Friday, September 30, 2011

OPENING NIGHT!!!

Falicia - I need that cheat sheet back so that I can call the cues tonight.  I have a sheet for you and you need to follow it and keep everyone on schedule tonight...including me.  Giving calls like "5 minutes till house opens" ETC.  

Falicia - More ice in the tubes

SCENE 1 - Tempo Tempo Tempo

Abbie- during Simple Joys - Sit earlier on the bench it's a great moment but you sit and then almost immediately stand up again... just an idea.

Larry - maybe play with being more exposed and almost "giddy" (that's not the right word) after your sword and stone speech - you say until my eyes beheld you...and then I wanted to be the best king ever, etc.  Right now it's reading very cerebral and I think you could go more emotional because it is such a revealing moment to Guenevere.  Play with it...

Jim Lucas - Cue 31 went too early... Arthur has to get his cape and then go get set at the bench in the black out... the fanfare plays to fill that time... Don't do lights up until Cest Moi Track Begins.

Falicia - The water flask needs to be emptied each night as well... it leaks so I don't want water kept in it all weekend.  So make sure you fill it each night preshow...  

Ben - Sorry your prop wasn't ready last night I forgot that I sprayed it...

Andy - Arthur says "You know Merlyn...."  Pick up your cue on your next line...

Ben - Pick up your feet when walking behind the audience.  your slippers are noisy.  Thanks.  The cheating out was MUCH better so thanks for that!

Andy - Skipping to 2nd act.  When you have the sword at Drew's neck... Don't Bobble.  It's going to be 2 steps back so that he is in posistion to be thrown on the bed.  Step back with your Right...Step back with you left.  (while saying your lines... duh) and then throw on bed.  DREW AND ANDY PRACTICE THIS 3 TIMES BEFORE TONIGHT's SHOW!

ALL - Your arms in Lusty were correct again!!!! YAY!    

Knights - Quick step it up those stairs... don't worry about walking quietly... Manly steps!

ALL - after you've exited from the knighting ceremony and you get to a spot where you can no longer be seen by the audience FREEZE.  If I hear any noise backstage during Arthur's Vengence Speech I WILL STOP THE SHOW.   That monologue is 3 minutes tops and then we are at Intermission and you can move all you want.  QUIET BACKSTAGE - your show is really stunning so don't ruin it by talking backstage.

ALL - you shaved 10 minutes off the first act last night so YAY!!  keep up the tempo.  Second act was longer than usual...so clean up those cues tighten it up.  

Mary Piper - Your solo is coming along nicely I can hear you much better... work on more diction, consonants so that I can understand the lyrics better..  Now on your spoken dialogue..needs to be MUCH louder

Abbie and Larry - You used to have a laugh moment where you laughed that neither one of your whistle very well... can I get that back?  (Simple Folk)

Hailey - on the dance break of simple folk ... it's your heel that hits the ground and your knee is bent... think Ho-down...country dancing.  SARAH AND HAILEY PRACTICE THIS DANCE 3 TIMES  BEFORE THE SHOW TONIGHT

Jim Lucas - I think I want to cut the "blinks" in the forest scenes in act 2.    They just aren't reading the way I wanted them to.    This is around Cue #73 and so on... I won't have time to reprogram them... can you skip over them tonight and manually put in the number for the black out and then you should be back on track with the order of the cues?  Ask Rebecca on this tonight when you get there if you have questions about how to do this.  

Jim Parsons - Run off with Mike after "Arthur you're inviting a massacre"  Like you are going to go fight.

ALL - You are dragging tempo during Guenevere (singing too slowly) - Listen to the track and sing with more DICTION (fronts and backs of words)  SING THIS SONG WITH YOUR REHEARSAL TRACK TONIGHT BEFORE YOU COME TO THE SHOW

Breh - Don't forget your CD player for us.  Thanks

ALL - During Lusty month of may... Thank you for listening and sitting when Guen talks to Pellinore... she says "You're in Camelot" and then she invites you to sit... You went too early last night... but I do appreciate you taking the note.  Let her tell you to sit.  

Garrett- When you escort Pellinore.  Quicker Faster Louder.  "Yes your majesty!"  Jump up and be excited to escort him off!

Mike - You are still stuck in that awkward triangle between guen and pellinore.  When you let your gaurd down... turn and walk and go back to stand with Amanda in that clump you were in.  

Andy - Bow/Kneel on "You're Majesty" when you meet the Queen.  Like when you met the King

Abbie - "never found chivalry tedious...so far"  ... he's annoying you with Chivalry...  That's not quite reading so give it more weight... ask me if you don't know what this means.

Andy - Yes on Second cross that you made to the stairs... not the first..  I think you knew the first one didn't work and then you corrected it on the second.  Thank you for taking that note and making it work.  The second lean looked nice too.  THEN stay there... you don't have to lean the whole time and you can maybe take 1 step in.... but I put you out there to add some space to the scene so don't close it off again by going back to Abbie.  

Abbie - Take a step toward Andy maybe somewhere around "achieved perfection?"  This will open the scene up and also allow your annoyed look back to arthur to be more apparent.  

ALL - Make the move to get your blankets at the end of Lusty scene more organic... meaning not everyone go back there at once...stagger it

Abbie- Maybe roll your eyes or be more annoyed when you run into Lancelot in the Kings room... maybe you haven't been able to steal a moment alone with Arthur since they met...he's always around!  blah blah... then you can cover and paint on the politeness and it will read more detest...  ask if you are confused...

Abbie - Yes on Fight moment... that's all looking really good.  keep it up

ALL - WE WILL GO OVER THIS BEFORE THE SHOW TONIGHT>>>> so be prepared at 7:15ish to at least mark through this in the space before house opens... ( I don't need royalty just ensemble and Lancelot)  during "dramatic Joust Moment"  the girls I told to run off with Drew (breh and someone) cut that.  Then the EXIT I told the ensemble to make after you bow... cut that.  I want to see everyone do their quick bow to lancelot and then just slowly and dramatically move to that far right side of the stage clumped up by the top of the stairs...   wait for the blackout on the king just like you USED to... then grab your bench and exit like you used to.  No need to run... go directly and quietly but no need to run.  

Garrett - do not hold the scroll in front of your face when you are announcing the Knights' names

Breh - "Crack Him"  go WAY over the top... be silly with it maybe it will get a laugh... think boy yelling at the tv during a football game... you are a jousting fanatic. 

Andy - When you come into the final scene... have your good real sword again.

ALL - RUN out to get into your lines for curtain call ... It's way too slow.  Tighten it up... quicker.  (my 4 individual bows ignore this)

ALL - very general note... DONT TOUCH STUFF!  I don't know how to explain this but if it isn't your prop or your costume...as an actor you shouldn't deal with it.  (not yelling at anyone in particular but for example... concession area, tables, ticket booth, programs, curtains, parachute, blue audience chairs, the airport rope things, etc.  We need to be respectful of Scott and the Theatre because he has graciously opened his doors for us. 

ALL - you should never been seen by the audience when you are prepping to enter the stage... kiddos... if you can see the audience...the audience can see you.  When STRIKING THE BENCHES... put them Right next to the Audience... don't have them sticking out in no man's land for the audience to trip over during intemission etc.   TURN OFF BATHROOM LIGHTS WHEN YOU ARE FINISHED ( this turns on a really annoying fan and it's loud during the show)

ALL - Don't forget to park in grass by shed. 

OPENING NIGHT!!!! YAY!!!!! See you in a few hours.  

Monday, September 26, 2011

Tonight's Rehearsal

I'm excited to clean.  I've very excited that the run throughs have been going so well that we can go back in and fine tune.  With that being said... last minute changes are a thing of theatre so please be patient and adapt quickly.

Work:

Lusty Set Up
Positions in the Dance

Lusty Playoff/Exit
(Lusty Scene?)
Transition from Bedroom to "Guenevere"
Follow Me (boys into armor)

Joust Set Up and Scene before...in armor with costume help
Drew's "Death"/Cues... in armor

Queen's Corination (boys out of armor)
Knighting
Exits after Knighting
Opening Scene - Merlyn, knights, and ladies, and arthur in tower.
Curtain Call

Whenever you are NOT working in a scene...just keep the noise back stage to a dull roar.  Running lines would be a good idea, specially speed throughs now that we are going to work on tempo.... just an idea.

Larry - I don't need you until 8:00.  Tristan I don't need you until 8:00.  Everyone else 7:00.

Call me if you need anything.

Sunday, September 25, 2011

Notes 9/22


All - Sorry you aren't getting these until now... Make sure you also read all the way to the bottom.

Larry- Volume the whole show and especially on your songs.

Abbie- in Simple Joys... seemed like you were off with the music, dragging tempo some.  

Larry and Abbie - Thank you for adjusting your blocking.  It looks much better.  Just keep getting comfortable with each other and really Listen to each other... more discoveries in that opening scene.

Abbie - Slow down the line "Don't stare it's rude"  I couldn't quite understand it... and lock eyes with him while you say it.

Larry - Same moment "Don't stare it's rude"  Lock eyes for a brief moment and then embarrassingly turn away like you have been. 

Larry - Be careful moving too far Stg. Left of the bench... that weird oval light looks like you have more room but your face will actually be out of the light before your feet are.  I've tried to get that light changed out and unfortunately it's not to going to happen.  The oval light is on only when the lights are lower and its just the little "love area" that's lit.  

Larry - I think you two have extra music under your dialogue in the middle of "Camelot" so take that time to get all the way off the ramp... cut the jump off.  

Abbie and Larry - I had "Good Moment"  not sure which one...but the love is really coming along.  

Larry - during the sword in the stone speech... this is being real picky but I was thinking that "and lo it moved in my hand" happened about when the underscoring first played the "camelot" theme.  when the music becomes jubilant and more excited... this is kind of hard to explain via email.   And you're looking at the floor a bit too much during this speech, and volume.  :)

Kids in Corination:  you have props to present to the queen... ask felisha... start using them please.

Courtney - You sound lovely I WILL have a mic for you on Sunday... 

Abbie - in thinking up the round table scene... on you say "I think it is!"  he has just taken a step back.  grab his arm and pull him one step forward.

Abbie- the second moment of you behind his chair is awkward and I can't hear you cuz you are talking down too much.  Do something to him that pulls you more upright... 

Abbie - the last touch where you pull him out of his chair... it's not working to go between his chair and the table so go around the other side or something... 

Hailey - Perfect entrance in first scene... Everything is great but you can be excited about the proclamation! :)  smile.  And Be Louder

Andy - For Cest Moi  play with having the shield and a sword... You can put them down at some point. but I think you would have them if you were just galavanting across the land.  You should have a belt to sheath the sword into your costume.  

Andy - "For all that I am"  - Couldn't hear you.  much better on line memorization...keep working.

All - Keep working on the timing of those arms up and down as the kids run though, etc during "Lusty"  looks messy... but the big circle looked Much better so thank you for remembering those spread out positions.  

Tristan - Voice is getting much easier to understand...sometimes you just get to talking a little to quickly...

Abbie - "You're in Camelot"  Don't forget to invite everyone to be seated again on the blankets.

Larry - Acknowledge the ensemble bowing when you enter Lusty. Take a tiny pause so that they can relax again onto the blankets. 

Abbie and Larry - your crowns are on the prop tables... try to work with how to keep them on your head :)

Abbie - When you come in to "pick on Lance"... you have to come ALL the way into the room... there will be a curtain on the front of that entrance to the Kings room.

Abbie - "And yours will graciously obey"  walk towards door... turn back to him to check if he is going to command you...(yeah, that's what I thought - internal monologue) then exit.

Larry - How to Handle sounds GREAT.  bump the volume up a notch when you were singing very soft like on "love her...love her..." I really couldn't hear it.  but its really very sweet.

Courtney - Much Louder in scene with Drew and Andy... before joust

Drew - More time being "dead"  

Tristan - I need you off of the hill during the dramatic part of Joust, "dead drew part"  Not sure if you can come down the stairs behind Guenevere?  and be on the floor?  

Abbie - Beautiful "Before I Gaze at you"  I could use a little more of a break down right before... you seem to have plenty of intro music.  

Andy - Your line "sorry I didn't mean to disturb you" is the cue for the lights to come up.  So don't wait for the lights.

Abbie - Don't move upstage to Arthur's chair... isn't working. so just stay on the same plane with Lance.

Larry - YES that monologue is Lovely.  And when you bring that sword up it looks awesome.  Keep the sword being your trigger for "I am a king blah blah"  and no longer need to sit in the throne so cut that.  And yes, I agree the underscoring was silly...hopefully what John has made will button the scene perfectly to take us to intermission.

Mary - LOUDER  you are adorable but the audience wants to hear what you are saying.  You can simply hand Guen her cape don't need to put it on her.  And just know you will be wearing a cape yourself when you enter that scene... Linda will have that for you.

Andy and Abbie- Thank you... I'm feeling the "love" during "If Ever"  but one of you would start transitioning from one pose/position to another and it would be awkward and then when you settled into a new pose it was good again... ask me if this doesn't make sense.  

Drew - don't hug too close to the corner of the tower when you are in the king's room because there isn't any light over there.  

Abbie - I had "good step forward with Arthur"   idk but yay!  And your monologue in the bedroom was much better.  ty

Courtney - Much Louder in your forest scene... and stop laughing... if you don't buy it the audience is certainly not going to.

Ensemble - Where are you looking during Guenevere?  Your focus is all over the place.  Pick a spot to look at above the audience and keep looking there.

Hailey - Stand completely still and look at your spot over the audience when Courtney is singing her solo.  You have to stay in character at all times.

Andy and Abbie - I need you to sing like crazy back behind the kings room during Guenevere. 

Ensemble - Better Volume tonight on Guenevere... keep working though... I'll always need more volume!  

Larry - Good hug...very believable with Guen at the end... now can you initiate it?

Garrett - Smile more... you've run away and now your on this new adventure!  Don't look at me or anyone out in the audience.  I want to Cut you going around and jumping on the bench...don't need it.  Then when you exit...hug the side of the audience and sneak around behind the audience to get backstage.  

Ensemble/ALL - 1. Backstage should be completely set up for you today... so start moving your stuff in...makeup, under clothes, hair stuff... but you have to keep your stuff organized...either keep it in a bag and store it somewhere out of the way or put it in the lockers... something so that things don't get lost or thrown away.  

2. Clean up after yourself each night.  Throw away bottles of water, hang up costumes, put away props, etc.  If food or water is left lying around it will get thrown away. If you want to bring a waterbottle to keep there...put it in a locker.  

3. No eating food or drinks when you are in costume, except water, in a closed container.  No open containers of food or drink should be left out as they can get spilled. 

4. No tours.  Cast and Crew of Camelot are the ONLY ones to be backstage.  before, during and after the shows for the remainder of this process.  Also, no audience members are allowed on the set.  Someone will hopefully be monitoring this but don't think that you can take your grandpa up in the tower and take a picture...For example  :)

5. If you aren't blocked to be in certain areas of the set...you shouldn't be there ever.   For example, if you don't act in the bedroom set you shouldn't ever be up there.  Same thing with the tower and forest, etc.  This is for your safety and I apologize if I didn't make that clear before but I'm saying it now.  

That's all I can think of for now...

I felt kind of bad after the last rehearsal because I was trying to release you right at 10:00 and I only focused on the note about being quiet backstage.  Which IS SO SO important.  However, I didn't give enough credit... the run through was quite pleasant and all of you are making progress. So please keep up your hard work and we'll have a great show.  

We will start at 6:00 tonight and run through the show in costume.  I'm sure we will get started late as everyone will have to change so we will go until 10:00.  

Thanks 

Kayla

Tuesday, September 20, 2011

Tonight...

Sorry I haven't been posting like I should...

Tonight we have John... he is there to do the FINAL fix on anything that needs it... Tempos, notes, VOLUME.  I know Lusty is a must to go over... we are probably going to show it to him on it's feet (with the blocking) and then he'll fix.

Larry and Abbie - I need to fix some scenes and some blocking...now that we are off book I think we can finally work details.  I'm not sure when but I want to do it before Thursday so that we can try to run on Thursday with Lancelot.  :)   I do want you to be able to work with John though before he is out of the picture.  So have a list of things you need to work with him and we will just try to knock it all out.  (Larry I have the one note of the tempo in beginning of "How to Handle"  I'm not sure when but I want to do it before Thursday so that we can try to run on Thursday with Lancelot.  :)

I appreciate everyone's patience on Sunday and the mess that it was.  This will pull together!

****Newspapers and a small invited audience will be attending our run through next Tuesday.  Just wanted to give ya'll a heads up.  They know it is simply a rehearsal so not too much pressure but I want you to have some reactions before we open on Friday.

Saturday, September 17, 2011

URGENT! Today at the Festival....

IF you KNOW you aren't going to hand out all 25 of your postcards to friends and family... bring them with you at the festival.  We will get them distributed...

Friday, September 16, 2011

Festival Performance Order...

Abbie enter grab microphone.
*start track 1
Ensemble enters from both sides moving into dance partner positions.

LUSTY MONTH OF MAY

Ensemble exits stage left
Larry enters stage Rt.  Picks up second mic.  beside Abbie

SWORD IN STONE SPEECH - end at "until my eyes beheld you"

CAMELOT REPRISE 1

Drew laugh enter left take mic from Abbie (shoo her off) lol
"Virtue and Proper Deeds your Majesty?"

SEVEN DEADLY VIRTUES

KNIGHTING CEREMONY
ensemble march on from Left (drew - exit left as track begins go upstg of the kiddos coming on)
king and queen enter "part the red sea"

Mike come down stage during the end of the music. take a microphone. SPEECH. Hand off Mic to Larry.

CAMELOT FINALE
Larry starts.  "now sing it out with love and joy" - yell Camelot 2X.  "yes, Camelot my boy."  Staggered slow walks to final formation.  Take Bow - watch Larry.  Split sides and exit as music is fading out.


Take time to look at this and walk through it in the living room a couple of times.  Thanks!

See you at 1:15 at the Milk Building.  Don't be late.  Then we will head to the festival together.

Kayla

NOTES 9/15


1.  Thank you for your work last night.  I know that Act 2 is rough because we haven't run it enough... hopefully last night helped with that.  

LEARN YOUR LINES!!!  LEARN YOUR LINES!!!   LEARN YOUR LINES!!!  

Drew - Louder when you are in the forest or in the bedroom.

Andy - arms around waist or around chest... not on her shoulders... in the bedroom scene.  This got better the second time around but keep working together touching and getting comfortable.  

Abbie, Andy, Mike, Drew, Cassandra, Mary - The set up in the bedroom is changing slightly to accommodate safety and throwing drew on the bed... please explore that space the next time you are here.  And ask Mike if you have any questions about curtains, boundaries, etc.

Tristan - Still getting too "mumbley" I have a hard time understanding you in some sections so still work on that voice.  You fit the character because you are YOU, don't depend on the voice so much.  

Drew- Good power in that "stand off" scene with Pellinore.

Abbie - the monologue in the bedroom is starting too big... let it grow.  You're talking too fast and I can't understand some parts.  Probably need more diction up there.  Just really digest all these terrible things that could happen and discover these ideas in the moment like they are new thoughts.  

Andy- Don't Surrender until after his line is over "surrender in the name of the king" (beat) start to put arms down... 

Abbie - Hug tightly behind him when you are caught.  

Andy - Don't carry Guen over your shoulder.  Bring on a sword... pretend to cut the rope in one quick cut, lift her off bench, take her hand and RUN off with her, you leading through the gate.  

Drew - Forest Scene - Don't move until you cross behind AFTER you say "detain him for the night."  Then don't cross so far away from the edge of the box when you are unwrapping candy.  

Courtney - Don't look at him when you are speaking.  Your voice drops off and we can't hear you.  Be louder.  Don't move off of the box until you say "Farewell nasty mordred" 

Andy - the line is "Above Board..."  Not "above Broad"

Andy - Good rejection on "nor shall I come to you again"

Larry - Scene with Pellinore raving about Mordred... You're too nonchalant about it... I think these things that Mordred is doing ARE really frustrating and a huge burden. So I want to see the struggle he has between all these things that are actually getting under his skin.  "He's preying on Provincialism...mocking chivalry, etc"  Let yourself get a little worked up when you talk about these things.  So that the line about "civil law" calms you down and then hopefully the audience will catch WHY you can't just banish him why you have to let fate run it's course...

Larry - I've noticed you look at the ground quite a bit... or at least a downward direction... and it tends to be when "he"/Arthur is deep in thought or being very internal.  And i think in a smaller house it would completely work but I'm worried about the top 5-6 rows... they need to see your face more... I'm not saying NEVER look down just wanted to make you conscientious of it. 

Friday, September 9, 2011

For Monday's Run Through...

I would suggest going through your whole script and going over all of your entrances and exits...

Where do I come from?  What's the line or song that happens right before I enter the stage?  What are my lines or lyrics?  When do I exit the scene?  Do I take any props or set pieces?  Where do I exit?

Look over the blocking that you have in your script.  You have to memorize blocking just like you memorize choreography.

Make a little entrance/exit cheat sheet for you.  Look over the order of the scenes so you know about how much time you have between each of your appearances.

Review all of your choreography especially any of those little changes we made last night while you were cleaning with Brenda.

We will run through all scenes/songs in order and get through the entire show.  I will only stop if I absolutely need to address something.
Then we will all take notes...PLEASE write them down. Either get a notebook and a pencil.  (notes are slight changes that a director gives to his actor to make improvements on the show.  It is your job to remember those notes and put them into the rehearsals/performance).  I'll be giving notes almost every night now so make it a habit to keep something handy to write them down.
Monday I will need a lot of focus and everyone to stay quiet.  Watch and respect your fellow cast members.  You can be looking at your script to see what you have coming up next or you can watch quietly but no running around (especially up and down the bleachers), no going outside, etc.

**Tuesday we will be running/cleaning Act 1 (hopefully we can run at least a couple of times to get repetition)
**Thursday will be running/cleaning Act 2  
(Jim Lucas - Can I get you there both nights to run Sound?)


Let me know if you have any questions.  Thanks!

Kayla

Thursday, September 8, 2011

Tonight

Everyone is called.  We were going to run choreography outside and various scenes inside, but it looks like it's going to rain.  We have to continue running and cleaning because I know we need the repetition.  We might not be able to divide and conquer so bring something to work on if we have down time.  Thanks!

Kayla

Tuesday, September 6, 2011

This week...

I hope you all had a great relaxing labor day weekend.  We got a lot done on the set!  We have more props on the way... Everything is progressing...

I need everyone tonight (tuesday) except Jim Lucas.  We are going to finish blocking, clean choreography and music.

Again, there might be down time so bring something to do.  You guys were great with this the other night and I appreciate your focus and patience.  I will let you know about Thursday later because it will all depend on how tonight goes.  Thanks!

Kayla

Thursday, September 1, 2011

NEW REHEARSALS!!

Attention cast:  Due to conflicts I am adding 2 rehearsals to ensure that we have enough stumble/run throughs with the entire cast present before we open on the 30th.

Please mark on your calendars (everyone is called) - Monday September 12th 7-10.  And Sunday September 25th 6-9.  

I've heard from a few people that the dates are "wonky" on the sept. calendar that I uploaded to the blog so to clarify here are our remaining rehearsal dates:

Tues. Sept. 6th  7-10
Thur. Sept 8th  7-10

MON. Sept 12 7-10  our first stumble through the whole show
Tues. Sept 13 7-10
Thur. Sept. 15 7-10
- Sat. Sept. 17 9-4  -50's festival marketing day!
- Sun. Sept. 18 10:00am - finished  -long day of tech.

Tues. Sept 20 7-10
Thurs. Sept 22 7-10

"Heck Week"  (the last week of rehearsals)
Sun. Sept. 25 6-9
Mon. Sept 26 7-10
*Tues. Sept 27 7-10* Dress Rehearsal (potential preview night for an audience)
Wed. Sept 28 7-10
Thur. Sept 29 7-10  hope to be able to cancel this night so you can rest before opening...we'll see


Brush up Thurs. Oct 6 7-10





Tonight's Rehearsal

Everyone is called.  We will be blocking some.  we might review the production numbers if we have time.

Bring your scripts and pencils.  You must write down your blocking!

You may have some downtime so bring something quiet to do or work on.  Of course, memorizing your lines/lyrics is ALWAYS encouraged.

Thanks!

Kayla