CAST MUSIC NOTES
Oh, my, people!!! What a great opening weekend! Thank you for all you've done to prepare. As we go through this week, please keep reviewing notes, lines, entrances, cut-offs, etc. Each week should be a little sharper. Although I'm unable to be with you this week, I KNOW you'll be awesome! Make me even prouder, if that's possible!!! Love to you all!
Oh, the Thinks - Cat, remember to move through your lines a little quicker so you don't have to rush your first singing line. Everyone, Part 3 & 4 needs more parts! When you get to the "...and think...and think...and think", remember to listen carefully to the track so you can stay in rhythm with it. Ladies, remember to cut off quickly with a good, hard "k" on "Oh, the thinks you can think!" You've been holding it out, but it needs to stay short.
Biggest Blame Fool - Kangaroos, you ROCK!! Wickershams, remember not to rush on "HA! HA! HA! Laughed the Wickersham brothers!" When you start singing, let's really hear those parts. When you sing out on those, it's AWESOME! Cat, your spoken lines get mushy when you're the talk show host. Be sure you can always be understood, no matter what inflection, personality, or accent you adopt. Everyone, nice job on the playoff!
Here on Who - M/M Mayor, you're doing a fabulous job.....keep it up! Whos, remember that everyone sings every family line. Grinch, you're a scene stealer! Everyone, remember to let M/M Mayor only sing starting with "Our future's in your hands" and through "You're the only one who hears." Everyone sings again on "You must, sir!"
It's Possible - JoJo (both of you), you're wonderful! You hit a home run this weekend! Keep it up, kiddos! Everyone, we REALLY need to hear parts during Part 2 & 3. Please review them this week so they can be solid again.
The Military - General, the audience loved you! Great energy! Cadets, you started strong. You MUST review your entrance in Part 3 after the General sings "That's what makes a boy..." General sings "boy" on beat 1; beat 2 is a rest for you; beat 3 is when you start "That's what makes a boy..." Please review so we can get that really crisp.
Monkey Around - Wickershams, you're great! Please review parts toward the end and get those tight again.
Chasing the Whos - Exciting song, everyone! Wickershams, you're doing so much "ooo ooo aah aaah" that you're covering up Sour Kangaroo's solo. Please back off some on your noises so other solos can be heard. Cat, your spoken lines from the helicopter get covered up by music. Rather than asking the sound to be altered, if you'll project more and enunciate a little clearer, I think it will come through better. Men, I still need MUCH more "Cha- sing the Whos"!! M/M Mayor and Whos, you're getting lost in all the action. Please project more on "We're Whos here....." Everyone, MORE PARTS on "black-bottomed eagle was cruel as could be!"
Finale Act 1 - Bird Girls, review parts on "he kept the egg warm" and also separate "kept....the egg....warm". On "storm", as soon as you hit that chord, you fall off of those pitches simulating wind noise. Again on your "ooh...aah" a couple of measure later, you fall off of the pitches on your "aah". Also, altos and sopranos have moving notes there and I don't hear them moving. They're clashing with the orchestration, so please review those notes. When you get to "And then came the winter...", the following words are short: "sleet", "hung", "trunk". On "feet", that's only held for 2 beats, then cut off, rest for 2 beats, then back in on the same notes and fall off of the pitches again. Please review this section carefully. Cat, on "Lucky (Reprise)", the first two times you sing "Tell yourself...", please sing the bottom notes to bring out the harmony. Everyone, please bring out those bottom notes on "thank your lucky stars..." Excellent job remembering how many times to repeat!!!
Our Story Resumes...(Part 2) - Cat, your first spoken line is only 7 beats into the song. Horton, your first spoken line is 8 beats after Cat finishes. The underscore changes to play "Oh, the Thinks" just as you start. Bird Girls, nice entrance! Men, remember to really bring out "egg, nest, and tree" each time. We could sure use more PARTS on "Sold..Sold...Sold"!
Circus McGurkus - Everyone, careful on those "Oh, Oh" notes. Please review when they go down and when they go up. We're still unsure about those. When you start singing, "Come see the monstrosities...", it sounds forced. Remember to sing full voice for the excitement, but never in a forceful way so it turns to a constipated sound.
Alone in the Universe/Solla Sollew - Horton, you made me cry! Such tenderness and sensitivity! Keep it going! Everyone, MORE PARTS, just keep them tender to match Horton. Review your notes for "Solla Sollew......." that you sing underneath Horton's "If we can get there...." Nice parts to the end!
The Butter Battle/Saving Private JoJo - JoJo, please wait for music to play a note or two before you speak "And not only that, sir...." Also, take your time there. Those notes are nice and long. No need to rush. General, PLEASE wait until the music changes before your spoken line "It's a minefield out there!" This is a dramatic scene, guys. Ham it up.....milk it!
Whos Christmas Pageant/Roast Beast - Whos, please review your notes in these two songs. They're good. It's just a tough section, so don't let yourself forget the notes here.
Havin' a Hunch - Cat/JoJo, remember to work the timing just before Part 3 so that your lines fall between notes that the orchestration is playing. Everyone, MUCH MORE bottom note needed on Part 4. It was much better Saturday night, but still could use more. Everyone, please remember to come in AS SOON AS the orchestration cuts off at the end!
All for You - Bird Girls, ohhhhh, you're close! Keep reviewing these harmonies every chance you get. Find a corner on Thursday and work them, and find a corner every chance you get to work them. This song is tough, but you're really close to nailing it! When Gertrude sings, "...and I haven't gone through!" and you come in on your "Ah......", please put a slight pause before "I". It makes it more dramatic and easier to understand as well. We're losing harmonies on the end, so just keep working.
The Whos Return - Everyone, nice phrasing on "A person's a person, no matter how......"!!
The People vs. Horton the Elephant - Wickershams, when you sing, "You're gonna be...gonna be...gonna be...", please remember to cut off and let Kangaroo sing alone on "gonna be put..." You come back in on "...on trial!" Horton, review your words at "You can throw me in jail..." so we clearly understand "but I won't desert my egg and I will not abandon Who!" Way to go...taking your time on "These Whos here...." Nice job! Judge, GREAT timing on "Nool Asylum..." and so forth!! Everyone, remember Part 4 starts with men and women taking turns. We also could use more separation on "Boil......it". Think of both as staccato notes to make them crisper, cleaner.
Yopp!/Alone (Reprise) - Sour Kangaroo, your spoken lines at the beginning are getting a little covered up by the orchestration. I appreciate the incredible tenderness here, but please project a little more and use just a little better diction so those precious lines are heard. Horton/Gertrude, PLEASE review your spoken lines after "An Elephant Bird!" Friday night was awesome! Let's hear those every night! Such compassion and expression on your sung lines......NICE!!
Bows - Everyone, review your words and timing for Bows! Nice, nice, nice! The audience LOVES it!!!
I LOVE YOU ALL!!!!! BREAK A LEG!!!!!
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