Notes from Mrs. Green

I apologize for the fact that most of these notes are somewhat negative in content--as in, "this is what you did wrong".  I just didn't have time to write down all of the good stuff you did.  With another rehearsal tomorrow already, I needed to to this quickly.  Some of this is new information: music cue changes, line changes, lapel mic additions, etc.  (I made mistakes, too, which are pointed out below.)

As much as it depends on you--FULL COSTUMES ARE EXPECTED FROM NOW ON.  You may leave them at the high school if you like, but you need to bring hangers from home.  Now would be a good time to find a box to keep your non-hangable things in.  (This box should be able to fit under a chair.)  Please, take care of your costume pieces and props--hang them up, put them away, etc.  We need to take good care of them so they stay nice and fresh-looking, and so we know where they are.  Also, some of our things are borrowed from elsewhere, and we need to return them in excellent condition.  Let's be good stewards, shall we?


"Thomas"
I'm going to pause the music after Maddi says, "Thomas Barnes is going to save the factory!"    We'll let the curtain open most of the way, and then I'll restart the music.  Then Evan, you can start yelling for Thomas.  That curtain soaks up too much of your voices.  We need to get it out of the way.

It was difficult to hear some of the singing lines still.  I'm going to ask Charlie if he can lower the hanging microphones.  Remember how low they were last year?  I think that would help. Please go over this song with your CD a couple of times before Thursday, though.  I'm not sure everyone was singing when they were supposed to--on time, that is.


"Lock, Stock & Barrel"
Better this week with the 3rd verse.  Now work on enunciation.  British people hit their "t's" harder than we Americans do.  So, work on "loT", "debT', and "forgeT".

Nick, Charlie will have the computer wired into the sound system for Thursday.  I still had a 7 second delay today.  Once it's wired into the sound system, it responds much more quickly, so I'll be able to get the timing better on "by at least one bob."  I hope.  We may have to practice a little extra.


Scene 2
I'm getting there with the gong.  I still had a 7 second delay today, but that will be fixed on Thursday.  Charlie will wire the computer into the sound system for us.  (It's wireless right now, and that makes it take longer.)  I'm also going to have the gong fade out some.  Colter, don't speak until the gong is a little quieter.  We don't want to lose your lines in the resonating gong.

After the curtain closes, and you're talking about the NFL, I'm going to insert some sound effects.  This will help to slow the scene down (which will help out those who are setting up the next scene), and it will cover up some of the noise from behind the curtain.  I'm not exactly sure how this will happen on Thursday, but be prepared to pause after some or all of the "football" lines.

Scene 3
We skipped over Kathryn's line, "Is everybody going to embrace the boy?"  

"Drink a Cuppa"
We're going to put lapel microphones on Juli & Maddi.  (Does Ethan already have one for "Chasing Dreams"?  If he doesn't, then he should get a mic, too.)  

"Chasing Dreams"
I still had a 7 second delay with the music, but Charlie will fix that for Thursday.  Savanna, thanks for rolling with your line even when the music wasn't ready yet.

Trisha, your line about the glazing being fixed needs to be louder.  Good timing, though.

Painters, your lines need to be louder too.  I'll turn down the music some.

Okay, Sloane & Ethan, I'm going to change your speaking lines a little.  There are just too many words to get in that short instrumental, and I can't pause the music without it sounding silly.  And you can't come in any sooner, Sloane.  Your timing has been great there.  Here's what I want you to do:

Kathryn: But being in China would be better than dreaming of being there. (no change)
Thomas: There's a little matter of a vast ocean!
Kathryn: We can buy tickets on a steamer!  I've saved thirty pounds!  (so, just drop "already")
Thomas: We? Well, I've--I've got...LOTS of money saved.
Kathryn: Then it's settled! You. Me. And China!

Marie, you've been saying Kuhng-See instead of Koong-Suh (right after the song).  


"Shi-Jing"
Chang's Friends, don't forget your new spots for this song:

Alex, Gabe, and Peter F are in the front row.

Chris, Peter K, Steven, and Conner are in the back row.

Make sure you are standing in this zig-zag pattern

 (orange line),so we can see each one of you. 

"All You Need Is Cash"

Evan, your pitch was better today.  Nice!  When you sing, "Someone's got to marry the poor" still walk away from the others on stage, but turn the top part of your body toward the audience while you sing.  We'll be able to hear you better.

"As a father-in-law" was better this time, but still a little behind the beat.  I can tell you worked on it though.  Let me know if you can't hear the music well enough.  Perhaps we can turn up the monitors.

The talking part between Albert and Ann needs to be much louder. 

"Thomas Reprise"

Now that I've got the songs in order on the computer, I'll try to play the right one.  ; )

I could tell you were trying to raise the pitch, but it still needs work.  Please practice with your CD's (rehearsal CD for a couple of times, then switch to performance CD for a couple of times).  I could make a vocal video for you, but it wouldn't help any more than the CD's would, since you're not having trouble with the words.

"Handle with Care"

A couple of your hats were too low on your foreheads, sailors.  We couldn't see your cute faces!

Conner, sing "What's to declare?" toward the audience a little bit.  We'll be able to hear you  better.

Slow down your actions on the instrumental part where Thomas is sick.  Pause between each thing and pretend to talk about, "What should we do for him?"  "I don't know."  Give a shrug.  Look around.  "Aha!  Here's some coffee!  I'll try this!"  (Morgan, thanks for filling in today!)  Do those kinds of motions with the pizza and then for the paper bag, too. 

Sailors, at the end of the song, you're supposed to sing, "We're fragile," not "All fragile" or "I'm fragile."  I heard a mixture there.

Peter F, can you slow down your lines a little bit (after the song)?  That would give the scene changers a little more time back there.  Thanks.

Scene 11

We're changing Angela's line from "Three cheers for Monsieur Parimutuel!" to "Hurrah for Monsieur Parimutuel!"  I think that will make this part less awkward.  Right after she says that, cheer and clap in your own way--if your character is happy about this news (for example, workers and artists).  Hug your neighbor or dance a little jig, if you like--but nothing too distracting from the rest of the scene.  

Remember, it's pronounced "miss-YUR".  There shouldn't be any /n/ sound in there. I can't remember now who said it incorrectly, so everyone check yourselves.  I heard it more than once. 

Scene 13

Maria, we are going to give you a lapel mic for this.

We missed a couple of lines on p. 55:

ZHONG: Not if we'd been there, he wouldn't.

FENG: Yeah--we'd have spotted him a mile away!

Scene 14

Sloane, make sure to get the word "Why" in your first line here, otherwise Peggy's line ("Because--because you will when you see it.") doesn't make sense.  I think you said, "What would I want to look at in here?" (p. 57 in your script)

"Pilferin' Porcelain"

Thugs, I gave you a little help Tuesday on "No one's ever doubted that you're honest," but I won't do that any more.  Remember to think ahead.  (A couple of you are thinking ahead.  Thank you.)

Michael, if I have time today, I'm going to make a vocal video for you to help you with that "retrenched" section.  In the meantime, work with your rehearsal CD and play that section over and over.  You can practice chanting the words slowly without the music first, if that helps.  I may not have time today, so don't wait for me to get the video up, okay?

Sorry I missed the gunshot.  Grrrr...7 second delay....  I'll get it tomorrow!

"Confucius Say ~ Reprise"

Isaiah--we needed you!  You can not miss this cue!

Chinese cast--"HE's the one that SHE'll harangue."  I'm still hearing some of you singing it backwards.  If you just can't remember, then sing "Ee's the one that ee'll harangue."  I know that sounds silly, but the /sh/ sound is too obviously wrong when it's in the wrong place.

At the end of the song, stage left (the audience's right) is a little crowded.  Your lines (that you are standing in) are too close together.

Thomas, we need to get a sling on you before this scene.  Apparently, you are the one who gets shot in the arm by Parimutuel's gun.  It should be the arm that Kathryn is NOT hanging onto.  You'll need to modify your dancing during the song accordingly.

Whew!  That's a lot!  And I know the other directors are working on their lists.  Please make the musical as much of a priority as your parents allow for this week and the next.  We need your time and focus.  Thank you! ~ Mrs. Green