So we've been working on this thing all week. In the theatre, we've rehearsed Scenes 1,2,3 and 4. We've done some character development work with our chorus members. Many of the actors in the chorus were delighted to realize that specific character choices make for a much more interesting chorus.
We moved and chose "centers of energy" to color the rhythm and style of movement.
The students helped move our rehearsal along by clarifying the issues endemic to the EGNC script. We talked about what is important to the community in this fairy tale world. The chorus costumers sat in on our rehearsal yesterday and they had great ideas about the Emperor who wears "real" designer labels vs. the townspeople who wear satirical versions of those famous designers. We also discussed why people choose the clothing they do...lots of interesting parrallels here.
JG mentioned that the show reminded him of the world in Lois Lowry's THE GIVER in the way the town held their clothing as so all important to their identities.
Designers have been busy researching the late 60's/early 70's. Mrs R. has come in all week to help guide the students as they glean information from the script. Mac and his crew put together and prop list and today we decided what props we needed for rehersal right away.
Dramaturgs are helping us find another name for one character who's unfortunately named..we're going to go for something with a Latin root, of course!
Our stage managers are making their production books and learning how to mark down blocking.
Our tech crew is taking inventory of everything we have in Carlson.
Our blog designer has already made our blog for the show..she's the big cheese blogger, I'm blogging to keep track and to keep parents and kids posted on what's going on from the teacher end of the process.
Mrs. O is coming tomorrow with some of the costumes. She has two more kids to measure and she's going to help our costumers get going on their designs for chorus and for the fashion show.
I'm going to cast Anna as the teacher, but she doesn't know it yet..See what you can discover when you read the director's blog!
It's late and I'm still at school. Good night all. Sleep well and drink lots of water and eat healthy...this is still over a month away.
Ms. W.
Thursday, February 15, 2007
Sunday, February 11, 2007
Finally, We Begin!
Well, here goes. Tomorrow morning, I have an interview with our brand new documentary film team during advisory. Then we do a read thru at 2:15 in Carlson.
Parents will receive a note home detailing specifics about the EGNC (Emperor's Groovy New Clothes) project and in the morning, Mrs. McK and I will fine-tune the schedule for the next few weeks (at least).
This week, Frank R and his son Robert and Remy and Frank B. and his Dad and Todd H. and Alec and Jacob all spent the day (or part of it) putting together "flats" that will make the "crossover" on the Carlson stage. Frank B., Robert R. and Remy worked almost the entire day on the project. Last week Anna G and her Mom and Julian and his Dad and Alec and his Mom (Dr. S.) and Mr. Beck and Theo and others (to be named later) helped build and paint the new platform and the tech table and the box office or stage manager's table.
The new, large, front platform serves to extend the stage into the audience and to bring the actors closer to the crowd while the new crossover upstage will allow actors and tech folks to cross over from stage left to stage right without running outside in the cold! We also built four flats as "masking" to serve the same purpose (to hide the actor's and tech crew from the audience) in the same way as the curtain "legs" in the old Weinstein.
After we were done cleaning up and everyone left the building (except Ms. H and her sweet daughter Bea toiling away in the office) I had to sit in the theatre for a moment and savor the feeling in there. The smell of sawdust and paint... What a transformation! With the addition of the back crossover wall, the removal of the (dry rotted) curtains and a little elbow grease, the glorified lecture hall, Carlson, is starting to look like a cosy little theatre. Both Mrs. G and Mr. Gnutek called tonight. I work with wonderful people.
I can hardly wait for the read-thru tomorrow with both casts. This project will only be as good as the children decide it will be. If they work hard and smart (which I have the utmost faith that they will) there is so much we can accomplish. I can't help feeling that this is the beginning of an adventure of sorts. Let's get going everyone!
Parents will receive a note home detailing specifics about the EGNC (Emperor's Groovy New Clothes) project and in the morning, Mrs. McK and I will fine-tune the schedule for the next few weeks (at least).
This week, Frank R and his son Robert and Remy and Frank B. and his Dad and Todd H. and Alec and Jacob all spent the day (or part of it) putting together "flats" that will make the "crossover" on the Carlson stage. Frank B., Robert R. and Remy worked almost the entire day on the project. Last week Anna G and her Mom and Julian and his Dad and Alec and his Mom (Dr. S.) and Mr. Beck and Theo and others (to be named later) helped build and paint the new platform and the tech table and the box office or stage manager's table.
The new, large, front platform serves to extend the stage into the audience and to bring the actors closer to the crowd while the new crossover upstage will allow actors and tech folks to cross over from stage left to stage right without running outside in the cold! We also built four flats as "masking" to serve the same purpose (to hide the actor's and tech crew from the audience) in the same way as the curtain "legs" in the old Weinstein.
After we were done cleaning up and everyone left the building (except Ms. H and her sweet daughter Bea toiling away in the office) I had to sit in the theatre for a moment and savor the feeling in there. The smell of sawdust and paint... What a transformation! With the addition of the back crossover wall, the removal of the (dry rotted) curtains and a little elbow grease, the glorified lecture hall, Carlson, is starting to look like a cosy little theatre. Both Mrs. G and Mr. Gnutek called tonight. I work with wonderful people.
I can hardly wait for the read-thru tomorrow with both casts. This project will only be as good as the children decide it will be. If they work hard and smart (which I have the utmost faith that they will) there is so much we can accomplish. I can't help feeling that this is the beginning of an adventure of sorts. Let's get going everyone!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)