Rehearsal Calls - 10/1

As I will be posting the Production Calendar waaayyy past everyone's bedtime, here is tomorrow's call (10/1):

Onstage/
345p-430p/Pgs 112-114: Monty, Chauncey, Phoebe, Guard
435p-545p/Pgs 3-10: Monty and Miss Shingle
550p-615p/Pgs 16-17, 35, 41, 52: Monty

Choir Room/
345p-615p: Johnathan

I will have the remaining production calendar posted before school tomorrow.  Share liberally with the folks who govern your schedules!!!  Also, remember - you've committed your afternoon times to the show.  Use that time, whether you're called to rehearsal or not, whether you're at Wilson or not, to work on things related to the show.  We're all counting on each other!

-j.

#15 Why D'Ys Dying rehearsal tracks

In answer to a question, I've checked and the Group 1, 2 and 3 tracks are all correct as labeled.  I did misstate in the recording at one point, saying 1 when I meant 2 but I corrected myself.  The recordings themselves are correct as labeled.

Some health hints

Although we had two great rehearsals while the rest of them were disporting themselves in Ashland, I noticed that not a few of you were wheezing and sneezing and otherwise not in the pink.  Here are two recipes that I swear by:

1) for tired throats - prepare a ginger tea, either with fresh ginger or with any brand tea bag, add a tbsp of honey, a tbsp of lemon juice and, if your system can tolerate it, a wee pinch of cayenne pepper.  Drink this warm, tasty treat and keep it handy during rehearsals; and

2) for that stuffy head, mix together 20 drops tea tree oil, 10 drops eucalyptus oil and 6 drops peppermint oil (or multiples thereof).  Place a few drops on a hankie and stiff deeply.  Good for clearing lungs and head.  A small brown bottle with an eyedropper is ideal for this exercise.

3) SING EVERY DAY.  The more you work your voices the stronger and healthier they will be.

4) SLEEP!  EAT!  DRINK WATER!

Rehearsal Schedule: Week of 9/29

Hi All -

Due to extenuating circumstances, I'll be unable to post the week's schedule in its entirety right now.  I'll do so tomorrow, before 1000pm.

The call for 9/30, however, is going up right now...and it's a movement call (yay for dance and movement)!
345p-615p: All Called for Act I movement.  Any actors not in a movement piece/scene will work in the Choir Room with Chrisse (usually Nico, Rivkah, and/or Hyacinth)

Thanks for the patience, team, and beaucoup gratitude for the rehearsal ethic while I was in Ashland...I heard great things!

j.

Secrets to the Rehearsal Tracks!

FYI, I have moved the tracks out of the zip file and finished the tracks left to do.  ALL of the rehearsal tracks are now separate mp3 files on the drive.  Ignore the zip folder.

In addition, there is a folder marked Vocal Warmup/Exercises that has 2 tracks - #1 is a women's or treble version; #2 is a men's or bass version.

YOU SHOULD BE SINGING EVERY DAY TO STRENGTHEN YOUR VOICES. ;>}

Well done!

Props to the Ensemble members who attended the rehearsal yesterday, Thursday.  Lots of good work done.  Let's continue today. I suspect we'll be in the Drama Room again, which is fine.  We were so cozy in there!  FYI, I will be leaving at 6 again. 

Rehearsals - Week of 9/22

Hey there, All -

This week's rehearsal schedule will move forward as follows:

M 9/23 - Nico, Hyacinth, Rivkah (Various Songs), + Ezra and Theo (That Horrible Woman)
T 9/24 - Nico, Johnathan (Various Songs, Both), + Cassidy B (Poison in My Pocket); + Cassidy S (You're a D'Ysquith)
W 9/25 - All Call: Cover Remaining Songs
Th 9/26 - Free Time w/Chrisse and
F 9/27 - Free Time w/ Chrisse

Notes:
-On days you're not formally called, you need to be working known lines of dialogue, and singing along with the rehearsal tracks.  I need to know (not believe, know!) that folks are working when not called.  You should be planning to use that 2-3 hour period after school for show work whether you're called or not.

-Free Time w/Chrisse should be used liberally by anyone not going on the Ashland trip this Thursday-Sunday.  Chrisse is making herself available to work music with anyone struggling with part of the show musically.  THIS IS A TEST! It'll be easy to take a long weekend, especially with the boss (Hi!) and SMs away.  Set a goal to have all of your assigned music as locked as possible by the end of this week.

-During the week, I'll be posting the remaining schedule for the production.  Please finalize any commitments and conflicts I don't already know about and get them to me by Tuesday.  I'll be doing the same with the staff, so that we can lock in the rest of our time together.  Thanks for your help!

Catch you soon!

j.

Final Rehearsal Post - 9/16 and 9/17

Just a quick note to let folks know that we'll be focusing in on music tomorrow (9/16) and Tuesday (9/17).

The plan will be large ensemble, full call for the first 45 minutes each day.  After, we'll then focus on duo/trio work for the next hour.

Monday, that will end rehearsal so we can get ready for Back To School Night (545p). 

Tuesday, we will work with soloists from 545p-615p.

See you then!

j.

Week 1 and 2 Rehearsal Calendar

Wed, 9/11 - All Called: Ensemble Music
Thr, 9/12 - All Called: Ensemble Music
Fri, 9/13 - No Rehearsal

Mon, 9/16 - All Called: Table Work or Ensemble Music* **
*All released at 530p for Back To School Night
Tue, 9/17 - All Called: Table Work or Ensemble Music**
**Due to Chrisse's schedule, these days are uncertain...but will be all calls regardless.
Wed, 9/18 - All Called: Ensemble Music
Thr, 9/19 - All Called: Table Work
Fri, 9/20 - Principals (Hyacinth, Rivkah, Johnathan, Nico) Called: Table Work

Day 1: It Begins!

Remember: Today is an all-call for cast, crew, leads, and management onstage in the auditorium at 345pm!  We'll go over schedules, issue this week's, get contact info, introduce the team, and do our bios...so plan on about 1 hour (345p-445p).

We'll also begin a read-through/listen-through of the show and it's music immediately after!  Crew and Leads are invited to stay, but management and cast should plan to be here until 615p, as listed in the audition packet.

Can't wait to get started!

j.

The 'A Gentleman's Guide...' Company

Thank you so much to all of the artists who have gone through the 
application and audition processes to be a part of our fall musical!  
This is going to be a fantastic time on a fun, rewarding show...we’re going 
to have a blast!

If you see your name on the list below, please make sure you are in 
attendance at our opening rehearsal this Monday, 9/9 at 330pm onstage 
in the auditorium.  We’ll distribute scripts, schedules, and collect contact 
information and bios at that time, leading into a read/listen-through 
of the script.  

Thanks, All!  See you Monday!

J. Miller - Director, ‘A Gentleman’s Guide…’

---

Nico Vilches - Montague D’Ysquith Navarro

Rivkah Zigman - Sibella Hallward 

Hyacinth Fick - Phoebe D’Ysquith

Johnathan Price - The 8 Dead D’Ysquiths+ (Lord Asquith, Asquith Jr, Henry, 
Lord Montgomery, Rev. Ezekial, Lord Adalbert, Lady Hyacinth, Lady Salome, Chauncey)

The Ensemble:

Cassidy Beleele - Miss Barley/Ensemble

Dory Black - Maid/Ensemble

Theo Bratschi - Inspector/Ensemble

Quinnlan Brawn - Pub Owner’s Wife/Ensemble

Sophie Chappell - Lady Eugenia/Ensemble

Sharon DePue - Tour Guide/Ensemble

Duncan Larson - Tom Copley/Ensemble

Ezra Maloney-Dunn - Magistrate/Ensemble

Eli Mohr - Mr. Gorby/Ensemble

Airelle Price - Maid/Ensemble

Rachel Rodriguez - Newsboy/Ensemble

Cassidy Stevenson - Miss Shingle/Ensemble

Liam Thompson - Pub Owner/Ensemble

Joeyy Whitaker - Newsboy/Ensemble

(remaining named ensemble roles will be assigned during the rehearsal process)

Stage Manager - Emma Jeffcock

Apprentice Stg Mgrs -

    Erin Hocraffer

    Maddie Limon

    Maxwell Sivers-Boyce

Scenic Leads -

    Nina Schiefelbein

    Jack Wright

Scenic Apprentices -

    Simon Simkins

    Skyler Roy

Costume Leads -

    Charlotte Bauer

    Aeris Wolny

Costume Apprentice -

    Liliana McClain

    Soraya Solano-Gibson

Hair/Makeup Apprentices -

    Sonya Sutherland

    Kelly Jeffcock

Props Lead - ?

Sound Lead - Fran Amato

Sound Apprentices -

    Zoe Drozdowski

    Katie Erkenbeck

Lighting Lead - Finnegan McCarthy

Lighting Apprentices -

    Owen Stark

    Laura Ferry

Business Lead

    Marina McClain

Run Crew

    Simon Simkins

    Allison Krantz Grommes

    Kell Boler

    Kyleigh Elliot

    Berkeley Woodburn

    Eyla Mitchell

    Violet Boyce

    Joseph Runyon

    Skyler Roy

    Margot Pullen

    Finnegan McCarthy

    Nina Schiefelbein

    Hannah Bennett

    Porter Gaab

    Sam Grommes

    Kyle Stahr

Callbacks: Auditions Day 3

Hello, all...and eternal gratitude for your fine work this week!  The first two days have given your creative team much to consider, and many wonderful possibilities to bring to life this story for our audiences.  Ya done good!

Here're the folks we'll need to see tomorrow (9/5) at 345pm:
Joeyy
Dory
Quinnlan
Eli
Airelle
Johnathan
Liam
Duncan
Hyacinth
Nico
Ezra
Rivkah
Cassidy S.
Cassidy B.
Rachel
Sharon
Theo
Sophie C.

We'll be diving into Readings and some character Songs tomorrow, so bring yourself up to speed on who these characters are, if you've not done so already.

For those not called back, I'm very much open to giving you a response and feedback to what I saw in the auditions thus far.  A word of advice, though: Don't come to me right away...not because I'm avoiding you, but because casting (and knowing you're not cast) is very much a grieving process, and the initial emotions you'll be feeling need to pass before your mind and spirit are ready to hear that feedback.  I've been working with actors for a long time and, young or old, I find this to be true!  Nothing that'll be said in the short term will heal the hurt...and for that I, as someone who cares for and works with all of you on a daily basis, am truly sorry.  The work this week was good...you were just up against more training, experience, and confidence this time around.

Thank you all! This goes both for the folks I'll see after school Thursday and for those I won't...you did some very fine work.

Here's to a brilliant show, team!

j.

Auditions: Day 2

Thanks to all of the fantastic young artists who’ve come out for ‘A Gentleman’s Guide…’!  I had a fantastic time listening to your vocal work today, and look very much forward to what you’ll be putting before us tomorrow, 9/4.

Here is what you should know about the 2nd day of auditions:
1. Everyone is asked back tomorrow from 345p-700p.  We’ll try to end earlier if possible, but I have to reserve the time in case we need it for casting!
2. The schedule will be as follows:
    1. Prior to 345pm - Warm up, grab a snack, change into movement clothes
    2. 345p-500p - Movement work with choreographer Randy Davis
    3. 500p-515p - Break
    4. 515p-615p - Voicing with music director Chrisse Roccaro
    5. 615p-625p - Break
    6. 625p-700p - Dialect work with director Jamie Miller (me)
3. Please wear movement clothing and athletic shoes!  Stretchy, free moving, comfortable clothing, and no bare feet/slipper-style (jazz/ballet) shoes.
4. Bring water! 
5. If you don’t have your audition form signed, please make sure to bring that with you!
6. Please read the script in anticipation of Thursday’s Callbacks, where we’ll be doing reads of the script!

I can’t wait, friends!  Let’s have a great time tomorrow!

j.