Important Change for Chinese Cast!!

Hi Gang,
I apologize for this last-minute change.  I wouldn't do it if I didn't think you could handle it, though.  You guys are so flexible and adaptable!  Thank you for that.

Chinese cast ~ for Confucius Say, at the very end of the play, I'm going to have you help Ta-Jin out a little bit at the start of the song.  This part of the play is so important.  We need the audience to know that Koong-Se and Chang get their happy ending, and that Ta-Jin is fine with that.  

So, Ta-Jin will still yell, "STOP!"  Then you all will join in and sing:

He won't want your daughter for his wife.
It would be a far too stressful life... 

So that top line is the change, and the second line is what you've always been singing.  Continue from there as you usually do.  (Isaiah, you may sing, "I don't want your daughter for my wife.")  

Here's a video with which you can practice:

Please let me know in the comments that you've read and/or watched this.  Also post if you have any questions.  Again, I apologize for this last-minute change.  I should have done this sooner.  Mea culpa.  We will practice this at the end of warm-ups tomorrow.  Thank you.

~ Mrs. Green

Stuff I Loved!

This post is all about the stuff I loved from Thursday's rehearsal.  = )

Scene 1
YAY for Charlie hooking the computer up to the sound board!  I have a half-second delay now, so I was able to time the pause in L, S, & Barrel better for Nick.  Great job, Nick!  And thanks for your patience on that song particularly.

Scene 2
Elena & Brandon ~ great enunciation and volume.
Seth & Buddy ~ I always love watching you.  You crack me up.
Seth ~ great inflection in your speaking lines (going up and down)
Buddy ~ You noticed you were blocking Seth at one point, so you moved.  Excellent.
Peter F ~ good slow speed on your lines

Scene 3
Sloane ~ Good volume and diction, as always
Ethan ~ Nice vowels on Drink a Cuppa!  

Scene 4
Sloane & Ethan ~ You adapted so quickly to the line changes during the song!  Thanks!
Marie ~ Great job on Koong-Suh

Scene 5
Seth & Buddy ~ I love it when the tassels on your hats go back and forth during The Four Starts.  That makes me chuckle.  It's a little Charlie Chaplin-ish.  = )

Scene 7
Nick ~ Bills...rent.  Great!  You got it!
Evan ~ I love the nodding and gestures on "Someone's got to marry the poor."  Good stuff.
Much better timing on the "as a father-in-law" part!
Except for the last spin, the dance interlude was the best I've seen.  Good job.
Better pitch on Thomas Reprise.  I can tell you practiced.

Scene 8
Evan, I liked how you waited for the music to play a little bit before you sang the final "poor".  Your pitch was excellent there.

Scene 9
You all handled the lyrics much better!  Keep up the good work!  

Scene 11
Erica ~ good job on your line
Angela ~ Thanks for remember "Hurrah!"
Everyone ~ The cheering after Angela's line was great!  
The song ~ I could hear the words much better.  (Don't hold out the word "falls" for too long. The chord changes, and then that note clashes.)

Scene 12
Good volume here, Tricia.
(To remind all of you Scene 12-ers of what Mrs. Stuewer said, we'll do all of Scene 12 in front of the curtain tomorrow.)

Scene 13
Isaiah ~ I liked the fist pump after the soldiers lines. 

Scene 14
Sloane ~ Good with "why" in your first line.
Juli & Maddi ~ Love the part where Maddi drags Juli away from Sloane & Ethan!
Thugs ~ Much, much better on "No one's ever doubted that you're honest..."
Michael ~ Almost perfect on your retrenched section!  I can tell you practiced.  Nice!
Ethan ~ Good timing coming out of the kiln.


We're going to have a great week!  I'm so proud of you.  See you all tomorrow!
~ Mrs. Green 

A Couple of Makeup Tidbits

Remember to bring your own box to keep your things in.  It should be a cardboard box or a plastic tote that fits underneath a chair.  Label it with your name.

You will need to provide a long-lasting lipstick for your family, starting on Thursday.  The Victorians especially wouldn't have had the very bright lipstick, so try for a more subtle color.  The Chinese families can probably get away with brighter colors.

Also, bring your own comb along that you can keep in your box and take along when your hair is getting done.

Heading into the Homestretch...

Last year, the evening Kilroy finished, as a joke to my family, I pretended to be looking online for a new script for the next (this) production.  Unfortunately, I got sucked into the experience and stayed up until past 1 a.m. looking at shows.  Silly me!

That was just the beginning.  As you know, it took a long time to pick out a script.  Some scripts didn’t have enough parts, or most of the lines were carried by only a few people.  Some scripts had inappropriate material.  Many of the new scripts Pioneer Drama is putting out revolve around high school activities or vampires.  Not going there!  Some scripts were, well, frankly, dumb.  Some scripts had plenty of parts, but they just weren’t challenging enough for our group.  You are capable of putting on a high caliber show, and I wanted a script that reflected it.

Some shows are too expensive for us and/or they don’t performance CD’s (which we need because we don’t have a band or orchestra).  There were a couple times I thought I had a show picked, and then I backtracked because something was nagging at me that it wasn’t right.  I’m pretty sure the rest of the members of the production team were getting concerned about me, possibly even my sanity.  ;-)

But, then we hit upon Willow Blues, and it was right.  There are plenty of parts (as Mrs. Conto and you family members/Chang’s friends/dragon dancers/sailors/thugs well know!), with interesting characters.  It’s a sophisticated, funny, elegant, lovely show, worthy of your talents!  (Plus, it was in our price range and had the materials we needed.)

But, it’s also been a difficult show to put together.  Without a DVD or youtube videos, it hasn’t always been easy visualizing the production. It’s harder to learn songs without a vocal CD  (Thank you, thank you, Mrs. Green, for all of you efforts!), and it’s just not as fun to listen to the music without the words.  With 2 different locales and so many different sets, it’s been hard to convey how everything should look.  (Huge thanks to Kathy Conto and to Cheryl for all of your work in organizing and making costumes and props!!)  And my understanding of the work involved in all of the set changes was naïve, to say the least. (Tremendous thanks to Sue Kluge for ALL of your behind-the-scene efforts!) 

I have to admit, there were times after rehearsals that I didn’t think it would all come together.  I was concerned that we wouldn’t be able to pull off a show and have the audience understand what was going on.  I worried that it wouldn’t look right.  I was having trouble ‘seeing’ the show.

But on Thursday, I saw it.  And it was splendid!

I can’t tell you how gratifying it was for me to see many of you having fun and enjoying your characters!  This is what I was envisioning when I first looked at the script.  Thank you for all of your patience and work this past year!

To be clear, we’re not quite there yet.  Some of you need to remember to face the audience when you speak.  If someone is standing in front of you, discretely move aside so the audience can see you.  And VOLUME!  Some more of you will be getting miked this week, but all of you should practice saying your lines clearly and loudly.  Practice your songs – know the words and sing them out!! 

Set changes are still difficult.  We’re moving all of Scene 12 to the front of the curtain, so that should help for setting up the puppet show.  We’re also going to run through all of the set changes at the beginning of rehearsal on Tuesday.  

We’re not quite there, yet, but if everyone works hard, I think we’ll peak at just the right time.  Have fun with your roles!  Not in a silly way, but so that we can see you enjoy playing your character. 

Enchant the audience!!

Take Good Care of Yourselves

Now is the time to start taking extra good care of your bodies so you--and your voices--are strong and healthy.  So....

• No late nights (until performances, anyway).  Make sure you are getting proper rest.  Try to sleep in next Saturday/Sunday, with your parents' permission.
• Don't try to survive on junk food.  Caffeine & sugar may give you some quick energy, but protein, nuts, whole grains, fruits & veggies will give you sustained energy and necessary vitamins.  (Do we have any nut allergies in the group?  If we do, then we won't bring nuts as part of our sack lunches/suppers.)
• Take a multi-vitamin, with your parents' permission.
• Wash your hands often.
• Try to stay away from sick people as much as you can.  If you can't, then wash your hands even more often.
• Laugh!  "A merry heart does good, like medicine, but a broken spirit dries the bones. (Proverbs 17:22)"

Next weekend, avoid caffeine and dairy products for a few hours before performances.  Caffeine constricts your vocal chords, and dairy products coat them.  (If you drink coffee in the morning or have milk on your cereal, you'll be fine.  Avoid these things for lunch and supper, though.  If you drink caffeine on a daily basis, don't go cold turkey now.  You'll get headaches.  Just try to have your "dose" of it early in the day.)

If your throat gets sore, add some honey to your water bottle.  You can also have a tablespoon of plain honey before you brush your teeth at night.  Just don't swallow any water while you're brushing.  The honey needs to stay in your throat.

Love,

Mrs. Green

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

April 16 Rehearsal Notes

Yesterday, when I returned home from play practice, I saw this posted on my facebook timeline:  “Things musicals taught me – ‘Even the darkest night will end and the sun will rise.’ Les Miserable”

It was a tough play practice.  We had a late start because the dressing room wasn’t open and because people arrived late.  I will try to make sure the dressing room is open earlier.  I would ask that you all try to arrive in time to change into your costumes so you’re ready to go by 12:30.

It was confusing adjusting to the prop changes.  I will go through the script and see if there are items we can eliminate to simplify the sets.  I ask that you all will be sure to double check when you need to move props.

The background noises were still way too loud and people missed their cues.  I understand it was confusing backstage and you were having a hard time following along.  I will see if we can find adults to help you out.  You need to make sure that you’re paying attention, not goofing off with your friends, and are ready to go when it’s time.

Okay – onto my general notes from rehearsal.  Most of the things have been covered already.

Everyone – notch up the volume!!  If the audience can’t hear or understand you, it’s not going to be fun for them to watch!!!

Some of you are speaking too much to the side.  Try to look out at the audience more as you talk.

Chinese families – Practice being louder with your songs.  Buddy & Seth are always louder than you are, and it’s only the two of them.  I would also like to see some more reactions from you when you hear your case has been dismissed.  Happiness, relief, etc.

I noticed there were a number of times when people, especially in the factory setting, were being blocked.  If you can see that someone is standing in front of you, adjust your position so that the audience can see you!!

Sailors – You sound great at the beginning and at the end of Handle with Care.  We really need to hear you in the middle, too! 

Sweethearts – you haven’t seen your fellas in months.  Be sure you’re happy to see them!

Little girls in Scene 10 – be sure you’re looking at Koong-Se, and not at the sailors.  Just pretend the sailors aren’t there.

Don’t rush the end of Scene 10!!!

In Scene 11 – Barnes & Gilbody, I think we’ll have you get off the tables from behind.  It’ll be more ladylike. 

Angela will be changing her line to “Hurrah for Monsieur Parimutuel!”, then everyone can clap or cheer briefly.

Thugs – after you’re done with Pilfering Porcelain, be sure to back up so Katherine can get through.

Brandon – thanks for filling in for Ethan.  You did a great job!

Morgan – You rock!! Awesome job as Thomas!

On Thursday, I would like to meet with Sloane, Peter F., Elliot, Seth, Marie, Maddie F., and Isaiah.  I have very brief individual comments for you.

Even not-so-great rehearsal will end, and the next one will be fantastic!  Let’s make it happen!!!