Almost District!

Middle School

Everyone	We are friends in this company, and it is very rude to be hateful to people in our group.  We should have each other’s back.  That is one thing I will not tolerate, and it will not work when I am casting next year.  Apologies need to be given before Friday morning. If you have been nice to people – and most of our group has been extremely welcoming to people in our group – then do not worry about this. 6th and 7th graders need to be in Mrs. Couch's room by 8:45 Friday morning.    All one act play students need to be at rehearsal Friday evening at 6.  We will rehearse until 7, and then we will go to the mall. We will leave the mall at 9.  I need medical release forms from anyone who is going. If you are not going, let Mrs. Couch know. Saturday - be in Mrs. Couch's room by 9AM.  Wear your T shirt and bring nice dress clothes for the awards assembly. Parents, the plays begin at 11AM, and they run back to back.  Shallowater performs third, which will be around 1, but may be much sooner if the plays do not run 40 minutes.  Please be there early so that you may watch your child’s work.  ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Critiques ·         The ladders have to fall down. ·         The energy was lost today, but I think you were too nervous performing in front of your peers.   Sarah H said it well – we perform great every other performance, so hopefully, Saturday will be good for us. ·         Stay frozen if you are supposed to be.  The judge will kill us on that.  ·         DO NOT PLAY WiTH COSTUMES. ·         Do not hit the curtain. ·         We could see people backstage.  Especially hands grabbing for the handkerchief. ·         If you interrupt someone, don’t say oops – just go with it. ·         PROFILES – WATCH THIS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! ·         Louder at the beginning –everyone ·         Sailors cannot be understood. ·         Don’t rush arm movements. ·         DO NOT SToMP WHEN RUNNING>
Vine people and music	Does the music need to be longer here to keep them dancing offstage? People need to be magical.
Sailors	Be afraid of the hand in your bodies!
Chicken and wife	Don’t anticipate feather pulling.
Rusty & Reese	Sword fight needs to be more natural.
Georgia	Don’t anticipate Reagan stealing the plum back.
Cooper	A little more emotion when milky white and crown are gone.
Waves	You need to be in place when the curtain opens, then SCOOT out to where you need to be. (You did well considering we have never rehearsed that) Huh’s and shhhs need to be consistent.
P & P	Louder at the beginning. Don’t anticipate the fainting.  Sarah, scream for Adelaid or Ned.
Jack & Mother	Slow down at the beginning – when you are in your house for the first time.  Let’s put in the line – And now how about some sugar cake? Look longer at the jacket and sword. Be more excited each time about seeing each other.
Lights	You always do such a good job!  Doing lights is the hardest position in the play – along with sound. We need more lights on the giant’s hand in the key episode.
Blake	The peddler laugh needs to fade out, not stop abruptly. Good job with the cow.
Spencer	Do we need more music before the peddler wakes up? Fade music out when people begin speaking.
Nate	Work on the cow more – We need more moos and animated faces.
Reese	We need to work on the prayer more. When ever you hear “Englishman” you need to cringe and make a people noise. Think through each line.
Giant’s wife, Jack Chicken	We need people noises during the footsteps. React vocally to the money bag being thrown.  Where are the pizza pans that are coins? React more to first sneeze
Giant’s wife	Compose yourself. –ask Nathan Be more upset that the husband is trying to kill you with a bag of silver.
Youngsters	We need people noises as Adelaide jumps on Nate. When you are around the peddler, you need levels and do not stand in a semi circle. Youngsters need to freeze together. When you unfreeze, don’t distract from P & P.
Adelaide	Ugh! After you jump on Nate then start telling about your mother.
Kristin	Look at Jack climbing down the beanstalk – use the upstage hand. What are friends for?  _ More enthusiastically Lower VOICE ON OPERA
Chicken	Slow down and voice is a little screechy.  Your lines are so important because they are funny. Too intense for my line of work – don’t move, slow down and be louder. CLUCK MORE
Harp Lady	More of your lines need to be toward the audience.
Harp Chicken Jack	We need people noises getting the key and when the giant shakes.  THAT IS SCARY.
Carter	Good snort.

Rehearsal October 28 - but please read previous post for news about contest

October 28, 2014

Everyone	SO MUCH BETTER Someone said mother who sounded like brother People noises – don’t all stop at once Only one person falls Everyone did such a great job!
P & P	Could not hear your lines at the beginning
Youngsters	We could not hear P & P because you were too loud Freeze on Up. Unfreeze on my Ned When the youngsters say Hypnotized, preslee’s reaction needs to be bigger. When kids are sitting, you cannot see Kristen’s facial reactions.
Sarah	We have business here meaner and louder and slower Be more agitated during the sword fight.
Kristen	Don’t turn your back
Rusty	DICTION
Kiara	We could see youbehind the curtain.
Georgia and Kiara	Too profile at times.
Carter	Good job as sailor
Sailors	Great job tonight
Waves	Great job tonight
To Do	Orange socks with stripes for chicken feet
	Paint bench black A hair piece for Kristen
	Paint sail some brown
	Reese – why do you want buttons on your vest?
	Material for sleeve
	Crown
	Silver coin
	Purse for egg
	Rusty’s vest needs to be smaller

 

District Contest Quickly Approaching

District Date: November 8th

                Director’s Meeting 10:00AM – Location TBD

                Shows Begin at 11:00 and will run back to back

Rehearsal Times:

Friday, November  7^th 

8:00-10:00 Friona

10:00 – 11:00 Shallowater                                                            

11:00-1:00 Dimmitt                                                         

1:00 – 3:00 Muleshoe

3:00-5:00 Tulia

Order of Shows:

1.       Dimmitt

2.       Friona

3.       Shallowater

4.       Tulia

5.       Muleshoe

Awards – Littlefield is the Chair. Juan is going to make sure that the Techinical Awards for Light, Sound and Stage Manager are ordered.

We will have the maximum amount of awards. 8 Honorable Mention, 8 All Star Cast and 1 Best Actor, 1 Best Actress, 48 Gold Medals for advancing shows, and 24 for Alternate Show.

October 19

October 19, 2014

Everyone	Look over scripts. Entrances and exits – two feet before the curtain and two feet past the curtain be in character. Watch profiles – NO PROFILES Transition to the peddler scene is too slow. Don’t throw beans down so much. Have purpose on stage. When frozen, stay frozen. Know your cues.  Pay attention backstage. Hands on each other Be afraid of the giant’s hand.  SCREAM!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Work on slow motion. DO NOT GO BEHIND THE SCRIM Quieter on platform.   Use hand gestures. Above the waist. Do not talk on stage about whose lines it is. No profiles.  Stay frozen Don’t talk upstage. REACT !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Learn lines!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Waves and sailors	Louder
Jack and father	Need a stronger relationship. Be more family like.
Youngsters	PEOPLE NOISES Fighting – need people noises and make it more exciting. LEARN LINES so that you do not look at everyone to decide whose turn it is. Freeze and stay frozen Freeze instead of slo mo.
Giant	TOAST?
Mother and Jack	Need a stronger relationship
Cow	ANIMATED
Reese	Think about what you are doing with the watering can. Cap on back of the head. Tell the bean story magically.  Almost a wish. Don’t put hands in front of face. More stretching and yawning when you wake up. Look more confused when the sparkle things sound comes on – ask spencer.
Kate	Wait until the music stops before speaking.  Find stage business. Vary your voice vocally. Too choppy
Kiara and Kate	First giant scene was wrong. Lines were left out.  Check your script.
Kiara	Giant on stage right always.
Katylyn, Kate, Reese	Freeze together.
Rusty	Step on lines Speak toward the audience.
Reagan	Wait until music stops to start talking. No profile DICTION
Sarah	When Reagan falls, react.  You can’t believe it.  Scream.  This is something that never happens.  Stress cake Slow down Be bigger when you see that your daughter is wearing pants and running with the gant.
Kristin	Do not miss your lines and entrance. Be in character for all your parts. Don’t mess with your costume. Hold the harp to your side. Can you come up with different styles of music with each song?  Country western, jazz, real opera, pop, etc.  It might make it funnier.
Lights	The lights direct the audience’s eyes toward what scene to look at next.  Giant’s blackout was too long at end.
Cooper	We need to see you make the decision to let him go. Stress cake Tell the story, we need to see the adventure Vary your voice. Don’t cross legs. Be more disappointed when finding out Jack traded the cow and crown.
Katylyn	Make the funny lines bigger. Good chicken movements.  Be sure that you enter the area as a chicken.
Georgia	Louder
Preslee	Make sure you have the sword.
Quincy	Don’t talk upstage Make sure we know you are the captain. Enter from other side with P & P. Show a difference between the child and the father in your walk
Nate	Louder
Blake	Creepy when you are speaking to Jack.  Let us see the difference in the “real” you and the fake you.

Information

On Tuesday, October 21^st, the one act cast and crew will begin their clinic at 8AM and will complete the process by 12:30-1PM.  Parents will feed them lunch, and they will need to pay $1.00 each according to UIL rules (I’m telling you this because I know they will be asking). They will perform about 9:45.  Parents are welcome to come watch.   Laura Alexander will be working with some of you to provide lunch.  Sunday’s rehearsal – October 19 will be lengthy – until 4:30 so that we will be prepared for Tuesday.  Children will call parents about 15 minutes ahead of time if we are running late.   Please go over the critiques on the blog with your child.  It will save us time for rehearsal. http://2014shallowatermiddleschooltheatre.blogspot.com/   Contest is November 8 and I will post details on the blog.  Rehearsals will be longer as contest approaches.

Cindy Couch

Tuesday, October 14

October 14, 2014

Everyone	Be early to rehearsal on Sunday.  we will rehearse until 4:30. Step on lines. Think about what you are saying.  Too many profiles – Turn toward the audience. Do not hit curtains. Everyone needs to be bigger Everyone – vary vocally Be panicked when giant comes back Everyone needs to use the ladder more left stage. DO NOT WALK ACROSS The BACK UNLESS YOU HAVE A REASON. –Kristen & Cooper RELATiONSHIPS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Eggs? We need to rework the end of the giant’s scene.  Don’t touch scrim Watch blocking Watch happy feet  Too many straight lines. Father is way older than mother.  Don’t know how to fix that.   Don’t turn into children until blackout. Do not enter the stage unless you are supposed to.  DO NOT BRING PROPS to people unless it is  your character’s job.
Sailors	ACT Like you are scared!  Spencer doesn’t believe you up in the sound booth. Hold onto the boat for dear life.
Waves	Huhs need to be louder
Preslee	Watch blocking Sarah after the sword fight. When exiting, keep crossing until you are past the curtain line. Meaner to peddler.
Cow	When the peddler is walking around you, look at the audience with a confused/suspicious look like what are you doing here? Louder and more often moos
Mother	Amazing – much better – you sounded and looked sad. Change backstage – set up a bi-fold.  Ask us to help you. Little louder Good fixing and checking on Jack Watch profiles.
Chicken & Jack	Tug at the egg for a beat.  Both of you want it.  We need to feel both Chicken’s and Jack’s needs here. Work on clucking
Father	Be scared of the blood thirsty giant.  If you have seen Jack, the Giant slayer, you would think twice about not being scared. Don’t mess with wig.  Face the audience
Peddler	We need to put you in a different shirt at the beginning.  You were great as a sailor. DICTION – WATCH PROFILES Bigger as the peddler Don’t play with your cloak
Reagan	DICTIon
NED	Don’t talk upstage
Sarah	Good characterization Panic when Reagan faints.  We need people noises.  Look around for anyone to help.
Kristen	Don’t knock.
Rusty	LOUDER
Jack	Don’t believe you love your mother or father. Bigger entrance when youngsters are talking about you. Fall earlier. Great job tonight We could see you think. Have the water can by Milky White’s house.
G WIFE	Hands above waist when gesturing Vary your voice – hit all verbs Try to appease giant. Don’t shout all the time. Be more devious with chicken. Lines need to be fresh – not rehearsed
Giant	Sneeze bigger – know you had a sore throat.
In the giant’s house	Move when money bag is thrown.  DODGE it.  You don’t know what is in it. Freeze together Kristen, watch blocking Quincy
Georgia	Stand up when you come back.
Quincy	Take more time on ladder. Great job as a youngster – laughing and being spontaneous.  If you do not have time to get over there and die, climb the ladder LS and look at the kids – laugh.
Youngsters	Watch blocking. Go BACK OVEr YOUR LINES>
Chicken	When you say – I did it – look at the egg. Be sassy and vary voice.
Blake and Reese	Good storytelling
Reagan and Sarah	Bring Quincy from USR.
Lights	Must be there before the actors are.
To do	Music when peddler goes to sleep Music line before scene 11 Different shirt for quincy Cut stomach sound Fix toast Paint benches Fix hand Woolen jacket Scabbard Cake Bean sound Green tie things and leaves