We are on the last leg before performances next week. There will be four performances, the three first are for the students, the last one is for parents and general public. We have created an Evite and you are welcome to use it to invite your family and friends: http://www.evite.com/event/00194VOCJO5GFYA7CEPDSLVOW4GKK4
Performance dates
- Wednesday 3/5 - 8:45am
- Wednesday 3/5 - 10:45am
- Thursday 3/6 - 8:45am
- Thursday 3/6 - 7pm, call time 6pm
Rehearsal this week has been a challenge. After a nine-day long vacation the children have forgotten many of their lines, when to be on stage, and which props to bring along.
Since they are hesitant to say their lines and they get on stage behind their time, the musical is running much longer than it should.
Per school constrains, performances during school time shall not exceed 50 minutes. In order to comply to this we may need to cut part or entire scenes.
I am offering a daily rehearsal at lunchtime for extra practice in hope we can tighten up the show. The condition to stay in rehearsal is to focus and listen to my instructions.
I am offering a daily rehearsal at lunchtime for extra practice in hope we can tighten up the show. The condition to stay in rehearsal is to focus and listen to my instructions.
We have not made final decision on cuts but if cuts there are, they will only affect the morning shows. At the evening performance we will run the entire script.
Another challenge we met was students talking when they are not on stage, even when a parent or staff member has just asked them to be quiet.
Please support us by discussing with your child. Today many missed coming on stage when it was their turn to act, and they missed coming on stage to bow at the end. If they had paid attention instead of talking, none of that would have happened.
The microphones pickup noise offstage as well, so when the children talk they create background noise that is difficult for the audience to follow the story, and they cause distraction to the children on stage.
I only have five more school days with your children. Please teach them how to make the most of my time. Tell them to watch and learn how I teach them to act, to express, or to hold themselves. Talking with me on logistics, asking me to tie their skirt, giving me opinions are all waisting the little time that I could spend to teach them valuable things they can use on stage and off, for this show and all the futur ones. Children who can focus and listen are those who can learn the most.
If you feel your child has a hard time to focus or needs attention, the best support for your child is to be there to help at lunch rehearsals or at performances.
HELP
That being said, I need lots of help for the next four performances - please sign up here.
Some children need help to tie skirt, tie head band, put on headdress
Some children need help to tie skirt, tie head band, put on headdress
And if you have time, please come help at lunch time. 56 performers are a lot to handle for me alone: when I focus on the children on stage, I need someone else to focus on those off stage.
COSTUMES
Please send the children in costumes on Wednesday and Thursday:
- Tech crew: black top, bottom and socks.
- Sailors and Island Natives: white top, bottom and socks. Girls legging or skirt. Boys white pants, if they don't have we can provide.
- Native girls: bring own bobby pins to keep headdress tight on head
- Native girls: bring own bobby pins to keep headdress tight on head
- Jims: red T-shirt, white pants, red socks, red baseball cap. Remove all jackets before getting on stage.
- All others: have checked with me and I've seen they look OK, I think I don't need to repeat.
- All: no jewelries, no nail polish.
- Any girl who come with hair untied must bring hair brush, hair elastic & bobby pins
- I assume that all girls have white legging, if your child doesn't please shoot me an email. (Vienna is to use one of the white pants that we provide)
- All: no jewelries, no nail polish.
- Any girl who come with hair untied must bring hair brush, hair elastic & bobby pins
- I assume that all girls have white legging, if your child doesn't please shoot me an email. (Vienna is to use one of the white pants that we provide)
HAIR
- Native girls: low bun or 1 low braid to allow wearing headdress.
- Sailor girls: one ponytail or braid, medium low to allow tying headband.
- All: no hair obstruct the eyes, no loose hair.
PROPS
Performer must be responsible of her/his own props: coins, plate, bottle... They must have their props in hand 5 minutes before enter the stage. Please read through the script with your child and help him/her gather the props they need.
Long Johns may bring a cane (if you found yourself without a cane on stage, you should try to bring one). Moms bring plates. Pew and pirate remember black spots and coins.
PERFORMANCE DAYS
The children go to their classroom to drop their bag, have their teacher check attendance and order lunch then bring their costumes, props and snack to the GLC. They will not go back to their classroom until after the 2nd show.
Before performance days: good amount of sleep, liquid, physical activity, and quiet time.
Parents' duty: come to the performance with a bouquet for your child ;-) It doesn't need to be expensive and it may come from the garden.
Parents' duty: come to the performance with a bouquet for your child ;-) It doesn't need to be expensive and it may come from the garden.
LAST BUT NOT LEAST
I invite parents to come watch the show with the heart open. If you watch the show from the heart, you will naturally react from the heart, the performers will feel, and will respond... Performance is also a dialog between the performers and the audience...
Thank you for giving me the wonderful opportunity to work with your child,
Hao
Summer Camp || http://www.haoexpression.
