic.
I was surprised not to hear the orchestra tune up, as I felt that maybe
inhibited the accuracy of pitch, especially in the reeds. Take time to do this
step and re-tune after intermission. Even so, at the performance I attended,
there was good balance between the orchestra parts overall and good
balance between the performers on stage and musical accompaniment.
Good job.
Scenic Design:
A: As you came into the theatre you saw two satellite stages with a wonderful
library set and the Beast’s west wing with the Rose. Good use of projections,
they helped define the space. It was nice to see the moving pieces having
several uses. The main castle piece is fun and I especially liked the fireplace. I
liked the clawed portrait in the castle. Good job with texture and painting.
B: I liked a lot of the individual pieces in this set. Belle’s house unit was very
nicely painted and was easily moved. The Stage Left West Wing unit look very
nice and was nicely decorated, and the stage right library looked good. It was
fun to have so many practical books included in the shelf. The white curtain
functioned well for selected projections giving a change of look for the town and
the tavern. Nice props - the invention looked good - and the “interior workings”
were a nice solution to a prop challenge. The bookseller’s portable “store” was a
nice look - fun and practical. The light up rose case was very pretty.
C: To me, this is such an interesting stage, the way that it creates a rounded and
modified thrust … but this does present a lot of challenges to the designer
because it isn’t an out and out proscenium. I did like the use of projection and was
wondering how this could have been intensified. If it is possible, the floor can be
painted - consider adding this element to make the design even stronger.
Lighting Design:
A: The students made a good start at creating this fairytale world. I did find
myself feeling that the light design too dark for much of the show. In the opening
number Belle was the only person you could see clearly, and as this number
introduces us to the town, I would have loved to see everyone in brighter light. If
it was about the lighting system and number of instruments, I would recommend
concentrating on a good wash so the audience can see the actors. I thought the
wash for “Gaston” would have been great for entire show and you could use the
spots for extra focus.
B: These student lighting designers made a good effort with the very limited
resources in number of instruments available to cover the full stage. I liked the
use of the spotlights to augment the lighting in many of the scenes. Also good
use of the spots to create isolation of scenes, i.e. the section in the middle of
Belle where she is down front doing her solo moment and the ensemble is
upstage. Nice fireplace and lit chandelier and torches! Work in coordination with
the director to make sure that the actors are always blocked to be in the areas
which the light covers. Nice gobo for the forest look in the wolves scenes. You
covered what was lacking in brightness from the hung instruments with the
spotlights well.
C: No matter what lighting is available, always help the audience see their way
through the story. If lighting is limited, make it bright so the audience can see at
every moment. And use the spot at every possibility to bring focus.
Atmospheric backlighting isn’t necessary when the spot it focused. Here are
some of my basic thoughts on lighting: LIGHTING DESIGN will always lead an
audience through a story. It can create the magic of a moment or destroy it. To
me, the most important aspect of excellent LIGHTING DESIGN is its ability to
lead me through the story without my knowing. If I notice the lights, or can’t see,
then I am aware of the design. When I don’t think about the lights and I am fully
engaged in the story, I know that it is excellent design. Then I think back to how
that was done. Lights shift us from moment to moment, tell us we are inside the
head of a character, or take us to a new location Overall, I was led through the
story pretty well so GOOD JOB with what you had, but I did notice that lighting
was dimmed when trying to create an effect, which, though a good instinct,
tended to make things hard to see. Since MPHS has such a limited choice of
lighting, make the most of spots. They should always be bright even in the
brightest scenes. The backlighting is not necessary or should create the
atmosphere. I recommend an excellent podcast
www.corypattak.com/podcast/ Cory interviews the greatest designers and
writes his podcast to help developing designers around the world. Perhaps there
will be students again in the future who will be interested in LIGHTING DESIGN
and could use this podcast to build his/her skill.
Costume Design:
A: Lots of fun costumes in the opening. I loved Gaston’s costume. There was
something good about the way Cogsworth’s costume caught the light! Fun
costumes, too, in the castle and for “Be Our Guest”.
B: Nice coordination of the costumes in style and color palette. I would
encourage you to tailor the clothing to your particular actors and bodies. When you
are making use of purchased commercial costumes, this is especially true. For
example Gaston’s look was the appropriate, iconic look, but tailoring it to fit him a
little better, for example using an actual belt instead of (or over top of) the half
belt on the costume tunic would have helped to keep the “physique” from riding
up out of natural alignment and also given a more period look overall by covering
the elasticized ruching at the back of the waist. Also, the purchased live action
film dress style for Belle was cute, but as that look has the attached purse/bag at
the waist, which was never used, I wondered if you had considered removing it?
That would have personalized the look a little for your production! One simple
way of creating a more fairytale period look for the men, if you have the flexibility
to change the look of the shirts you are using, might be to cut the folded over
collars off at the neck band. Just the banded collar neckline without the collar
wings can give a nice period look. I enjoyed the “inanimates” looks, which were
beautifully done and seemed to be comfortable for the actors to wear, and I also
appreciated the many looks for the “Be Our Guest” number.
C: COSTUME DESIGN was a strong design element of this production. Good
work. A couple of thoughts: I was confused by the Salt and Pepper appearing in
two different ways? Also, consider making the attachments black to work with
the black unitards/clothing - This will create a little more magic. Due to the
design, it was necessary for the crew to be seen. I would suggest discussing
with your director that, in a story like B&B, they be costumed … Costuming crew
explains why the sets are being moved and makes it fell more a part of the story
telling.
Hair & Make-Up Design:
A: Great wig for Gaston! And actually, all the wigs were good. There was
some trouble with Maurice’s moustache staying attached, so be sure to work
to make sure you have the tools/spirit gum, etc. to make added facial hair
function well. I didn’t see any age makeup on Maurice, and it might have
helped to define him as a parental figure. I liked the Beast’s makeup. I would
suggest short wigs for the ladies playing men, if that is possible with your
budget, to make them read more naturally as male identifying characters on
stage.
B: I loved Cogsworth’s mustache! Belle’s hair was done in lovely style and kept
her face clear to the audience. It was fun to have the Be Our Guest characters
add to their make-up to match their costumes/characters. I loved the idea of
Maurice’s make-up, the grayed hair, eyebrows and mustache read well and
helped to establish him as an older character, but be sure to make them secure
to the face, to eliminate problems such as we saw on the opening night
performance when one eyebrow fell off! The Beast had obviously done
extensive make-up, but I would encourage adding more contrasting highlights so
that the overall look is not quite so shadowed looking, especially since the head
piece was quite overpowering and far forward on his face. I would also
recommend working with wardrobe to secure that headpiece so that it doesn’t
move around from side to side or forward, in order to make the face as
consistently visible as possible. I would love to have seen Madame have a more
sophisticated style in her human form at the end to match her “star” personality.
Gaston’s wig gave us the iconic Gaston look. Lumiere’s wig looked well-kept and
fit well.
C: Overall the hair & make-up was done well and matched the level of the overall
production. H&M are extensions of COSTUME DESIGN and almost always the
H&M Designers on Broadway are chosen by the COSTUME DESIGNER
because it extends their vision for the look of the show. B&B already has an
expectation of what the characters are supposed to look like ... the look is iconic,
which leaves little room for experimentation. In shows like this, this allows both
COSTUME and H&M to hone their craft and pay more attention to detail. For
example, make sure that hair pieces are securely attached so that there is no
slippage ... make sure that the wigs are put on securely and no natural hair
peaks out. But overall, the design was good and helped the storytelling. Good
job.
Stage Crew:
A: A hard working crew with lots of pieces to move. There were some late light
cues, and set changes could be a bit rough - like the first change into Belle’s
bedroom in the castle. So, I would urge you to continue to work – schedule
change rehearsals even after opening for those more difficult changes/cues, if
needed – for accuracy and speed.
B: I appreciated that this group had obviously rehearsed the set changes and
were trying to do them as quickly as possible. I felt that, because people were
hurrying so fast, it was a little chaotic. As you rehearse the transitions, strive for
calm efficiency. Spot ops had a lot to do in this production and I would
encourage them to find precision in execution, to increase the impact of their
lighting instruments in the scenes.
C: STAGE CREW was fast. Also, look for ways to become even faster--as
scenes end, don’t wait for the lights ... let the action be immediate and it will
shave off those precious seconds. Good job.
Lobby Display:
A: Impressive lobby display of Beauty and the Beast memorabilia. I really
appreciated having the history told along with the Beauty and the Beast posters
from the animated film to Broadway to new film to their last production in 2004.
B: I really enjoyed the nice collection of Beast and the Beast objects (collectables
and photos). It was fun to look at the stuff and it set a nice mood as we entered
the space. It was really nice to see the information giving the progression of the
musical from animated movie to Broadway to live action film. I liked the big
hanging art, both those depicting the movie characters as well as the painted
Disney style castle. It was nice to have that reminder of the graphic style of the
show.
C: I was so glad to see a LOBBY DISPLAY. And, that the display included
information about the films. This is a great start! Since the administration has
“gutted” the Arts budget, this is an IDEAL place to show how valuable a drama
program is. LOBBY DISPLAY can be the greatest way for any school to show
the relevance and importance of a Drama program because it shows
administration, audiences and people who support a school program with
evidence of learning. Great lobby displays will include the dramaturgy-(e.g.,-
how students learned about a time period, how costumes were created, etc. --)...
and in the process, the displays educate the audience. For example: Where
does the original story of B&B come from? Why is so much French used in this
show? Who created the music and book of this Broadway show? What are the
lessons it is trying to teach? Where is the model of the set design? Could there
be a documentary created about putting a High School musical together?
Displays show spirit, enthusiasm and passion for Theatre. They also create a
transition for the audience from the real world into the world of the story … so
creating a display will promote its excellence. And, in the process of creating a
display, it will create more learning that extends beyond the stage. Creating a
display will also generate resources for performers/designers and crew to learn
more about the work of the show they are all creating together as a community.
Performer Categories:
Victoria Steward (Belle):
A: Ms. Steward has a lovely voice that she used to excellent effect as Belle. Her
scenes with Mr. Wilson, had a natural feel and “No Matter What” was nicely
done. Ms. Steward’s Belle had guts. “Home” was lovely. There was a nice
energy and pace to the scene with Belle treating the Beast’s wounds. The falling
in love scenes were good. “A Change in Me” was excellent. Overall, a little
thought through and nicely motivated performance.
B: This actor has a lovely voice which she used well and which is well suited to
the role. I enjoyed her physical presence and bearing - she brought a nice self-
assured quality, which set her apart well from the other characters and
townspeople. Although this actor made strong movement choices with good
intentions, I would caution her to be aware of overusing “arms” type
motion which was very present in “A Change in Me” Perhaps making another
choice to add in alternation with this arm action would add some variety and not
cause us to notice the repetition of one action? I thought she did a very nice job
of orchestrating her relationship with the Beast, helping us to see how her feeling
for him changed as their connection became deeper, so that it seemed very
natural when she declared he love for him at the end. I thought she had a nice
relationship with Maurice - it seemed like a believable father-daughter chemistry,
especially in her protectiveness towards him. Although she uses her voice well
and has a beautiful quality, I would encourage her to experiment with using
deeper breathing and connection to her full support system (body and breath) to
expand the repertoire of tools available to her for future roles and characters. I
really liked this actor’s line and lyric delivery, which featured great diction and
thoughtful pacing.
C: This is a talented young actor. I enjoyed her performance very much and
would encourage her to keep developing her singing skills and adding more
facial expression. She understands internal motivation and is poised and at
ease on stage. Great job!
Morgan Reed (Prince/Beast):
A: Mr. Reed showed a real strength as the Beast. I enjoyed his work with Ms.
Steward – nice connection between them. Good use of his strong emotions at
the end of Act I. There was a nice energy and pace to the scene with Belle
treating the Beast’s wounds. The falling in love scenes were good.
B: I really liked the physical and vocal commitment that the actor brought to the
character. The actor did a nice job of trying to capture the “beastliness” of the
cursed character. I would caution the actor, when playing a character who tends
to lose control, that you, as an actor, remain in complete control, both physically
and vocally, of that chaos. Choose you actions carefully and plan them out
thoroughly so that your seeming rage is always in control and not a danger to
your scene partners, yourself and the setting. One place where I saw that kind of
planning in action was in the orchestrating of the anthem, “If I Can’t Love Her,”
during which you gave it a nice build and strength through the phrasing choices
you made.
C: This actor has good comic timing and brought some of the best jokes to his
audience. Good work! I would encourage him to sing more because he has an
excellent voice that would grow into something very powerful and expressive
over time and with continued coaching. To improve acting skill, I would suggest
that he experiment with standing in one place. What is the impulse to move?
Why does the character move? This will help him develop more self-awareness,
and through self-awareness comes recognition of character motivation and the
need to add only purposeful movement. Really enjoyed his portrayal of the
BEAST!
Angela Ferguson (LeFou):
A: Ms. Ferguson had a great energy as Lefou, lots of fun. She was a great foil
for Gaston! Nice job with “Gaston” and the reprise.
B: This LeFou really went for the physicality of this role. Good detail work.
Continue to work on line delivery for clarity, especially since LeFou has some
great punchlines and also has the set-ups for some of Gaston’s punchlines. We
had some trouble hearing all of the lines, so I encourage the actor to really
concentrate on giving consonants weight, and allowing each word the time it
needs to be heard. Really nice scarf scene with Belle. I appreciated the detail
and convincing work with the prop/scarf.
C: LeFou is one of my favorite characters of this story and I loved the energy of
this actor … and how committed she was to delivering an animated performance.
Good job! It’s an oddity that comic acting is most comic when the actor plays the
humanity of the character. Often in a show like B&B -that has received so much
life through cartoon animation, we forget the true humanity ... who is LeFou?
Yes. There is slapstick humor ... and it’s funny, but we connect to a character like
LeFou when we feel the humanity of him as a person. The funniest moments of
this character’s scenes occurred when the actor was sincere - we connected with
those so well! Look for this throughout, whenever playing a funny role and
watch how audiences respond and how connected the actor will feel to the role
he/she is playing. Great job playing this role!
Ashlyn Stoker (Mrs. Potts):
B: Beautiful job with the title song - Lovely tone in the full range and we could
hear all of the lyrics. Nice work connecting with all of the other household
members in the scene work. I really enjoyed the bit of having to squeeze through
the door to Belle’s room. Very easy presence, presenting the voice of reason
and of comfort. Good believable relationship with Chip.
Amanda Littell (Cogsworth):
B: Very nice job. Good work incorporating the nervous energy that this character
need to have, without letting it get in the way of diction. Good relationship with
Mrs. Potts and with Lumiere.
Rylee Worth (Gaston):
B: This actor has a strong voice, both for speaking and singing. He had a strong
presence and excellent diction. Continue to work to make purposeful, motivated
choices for each moment, keeping in mind that sometimes the strongest choice
is to stand still and deliver the line or the song.
C: GOOD JOB on bringing an iconic role to life! I encourage the actor to keep
working on his singing and to listen for the music cue to start on the center of
each pitch. It’s a good voice and we heard strong singing. Taking the time to
listen during performance and react in real time will set him on the right path and
make him even more confident. I would also encourage the actor know enjoy
remaining still on stage and land in a space instead of the pacing. It’s a habit
that many actors have to work on in the professional world ... but by doing so,
they feel the internal impulse of the character and become even better actors.
Good job.
Collin Black (Lumiere):
B: This actor gave a very centered performance, with a good sense of who he
was and what his role was in the household. Continue to work with the singing
voice for a more consistent delivery. Connecting strongly to breath support can
help with evening out the line while singing, as well as helping to solidify pitch
accuracy. Beautiful delivery of lines in dialect. Very nice scenes with Cogsworth,
with a good connection between the two characters.
Jamie Lawler (Babette):
B: This actor had a confident presence, and moved well. She did some good
work in the scenes with Lumiere, showing a nice connection between their
characters. Nice dialect work, including keeping everything understandable.
Joe Wilson (Maurice):
B: This actor did a nice job of creating a fatherly relationship with Belle, as well as
finding a quirky demeanor which made us believe that the citizens for the town
might find him “odd” ; As a young actor, it was great to see him create this
character without resorting to stereotypical or caricature-ish acting. Loved that
he kept it real.
Silly Girls:
C: VERY GOOD JOB in this ensemble work. The singing was tight and the
movement was animated and energetic. Look for ways to create individual
personalities within the group – the lines help define three different personalities,
so explore finding that additional layer to make this group even more diverse,
while still being a team!
Chorus:
A: A hard working chorus with lots of fun things to do. The harmony work was
good, they staging of the musical numbers showed the cast to good effect. Good
work.
B: Very nice work with the mug section of “Gaston” - very impressive! Not only
was the clinking clean and on the beat, but the picture was sharp, and the actors’
positions and lines were nicely spaced. Continue to work to bring that precision
to other numbers, as well. Nice job with your individual characters in lines of
dialogue. When you have solo line it can be helpful for the audience if you find a
way to draw focus to yourself so that we know to look your way. One thing that
can help with that is to make a movement or gesture to draw the audience’s eye.
If you then stay open to the audience (make sure your that your body is angled
front or faced front) your line will travel to the audience more clearly. Book seller,
you had a wonderful connection to Belle - we could see your shared love of
books. Silly girls, you were a delight!
C: Many times students believe that just because they are in The Chorus that
energy and effort is not as important as a leading actor ... What is ironic, is that a
chorus creates the community in which the story takes place. How can a
leading actor be believed if the characters around him/her are not believable?
Musicals cannot be told well without the world and the chorus is that. The
greatest chorus members on Broadway always create an inner life for the non-
named characters they play. In future work, ask yourselves: Who is your
character in this world? By answering this, all aspects of singing/dancing &
movement/acting will improve. Really great shows are those where every single
person in the show has done internal work ... they become self-detectives and
detectives of their part --examining and creating back stories about them ... Pose
this question: If my part were the main story in this world, what would that story
be? And, how does my character --the one I have created-- interact or relate to
the story that is being told? These two questions answered will elevate beyond
measure. Good work on BE OUR GUEST ... the dancing! I enjoyed this
performance.
Additional Comments:
Evaluator A: An entertaining evening. Ms. Littell was a delightful Cogsworth. Ms.
DuFour, Ms. Kunsleman and Ms. Garza were very cute as the Silly Girls. Mr.
Worth, as Gaston, made a fun villain. Ms. Stoker has a nice singing voice and
the title song was a nicely done. Thank you to you all, cast, musicians and crew,
for bringing this story to your community with heart.
Evaluator B: Congratulations on a wonderful and joyous opening night. Your
audience had a terrific time and I know that will continue through the run due to
your group effort to bring this story to the stage with meaning.
Evaluator C: Congratulations on this performance of such a challenging show.
There were so many elements to admire - I enjoyed especially the costumes and
good movement choices. I also liked that set design used the curtain for
projection. Nice work by all.
Klem’s note: There were 3 evaluators that came to 3 different shows. So evaluator A didn’t see the same show as evaluator’s B and C. That could explain some differences in opinions.
Beauty and the Beast
Direction:
A: Good work with such a large production. Continue to work with the students
on picking up cues. The pace improved in Act II, overall, so strive for that forward momentum from the top. Some strong work with the actors which created lovely characterizations
amongst the principals.
B: Nice individual work with the characters to create successful relationships
(Belle and Beast, Mrs. Potts and Chip, Belle and Maurice, etc.). Continue to work
with the ensemble of unnamed chorus members to create ensemble characters
of purpose and depth so that they bring the world of the play to life in their work.
Help them have relationships, even though they may not be defined by the script.
I loved that all of the named characters treated this story with importance rather
than just trying to recreate a cartoonish replication of the animated film. There
were many grounded performances which made this a believable telling of the
story of family, love, acceptance and respect, and it is your approach which
inspired this.
C: Almost every person on stage seemed committed to telling the story. Good
job! This is an essential ingredient for a successful show and for a successful
drama program.
Musical Direction:
A: Nice harmonies in “Belle”. Keep working with the actors on projecting if you
are not all mic’ed. Exercises to connect to breath support may help with this.
Nice work with the chorus in the big group numbers like “Gaston” and “Kill the
Beast”.
B: Nice work with the principal actors in getting a good strength of purpose and
diction. Good work helping them to continue the character intentions while
singing. Continue to work with the ensemble to over exaggerate consonants
and to energize all of the singing. This will up the energy over all, and also help
overcome the challenges of having some people on mic and others not on mic
for a more consistent sound overall.
C: Enjoyed hearing the songs in these voices … There are varied skill levels at
MPHS, and all very nice--The spirit of the work came through. According to the packet, you don’t have much of a choir program; and it is challenging to get good singers. This is unfortunate, and creates a seriousproblem for an MD. If it is at all possible, to add a rehearsal pianist so that individual vocal coachings can occur at the onset of the rehearsal process during
rehearsals, and continue up to Opening Night. This will raise the level of the
singing all around as well as the students’ confidence, increasing levels of
animation and energy. Continue to have the students examine the lyrics and the
arc of the songs ... this will help develop better phrasing and interpretation, which
automatically affects vocal technique in a positive way.
Choreography/Staging of Musical Numbers:
A: Good simple staging for the opening. The staging for “Gaston” was good, and
I especially enjoyed the mug choreography. “Be Our Guest” was simple staging
that made everyone look good. “Kill the Beast” was well staged. Nice work.
B: Very nice work with the mug section of “Gaston” - very impressive movement
and especially great execution by all of your ensemble members! As I will say to
the Chorus in their notes, not only was the clinking clean and on the beat, but the
picture was sharp, with the actors; positions and lines were nicely spaced.
Continue to work to bring that precision in action and in spacing in the other
numbers, as well. Clumps of performers sometimes obscured the main action we
(the audience) should be focused on seeing. For example, on occasion people
were in clumps that covered the person who had the line we needed to hear in
the opening number. Good work with staging all of the physicality of the Lefou
character. I would encourage you to work with entrances and exits as a part of
the staging of the numbers so that everyone enters in character and with a sense
of purpose and the knowledge of why they are in that particular number.
Likewise include intentions for having them exit. This may mean that you try
staggering entrances so that the arrivals feel more natural to a scene. Thanks for
stressing the need for facial engagement! There was good facial engagement by
the ensemble - this is so important, as it shows that they are involved in the
storytelling and that translates to keeping the audience involved in the world of
the play.
C: Really enjoyed the mug work in “Gaston” Nice job. I also liked that all
performers were successful in their movements. What I would encourage this
choreographer to do in future productions is to look for more creative ways to set
up. What I consistently saw is performers lining up, and then we waited for the
movement. Is there a way to create more fluidity? Also, with the varied skill
levels, at the onset of auditions, check in with your cast to see who can do tricks
and special movements. This is what all Broadway choreographers do at dance
calls. They want to see what skills a dancer has so they can incorporate it into
the movement. Dancers in large numbers do not have to do a group dance ...
they can be divided up and given different movements that keep upping the ante
of the number ... leading to the more and more exciting elements. By doing this,
it will feature examples of higher levels and create great accuracy because
performers will be excited, thus leading to more animation and energy in the long
run. Good job.
Orchestra:
A: The overture was a bit rough, but the orchestra got better with each number.
The mix between actor and orchestra was fine if the actor was mic’ed. There
was trouble hearing actors that weren’t mic’ed, so I would urge you to keep an
ear (a staff member, perhaps?) in the house to help set levels for the most
advantageous balance for the audience.
B: Nice solid rendition of the score, with some very nice consistent playing from
the brass and flute/piccolo, especially. Continue to strive for unity of sound
through pitch accuracy. I would encourage you to see if it is possible to bring
down the volume during underscored dialogue, as we often had trouble hearing
the actors over the orchestra. Good tempi, which were easily handled by the
cast. I appreciated the connection between the conductor and the actors on
stage, which helped keep a nice unity between all of the musical elements.
C: Nice job on providing a live orchestra for this production, with a score that
presents a lot of challenges and special effects with the music. I especially
admired the work of the flutes. Some of those moments were really fantastic.
I was surprised not to hear the orchestra tune up, as I felt that maybe
inhibited the accuracy of pitch, especially in the reeds. Take time to do this
step and re-tune after intermission. Even so, at the performance I attended,
there was good balance between the orchestra parts overall and good
balance between the performers on stage and musical accompaniment.
Good job.
Scenic Design:
A: As you came into the theatre you saw two satellite stages with a wonderful
library set and the Beast’s west wing with the Rose. Good use of projections,
they helped define the space. It was nice to see the moving pieces having
several uses. The main castle piece is fun and I especially liked the fireplace. I
liked the clawed portrait in the castle. Good job with texture and painting.
B: I liked a lot of the individual pieces in this set. Belle’s house unit was very
nicely painted and was easily moved. The Stage Left West Wing unit look very
nice and was nicely decorated, and the stage right library looked good. It was
fun to have so many practical books included in the shelf. The white curtain
functioned well for selected projections giving a change of look for the town and
the tavern. Nice props - the invention looked good - and the “interior workings”
were a nice solution to a prop challenge. The bookseller’s portable “store” was a
nice look - fun and practical. The light up rose case was very pretty.
C: To me, this is such an interesting stage, the way that it creates a rounded and
modified thrust … but this does present a lot of challenges to the designer
because it isn’t an out and out proscenium. I did like the use of projection and was
wondering how this could have been intensified. If it is possible, the floor can be
painted - consider adding this element to make the design even stronger.
Lighting Design:
A: The students made a good start at creating this fairytale world. I did find
myself feeling that the light design too dark for much of the show. In the opening
number Belle was the only person you could see clearly, and as this number
introduces us to the town, I would have loved to see everyone in brighter light. If
it was about the lighting system and number of instruments, I would recommend
concentrating on a good wash so the audience can see the actors. I thought the
wash for “Gaston” would have been great for entire show and you could use the
spots for extra focus.
B: These student lighting designers made a good effort with the very limited
resources in number of instruments available to cover the full stage. I liked the
use of the spotlights to augment the lighting in many of the scenes. Also good
use of the spots to create isolation of scenes, i.e. the section in the middle of
Belle where she is down front doing her solo moment and the ensemble is
upstage. Nice fireplace and lit chandelier and torches! Work in coordination with
the director to make sure that the actors are always blocked to be in the areas
which the light covers. Nice gobo for the forest look in the wolves scenes. You
covered what was lacking in brightness from the hung instruments with the
spotlights well.
C: No matter what lighting is available, always help the audience see their way
through the story. If lighting is limited, make it bright so the audience can see at
every moment. And use the spot at every possibility to bring focus.
Atmospheric backlighting isn’t necessary when the spot it focused. Here are
some of my basic thoughts on lighting: LIGHTING DESIGN will always lead an
audience through a story. It can create the magic of a moment or destroy it. To
me, the most important aspect of excellent LIGHTING DESIGN is its ability to
lead me through the story without my knowing. If I notice the lights, or can’t see,
then I am aware of the design. When I don’t think about the lights and I am fully
engaged in the story, I know that it is excellent design. Then I think back to how
that was done. Lights shift us from moment to moment, tell us we are inside the
head of a character, or take us to a new location Overall, I was led through the
story pretty well so GOOD JOB with what you had, but I did notice that lighting
was dimmed when trying to create an effect, which, though a good instinct,
tended to make things hard to see. Since MPHS has such a limited choice of
lighting, make the most of spots. They should always be bright even in the
brightest scenes. The backlighting is not necessary or should create the
atmosphere. I recommend an excellent podcast
www.corypattak.com/podcast/ Cory interviews the greatest designers and
writes his podcast to help developing designers around the world. Perhaps there
will be students again in the future who will be interested in LIGHTING DESIGN
and could use this podcast to build his/her skill.
Costume Design:
A: Lots of fun costumes in the opening. I loved Gaston’s costume. There was
something good about the way Cogsworth’s costume caught the light! Fun
costumes, too, in the castle and for “Be Our Guest”.
B: Nice coordination of the costumes in style and color palette. I would
encourage you to tailor the clothing to your particular actors and bodies. When you
are making use of purchased commercial costumes, this is especially true. For
example Gaston’s look was the appropriate, iconic look, but tailoring it to fit him a
little better, for example using an actual belt instead of (or over top of) the half
belt on the costume tunic would have helped to keep the “physique” from riding
up out of natural alignment and also given a more period look overall by covering
the elasticized ruching at the back of the waist. Also, the purchased live action
film dress style for Belle was cute, but as that look has the attached purse/bag at
the waist, which was never used, I wondered if you had considered removing it?
That would have personalized the look a little for your production! One simple
way of creating a more fairytale period look for the men, if you have the flexibility
to change the look of the shirts you are using, might be to cut the folded over
collars off at the neck band. Just the banded collar neckline without the collar
wings can give a nice period look. I enjoyed the “inanimates” looks, which were
beautifully done and seemed to be comfortable for the actors to wear, and I also
appreciated the many looks for the “Be Our Guest” number.
C: COSTUME DESIGN was a strong design element of this production. Good
work. A couple of thoughts: I was confused by the Salt and Pepper appearing in
two different ways? Also, consider making the attachments black to work with
the black unitards/clothing - This will create a little more magic. Due to the
design, it was necessary for the crew to be seen. I would suggest discussing
with your director that, in a story like B&B, they be costumed … Costuming crew
explains why the sets are being moved and makes it fell more a part of the story
telling.
Hair & Make-Up Design:
A: Great wig for Gaston! And actually, all the wigs were good. There was
some trouble with Maurice’s moustache staying attached, so be sure to work
to make sure you have the tools/spirit gum, etc. to make added facial hair
function well. I didn’t see any age makeup on Maurice, and it might have
helped to define him as a parental figure. I liked the Beast’s makeup. I would
suggest short wigs for the ladies playing men, if that is possible with your
budget, to make them read more naturally as male identifying characters on
stage.
B: I loved Cogsworth’s mustache! Belle’s hair was done in lovely style and kept
her face clear to the audience. It was fun to have the Be Our Guest characters
add to their make-up to match their costumes/characters. I loved the idea of
Maurice’s make-up, the grayed hair, eyebrows and mustache read well and
helped to establish him as an older character, but be sure to make them secure
to the face, to eliminate problems such as we saw on the opening night
performance when one eyebrow fell off! The Beast had obviously done
extensive make-up, but I would encourage adding more contrasting highlights so
that the overall look is not quite so shadowed looking, especially since the head
piece was quite overpowering and far forward on his face. I would also
recommend working with wardrobe to secure that headpiece so that it doesn’t
move around from side to side or forward, in order to make the face as
consistently visible as possible. I would love to have seen Madame have a more
sophisticated style in her human form at the end to match her “star” personality.
Gaston’s wig gave us the iconic Gaston look. Lumiere’s wig looked well-kept and
fit well.
C: Overall the hair & make-up was done well and matched the level of the overall
production. H&M are extensions of COSTUME DESIGN and almost always the
H&M Designers on Broadway are chosen by the COSTUME DESIGNER
because it extends their vision for the look of the show. B&B already has an
expectation of what the characters are supposed to look like ... the look is iconic,
which leaves little room for experimentation. In shows like this, this allows both
COSTUME and H&M to hone their craft and pay more attention to detail. For
example, make sure that hair pieces are securely attached so that there is no
slippage ... make sure that the wigs are put on securely and no natural hair
peaks out. But overall, the design was good and helped the storytelling. Good
job.
Stage Crew:
A: A hard working crew with lots of pieces to move. There were some late light
cues, and set changes could be a bit rough - like the first change into Belle’s
bedroom in the castle. So, I would urge you to continue to work – schedule
change rehearsals even after opening for those more difficult changes/cues, if
needed – for accuracy and speed.
B: I appreciated that this group had obviously rehearsed the set changes and
were trying to do them as quickly as possible. I felt that, because people were
hurrying so fast, it was a little chaotic. As you rehearse the transitions, strive for
calm efficiency. Spot ops had a lot to do in this production and I would
encourage them to find precision in execution, to increase the impact of their
lighting instruments in the scenes.
C: STAGE CREW was fast. Also, look for ways to become even faster--as
scenes end, don’t wait for the lights ... let the action be immediate and it will
shave off those precious seconds. Good job.
Lobby Display:
A: Impressive lobby display of Beauty and the Beast memorabilia. I really
appreciated having the history told along with the Beauty and the Beast posters
from the animated film to Broadway to new film to their last production in 2004.
B: I really enjoyed the nice collection of Beast and the Beast objects (collectables
and photos). It was fun to look at the stuff and it set a nice mood as we entered
the space. It was really nice to see the information giving the progression of the
musical from animated movie to Broadway to live action film. I liked the big
hanging art, both those depicting the movie characters as well as the painted
Disney style castle. It was nice to have that reminder of the graphic style of the
show.
C: I was so glad to see a LOBBY DISPLAY. And, that the display included
information about the films. This is a great start! Since the administration has
“gutted” the Arts budget, this is an IDEAL place to show how valuable a drama
program is. LOBBY DISPLAY can be the greatest way for any school to show
the relevance and importance of a Drama program because it shows
administration, audiences and people who support a school program with
evidence of learning. Great lobby displays will include the dramaturgy-(e.g.,-
how students learned about a time period, how costumes were created, etc. --)...
and in the process, the displays educate the audience. For example: Where
does the original story of B&B come from? Why is so much French used in this
show? Who created the music and book of this Broadway show? What are the
lessons it is trying to teach? Where is the model of the set design? Could there
be a documentary created about putting a High School musical together?
Displays show spirit, enthusiasm and passion for Theatre. They also create a
transition for the audience from the real world into the world of the story … so
creating a display will promote its excellence. And, in the process of creating a
display, it will create more learning that extends beyond the stage. Creating a
display will also generate resources for performers/designers and crew to learn
more about the work of the show they are all creating together as a community.
Performer Categories:
Victoria Steward (Belle):
A: Ms. Steward has a lovely voice that she used to excellent effect as Belle. Her
scenes with Mr. Wilson, had a natural feel and “No Matter What” was nicely
done. Ms. Steward’s Belle had guts. “Home” was lovely. There was a nice
energy and pace to the scene with Belle treating the Beast’s wounds. The falling
in love scenes were good. “A Change in Me” was excellent. Overall, a little
thought through and nicely motivated performance.
B: This actor has a lovely voice which she used well and which is well suited to
the role. I enjoyed her physical presence and bearing - she brought a nice self-
assured quality, which set her apart well from the other characters and
townspeople. Although this actor made strong movement choices with good
intentions, I would caution her to be aware of overusing “arms” type
motion which was very present in “A Change in Me” Perhaps making another
choice to add in alternation with this arm action would add some variety and not
cause us to notice the repetition of one action? I thought she did a very nice job
of orchestrating her relationship with the Beast, helping us to see how her feeling
for him changed as their connection became deeper, so that it seemed very
natural when she declared he love for him at the end. I thought she had a nice
relationship with Maurice - it seemed like a believable father-daughter chemistry,
especially in her protectiveness towards him. Although she uses her voice well
and has a beautiful quality, I would encourage her to experiment with using
deeper breathing and connection to her full support system (body and breath) to
expand the repertoire of tools available to her for future roles and characters. I
really liked this actor’s line and lyric delivery, which featured great diction and
thoughtful pacing.
C: This is a talented young actor. I enjoyed her performance very much and
would encourage her to keep developing her singing skills and adding more
facial expression. She understands internal motivation and is poised and at
ease on stage. Great job!
Morgan Reed (Prince/Beast):
A: Mr. Reed showed a real strength as the Beast. I enjoyed his work with Ms.
Steward – nice connection between them. Good use of his strong emotions at
the end of Act I. There was a nice energy and pace to the scene with Belle
treating the Beast’s wounds. The falling in love scenes were good.
B: I really liked the physical and vocal commitment that the actor brought to the
character. The actor did a nice job of trying to capture the “beastliness” of the
cursed character. I would caution the actor, when playing a character who tends
to lose control, that you, as an actor, remain in complete control, both physically
and vocally, of that chaos. Choose you actions carefully and plan them out
thoroughly so that your seeming rage is always in control and not a danger to
your scene partners, yourself and the setting. One place where I saw that kind of
planning in action was in the orchestrating of the anthem, “If I Can’t Love Her,”
during which you gave it a nice build and strength through the phrasing choices
you made.
C: This actor has good comic timing and brought some of the best jokes to his
audience. Good work! I would encourage him to sing more because he has an
excellent voice that would grow into something very powerful and expressive
over time and with continued coaching. To improve acting skill, I would suggest
that he experiment with standing in one place. What is the impulse to move?
Why does the character move? This will help him develop more self-awareness,
and through self-awareness comes recognition of character motivation and the
need to add only purposeful movement. Really enjoyed his portrayal of the
BEAST!
Angela Ferguson (LeFou):
A: Ms. Ferguson had a great energy as Lefou, lots of fun. She was a great foil
for Gaston! Nice job with “Gaston” and the reprise.
B: This LeFou really went for the physicality of this role. Good detail work.
Continue to work on line delivery for clarity, especially since LeFou has some
great punchlines and also has the set-ups for some of Gaston’s punchlines. We
had some trouble hearing all of the lines, so I encourage the actor to really
concentrate on giving consonants weight, and allowing each word the time it
needs to be heard. Really nice scarf scene with Belle. I appreciated the detail
and convincing work with the prop/scarf.
C: LeFou is one of my favorite characters of this story and I loved the energy of
this actor … and how committed she was to delivering an animated performance.
Good job! It’s an oddity that comic acting is most comic when the actor plays the
humanity of the character. Often in a show like B&B -that has received so much
life through cartoon animation, we forget the true humanity ... who is LeFou?
Yes. There is slapstick humor ... and it’s funny, but we connect to a character like
LeFou when we feel the humanity of him as a person. The funniest moments of
this character’s scenes occurred when the actor was sincere - we connected with
those so well! Look for this throughout, whenever playing a funny role and
watch how audiences respond and how connected the actor will feel to the role
he/she is playing. Great job playing this role!
Ashlyn Stoker (Mrs. Potts):
B: Beautiful job with the title song - Lovely tone in the full range and we could
hear all of the lyrics. Nice work connecting with all of the other household
members in the scene work. I really enjoyed the bit of having to squeeze through
the door to Belle’s room. Very easy presence, presenting the voice of reason
and of comfort. Good believable relationship with Chip.
Amanda Littell (Cogsworth):
B: Very nice job. Good work incorporating the nervous energy that this character
need to have, without letting it get in the way of diction. Good relationship with
Mrs. Potts and with Lumiere.
Rylee Worth (Gaston):
B: This actor has a strong voice, both for speaking and singing. He had a strong
presence and excellent diction. Continue to work to make purposeful, motivated
choices for each moment, keeping in mind that sometimes the strongest choice
is to stand still and deliver the line or the song.
C: GOOD JOB on bringing an iconic role to life! I encourage the actor to keep
working on his singing and to listen for the music cue to start on the center of
each pitch. It’s a good voice and we heard strong singing. Taking the time to
listen during performance and react in real time will set him on the right path and
make him even more confident. I would also encourage the actor know enjoy
remaining still on stage and land in a space instead of the pacing. It’s a habit
that many actors have to work on in the professional world ... but by doing so,
they feel the internal impulse of the character and become even better actors.
Good job.
Collin Black (Lumiere):
B: This actor gave a very centered performance, with a good sense of who he
was and what his role was in the household. Continue to work with the singing
voice for a more consistent delivery. Connecting strongly to breath support can
help with evening out the line while singing, as well as helping to solidify pitch
accuracy. Beautiful delivery of lines in dialect. Very nice scenes with Cogsworth,
with a good connection between the two characters.
Jamie Lawler (Babette):
B: This actor had a confident presence, and moved well. She did some good
work in the scenes with Lumiere, showing a nice connection between their
characters. Nice dialect work, including keeping everything understandable.
Joe Wilson (Maurice):
B: This actor did a nice job of creating a fatherly relationship with Belle, as well as
finding a quirky demeanor which made us believe that the citizens for the town
might find him “odd” ; As a young actor, it was great to see him create this
character without resorting to stereotypical or caricature-ish acting. Loved that
he kept it real.
Silly Girls:
C: VERY GOOD JOB in this ensemble work. The singing was tight and the
movement was animated and energetic. Look for ways to create individual
personalities within the group – the lines help define three different personalities,
so explore finding that additional layer to make this group even more diverse,
while still being a team!
Chorus:
A: A hard working chorus with lots of fun things to do. The harmony work was
good, they staging of the musical numbers showed the cast to good effect. Good
work.
B: Very nice work with the mug section of “Gaston” - very impressive! Not only
was the clinking clean and on the beat, but the picture was sharp, and the actors’
positions and lines were nicely spaced. Continue to work to bring that precision
to other numbers, as well. Nice job with your individual characters in lines of
dialogue. When you have solo line it can be helpful for the audience if you find a
way to draw focus to yourself so that we know to look your way. One thing that
can help with that is to make a movement or gesture to draw the audience’s eye.
If you then stay open to the audience (make sure your that your body is angled
front or faced front) your line will travel to the audience more clearly. Book seller,
you had a wonderful connection to Belle - we could see your shared love of
books. Silly girls, you were a delight!
C: Many times students believe that just because they are in The Chorus that
energy and effort is not as important as a leading actor ... What is ironic, is that a
chorus creates the community in which the story takes place. How can a
leading actor be believed if the characters around him/her are not believable?
Musicals cannot be told well without the world and the chorus is that. The
greatest chorus members on Broadway always create an inner life for the non-
named characters they play. In future work, ask yourselves: Who is your
character in this world? By answering this, all aspects of singing/dancing &
movement/acting will improve. Really great shows are those where every single
person in the show has done internal work ... they become self-detectives and
detectives of their part --examining and creating back stories about them ... Pose
this question: If my part were the main story in this world, what would that story
be? And, how does my character --the one I have created-- interact or relate to
the story that is being told? These two questions answered will elevate beyond
measure. Good work on BE OUR GUEST ... the dancing! I enjoyed this
performance.
Additional Comments:
Evaluator A: An entertaining evening. Ms. Littell was a delightful Cogsworth. Ms.
DuFour, Ms. Kunsleman and Ms. Garza were very cute as the Silly Girls. Mr.
Worth, as Gaston, made a fun villain. Ms. Stoker has a nice singing voice and
the title song was a nicely done. Thank you to you all, cast, musicians and crew,
for bringing this story to your community with heart.
Evaluator B: Congratulations on a wonderful and joyous opening night. Your
audience had a terrific time and I know that will continue through the run due to
your group effort to bring this story to the stage with meaning.
Evaluator C: Congratulations on this performance of such a challenging show.
There were so many elements to admire - I enjoyed especially the costumes and
good movement choices. I also liked that set design used the curtain for
projection. Nice work by all.