What's On Stage March 5

Rehearsal time this Thursday - last rehearsal before March Break.

Thursday Lunch:  

• There Is Love in the Gym
• Twinderella Opening in the Great Hall

Thursday After School - Part 1 - Immediately After:

• Cinderella Do This, Bob Do That in the Gym
• Stroke of 12 (Gods only) in the Music Room
• Rest of cast eat snack in Grade 2 Room

Thursday After School - Part 2 - At 4 pm

• Full cast in the Gym
• BEPs and Celebration

GREAT PROGRESS and WHAT'S ON STAGE

HOLY SMOKES - THE KIDS HAVE BEEN AMAZING!!!!!


First and foremost, I am so proud of our Twinderella Team.!  And so is Mrs. Will!  The cast keeps getting better and better and our stage crew is responsible and amazing.  So too are our parents - they show a lot of  support - and special thanks this week to parents who have brought their kids in for the extra special rehearsals with me.  What a treat to work with your kids in this manner.  That time has really been beneficial. 


Second, if you can believe it, our opening night is only a month and half away!!!  We are in a fabulous place.   But rehearsals are important and participation by all the cast and crew important.  Try your best to get there.   And cast - even if you have everything memorized - practice - PRACTICE!


Third, I do apologize for not putting a post on the blog  last week - things have also been busy for me at work at the university.   But all is good again.


I.            What's On Stage This Week


Monday, February 27
·      Special morning rehearsal with Meg and Dr. B in the library
·      Lunch rehearsal King, Queen, Duke, Duchess, Earl, Countess with Dr. B - location TBD.   Lauren, please stay with the DooWops.  You and I will catch up later.
·      Special after school rehearsal with Ross and Dr. B in the library or gym


Thursday, March 1
·      After School - FULL CAST REHEARSAL - Meet in Grade 2

·      Lunch rehearsal Stroke of 12 cast with Mrs. Will in the gym

Saturday, March 3
·      2:30 to 5:00 - FULL CAST FULL RUN REHEARSAL ON STAGE WITH PROPS.
This one of our most important rehearsals.   Be sure to let Mrs. Will know if you are not able to attend.   We appreciate your efforts to make this special rehearsal.  There may be some extra recess or lunch recess rehearsals with Mrs. Will - please listen carefully to morning announcements.


II.            Important Extra Info


This week and next, Mrs. Will is going to host special costume meetings with the cast to confirm the costumes fit and identify costumes parts we do not have. 


Congratulations to our grade 6 and 8 cast and crew members who did so well in the Track and Field Meet.  I am so proud of you!  Good luck to our grade 3 and 5 students who are in the Speech Day Celebrations - parents,  you would not believe the number of children in the cast and crew who are also finalists!  Watch on February 29 after the end-of-month assembly.


III.            Special Thanks


Special thanks to Mrs. Banko for her most wonderful art contributions to the set.  It is looking colorful and wonderful.


Special thanks to Mr. Montani, Mr. Selway, Mr. Anatoski, and Grandpa Bruce for  their contributions to the stage and set - parents, you will all be AMAZED at what these creative men have done.   I am so excited as I am sure you will be.


IV.            Last Words


Cast and crew - the journey is as important as the final product.   While I have no doubt the performances will be great, the process should be as fun and energizing (or even more so).   Remember this. 


All cast members - with fairly tales there is always lovey-dovey stuff.   Remember - you are ACTORS - you are pretending to be a part.   Nobody thinks otherwise - OK?  OK.  If someone thinks otherwise,  I think they may be foolish. 


Cast, I rather you GO BIG THAN GO SMALL with your characters.  BIG voice.  BIG facial expressions.   BIG movements.   BIG characterization.  Go BIG or go HOME.  Its easier to go smaller if you are too big than to keep asking you to go bigger if you are too small.   Remember - I will never have you look foolish on stage.   I promise.


Cheers,


Melissa Brouwers

What's On Stage February 6 to February 11

THIS WEEK ON STAGE (note CHANGES for Saturday rehearsal).

Morning recesses to practice lines (no singing or dancing):

• Monday morning - cast to finish the last part of Scene 2.
• Tuesday morning - cast with individual speaking lines in Scene 3.
• Wednesday morning - cast with individual speaking lines in Scene 4.
• Thursday morning - cast with individual speaking lines in Scene 5.

Tuesday lunch (12:50 to 1:30):

• Stroke of 12 singers and dancers with Mrs. Will

Thursday After School:

• Full Cast.  We will be doing Scenes 3, 5, first few pages of Scene 1, and the Black Eyed Peas song.  We will not be doing Scene 4 until Saturday.

Saturday afternoon (3:00 to 4:30 - sign in begins at 2:50):

• We will rehearse Scene 4, Scene 2, Parts of Scene 1, and Scene 5 (time permitting)
• NEW:  The full cast is required with the following exceptions: cast members who are playing a Subject (those with no "Lady" or "Sir" designation) or a Child (in Scene 1) are NO LONGER required on Saturday.  We will finish rehearsing all of your parts on Thursday after school.
• Mrs. Will will be sending out a separate note inquiring about availability of some cast members to come earlier in the afternoon to practice songs.  Stay tuned for that e-mail.

Looking forward to another creative week.   Keep practicing at home kids!

Best Rehearsal Yet - REPOST!

Today you were all marvelous.  I love that you mostly know your lines and your blocking and your songs and your dancing.....bravo!  Work towards 100%  Special mention:
- Samantha and Quincy - when you sing together - it is GREAT.
- Ross - you carried the tune very well and did very well with the mic.
- Doowops - I love the dance moves.
- Gods - great first go with the song and the mics.  Sounding very nice.
- Royals - I love your attitude coming on and off the stage.
- Princess - terrific attitude.
- King - you are a hoot when you dance.
- Children - you are SO expressive.   Keep it up.
- Subjects and Nobles - the BEP tune is coming along wonderfully.
- In my original post - I forgot to do another special mention - the STEPS - the steps were hilarious!
Congratulations on a terrific day.

WHAT'S ON STAGE WEEKS OF JANUARY 30 to FEBRUARY 11

We have a very busy schedule for the next two weeks.  Some additional morning recess rehearsals and lunch time rehearsals have been added.   Download the attachment marked:
What's On Stage Jan 30 to Feb 11

The schedule is also posted on the Twinderella bulletin board and it has been e-mailed to families.

REMINDER:  Female cast members, please bring in a labelled well-fitted hair band THIS WEEK that can be used to build part of your costume.   Stepmom, stepdaughters, queen, countess, princess, storytellers and Cinderella, your hair piece will be quite large and heavier.   The larger, wider plastic style hair bands would probably be most appropriate.

AMAZING THEATRE EXTRAVAGANZA EXPERIENCE

What a treat to watch the grades 5 to 8 productions on Thursday evening.   Each of the grades shined and you folks were particularly spectacular.

GRADE 5s - Lorna, Mackenzie, Sydni, Lauren, Sydney, Marion and Rowan - you and your class did a great job.   I loved that your lines were memorized - I could hear each of you.   Some excellent action scenes too.   The set and costumes were so creative - you used those things to your advantage.  Terrific.

GRADE 6s - Aislin, Avery, Janell, Gina, Zach, Nathaniel Samantha and Jack - you and your class did a wonderful show.   I loved how each of you played such a unique character and that each of you really got into the character you played.  It kept things wonderfully fun and entertaining.

GRADE 7s -  Quincy, Jessica June, Emma, Lauren, Jessica, and Christine - you and your class were marvelous.   Great stage presence, style and delivery.   I loved that you all knew your lines and your blocking and used the space on the stage so well.   You kept the pace moving very, very well.

GRADE 8s - Philip, Ross, Cuinn, Meghan, Emily, Shaela, and Luke.  You and your class did a hilarious show - I laughed so much, I almost peed my pants.  I love that none of you were self-conscious - you grabbed onto the moment and went for it!

To all of you, use the lessons from your Theatre Extravaganza experience, and apply them to Twinderella:

• know your lines - know them inside and out - backwards and forwards - be confident 
• know your blocking - know where to go, how to get there, when to leave - be confident
•  project your voice - you want your audience to hear everything - you need to project toward the back wall of the gym - aim your voice that far back -  but do not scream your lines
•  enunciate - speak clearly - exaggerate your efforts - what might sound funny and over the top if you were having a regular conversation is what you need for a big audience in a gym to hear you
• get into character - think about your character and just go for it - are you sweet?  smart?   understated?  evil?   funny?  complex?   simple?  some combination of the above?    know the story behind your character and know how the character is feeling - show these things throughout your performance
•  deliver your character and deliver the story - do not be self conscious - think about how you can play with the audience and entertain them
•  most important - have fun - if you enjoy being on stage, if you enjoy your character - your audience picks up on all of that energy and will enjoy you

WELCOME BACK - HAPPY 2012

HAPPY 2012 TWINDERELLA-ITES,


1.  Look on links page for the Second Term rehearsal schedule.   There are no significant differences from the version distributed in September but it has a few more details added.    ACTION:  Cast members, please review the schedule with your parents and have them e-mail Mrs. Will any rehearsals you are not able to attend.


2.  What Is On This Week?


Wednesday Lunch.   
Meeting with Dr. B and the Assistant Stage Managers.


Thursday After School.   
We will be doing a FULL RUN without the songs or dancing.   All students who have lines are required to be there.   All students are invited to attend - this will be the first time you can see the whole show from start to finish.


Saturday Afternoon (3-4:30).   Singing rehearsal.   
Required cast members are:

               Royal family (King, Queen, Prince, Princess)

               Royals (Duke, Duchess, Earl, Countess)

               Cinderella and Bob

               Storytellers

               Stepfamily members (stepdad, Mortimer, Eggbert, stepmom, Ethel, Esmerelda)

               Godmother, Godfather

               Doowop Singers and Jiving Jerome

The afternoon will unfold as follows:

2:50

   Sign-in begins in the Great Hall.  From there, please go to the gym.

3:00
   Review of rehearsal session with Ms. Landoni and Dr. B.

3:05
   With Dr. B in Music Room - cast involved in Stroke of 12
   With Ms. Landoni in Gym - cast involved in There is Love AND Celebration (solo bits)

3:35
   Everyone in Gym to perform bits to each other

3:45
   With Ms. Landoni and Dr. B in Gym- Twinderella opening

4:00
   Royal family, Royals, Storytellers, Gods, Doowops, and Jiving Jerome may leave.
   With Ms. Landoni in the Music Room - cast involved in Cinderella Do This, Bob Do That 

   With Dr. B in the Gym - cast involved in You Got Work To Do (original with girls and reprise with boys)  

4:30   Rehearsal completed.   Pick up children.