This is a message from Tom Grissom to Mamma Mia parents about the cast party tonight-
Cast party parents-I am Lucy Grissom’s Dad. The cast/crew party is at our house. If you have questions please call me. Parents are invited to come over after the show to check out where the party is. I will be making food until midnight. Bring something to share if you want. Pick up your child in the morning or later this evening.
Tom Grissom
503-539-8983
6014 SW Shattuck Rd
Portland, OR 97221
Welcome to your one-stop-shop for all things relating to the upcoming SouthWest StageWorks production of Mamma Mia! at Wilson High School!
Saturday, November 10, 2018
Thursday, November 1, 2018
Music Notes from 10/31
Money Money
Ensemble, don’t forget the SCOOP on "it’s a Rich man’s world"
Mamma Mia
need more tenor power!
Chiquitita
featured ensemble, have a bigger, unified presence for your “you and I know how all the heartaches..” etc.
Dancing Queen
8: Solomon I can’t understand anything you sing in this song
Lay All Your Love
Where’s the bottom harmony? Seems like everyone is singing the top or middle harmony.
Review those words, everyone!
Super Trouper
thank you tenors and baritones for getting your faces in those mics ! More if possible :)
Ensemble: Crescendo your final note: “blind meeeEEEEEEEE"
Gimme Gimme
Need more middles! I’ve been saying this for weeks!!
Name of the Game
Ensemble: “Wanna know" should be HUGE, each time.
One of Us
Ensemble: bump up the dynamic level of “Oo”s in the beginning to a mezzo forte, please
Does Your Mother Know
featured ensemble, please tighten it up and enunciate
Peppers “take it easy” can be in HEAD voice! Take it easy.
Our Last Summer
Ensemble: “AHr” last summer not “Ow-urr” —keep it open!
Winner Takes It All
featured ensemble, quieter during exposed sections (Ah’s)
Dancing Queen hymn
don’t rush, sopranos.
Thank you for the nice open “Ah”s —can’t have enough of that!
I Do I Do I Do
featured ensemble: louder for your “solo"
Notes from 10/31 Run
Continuation from our discussion last night:
ALL: remember you are acting so as much as you may have in common with these characters, they are also not you. Find the things that aren't you and ground in them so you have a distinct and precise character.
REMAINDER ACT ONE:
ALL: remember you are acting so as much as you may have in common with these characters, they are also not you. Find the things that aren't you and ground in them so you have a distinct and precise character.
REMAINDER ACT ONE:
- TANYA/ROSIE - take 3 steps to your left when you go down to the look for the Dad's "on the beach". Lighting is better in a little further
- TANYA/ROSIE - Do the head banger move and then look at Donna so we get that that's a question - you're asking her "you don't mean head banger do you???"
- TANYA/ROSIE - Stay open - back to platform, when you're going up to Donna as she sits on the edge of it. Don't face her.
- DONNA/TANYA/ROSIE - leave later for Dancing Queen, and walk slower - Donna resist going, make them drag/push you - so you arrive up on the platform in place just in time to sing/dance.
- SPOTS - Dancing Queen - change, Anna on Tanya / Helen on Rosie
- SOPHIE - Stay in your body and smooth out your energy for Lay All Your Love - you're really engaged and then you're not and then you are again. Move through taffy the whole song - ask me if that doesn't make sense.
- SKY - even more response to her hugging you. You LOVE this girl. How do you feel when she's close to you??
- SKY - move downstage, make room for flippers - the 3 groomsmen circle you, but the other still have to go behind them so be sure there's room for 2 rows of people behind you
- EDDIE - stay open in Lay All Your Love, tell us the story
- PEPPER - slow down "oh we'll being doing that too" or whatever that line is, and speak up!
- NIKOS - LOUDER
- SOPHIE - Lay all your love - crook your finger to get Sky to walk to you when you're seated on the platform
- FEATURED ENSEMBLE - close the balcony doors behind you when you enter for Lay All Your Love so they are closed through the end of the act
- DONNA/TANYA/ROSIE - careful of "muting" mics in your costume change into Super Trooper. Do you have dressers/helpers? If not just double check for each other that the mic lights are green as you zip up your clothes.
- DONNA/TANYA/ROSIE - remember that Super Trooper is for Sophie - direct much of it to her. Also remember that each time you get to a new chorus where you do the decades choreography sections that you're making it up together, deciding in the moment which one to do, be more engaged as a trio. And stay tight to each other.
- TANYA - stay tight to the group, you are drifting Right.
- SPOTS - SUPER TROOPER stay up on the trio in the balcony through Rosie's line - "Hen Night, women only" then go off
- TENOR/BARITONES OFFSTAGE: for Super Trooper please stand right in front of the offstage mics and ALTOS/SOPRANOS stay behind them so the TENOR/BARI part is louder in the mix. Make sense?
- SOPHIE - remember it is always you leaving the conversations with the Dad's in Gimme. So when you're line is over, hop away and just join in the "snapping" that everyone else is doing so Dad gets a moment to be flustered. Then they leave you in Voulez.
- ALL - "woo!" at end of Gimmie - just so there's a button
- SPOTS - stay up on Bill and Sophie after their dialogue for Gimmie so they don't go out between Gimmie and Name of the Game - just stay up and with them.
- SOPHIE - step up on stage as you say you're growing rather than before. You can step back down for - will you give me away.
- SPOTS - stay up after Name of the Game - through the end of the dialogue and go out on Sophie and Bill when Sophie runs up to dance
- HARRY - even more precise with your physical choices. Keep the dynamic nature, just continue to clean so even less fidgety. Get specific about each move.
- ALL - end of Act 1 GET OFFSTAGE. No walking, everybody bolt. Fewer people exit E/Stairs - it's a bottleneck, so some go out D.
ACT 2:
- SPOTS - One of us - ANNA on Sam/Jackson, HELEN on Molly/Jan (in shutters)
- JAN/SAM/DONNA/ROSIE - still more energy/attack on one of us, go get what you want, energy in your faces - be active
- SPOTS - ANNA stay up on Jackson for the scene that follows One of Us through SOS. HELEN go out on Jan as she closes the window and pick up Donna as soon as you can there after.
- DONNA/SAM - SOS - open on platform, for scene and when returning to it to sing
- PEPPER - DYMK - LOUDER in scene - take focus, get the girl!
- TANYA - DYMK - come out with the towel draped (rather than folded) over your arm
- JAN/ELLE - DYMK - stay on the ground but at the corner of the platform, until Jan finishes "we're guests now" then cross all the way up to the bar. Really challenge Pepper.
- ROSIE - DYMK wear the hat on the entrance
- ROSIE - pepper my snapper - exit/cross DS of Tanya NOT upstage
- FEATURED ENSEMBLE - Please add a blue apron to your costume - Burton/Zoe have them. For all scenes. Thanks!
- JAN - DYMK - I love it when your hair is involved in the mocking of the competition section - be sure and shake your head while mocking Pepper's shaking
- TANYA - DYMK - "you're so cute" (carefully) pinch Eddie's cheek
- TANYA - DYMK - remember to flirt with specific people in the audience
- TANYA - VOLUME you have one of the two biggest voices in the show and you're too quiet often. SING OUT!
- SOPHIE - wait one more second before running in for scene with SKY after DYMK - I want one more second before you go on so more folks can exit
- SOPHIE - slow down, really let SKY hear - 3 possible dads - that's new information
- SKY - ground yourself - don't get angry and plant your feet!
- SAM - speaking volume and energy before KMKY
- SAM/SOPHIE - open out. Sophie - don't check out, you are torn between chasing Sky and listening to your dad. Both powerful engaging needs.
- SPOTS - KNOWING ME KNOWING YOU - ANNA on SAM, HELEN on SOPHIE
- SAM - yes, they live with their mother - that is intense for you. It means your children, who are the only people on the planet that you love as much as Donna, don't live with you. Breaks your heart.
- DONNA - Our Last Summer - be sure you look at the check before you freak out about it
- SPOTS - be extra tight/small circles on Our Last Summer because we're lighting the grid. We can't help it but we want to minimize it. Thanks!
- SOPHIE - Slipping - you don't have to be moving the whole time, even though you don't "hear" the song, you are feeling your mom, excited and nervous to be getting married, it is really beautiful to just get to appreciate you and feel what you're feeling. So some business and then look at yourself for a while and then business, make sense?
- DONNA - much bigger nod yes you will walk her down the aisle - actually nod
- SPOTS - Slipping into Winner - ANNA stay up on Donna and HELEN on Sophie then pick up Jackson and stay up through dialogue and through Winner
- DONNA - open out in Winner and VOLUME in the quiet parts or we have to pull back your belt. Can't have that much difference between the two. SUPPORT.
- DONNA - Winner - hold your words longer - Fence, Home, Sense, Cards, Too. We've talked about this before, not so clipped off on every line.
- DONNA - Winner - tell me does she kiss - this is a sweet part, be loving, pour all your love out, show him you're vulnerable. She is NOT angry EVER in this song. She is honest with him and with herself and she is surrendering and letting go. Feeling for the first time since he got here, everything she feels for him. You got this. Go there.
- SPOTS - Take a Chance - ANNA on Rosie, HELEN on Bill.
- FEATURED ENSEMBLE - close the balcony doors behind you when you enter for TAKE A CHANCE so they are closed through the end of the act.
- FELIX - Take a Chance - arms UP in the snap walks
- FATHER A - Ground your voice/pitch it down a little - try being serious when performing the wedding and then goofy with asides.
- DONNA - energy up after hug Sophie mid scene talking to Dad's - shoulders back!
- SAM - Stay open
- FATHER A - Wait to throw to the bouquet until Donna
- DADS - remember your angle/triangles for last scene
- FATHER A - let the couple hug a second longer and then send the couple off to walk the aisle sooner
- ALL - through petals really up in the air rather than just at the couple so we get to see them shower down
- SOPHIE - don't slump in the wedding or through end of song and really smile through I have a dream - it's an AMAZING dream
- ALL - when you join in for I have a dream, look out and really see your dream then focus back to Sophie on your ooooo's.
Saturday, October 27, 2018
Notes from Yesterday + Line Note Review
Notes
Sky -
Good facial expressions during “I Have a Dream”
Make “I love you” (91) bigger, very energized
Sophie -
Make “I Have a Dream” more about Sky; ‘I have a dream with you’
Open up your stance and slow down your lines, especially on “I know you never wanted all this” (91)
Make a bigger deal of “get at the world” (91)
Manage space during fight with Donna (56); open up; cheat out
Donna -
Good take on “I haven’t got a clue what’s going on!” (91)
Huff to start off “SOS” was too soft - needs to be precise
Cheat out
Manage space during fight with Sophie (56); open up; again, cheat out
Pay attention to posture - maintain tension
Sam -
Huff to start off “SOS” was too soft - needs to be precise
Maintain tension with Donna, physicalize it
Harry -
Don’t fidget so much, especially during “all kinds of families” (90); focus movements
Groomsmen (Eddie, Pepper, Nikos) -
Move to Platform 3 for “I Have a Dream”
Dynamos -
Hug corner of Platform 3 during “I Have a Dream” to make space for groomsmen
Ensemble -
Maintain a high level of energy while onstage; be excited about/engaged with everything; you always have a firm point of view
Everyone -
Visualize personal dream during “I Have a Dream”
Make Voulez Vous exciting - strong finish to Act 1
Make full, precise choices; specificity of words and actions is extremely important - provides a clean, clear message
Give purpose to every song, make strength of emotions clear
Cheat out! Open up!
(Music) Review “Name of the Game”
(Music) Pay attention to cut-offs in “I Do, I Do, I Do, I Do, I Do”
(Music) Agree on cut-offs in “Chiquitita”; listen to each other; work together
(Music) Keep up vocal support during dance-heavy numbers
(Music) Practice and review all music
Line Notes
I spent yesterday’s run taking notes on line accuracy and want to make sure that everyone is clear on the process we will use to review these notes.
On Sunday there will be a script on the piano in room 108. The script will be filled with a (very large) number of different colored sticky notes. Each color corresponds to a group of people who tend to be in the same scenes (There will be a key so you can figure out which color you are). Each note is placed on a line that was mistaken during yesterday’s run. I have marked any time a line was skipped, stumbled over, said incorrectly, or an actor called ‘line’. During whatever downtime you may have at rehearsal, speaking characters need to go to the script, flip to your color, find your mistake, make some sort of note to yourself to practice that line, and initial at the bottom of every page on the script where a mistake of yours was noted. These initials let me know that you have actually gone through and done your part to improve your knowledge of your lines. I will check to make sure this is done.
*Everyone with lines should check for line notes. There is at least one on every page with dialogue after scene one*
In the future, this script will be left on the piano during the school day so you can check for line notes before rehearsal, at lunch, or during tutor time.
Q: What kind of train is always eating?
A: ¡uᴉɐɹʇ ʍǝɥɔ ʍǝɥɔ ∀
-Raven
Monday, October 22, 2018
Notes from Today + Rehearsal Updates for Tomorrow
Notes
Bill -
Now SR of Sophie in “Name of the Game”
Finish the “Gimme Gimme” dance and then go to the dock
Go back to “Name of the Game” music; sing
Sophie -
Now SL of Bill in “Name of the Game”
Finish the “Gimme Gimme” dance and then go to the dock
Go all the way downstage for “Voulez Vous” dialogue
Sam -
Go all the way downstage for “Voulez Vous” dialogue
Slow down dialogue and shorten your pauses
Harry -
Go all the way downstage for “Voulez Vous” dialogue
Slow down dialogue and shorten your pauses
Eddie -
Keep the push in the beginning of “Voulez Vous”
Featured Ensemble -
Ad libbing is good but don’t make actual noise
Groom’s Party (Flipper “men”) -
Except for Jimmy and Kyle, go around the table during your “Voulez Vous” entrance
Everyone -
Cheat out; face the audience more, even during conversation
Go upstage instead of diagonal on the second “Voulez Vous” chorus
The SR dancing group has the space to go further right during “Voulez Vous” dance; use it
When exiting, stay in character until completely offstage
Slow down dialogue and shorten your pauses
Support your voice when singing and speaking so we can hear you
Tomorrow’s Call
Donna, Sam, Sophie, Sky, Rosie, and Bill are called to the choir room at 3:30
Everyone else needs to be in the auditorium and ready to go at 3:45, when we will complete our stumble through with Act 2. Rehearsal is still expected to last until 6:30
*Please bring your completed bio forms and give them to me!*
Q: Why does the giraffe have such a long neck?
A: ¡pɐq ʎllɐǝɹ llǝɯs ʇǝǝɟ sʇᴉ ǝsnɐɔǝq
-Raven
Friday, October 19, 2018
Remaining Calendar/Schedule ***Please Review and Share***
-10/19: All Choreography...330p-630p (All Actors, Mgmt)
-10/20: Scenic/Costume/Sound Call…100p-500p
(Available Actors, Appropriate Crew/Leads/Apps., Appropriate Designers)
-10/21: Dark (No Call)
-10/22: Rehearsal…Tech Orientation/Costume Parade/Stumble Through...330p-630p
(All Actors, All Mgmt, All Student Leads/Apprentices/Crew)
-Lighting Call…700p-930p (All Light Crew/Leads/Apps)
-10/23: Rehearsal…Work Notes from Monday Stumble Through...330p-630p
(All Actors, All Mgmt, Selected Leads/Apps/Crew)
-Lighting Call…700p-930p (All Light Crew/Leads/Apps)
-10/24: Rehearsal…Work Notes from Monday Stumble Through...330p-630p
(All Actors, All Mgmt, Selected Leads/Apps/Crew)
-Lighting Call…700p-930p (All Light Crew/Leads/Apps)
-10/25: Sitzprobe…330p-730p (All Actors, All Mgmt, All Instrumentalists, Sound Crew)
-10/26: Run of Show/Notes…330p-700p (All Actors, Mgmt, Instrumentalists?, All Crews)
-10/27: Show Cuing…945a-100p (Director, Lighting Designer, Producer)
-10/28: Show Cuing (pt. 2)…900a-100p
Show Readiness Day…200p-600p
(All Actors, Mgmt, Crews, Instrumentalists as per Caldwell)
-10/29: Tech Day…1000a-600p (All Actors, Mgmt, Crews, Instrumentalists Call Time TBD)
-10/30: Dress 1…330p-800p (All Called…Instrumentalists Call Time TBD)
-10/31: Dress 2…330p-800p, but earlier out if we can (All Called…Instrumentalists Call Time TBD)
-11/1: Preview…500p-1030p, but earlier out if we can (All Called…Instrumentalists at 630p)
-11/2: Performance 1…530p-1030p (All Called…Instrumentalists at 630p)
-11/3: Performance 2…530p-1030p (All Called…Instrumentalists at 630p)
-11/4: Performance 3…1200p-500p (All Called…Instrumentalists at 100p)
-11/5: Dark (No Call)
-11/6: Dark (No Call)
-11/7: Pick Up Rehearsal…330p-700p
(All Called, Rehearsal Format: Full Run w/o Costumes or Makeup…otherwise, full tech)
-11/8: Performance 4…530p-1030p (All Called…Instrumentalists at 630p)
-11/9: Performance 5…530p-1030p (All Called…Instrumentalists at 630p)
-11/10: Performance 6…530p-1030p (All Called…Instrumentalists at 630p)
-11/11: Strike…1000am-500pm, but earlier out if we can (All Called)
-10/20: Scenic/Costume/Sound Call…100p-500p
(Available Actors, Appropriate Crew/Leads/Apps., Appropriate Designers)
-10/21: Dark (No Call)
-10/22: Rehearsal…Tech Orientation/Costume Parade/Stumble Through...330p-630p
(All Actors, All Mgmt, All Student Leads/Apprentices/Crew)
-Lighting Call…700p-930p (All Light Crew/Leads/Apps)
-10/23: Rehearsal…Work Notes from Monday Stumble Through...330p-630p
(All Actors, All Mgmt, Selected Leads/Apps/Crew)
-Lighting Call…700p-930p (All Light Crew/Leads/Apps)
-10/24: Rehearsal…Work Notes from Monday Stumble Through...330p-630p
(All Actors, All Mgmt, Selected Leads/Apps/Crew)
-Lighting Call…700p-930p (All Light Crew/Leads/Apps)
-10/25: Sitzprobe…330p-730p (All Actors, All Mgmt, All Instrumentalists, Sound Crew)
-10/26: Run of Show/Notes…330p-700p (All Actors, Mgmt, Instrumentalists?, All Crews)
-10/27: Show Cuing…945a-100p (Director, Lighting Designer, Producer)
-10/28: Show Cuing (pt. 2)…900a-100p
Show Readiness Day…200p-600p
(All Actors, Mgmt, Crews, Instrumentalists as per Caldwell)
-10/29: Tech Day…1000a-600p (All Actors, Mgmt, Crews, Instrumentalists Call Time TBD)
-10/30: Dress 1…330p-800p (All Called…Instrumentalists Call Time TBD)
-10/31: Dress 2…330p-800p, but earlier out if we can (All Called…Instrumentalists Call Time TBD)
-11/1: Preview…500p-1030p, but earlier out if we can (All Called…Instrumentalists at 630p)
-11/2: Performance 1…530p-1030p (All Called…Instrumentalists at 630p)
-11/3: Performance 2…530p-1030p (All Called…Instrumentalists at 630p)
-11/4: Performance 3…1200p-500p (All Called…Instrumentalists at 100p)
-11/5: Dark (No Call)
-11/6: Dark (No Call)
-11/7: Pick Up Rehearsal…330p-700p
(All Called, Rehearsal Format: Full Run w/o Costumes or Makeup…otherwise, full tech)
-11/8: Performance 4…530p-1030p (All Called…Instrumentalists at 630p)
-11/9: Performance 5…530p-1030p (All Called…Instrumentalists at 630p)
-11/10: Performance 6…530p-1030p (All Called…Instrumentalists at 630p)
-11/11: Strike…1000am-500pm, but earlier out if we can (All Called)
Tuesday, October 16, 2018
Thursday Schedule in Regards the Choir Concert
Due to the choir concert, we will be ending rehearsal at 5:45 this Thursday.
-Annika
How do you organize a space party?
You planet!
-Annika
How do you organize a space party?
You planet!
Sunday, October 14, 2018
Week of 10/15 Schedule
Monday
All Named Characters - 3:30*-6:30
Ensemble - 3:30*-
We will start with choreography of “Mamma Mia!” and “Voulez Vous.” Then, Ensemble will be released and we will work on staging of Act 2.
(Meet in Auditorium)
*If you are not onstage for “Mamma Mia!,” you do not need to arrive until 4:15. However, please be in the auditorium and ready to go at that time
Tuesday
Full Cast - 3:30-6:30
Act 2 Staging/Run
(Meet in Auditorium)
Wednesday
Full Cast - 3:30-6:30
Act 1 Staging/Run
(Meet in Auditorium)
Thursday
Full Cast - 3:30-6:30
All Music
(Meet in Choir Room)
Friday
Full Cast - 3:30-6:30
All Choreography
(Meet in Choir Room)
Q: Why was the broom late?
A: ¡ʇdǝʍs-ɹǝʌo ʇI
-Raven
Sunday, October 7, 2018
Week of 10/8 Schedule
Monday:
Full Cast - 3:30-6:30
Music/Dance/Staging
(Meet in Auditorium)
Tuesday:
Full Cast - 3:30-6:30
Music/Staging
(Meet in Auditorium)
Wednesday:
Full Cast - 3:30-6:30
Music
(Meet in Choir Room)
Thursday
Full Cast - 3:30-6:30
Stumble Through
(Meet in Auditorium)
See you tomorrow!
Q: What state has a lot of cats and dogs
A: ¡ɐᴉuɐʌlʎsʇǝԀ
-Raven
News!
Character Work
Please have your character work complete and emailed to Jamie by rehearsal tomorrow. If you feel like you have sufficiently communicated to her all that needs to be known about your character, you can email her or Snapchat her and she will let you know if you still need to have your character work typed up.
Rehearsal Preparation
We’ve talked about this a little bit but I want to be clear that we have a lot of work left to do for this production and not very much time to do it. For that reason we need to do everything on our power to work as efficiently as possible. This means coming to rehearsal completely prepared every day by wearing movement and dance-appropriate clothing (think shoes!), bringing your script, score and a pencil, having a ready-to-work attitude, and eating and drinking enough to work at the best of your ability.
Off-Book Date
Everyone should be memorized and off book by rehearsal on Wednesday (October 10th). Your memorization does not need to be absolutely perfect by then - you can still call line - but you should be comfortable enough to function without your script.
Next week’s schedule will be posted later this afternoon. I will send out a Remind text to let you know.
Q: What animals are on legal documents?
A: ¡slɐǝS
-Raven
Sunday, September 30, 2018
Rehearsal 9/28 + Schedule 10/1-10/3
Recap
On Friday’s rehearsal, we blocked from the first entrance of Bill, Sam, and Harry through “Thank You for the Music,” and did the following song work:
Full Cast:
Dancing Queen Hymn
Honey Honey
Money Money Money
Women (+Rosie):
Slipping through my Fingers
Gimme! Gimme! Gimme!
Tanya, Eddie, Pepper, Nikos:
Does your Mother Know
Rosie, Bill:
Take a Chance on Me
Tech Builds
Thank you to everyone who was able to make it to yesterday’s build! There are still two more chances to help out on the 14th and 20th of October.
Schedule
The rehearsal schedule from tomorrow to Wednesday is as follows:
Monday:
Full Cast - 3:30-6:30
Music Rehearsal for Featured Ensemble, Choreography/Staging for everyone else
(Featured Ensemble meet in Choir Room, everyone else meet in Auditorium)
Tuesday:
Full Cast - 3:30-6:30
Music/Staging
(Meet in Choir Room)
Wednesday:
Full Cast - 3:30-6:30
Music/Staging
(Meet in Choir Room)
The plan for Thursday and Friday will be released soon, but is proving more difficult as a good amount of the cast and management team will be gone on the Ashland trip. We’ll let you know!
Q: How do you count cows?
A: ¡ɹoʇɐlnɔʍoɔ ɐ ɥʇᴉM
-Raven
Friday, September 28, 2018
Missed Rehearsals/Conflicts Epidemic
Students, Parents/Guardians, Supporters of Mamma Mia -
As we approach the halfway point of our rehearsal process to prepare for what is going to be an amazingly fun production of an exciting musical theatre classic (is it too early to say that?), it is with some concern that I am writing to you all today.
As of this point in the process, work has been going well: Songs are sounding good, movement has been coming along, there has been some exciting stuff in getting to know these characters, and I look forward to tomorrow's technical build to get a lot of physical things completed that will push our work forward even more. The problem is how often we have had to go back over already established work, to review, restage, and revisit work we had already done due to absences in the cast.
This show has had the highest rate of absenteeism per person than any show I can remember. We have had not a single rehearsal in the entire month of September that has had the full complement of people called, most days missing 3-5 (or more?!) people who were called and did not have a previous conflict listed. At the outset of this process we asked for folks to take a critical look at their schedules, to compile a list of days they knew they'd planned to be out, so that we could either build a schedule to meet everyone's collective needs, or to adjust our planning to allow students and their families to do what needed to be done. With a team of over 40 actors, management, and creative staff, we count on every member of our team (and by extension, their families) to provide us with the information asked for in order to best both support them and still put together the quality show and learning experience the Wilson community has expected of us for, without exaggeration, decades.
This isn't athletics, where a substitute can be called in off the bench to fill in. If an expected member of the team isn't there, we cannot do that piece of the show. We are at a point where, rather than calling people in specifically for certain scenes and respecting the value of individuals' time in our scheduling, we have been forced to call everyone everyday, as we don't know who will be gone, and we must keep the work moving forward to make our opening night. We want to be able to limit our calls, for us and for you and your families.
This requires commitment to the conflicts communicated and the work dates posted. We have to know that the people who are called will be present, so that we can coordinate this highly complex process. That said, emergencies happen: Students contract communicable diseases, people get injured, even (believe it or not, this has happened) family members pass away. These are understandable, if regrettable and sad, things. These are understood...life has a way of messing up even the best laid plans. These are not the absences to which I'm referring...
I am here to ask the members of the Mamma Mia team, and their families, to renew the commitment they made when they read and signed the audition form at the start of the process: that except in the most emergency of situations, a student is expected at rehearsal when called, unless they've a previously communicated conflict. Please don't schedule appointments during rehearsal. Please don't spring surprise outings (another thing that has happened already) on students. If you're a little under the weather, please insure you're at rehearsal, even if all you're doing is taking notes...this helps.
In order to facilitate this, I'm reopening the conflict-reporting window. If there are dates/appointments that have not been communicated to the directing team at this point, please send them no later than 800pm Sunday, September 30th. Please email those directly to me at mjamie@pps.net. From that point on, any student not at rehearsal as scheduled will not be staged in a particular number or scene (though, of course, they will remain in their established roles and scenes). This is purely from a time-remaining standpoint in terms of actor safety (yes, it's that important in terms of potential injuries), and show quality. We haven't the time remaining to reteach and review for students who miss rehearsal with little or no warning and maintain the quality and safety standards expected of a Wilson production.
Students: You have been doing wonderful work and deserve the very best outcomes we can make happen. That means being present, for yourself and for the mind-blowing young people around you. Parents: Your young artists are truly amazing people, having a great time, and on the verge of a true life-long memory. It is, as always, a true blessing for me to be able to be at this place and this time with these wonderful people helping to forge those memories. Thank you for sharing them with us, and thank you, in advance, for your commitment in helping us make this the very best show and experience it can be.
I look forward to an amazing run in, and a wonderful performance run,
j. miller
As we approach the halfway point of our rehearsal process to prepare for what is going to be an amazingly fun production of an exciting musical theatre classic (is it too early to say that?), it is with some concern that I am writing to you all today.
As of this point in the process, work has been going well: Songs are sounding good, movement has been coming along, there has been some exciting stuff in getting to know these characters, and I look forward to tomorrow's technical build to get a lot of physical things completed that will push our work forward even more. The problem is how often we have had to go back over already established work, to review, restage, and revisit work we had already done due to absences in the cast.
This show has had the highest rate of absenteeism per person than any show I can remember. We have had not a single rehearsal in the entire month of September that has had the full complement of people called, most days missing 3-5 (or more?!) people who were called and did not have a previous conflict listed. At the outset of this process we asked for folks to take a critical look at their schedules, to compile a list of days they knew they'd planned to be out, so that we could either build a schedule to meet everyone's collective needs, or to adjust our planning to allow students and their families to do what needed to be done. With a team of over 40 actors, management, and creative staff, we count on every member of our team (and by extension, their families) to provide us with the information asked for in order to best both support them and still put together the quality show and learning experience the Wilson community has expected of us for, without exaggeration, decades.
This isn't athletics, where a substitute can be called in off the bench to fill in. If an expected member of the team isn't there, we cannot do that piece of the show. We are at a point where, rather than calling people in specifically for certain scenes and respecting the value of individuals' time in our scheduling, we have been forced to call everyone everyday, as we don't know who will be gone, and we must keep the work moving forward to make our opening night. We want to be able to limit our calls, for us and for you and your families.
This requires commitment to the conflicts communicated and the work dates posted. We have to know that the people who are called will be present, so that we can coordinate this highly complex process. That said, emergencies happen: Students contract communicable diseases, people get injured, even (believe it or not, this has happened) family members pass away. These are understandable, if regrettable and sad, things. These are understood...life has a way of messing up even the best laid plans. These are not the absences to which I'm referring...
I am here to ask the members of the Mamma Mia team, and their families, to renew the commitment they made when they read and signed the audition form at the start of the process: that except in the most emergency of situations, a student is expected at rehearsal when called, unless they've a previously communicated conflict. Please don't schedule appointments during rehearsal. Please don't spring surprise outings (another thing that has happened already) on students. If you're a little under the weather, please insure you're at rehearsal, even if all you're doing is taking notes...this helps.
In order to facilitate this, I'm reopening the conflict-reporting window. If there are dates/appointments that have not been communicated to the directing team at this point, please send them no later than 800pm Sunday, September 30th. Please email those directly to me at mjamie@pps.net. From that point on, any student not at rehearsal as scheduled will not be staged in a particular number or scene (though, of course, they will remain in their established roles and scenes). This is purely from a time-remaining standpoint in terms of actor safety (yes, it's that important in terms of potential injuries), and show quality. We haven't the time remaining to reteach and review for students who miss rehearsal with little or no warning and maintain the quality and safety standards expected of a Wilson production.
Students: You have been doing wonderful work and deserve the very best outcomes we can make happen. That means being present, for yourself and for the mind-blowing young people around you. Parents: Your young artists are truly amazing people, having a great time, and on the verge of a true life-long memory. It is, as always, a true blessing for me to be able to be at this place and this time with these wonderful people helping to forge those memories. Thank you for sharing them with us, and thank you, in advance, for your commitment in helping us make this the very best show and experience it can be.
I look forward to an amazing run in, and a wonderful performance run,
j. miller
Thursday, September 27, 2018
Rehearsal 9/25-27 + Update for Tomorrow!
Recap
Tuesday:
Everyone - Song Work:
- Our Last Summer
- The Winner Takes it All
- I Do, I Do, I Do, I Do, I Do
(split)
Featured Ensemble - Song Work:
- Thank You for the Music
- Mamma Mia!
- Chiquitita
- Gimme! Gimme! Gimme!
- The Name of the Game
- Voulez Vous
Everyone Else - Staging through “Honey Honey” (pgs 1-8)
Wednesday:
Named Characters - Character Work: Group conversation
Sophie - Song Work:
- Under Attack
- I Have a Dream
- The Name of the Game
- Honey Honey
- Lay All your Love on Me
- Thank You for the Music
Felix, Jan, Schmelle - Song Work:
- Honey Honey
Sky - Song Work:
- Lay All your Love on Me
Harry - Song Work:
- Thank You for the Music
- Mamma Mia!
- Our Last Summer
Bill - Song Work:
- Thank You for the Music
- Mamma Mia!
Sam - Song Work:
- Thank You for the Music
- Mamma Mia!
- SOS
- Knowing Me, Knowing You
- I Do, I Do, I Do, I Do, I Do
(split)
Featured Ensemble - Song Work:
- Under Attack
- One of Us
- Does your Mother Know?
- Knowing Me, Knowing You
- Slipping through my Fingers
- The Winner Takes it All
- I Do, I Do, I Do, I Do, I Do
- Everyone Else - Staging through “Money, Money, Money” (pgs. 5-15).
Donna - Song Work:
- Our Last Summer
- SOS
- Money Money Money
- Dancing Queen
- Chiquitita
- The Winner Takes it All
- Slipping through my Fingers
- I Do, I Do, I Do, I Do, I Do
Bill - Song Work:
- Our Last Summer
Sam - Song Work:
- SOS
The video of the Money, Money, Money choreography with staging can be found in the Cast Materials folder (for real this time!)
Schedule Update
Tomorrow, we will all meet in the choir room. Once rehearsal has started, some people will work on staging while others will be called to work on music. Individual cast members will be released as they are no longer needed.
Q: Why did the lion spit out the clown?
A: ¡ʎuunɟ pǝʇsɐʇ ǝɥ ǝsnɐɔǝq
-Raven
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