Tuesday, March 6, 2012

Seussical for this Week

Great Job this weekend everyone!

There will be a pickup rehearsal at HFAC on thursday from 7:00 - 9:00. We will not be running dances, just music and lines. I need everyone here if at all possible.

Kids:
I am directing a kids show at HFAC over spring break next week.
"Rascals Under the Big Top" (1st - 6th)
Monday-Friday March 12 - 16th, 10:00-3:00, $145.00
Free Performances on Saturday March 17th at 10:00 & 1:00
I hope that you are all able to be a part of it. I would love to work with all of you again.
You can register for the class by going to http://hfacacademy.com/classes/springbreak.html

Starting the week after that, I will be direcing the Princess and the Pea on Saturdays from 1:00 - to 5:00. I would love for all of you to sign up for this as well. Hope to be working with all of you again soon.

SEUSSICAL MUSIC NOTES

Fellow Seussians, I've missed you so! It was great to be "home" with you again at the Berry Center Sunday night! Several friends and family members were there, and they all had positive comments about the show. All the reports I've heard from the weekend were very good. Thank you for your commitment to bring quality live theatre to Cypress.

With that being said, I would be remiss in my duties as music director if I didn't post up some comments from my observations on Sunday night. Since I was playing another show, I didn't arrive until halfway through the first act, so all my comments begin at that point. Please continue to strive for excellence and improvement. With this coming weekend being our final set of shows, let's make them even better than the previous weekends. Please refer to the comments below for continued improvements. I LOVE YOU GUYS, and can't wait to see you all on Friday!!!


THE MILITARY - This is the point at which I entered the theatre. As I said before, I'm quite sure it was all good up to this point; however, this was an excellent, strong point at which to enter. M/M Mayor, General, you were fabulous! Keep it up! Cadets, please, please count carefully and review that ending where you sing, "That's what makes a boy...." Someone keeps coming in early, and we MUST clean that up. General sings "boy" on beat 1, and you MUST wait until beat 3 to start singing under him.

ALONE IN THE UNIVERSE - Horton/JoJo, you guys have come so far in your stage chemistry! This is a great scene! On that ending......oops! Remember to say goodnight at the end, though......that's the icing.

AMAYZING GERTRUDE - Such an exciting song! Bird Girls/Cat/Things 1 & 2, review your parts on the last section after Gertrude sings, "Thank you, Doctor Dake!" With all parts as solid as the first section, this will be an unbelievable finish!

MONKEY AROUND - Wickershams, I love your energy in this song! We're losing our bass parts many times, so please review them this week and let's get them back. Once we do, though, the higher parts need to be sure to hold your ground so we have a good 3-part harmony going. Also, sometimes you can't be understood. All that movement is tough along with singing, so remember to work your jaw, tongue, and lips just as hard as you're working everything else so the audience understands the lyrics. Please connect the notes on "tail" rather than resting in between pitches. Remember, this is where you slide up to each pitch.

CHASING THE WHOS - Whoever is available to sing at this point into the offstage mics, please do so, especially men. We've consistently not been able to hear a clear "Cha- sing the Whos!" Bird Girls/Wickershams, please review your 3-part harmony during this series of songs so we have solid parts going underneath the soloist. Wickershams, really project loudly when you speak your lines "Still chasin' your dust......" They get lost under the other stage action and music. Sour/Young Kangaroo, you're simply wonderful! Whos, you can barely be heard when you come back on stage and sing, "We're Whos here!" Clear diction and projection are essential, even though you're moving around also. Everyone, let's get all those parts back in Part 4 where you're singing "black-bottomed eagle....."

FINALE ACT 1 - All is very good before and after Part 2, so let's raise the excitement of that section to the level of the others. Bird Girls, the best way to do that is consonants, consonants, consonants......beginning AND ending! Nice parts, just keep reviewing them and never let up.

OUR STORY RESUMES - Cat/Horton/JoJo, GREAT job getting your spoken lines in with the timing of the music! Bird Girls, nice entrance! Just remember that you sing "Ah!" here rather than "Ooo!" Because it's at a high point, the "ah" fits better here, anyway.

EGG, NEST, AND TREE - Pretty much the same notes as "Chasing the Whos". We need all people available to sing at the offstage mics, especially men, so we can hear "egg, nest, and tree....nest, and tree!" This is a BIG song, so we need lots of volume and nice projection, along with LOTS of parts coming from all voices. Keep the tone nice, though.

SOLLA SOLLEW - Horton, you made me cry! In a good way, of course. Keep it up! Very touching, tender, believable. Everyone, this may be a sound note more than anything else, but we once again can't hear the parts. These parts are so lush and gorgeous! What a pity! Whatever we can do -- more voices around the mics, mic levels up, etc. -- we need to do to maximize this song.

BUTTER BATTLE/SAVING PRIVATE JOJO - General/JoJo, thank you for working so hard to try to get the timing down here without being awkward! JoJo, try waiting a couple of second after the music starts underneath your lines before you continue with "And not only that, sir....." Also, try slowing the delivery just a hair. Hopefully, that will allow the General's music to start for his lines without that awkward wait.

WHOS CHRISTMAS PAGEANT/ROAST BEAST - Nice voices! This comes across so joyful! Keep working on the pitches, especially during the second phrase of "Fa-la-la" so they remain crisp and clean. Good job! Grinch/Who Children, impeccable timing on line delivery between these two songs! Keep the diction very crisp and clear, especially when all the children speak together.

HAVIN' A HUNCH - Wow! I asked for more parts, you gave! Thank you! We need to work on the balance, but I believe that's more of a sound issue. Diction needs to be crisper for everyone, whether at soft or loud volume. Remember that most of this song is sung with airy, spooky voices rather than full volume. The full volume comes in end of Part 3 building into Part 4 to the end. That final "Anything's Possible!" MUST be started as soon as the music cuts off and sung with a quicker rhythm rather than slowing. That way, you guys can hold and give a big crescendo to the end as the music comes back in. Cat/Who/Jungle Creature Leaders, you're the leaders on this! We'll run it as a warm-up on Friday.

ALL FOR YOU - Gertrude, you continue to wow and amaze! One note I've never had to give you before -- you were a little tough to understand at times. Be sure that your diction remains just as crisp and electrifying as every other aspect of your performance. Bird Girls, please review your parts on this song. It needs to shimmer and you still seem uncertain at times. Working with the lower key during the week is crucial. I emailed it to some of you. If you never received it and need it, please contact me or one of the other Bird Girls.

THE PEOPLE VS HORTON - Simply electric! Very exciting to watch! Sometimes there is the tendency to forget diction since there is so much else to think about during this song. Diction must be very sharp and crisp during this song because there IS so much going on. Wickershams, when you sing, "You're gonna be.....", please review those notes. I definitely heard parts, buuuuuuut.......they weren't exactly within the chord. Also, remember to cut off when Sour Kangaroo begins to sing her final "gonna be put...." Also, review your parts and make them good and loud in the beginning of Part 3. You're getting lost in all the other voices. Sing out well......make yourselves heard! Judge/Cat/Bird Girls/Wickershams, excellent timing and rhythm in Part 3! Loved it!

Everyone, your energy, sensitivity, timing, and overall delivery through to the end were absolutely fantastic! The only final notes are regarding a little rushing going on when everyone begins singing at "Oh, the thinks you will find lining up to get loose..." Stay in rhythm with the track, and you'll be fine. Diction and precision on this final song as well as Bows are still crucial. Keep it coming strong, clear, crisp, and exciting all the way until the curtain closes for the final time!

YOU'RE ALL STARS!!! I LOVE YOU!!! See you Friday night!!!!!

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