February 28

February 28, 2017

Everyone	When you exit your scene, be in character. During slo mo at the beginning – left stage needs to be SLOW In scenes following the Jim and Kate scene, the scenes are shorter and play the focus.  We will work on that tonight. Exaggerate humor in play during a run through. Focus on issues. Dialects good – do not feel comfortable What is Harry’s back story with all girls?
GG	Girls need to freeze in scene with Kate with Annie. React to Ellen about work. Knicker scene – enter in character. If you are happy at the beginning, be happy in transition to that scene – unhappy etc. Great job in rain scene. Girls move meat and gutting shed stuff before exiting. Polly squeezes entrails to Edwin.
Maggie	Th sound like V Brothers  and that and with
Harry	Come behind the girls. Enjoy rubbing them know ing they are uncomfortable. You can do this without repercussions. Sleazier Walk slower. Look them up and down. Puff up more. Foot on chair. Kick something when you realize they are making fun of you.
Edwin	Smell immediately when you are between carcasses Must see him hate his weakness.  React to all senses in gutting shed. Don’t touch Maggie so that H will notice. Slow down laugh. See thinking.
Helena Edwin	Walk as friends to GG shed not in lines
Helena	More authority as if they should be thrilled to have a club. Walk all way in gutting shed down stage.
Ellen	Watch yelling so much – hack it off PN in Annie’s monologue – change seating. Watch the scenes and pass out flyers in back.  Be sure we see the writing. Distress your purse
Music	Loved the pounding and it became more intense and sharp as the play began falling action.
Pub scene	We will redo it We MUST see the MEAT on Annie’s leg.  Keep it a secret and it makes you laugh.  Cut sailor song.  We need to see Maggie carry meat to bar seat.  Cut it up and give some to Len, some to Ellen and Annie as they leave – let’s work with it. More time with Maggie and Len Len focus more on relationship.
Sarnie scene	Drink beer and eat.
Jim	Dream and see it.
Annie and Ellen	When you exit your scene, be in character.
Polly	Take the tag off the knickers Accent lost in laid off scene. Put meat in your knickers in the scene and show them. The audience needs to know about knickers.
Edwin	Great job with maid. People noises with faint and rape scene.
People at barrel scene when ellen comes in about being laid off	FREEZE
Jim	Move stools at the end during slo mo.
Maggie	Different blouse in last scene and let me sew your scarf around neck.
Priscilla	Kick legs Don’t overdo reaction to doctors.
Maggie and Edwin	Will work on scene with MS. Griffis. Must be connected to lantern scene.

February 26

February 26, 2017

Everyone	LISTEN! When new people come in – a new energy Lantern show was not good. More energy – no one has ever seen anything like it.
Woman and Jim	SLOW MO.  That includes rubbing arms. Move as soon as you see Lady H and Edwin begin to exit.
Ellen -	Revert back to original monologue.
Harry	Corrupt – hands all over Annie so we can see the girls angry and that’s why Maggie gives her instructions on the mop. Cheat out Dinner break to girls not exiting. Say sensibilities to audience
Maggie	There is them – consonants – ask Mia And such awful – consonants and lower voice
Kate	We CANNOT see the green bucket – that will cause us to lose. Do I need to get you another bucket? As you enter say who’s her.
Edwin	Audience needs to see you smelling as you enter.  Gag. Touch Becca Be more obvious with playing with Maggie’s hari.
Annie	Don’t block Polly in the beginning
Freezes	Girls freeze during Kate’s story. Decide what line girls freeze on in knickers scene. At the end.
Polly	Lost accent in losing jobs scene – sarnies. Lost accent – are you alright madam
Slo Mo	Opening and middle – no lights on them.
Helena and Arthur	Step on lines
GUT GIRLS	You were screechy in Brown Bear scene. Begin laughing as soon as Lady H and Priscilla have the last line before knickers scene. React to thunder – everyone do something different. Match Kadyn’s intensity but in your character. Cannot hear the girls’ fallen women lines
Jim and Kate	Who is optimistic and who is pessimistic. Be in character as you exit that scene – hold hands giggle. You need to act that you are together.  You also need to flirt in gutting shed.
Arthur Priscilla	Wrench her arm as you bring her in.  Be completely fake when you are with Lady H and Priscilla
Arthur	People in back and in light booth could not hear you. Loved laughing in fight scene LOUDER throughout Do you realize what you’re asking – consonants Louder – several critics said this.
Pris and Helena	Umbrellas
Priscilla	Look at your scenes on the Sunday public performance Use the stairs when you enter Lady H’s house.
Sound	She said to take Jesus home with us – thunder Eveylynn street thunder Beginning of rape scene –louder thunder End of rape scene – louder thunder.
Need	White gloves Magnet Meat Lightbulb on lady H’s desk Tablecloth

 

Contest Information

Parents

This Tuesday, OAP will travel to Post.  Students need to be in my room by 6:30 and get into costume.  Please remind your children as I will that they need to bring all items of clothing and facial hair back to Shallowater.  We will eat lunch then return.  Students will return to their classes.

Please be understanding about rehearsals.  We will be staying later than usual going into District.

Official rehearsal is Monday, March 6.  We go on at 8 and will be finished by 9:30.  Students will return to class.

I need a parent to help with coordinating food and water from now on.  We will need donuts on the sixth as well as water and water on the eighth.  Should we advance, we will need help with snacks on the road. 

CONTEST DAY

On Wednesday, March 8, students will need to be in my room at 8AM.  10AM is the directors’ meeting.  Plays begin promptly at 11.  There are EIGHT!

Muleshoe will be first with Anna in the Tropics

Roosevelt – The Insanity of Mary Girard

Littlefield – As You Like It

Slaton – Nevermore

Shallowater – Gut Girls

Dimmitt – Women of Lockerbie

Friona –Anatomy of Gray

Idalou –Harvey

Awards Ceremony will be between 6:30 and 7. All students must attend the critiques per UIL rules. The critiques will be about 15 minutes per school except for the three advancing plays.

If you have questions, please contact me.  It is an exciting, though nerve wracking time.

Cindy

 

Scott

February 22, 2017

Everyone	NO humming underscoring monologues- no humming at all. LISTEN TO EACH OTHER This will keep you from anticipation. People noises Opening dark –SING GOD SAVE THE QUEEN–– God Save the Queen segues into RED WASH WITH Fell Swoop while everyone is in slow motion. First Arthur and Polly exit. Two bar people exit. Lady H and Lord exit. Len exits. While this is happening. Gut girls begin line with Len exiting.  This should look natural so that it doesn’t look like – It’s my turn to exit. If we are going to say the hat is a turd, we have to have a hat on the ha track. Remember SMELL A fart face NO ONE LOOKS DOWN Feels rehearsed, especially in the first scene. LISTEN TO EACH OTHER. WHO SAYS I DON’T WANT = PAUSE BEFORE THE Accents to the END OF SENTENCES AND WORDS. Don’t be so involved in the accents that you lose the realism. No down inflection with sentences or words. The energy should CHANGE with each scene.  Look at the scenes and decide with actors what energy you should exhibit – has to be done outside of rehearsal. We have to have TENSION (Lou’s “fear”) whenever anything different happens in a scene – especially with upper class. Mob top on either Maggie or Ellen – I think Maggie because the curls would look natural hanging out underneath it.  I will begin making or looking for one. We MUST SEE TENSION IN BODIES.  You cannot act from waist up. Must see time passing in one liners’ scene and in the end. End of the play – we need to see the passage of time.  We need to see the tension in bodies.
SLOW MOTION ALL	At the beginning Scene 20 with Ellen’s lines.  In slow mo, maids direct Len, Jim, Harry moving brown gutting table chairs behind meat. Harry moves barrel and exchanges it with the lamp post. Maggie puts a white table cloth on bar with rose and vase and clean glasses. See if we need more time – adding this to Ellen’s speech D’you need any hands? No, I ain’t had any experience of factory work but I worked down the gutting sheds in Deptford.  I ain’t had a day off sick ever.  I’m a hard worker, honest, you only got to show me what to do, I’ll pick it up, I’m a fast learner.  Please take me on.  Give me a chance. BEAT Oh no, I wouldn’t have nothing to do with Trade Unions. With “Deptford”, Harry motions Jim and Len to take down the red carcass. Annie walks in with please take me on. Kate walks in with give me a chance. Polly walks in with Oh, no I wouldn’t – Priscilla is not there.
HARRY	Much stronger-meaner- with the women. Have different feelings about each one and treat them that way. Have a different objective with each one – abusive with one, humiliate another, sexual with Annie and perhaps another one; sarcastic with another? Noodle arms in the sarnies scene. Be all over Annie. I asked Lou about Scott’s conception of Harry.  Lou said as you know, I LOVED his character.  If anything… he could just take more time as he singles out the women for his demeaning. See tension in your body with last line with Ellen.  You are worried about shed closing and your quota.
Lady H	Hose?
Kate	You anticipated ride you like a gent
Eady	Don’t turn to the audience and hold bread up.
Maggie	Screeching during the rape scene.
Lady H Priscilla maids	Don’t distract going into the apron scene. Stay more in the back of the gutting shed.
Strikers	ARGH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
POLLY	Play with organs knickers
Annie	Watch Fantine in Les Miserables
Helena	What is the purpose of each visit.  Arrogant to softening.  Time for yourselves?  Make discoveries.  I have “no learning” written down and it either refers to you or the girls. Let me know. Bigger Lady H More excitement about your project. You showed exasperation on Wednesday with Polly, but I think moreso – even impatience or snapping at her. Have a different energy with Tartaden as contrasted to Arthur. IMPORTANT Jesus didn’t judge Chain for Annie?
Gut Girls	Sheepgutting sheds – REACT Listen to each other in each scene. This will keep you from anticipation. Rat catcher’s daughter needs energy and DICTION. Energy change when Priscilla and Lady H appear in knickers’ scene. More forceful in scene with fallen women. Falling – we need to see the motivation grow – think it is a BEAT then Maggie Laid off- Ellen get their attention – might say Listen more than once.  Listen BEAT line Bigger contrast among girls in apron scene.  Everyone must have different objectives. How do you feel about this?  Think Polly is okay – Kate work on being different from Annie and Polly.
Len	More flirty.  Moment – what a woman!
Ellen Annie	Ellen, more touched with Annie’s story.  Annie – watch tempo – fight against crying.  I fought him – angry.  How does Annie’s story change you.  Annie should be more stoic with ONE tear – fighting crying and maybe it’s Ellen that is moved to tears.
Ellen	See more levels at the end. Fight being the victim.  We need to see your heart.
Kate and Jim	Be over the top with roles of optimist and pessimist.
Priscilla	Diction – study your performance on Sunday on the blog. I’m afraid if we are spacey, you will be slower again. Need to see posture change with the bruise
Priscilla and Arthur	In private and public, you are extremely afraid of Arthur.  In public, we have to see Arthur controlling Priscilla physically(squeeze her elbow at Lady H’s )and emotionally. We need to see a bigger contrast in Priscilla when he is around. I spoke to Lou this morning.  Concerning Arthur, he says, Arthur is shouting too much.  The quiet/devious/unknown/unexpected/mystery/capable of SURPRISING eruption is far more dangerous and  interesting. See the tension in bodies – no more acting from waist up.  Hear choking and see eyes bug out.
spencer	Let’s work on the bruise
Edwin	Be a bigger jerk. after kissing H's hand, stand behind her and rub her shoulders.