Regionals

1.       We are leaving Shallowater at 2PM on Sunday, April 15.  Students need to be there on time.  We will pack the bus on Friday, April13th.  If students will be at Regionals for Academic UIL, they need to pack their things and ensure someone puts costumes on the bus.

2.       Meals are provided. 

ORDER OF PERFORMANCES  – MONDAY AFTERNOON/EVENING, APRIL 16 :: First Play at 2:00
1st	2-A	The Cripple of Inishman
2nd	1-B	“Front” – Shallowater (could be 2:45-3:00)
3rd	1-C	“Gunfighter:  A Gulf War Chronicle” – Tulia
4th	2-C	Mother Hicks - Bangs (I may have this & 5th mixed up)
5th	2-B	The Insanity of Mary Girard - Peaster
6th	1-A	“The Angelina Project” – Canadian

3.       Again dress clothes are needed for the Awards Ceremony.

4.       Everything at this contest is SLOW. Awards should start about 8:30-9PM.

5.       Please stress to your children to clean up after themselves – especially since we are using another school’s facilities. 

6.       ALSO --- PARENTS, VISITORS, FRIENDS, FAMILY MEMBERS, AND CREW CANNOT BE IN THE DRESSING ROOM ONCE THE SHOWS HAVE STARTED.  CAPS ARE NOT PERMITTED IN THE SCHOOL BUILDINGS.  DO NOT TAKE PICTURES OR VIDEO DURING PLAYS.  

We will stay overnight at Residence Inn in Abilene and return to Shallowater BEFORE 11 the next morning.  Because the band has contest on Wednesday, Mr. Johnson is allowing them to rehearse after lunch on Tuesday. Contact me if you have questions.

Thank you,

Cindy

7 rooms	1.       Kristin 2.       Kaytlyn 3.       Sarah 4.       Hannah 5.       Taylor C 6.       Ashlynn 7.       Taylor Everitt 8.       Maky 9.       Brooklyn 10.   Kadyn 11.   Claire 12.   Cooper 13.   Marinda 14.   Alee 15.   Carly 16.   Emma 17.   Reagan
4 rooms	1.       Carter 2.       Jonathan 3.       Reese 4.       Ramzi 5.       Riley 6.       Brady 7.       Spencer 8.       Eli 9.       Colin 10.   Ryan 11.   Tre 12.   Evan

Rooms & Watch the video in previous post.

Girls have 7 rooms 5 rooms with three in them and 2 rooms with two in them	1.       Kristin 2.       Kaytlyn 3.       Sarah 4.       Hannah 5.       Taylor C 6.       Ashlynn 7.       Taylor Everitt 8.       Maky 9.       Brooklyn 10.   Kadyn 11.   Claire 12.   Cooper 13.   Marinda 14.   Alee 15.   Carly 16.   Emma 17.   Reagan
Boys have 4 rooms 3 boys in each room	1.       Carter 2.       Jonathan 3.       Reese 4.       Ramzi 5.       Riley 6.       Brady 7.       Spencer 8.       Eli 9.       Colin 10.   Ryan 11.   Tre 12.   Evan

4/5 Rehearsal Video

https://youtu.be/uOjmakR8OZw

April 5

Everyone	What happened to diction? Say names almost each time you speak. Calloused to Tipperary – it’s not spontaneous. Don’t look ahead of time where you are putting things. Sing scared and look terrified Re read earlier critiques. Tipperary people – put rubble more left stage so that Judith and Joan’s scene is not blocked by rubble. Project more Practice doesn’t make perfect.  Perfect practice makes perfect.  Thanks to Maky for notes. Don’t say extra sentences.  Words spontaneous work Beach scene – couldnot understand DICTION LOUDER Rehearsals need to be taken seriously Everyone is anticipating lines. REACT TO WAR BEING DECLARED. Need fog especially in Joan and Judith scene Judith’s dress must be in the rubble. Move right stage crates open
Angie	Put hand in hole and touch near Kate
Sheila & Bela Factory women	Last factory scene women would do anything to save yourselves.  Look at J & J almost accusing them or give them up to Frakker.  Joan’s always drunk so she could have done it.  Everyone knows Judith could be accused. Bigger laughs in first scene – Bela is the only one laughing First factory scene boring.  Look at each other - interact
Bar scene	Love Sheila talking, bela looking at ring and Joan drinking BUT look at Sheila once or twice.
Haris	Your words force your hands so you can look at them. You can’t believe that these hands that create can destroy
Judith	Jacket in scenes where everyone is wearing jackets.
Tom	Cough was fake in dead girl Shoes? Be fascinated with body More down stage with glass.
Eli	DICTION – each word in each line must be heard – base wage That bomb needs A fuse
Music	Too loud Tipperary Second bomb needs to be louder - Sarah
ALister	Ask Sarah – you cant go around like that
Mrs. Briggs	Could hear you first and diction great – later could not hear.
Mr. Briggs	Drop bat closer to left stage
Bela	Photographer – don’t walk in front of people talking – Mrs. Briggs
Sheila	See Reese – make it obvious and then love a man
Ramzi -worker	Screw the lid with difficulty off bomb
Watches	2

AREA

Everyone	Diction Watch coming out of freezes Work ending Work on listening and reacting to what is being said as if it is the first time the characters experienced this. More nonverbal communication to express each character Screaming needs to be toned down – less screeching
Joan & Judith	More decline
Joan	Letter – needs to be bigger and focus on her from other characters
Judith	Need motivation for last speech (transition) from being with kids to addressing audience.
soldiers	Work on Australian accent
Laurie Doyle	Atmosphere, Style of the era Use of stage Commit to what is happening on stage DICTION – watch TEXAS accent – you have to be louder with sound effects/ music etc. Be careful that scenes UPSTAGE are lost. She does not like dim lighting. Make it obvious where the audience needs to focus Do not let minor characters steal scenes. MAKE IT CLEAR where audience needs to focus.
Humfield (lead judge)	Likes strong ensemble and characterization.  Dialects MUST be understood especially at the beginning OVER ARTICULATE FOR EMPHASIS. BIG ON ARTICULATION AND DICTION.PACING SPONTANEITY, ENGAGED LISTENING
My visit to Clyde	Lights were too dark on almost every show We need to do makeup for official rehearsal –one dark and one light Ashlynn drinking – wipes mouth, gesture with flask, more limber, noises as drinking- dirty your apron. Pylons solid on only one side. Can take props to back – kids stand at back wall after props Judges sit 10 seats apart Bring mop Mary Girard – screeching – no connections –profile and presentational – no set – why british accents Be sure lights are off in the wings When CM says time – cast says 4 minutes thank you Mother hicks Cool set, costumes great Too dark Music was too loud Hard to hear at times Transitions are choppy Shake when holding letters at the beginning Cripple hard to understand Great characterization.
Changes	Beach scene –added lines. Dress – Frank brings in the dress

Video

https://youtu.be/R76cUJeThQk

Notes - for this next three weeks, there are already blog comments that need to be made.

Here are my notes:

Add some Josh Harriman fog running throughout the show to show the bombed-out smoldering city.

Beautiful set. Love the soldier! However, sometimes I thought there was too much set because it seemed to hinder the blocking. They were having to maneuver around too much stuff.

The frantic breathing and gasping was too loud during Judith’s reading of the letter. Pull back on that so we can hear and understand her.

Frank & Judith… “Promise. No, I’ll prove it.” – too much profile from both of them.

Brian’s mom… I would like to see her drinking during her lines (drinking and speaking all at once)…not just after she finishes. Make it more realistic.

Tom/Mira – great chemistry

Boys with sleeves rolled to the elbows. I think that is a current trend among teens; maybe not something men of this time period would do… especially in COLD conditions of England.

All costumes are too clean for the conditions that they are in.

I notice that you’ve changed lines. Do you have permission to do so? Example… “I’ll be gobsmacked.”

When Viv and Harry leave, where are they going? There is no motivation in their exit. We know what they are going to do, but do THEY? They didn’t indicate it as they just left the stage.

“Where would you rather be? In or out?” – are there sexual implications in this line or is my mind just in the gutter? If so, play the sub-context.

Tom – “I hate my dad!” – great scene.

LOVED the bus driver’s voice.

Frank – beautiful letter to Judith.

Dead girl has the best characterization of the entire cast. She is internal.

“19 April, 1941” – lots of Texas accent.

Joan – “I haven’t killed inyone” – lost the accent

Weird note – We sing in American dialect; but we speak with British dialect. I think that is inconsistent.

Judith – ‘It’s expected of men. I’ll cut his head off!” – screaming! Can you try the opposite here and have her say it internally through gritted teeth. The screaming doesn’t work for me and it affects her diction.

Smuts as the factory worker with the affliction – best physical characterization of the cast. Try that with others, now. He is hard to understand at times, but his physicality works.

“I want to win a tiny one for myself.” – Yelling; lost the line. Play the opposite emotion.

Gasping reactions are all the same. Each character needs to have a different reaction.

I could have given you many more awards, but you know how that is. I only have 18 to give.

I was afraid that I might get lost in the storytelling, but I did not. You told the story well. I suggest that you really hit the lines about being “at the front of something”, since it is so important in revealing the title of the play.