Notes from Wednesday

First, here are your nots from Mrs. Debbie:

CAST NOTES

Wow! Last night blew me away! What a HUGE improvement, cast!! Thank you so much for stepping up and becoming everything we knew you could be. The following cast notes are by song. If your song isn't mentioned, that means it was perfect.....don't change a thing!

General Notes

Men, You're needed!!! Sing out as much as possible, but never beyond your best tone.

Everyone, still more beginning and ending consonants are needed. There can never be too much!

Everyone, all mics will be live throughout most of the show, because even if you aren't on stage you're supposed to be singing. Please SING and don't talk. We need your voices! And, if you need to excuse yourself for a moment......well, just don't do it....hold it for 5 hours! Just kidding!! Just make it quick and then return with a live mic to support the cast who is on stage.

All Wickershams MUST have mics! There are solos throughout that aren't being heard. Wickershams, check each other to make sure you've remembered to TURN IT ON.

Young Kangaroo MUST have her mic on! She couldn't be heard all night!

Everyone, I LOVE YOU! You make me SO proud!!!!! Break a leg!! I'll see you late tonight!



Oh, the Thinks - PARTS -- YEA!!!!! It's a beautiful thing! The "...and think...and think...and think" was right on the money. Do it again and again. Just remember to stay with the track hits there, and you'll be fine.

Biggest Blame Fool and Playoff - Sour Kangaroo and Baby, you knock my socks off! Wickershams, excellent job! Don't rush the "Ha, Ha, Ha" when you first come in. Playoff was nice and crisp.

Here on Who - Nice job, people. Change: When you get to the section that breaks down into families, everyone needs to sing every line. We need the added volume since there are no mics for anyone except the Mayor and family. Truffula needs to be pronounced "Truf-fuh-la", not "Truf-few-la". Only are few are pronouncing it wrong, but it really sticks out. Another change: Only M/M Mayor will sing beginning at "the future's in your hands..." and continuing through "You're the only one who hears." All Whos sing again from that point to the end. On the final note, it's fairly short, so please remember to cut off with the bass "plunk" in the track. Again, nice job!

It's Possible - Brilliant, JoJo! Wish we could hear more parts to bring out the great harmonies, but nice when I could hear them.

How to Raise a Child - M/M Mayor, wonderful job, great harmony!

Military - M/M Mayor, SO close on the ending! Rushed just a tiny bit. Listen to track...it's playing the same rhythms. You rock!

Military (Schmitz) - Cadets too early on "that's what makes a boy..." General sings "...boy", there's one more beat, then you guys sing. Looking good, sounding good, though!

Alone in the Universe - Wonderful, guys! Horton, remember ..... no "pop" on phrases, especially when you sing with others.

Gertrude/Mayzie - I love you! Fantastic, ladies! Way to sell it!

Monkey Around - Wickershams, you rock! Solid!

Chasing the Whos - SO much better!!! Still need parts heard, but very close! Men, let 'em hear you, especially on "Cha - sing the Whos"!

Finale, Act 1 - Bird Girls, tremendous! Still need to "tweak" the storm and keep it tuned, but I Love You! Everyone, on that last phrase, hold out "you are!" 4 beats, cut off quickly, then jump right back in. Some are holding and some aren't, so it needs to be nice and clean. Great parts!

Egg, Nest, and Tree - Great opening!! Exciting! Men, I GOTTA HEAR YOU on "egg, nest, and tree."

Circus McGurkus - Cat, unfortunately, your lines have to fly off the tongue even faster than usual on "And now, all you folks..." That part is just plain weird! Everyone, NOTES on "Ah...Come see the show!" Notes, parts, AND words on "Come see the monstrosities..."

Circus on Tour/Palm Beach/Circus - Mayzie, luscious!! Mayzie and Horton, very nice!

Solla Sollew - Parts are gorgeous when I hear them! Clean up diction just a little more throughout the song.

Battle of Butter - JoJo, just a little slower delivery of lines: "And not only that sir, it's Christmas on Who..." That should buy the necessary time to lead into the music change for Schmitz' lines.

Whos Christmas Pageant/Roast Beast - Solid and confident at first! Review pitches for 2nd phrase of "Fa-la-la..." Grinch, you are phenomenal! Just a little too slow on line delivery leading into Roast Beast. Slightly faster line delivery there should set you up perfectly for singing lines on Roast Beast.

A Message from the Front - Schmitz, be sure to come in immediately after 7 "Schmitz" chants. M/M Mayor, "Our perfect little one," should be sung very tenderly. We're going for broken hearts here!

Havin' a Hunch - Great scary voices! Just need a little more of them. Hunches, LOVED your echoes! Havin' a Hunch Part 4 needs LOTS AND LOTS more lower voices! Ending still needs to move a little quicker to your final note. Cat, please lead. You're all awesome!

All for You - Gertrude/Cat, you're superb! Bird Girls, very nice, solid start! Between now and opening, you MUST tighten up the harmonies beginning with the "All for yoo..oo..ou!" to end. Suggestion: find a corner and work each chord slowly to lock in those pitches, then speed it back up once you've got it. They're tough.....but you're tougher......and you're all SO incredible! Last thing, really flip the "l" for separation and clarity on each "la..la-la-la-la....." toward the end.

The People vs. Horton the Elephant - Outstanding start! Great, strong sound! Wickershams, review your "sittin' on an egg....ha..ha..ha" at beginning of Part 3. Horton, almost there on timing of "I meant what I said...." Work toward a more natural feel leading into "You can throw me...." VERY believable when pleading for the Whos......nice job! Yertle, fab-u-lous! Everyone, Part 4 starts with the men/women taking turns: "Boil...it!" Men, I GOTTA HEAR YOU since the women are now remembering to let you sing alone there. Bring it!! Everyone, PLEASE...PLEASE...SEPARATE "Boil....it!" so it doesn't sound like "Boy...lit"!!! JoJo, LOVE the "YOPP!!!"

Yopp!/Alone (Reprise) - JoJo, a little faster delivery of "An Elephant Bird!" line so Horton and Gertrude can get all of their lines in. Horton/Gertrude, very tender moment....nice...milk it! Be sure ALL lines are spoken after JoJo's "An Elephant Bird!". Those lines are too important to be deleted. Cat, pause and enjoy the tenderness just a hair longer to set up the tricky timing for you and JoJo on "The sky became.....pink!"

Finale, Act 2 - Nice parts!!! Careful, though. When everyone comes in on "If you open your mind...", you're rushing just a bit. It does speed up, but not until the end of that phrase and leading into "...oh, the thinks you can find..." Stay with the track. Elephant Bird, you stole my heart! I Love You!!!

Bows - Review in your mind when you each bow, where you go afterward, and, of course, your WORDS! Excellent job tonight!


Now, here are my notes:
Remember, that I care about all of you, and anything that I say is in order to make you better. There some things that I would like to say as your friend, but other things that I have to say as your director.

I still need people to bring the action more downstage.

Quiet offstage.

No cell phones back stage. I could see little glowing screens from the audience.

Be more animated. Remember, this is Dr. Seuss.

JoJo - Slow down your line "or a sort of a kind of a hat wearing cat" in order to give the cat time to get over to you.

Make sure the Red box is unlocked so that thing 1 and 2 aren't trapped.

JoJo - For "Oh the thinks you can think" you need to make sure you are stage right of the cat.

Cat- your hat was casting a shadow over your face, we need to try and put the hat farther back, or just flip the brim up more.

Jungle creatures - when you first come on for jungle of nool, make lots of animal noises until the "Who wha da's". It was too quiet.

If you have a problem in your personal life, you can't let it affect your character. If you are sad, or sick, or upset off stage, you can't let that change how you act on stage. I know that it's hard, but it's part of being an actor. The audience deserves your best every time.

Wickershams - make lots of monkey noise after "Ha, Ha, Ha, it's the wickersham brothers", and continue the noise until it's time to start singing.

Alejandro - Great facial Expressions

Chaney and Nick - Great Chemistry

When you walk on the platforms, try to have soft steps. Don't stomp, because it makes all the platforms shake, including the foam pieces attached to it.

Whos - I need you to all have big smiles. You are supposed to be happy. Most of you are doing this. I need the following who's to smile more: Estus, Shayne, Kyle, Sam, Hannah, Peyton, and Laura Grace.

During the marching Band, things, get with the cat and work on your choreography because it looks like you have no idea what you are doing. We need to clean it up and make it look more intentional.

If you are not on stage during "here on who", make sure you are singing offstage because all of your mics will be on. You are supposed to be singing "here on who" off stage, and I know many of you were not because when they turned your mics on, we heard conversations instead.

During "Here on who", Mr. and Mrs. Mayor need to step down onto the apron.

Learn your lines EXACTLY the way they are written. Make sure you don't paraphrase. It's Seuss. All the words rhyme, so, when you change the words, it's really obvious. The people that this was most noticible with are JoJo, Mr. Mayor, and Horton. So please, review your lines. There are many places that I think you think that you are saying the right words, and you are not. So, just look over all your lines and make sure you are saying exactly what is written, and not kinda what is written.

JoJo and Cat - during "It's Possible" bring it onto the apron more downstage

JoJo - At the end of it's possible, after your parents come in, come downstage, don't go behind the tub

If someone messes up, fix it in character. What would you do in a show if the lights, or set, or sound doesn't work the way its supposed to? What would you do if someone misses a line or an entrance? If you react to everything that happens like it was on purpose, the audience will think that it was. They don't know any different.

Bring the action in every scene downstage if possible.

Mr and Mrs Mayor - I know I originally had you looking just at the brochure instead of at JoJo, but it's not playing the way I thought that it would. So, instead, put the brochure down, and bring JoJo between both of you and focus all your attention on him, like you are getting your kid ready for their first day of school.

Thing 2, you were missing your sword in Military academy.

JoJo - In alone in the universe, sit until it is time to sing.

Everyone - Learn your Lyrics, especially my leads. We have had scripts for many of you since December. There is no reason that you should not be off book. Instead of talking offstage, be running your lines.

JoJo, start to slowly walk offstage SL at the end of alone in the universe rather than just standing center stage waiting for the cat.

Gertrude - Less Eye makeup than what you had on durring amazing gertrude

Raegan - Get with connor tonight, he's taken german, and is going to help you with some of Dr. Dakes pronunciation.

Pillsberry bush needs to be brought on downstage center.

Mayzie - You were AMAZING!

Cat, Thing1, and thing 2, - Durring chasing the who's, stay centerstage with the helicopter until after the cat has finished her lines.

Everyone - Right before How lucky you are, instead of being frozen, I want to try having you move in slow motion instead.

Cat - Get clover from vlad the moment you start singing. In fact, you could even get it right before you start singing.

When you are frozen during How lucky you are, make it a big freeze. I want big facial expressions. I know it's hard, but it looks so good.

Mayzie's tree should be brought on during chasing the who's immediately after the helicopter exits SL.

The two staircase clover fields should be brough on right after the tree.

Wait to bring on the downstage cloverfield until the cat says for certain at the end of How lucky you are

What would you do in a show if something didn't go as planned? This is live theatre! cover it!

Make sure that the straps we use to drag out the cloverfield, are tucked into the cloverfield once it's in place and not left just lying on the stage

Notice me Horton is GREAT! By far one of my top 3 moments in the show. Great job Nick and Chaney

Mayzie and Horton - Be careful with the egg. It may not be a real egg, but it is still fragile, don't let it roll off the tree.

Horton, You can pull out clovers out of the downstage cloverfield to listen to them, and just set them on the ground in front of you but behind the cloverfield. Don't worry about putting them back in.

Mayzie, I loved your makeup

Horton, great job going up the tree. Priceless. Probably the funniest moment of the entire show right now.

JoJo, you need to actually fall on "When you land with a thud"

Horton - I loved your movement and facial expressions you were doing in the tree at the end of act 1.

Thing 1 and 2 - Durring the auction, you should both be leaning on the red box.

Kathleen - Great job during circus.

Circus people - FILL UP THE STAGE! do not stay in the wings until your tumbling pass.

Circus People - Remember to bring on your circus props

Ally and DJ - Great job with the balloons. So funny. Work on making them faster.

Horton - Reactions during circus and Solla Sollew were PERFECT!

Jungle creatures - You were WAY LATE for Solla Sollew. You come out at the beginning of the song, not the end.

Horton, I liked the crying at the end of Solla Sollew. One of the most touching moments in the entire show.

Jungle greatures, when you leave stage, you have to take the tree and the box

Dana - Great job in the who scene when Mr and Mrs Mayor are told JoJo is dead. Your reactions are perfect.

Thing one and thing 2 - Slow down your chase in the reenactment.

Hunches, be more quiet when you come out into the audience. You were very distracting from what was happening onstage.

Thing 1 and thing 2 - You were late bringing on Horton's tree.

Make sure you bring on the clover for gertrude to give to horton

However, if they did forget in a show, what would you do?

ABSOLUTELY no scripts or cheat sheets are allowed onstage, EVER. It was incredibly obvious every time someone was reading a line. We have had scripts since December. There is absolutely no excuse whatsoever to still be on book.

Sour Kangaroo and Mayzie - Great entrance for people versus Horton the elephant

After "Everyone Rise", I need everyone to make tons of jungle animal noise to give him a reason to say "Order in the court". Same thing after Horton sings "He's a who and so is she" give yertle a reason to say order in the court.

Cat, as you are walking to Sour kangaroo, hold the book so the audience can see what it is.

Cat, make sure your badge is facing forward

Yertle, the were times that you were the only one on stage frozen. make sure you check with those around you on when you are supposed to be frozen.

Everyone downstage of the tree, when the baby elephant bird is about to come out crowd close to the tree so that we can see her.

The moment at the end with Horton, Gertrude and the elephant bird is by far my favorite moment of the entire show. Great job.

During bows, HAVE FUN! dance around, be animated, engage the audience. FINISH STRONG.



A couple general notes that apply to everyone. Just some important reminders.

If you can come downstage, and there's not a specific reason why you can't, then come downstage. And by down stage, I mean the Apron. The part that is wood and not black.

Everyone, learn your lines and lyrics. This is tech week. You've had scripts since december. There is no reason or excuse to not know you lines by now. If you are unsure of blocking, that's my fault. But if you don't know your lines, you have no one to blame but yourself. As an actor, memorizing your lines is the only thing that you have 100% control over. And there is never a show or a theatre where having a script on stage during tech week is acceptable.

Be animated! You are characters ripped from a kids story book. There is a reason that every time they make a movie about seuss they use actors who are known for being Super Animated. (Jim Carrey as the Grinch, and Mike Myers as the Cat in the Hat). These charaters have to have a cartoonish feel about them. They have to be larger than life.

Make sure you are running lines, blocking, and choreography every spare chance you get.



I am very proud of all you you and love you all dearly. And anything that I say or do is just in an attempt to try and make you look good. I'm a relatively new and young director. I don't claim to be perfect. I'm learning as I go, the same as all of you. But I think that we all have things that we can learn from each other. That's what I love about theatre. The moment that we think we have nothing more to learn, we are limiting our growth potential as both actors and as people, and we only hurt ourselves. So, I ask that you come to every show and rehearsal with a willingness to work hard and learn from each other. To my younger kids and newer actors, you have much that you can learn from the experience of those around you. They have alot to teach you about acting, singing, dancing, technique, and maturity. Take this opportunity to learn everything from them that you can. To my older and more experienced actors, you have much tht you can learn from the younger kids. While they may have less experience, they light up the stage. They love what they are doing and it's obvious. When you do a lot of shows, it's easy to lose sight of why we do it in the first place. Theatre can become just a job or a routine. It's important to look at the younger actors, and see their excitement to remember what theatre is all about. It's not about making tons of money. It's not about always having the spotlight or being the center of atention. It's not even about looking pretty and sounding pretty. It's about making other people happy. At least, that's what it should be about. Expecially for a show like seussical. And if your intentions for doing theatre are anything other than that, then watch the excitement and energy of the younger generation and learn from them. See how much they just love making people smile. They may not always hit the right note, or do the right choreography, but they love being on stage, and so the audience loves watching them. My favorite person to watch on stage is Jordan Jones. I think he is our youngest cast member. But he just has so much fun on stage. He works so hard. He is doing an amazing job. He always has energy. He is always in character. He is a reminder to me of why I do this. He lights up the stage with his smile. So, I encourage all of you to connect with your inner child so that we can help the audience do the same.

You are all doing an AMAZING job! Keep it up. I will see you all tonight.

Joshua