Claire's Vlog from February 23

For reference here is my vlog from Tuesday night's run!

See you tomorrow for our DRESS REHEARSAL!

Claire's Vlog from Feb 16

For easy reference, here is the link to my vlog from the Feb 16 rehearsal!

Middle Musquodoboit Performance Details!

Hi everyone,

We wanted to give you an update on some important details for our performance in Middle Musquodoboit on Sunday, February 28th. This is an exciting opportunity for XYE to showcase our amazing show to another community. We performed at the Musquodoboit Valley Bicentennial Theatre with our show "Free as the Wind" two years ago, and they loved XYE! We can't wait to be back!

Location: Musquodoboit Valley Bicentennial Theatre, 12390 NS-224, Middle Musquodoboit (approx 1 hour drive from downtown Halifax)

Schedule

10:45 am - Arrival at the Theatre
11:00 am - Rehearsal
12:30 pm - Lunch Break
1:15pm - Backstage Call
2:00 pm - Show

To Bring

• a bag lunch 
• all hair/makeup supplies
• any base costume elements (we will transport all of your dresses/skirts etc)
• water bottle
• any sheet music has not yet been turned in

Drives

Please work out carpooling so that everyone has a ride!! We will check in at rehearsal on Tuesday to make sure that everyone is taken care of! 

Tickets

If you have friends in the area, please encourage them to come to the show! Tickets can be purchased through the MVBT website box office - click here!

If you have any questions, please let us know! We are so excited to tour with you this year!!

UPDATED FEB 23 - Blocking for The Bell Sisters

Updated February 23th:

Hey folks! A couple of reminders while you fine tune everything the next couple days:

1. Don't forget to email me when you find the secret word. It could be anywhere! The prize will be delicious!
2. Remember to go over all of the music and blocking, including the easier pieces we solidified earlier in the game - Bandyrowe and Sister Song especially! I've posted the music and blocking in order so you can walk through the show on your own at home. 
3. Know what you are doing with your hair as you'll be expected to be in full costume for Friday's dress rehearsal! See Jordyn's notes here.
4. Memorize the order of the bow at the end of the show. I've posted a list at the bottom of this post. 

Please watch the video of our run through February 23rd. 

The Bell Sisters
**Scene changes are in RED**

Remember that you wear your hats during scenes 1, 2, and 6, and you wear your aprons and NO hats for scenes 3 and 5. 

Also, think about the work we did with our stage voices! Sentences need to be spoken until the very end. We often drop the end of sentences in our every day speaking but on stage, you need to follow through with energy until the end. 

PRE-SET / Scene 1 / Girl of the Branches 1

• table with tablecloth + 3 chairs set up center upstage

Girl of the Branches, Part I

MUSIC

CLICK HERE for an edited recording you can practice with. 

(Part 2 begins at 1:46/bar 87)

Pronunciation: know the difference between húrión and sho-hoo-lo.

• The ú in húrión sounds like "ew." Christina suggested saying "ee" and making your lips into a round "oo"
• the oo in show-hoo-lo is much rounder.

BLOCKING

Formations: There are three different two row formations 

• Begin in a two row "U" formation
• Bar 17 move to two lines
• Bar 20 move to an inverted two line "U"

Arm Movements: there are three different arm movements that happen whenever you sing "Shaw-heen sho, sho hoo lo"

• ALTOS, one hand: bar 3, Your RIGHT hand crosses to the left side of your body palm down, then return to the right side palm up. Then repeat with your LEFT hand at bar 7.
• EVERYONE, both hands: bar 11, both of your hands are moving across your right side to your left, your RIGHT hand on top. When you move it from your left side to your right, your LEFT hand will be on top. Then repeat the motion starting on your left side and your LEFT hand at bar 15.
• Note: your hands are always facing each other.
• EVERYONE, box/cat: bar 18, this is similar to the last motion except your hands are starting from opposite sides. This looks like your making a box or petting a cat. See the video of Claire below. She's mirroring you so do what she is doing, RIGHT hand on top first, then LEFT hand at bar 21.
• EVERYONE, box/cat: RIGHT hand on top at bar 25 and LEFT hand on top at bar 29.

Above is a video of Claire doing the box/cat. Below is a video of you folks doing both formations and arm movement. Make sure you remember where you stand and which hands are used where! 

Scene 2 / Sister Song / Voice on the Wind

• table with tablecloth + 3 chairs set up center upstage
• Sara brings on picnic basket filled with picnic food when she enters

Sister Song

MUSIC

- RAIN rhymes with GAIN: bar 37, 

- Altos your note on bar 41 is different than before, bar 28. make sure you know the difference!

- When you repeat the word HOPE (page 7), make a small break (eighth rest) after each word so it doesn't sound like your singing pope over and over again. 

BLOCKING

When Daisy finishes her last line "Well, at least I have you and Mother to set me straight." stand and move into formation in place by bar 9.

Group Daisy/Claire (Group D): Sopranos, 70% clump stage right
Group Elsie/Anna (Group E): Altos, 70% clump stage left 

Bar 17: Group E step forward 
Bar 22: Group E turn and look to Group D
Bar 26: Group D step forward
Bar 39-41: Daisy and Elsie hold hands, and everyone else holds hand in their groups too. 
Bar 43: Move to two line formation. 

Bar 72: Move to mix scattered formation and make sure you're close to your hand holding bud.
Bar 85: Hold hand with your bud until Christina cuts you off.

After the song, everyone move to the sides (altos stage left/sopranos stage right) and turn your back to the audience. Elsie, Daisy and Mabel will continue with dialogue centre stage. 

Voice on the Wind

At this point, Daisy and Elsie are centre stage and everyone else is facing the back of the stage - altos stage left, sopranos stage right. Once the music picks, Mabel exits.

Cue to turn! When you hear Daisy's line "Can you just imagine?!" sopranos turn with your left shoulder and altos turn with your right shoulder. Sing in these side positions until bar 16.

Bar 17: Claire and Anna move centre stage, everyone else forms a line on either side, until bar 24.

Bar 25: Move to the "V" shape formation with Claire and Anna as the point closest to Christina.

Bar 33: Form a 65% clump behind Claire and Anna. 

Bar 43: Move to the "V" shape formation, but this time Rylee and Rhian will be the centre point for their solos.

Bar 51: Move to a straight line.

Bar 57: Form the 65% clump, Rylee and Rhian will be at the centre of the clump.

Bar 67: Move to a mixed scattered formation. Video below is blocking from bar 33-70.

Bar 83: Move to a straight line.

Bar 95: Move to the "V" formation with Rylee and Rhian at the centre point. Stay here until the end of the piece! 

Scene 3 / Bandyrowe / Girl of the Branches 2

• Sara takes picnic basket/tablecloth/food offstage
• table moves forward several feet//tablecloth put on (Antoinette, Rowan)
• chairs move forward with the table (Rhian, Shalini, Patricia)
• baskets get moved from edge of stage to the table (Sandler, Teagan, Riel)
• tray with lemonade gets moved from edge of stage to table (Claire, Anna)

Scene 3

When Daisy instructs everyone to move:
Stage right: Antoinette, Sandler, Rowan
Centre stage:  Anna, Claire, Shalini, Rhian, Riel
Stage left: Patricia, Sophie, Teagan, Rylee

Bandyrowe

This piece is about the social time between all the girls. You should be looking at one another and interacting in your groups. Think about the last time you did something challenging - were you excited, frustrated, curious? Show it!

Starting positions 

Back row: Sandler and Riel/Rhian 
Middle row: Antoinette/Rylee and Claire/Anna
Front row: Shalini/Sophie and Tegan/Rowan/Patricia

At the measures marked below, you and your partner(s) will move clockwise, or to your right.

- Stay in your beginning positions until measure 41.
- Move on bar 41
- Move on bar 65
- Move on bar 93
- Move on bar 137
- Move on bar 167, stay here until the end of the piece.

The video below begins at bar 89 and illustrates what the movement looks like: 

Girl of the Branches, Part II

**Sopranos, your entrance on bar 122 can be tricky: listen for the alto cue the bar before, “neean nan geyk.”

The beginning of the piece everyone is at centre stage. Bar 94/When you begin to sing is when you move to your two triangles. Make sure you are facing Christina.

 




Soprano triangle, stage right: Antoinette/Rylee, Shalini/Sophie, Teagan/Sandler








Alto triangle, stage left: Rowan/Patricia, Riel/Rhian, Anna/Claire





At the following bars, each partner (inner/outer) will take turns being a runner to get material placed at centre stage to bring back to your group:

          - bar 108: Inner person 
          - bar 115: Outer person
          - bar 122: Inner person
          - bar 129: Outer person
          - pineapple

When you split into 3 parts at bar 136 move to the big triangle - Soprano I and Altos are downstage, closer to Christina. while the Soprano II group is further back - Patricia, you'll be with Rowan.

Girl of the Branches, Part II Blocking Video:

Scene 4

• Claire costume change
• assembled triangles put on edge of stage (Rylee, Sophie, Rhian)
• baskets/tools/trays/lemonade get taken offstage (Sandler, Teagan, Riel)
• table moves to downstage right (Antoinette, Rowan)
• 1 chair move forward with table (Rhian)
• letter/bedroom items placed on table (Rylee, Sophie)
• 2 chairs get taken offstage (Shalini, Patricia)

Scene 5 / Closer to the Flame

• Claire costume change
• letter/bedroom items removed from table, placed in basket on stage (Rylee, Sophie)
• 1 chair moves back against stage (Rhian)
• table moves back against stage (Antoinette, Rowan)
  
  

Scene 5

Beginning of the Scene
Everyone - low chatter before Elsie says her line.

Mary: I'm still finding red threads woven into my stockings! 
Remember to react to her line.

After Closer to the Flame
Alec's line comes from offstage and everyone moves quickly from mixed scattered to stage right.

Eleanor: I can hardly stand it 
Everyone needs to make excited chatter that builds up to your gasps.

All: Fly! Come on!
Everyone moves towards stage left and react to the crash. 

Closer to the Flame

This piece needs a lot of exciting energy at the beginning! Measure 62 is when the energy shifts, your dynamics become quiet, and your emotions become more internal and thoughtful.

Beginning: Spread out to mixed scattered in your sections. Sopranos stage right, Altos stage left.
Bar 13: Switch sides, sopranos to stage left, altos stage right
Bar 21: Move in to a centre clump
Bar 34: Spread back to your original mixed scattered - this means you'll have to cross the stage.
Bar 42: Move back to the centre clump.
Bar 49: Grab your friend's hand.
Bar 61: Let go of your friend's hand.
Bar 62: Spread to your mixed scattered.

Scene 6 / Girl of the Branches 3

• Claire costume change
• table moves to center stage (Antoinette, Rowan)
• a few assembled triangles put on table (Rylee, Sophie)
• small kite model picked up from edge of stage (Anna)
• Sara brings on suitcase when she enters
  
  

Scene 6

You are in Pansy Cottage, like scene 3, but this time you'll be a mixed up "U" formation. 

When Elsie and Daisy begin their dialogue, move to small groups and silently chatter. 








Sara, as Mabel will enter up stage right

When you see Elsie and Daisy's mom, stop "chatting" and turn your attention to the two sisters. 

After the sisters' hug and wave goodbye, everyone wave back then immediately move to a "U" formation while Sara (Mabel) and Claire exit stage left. Claire join the "U" formation to sing Girl of the Branches, Part I Closing Version (see standing order in video below).

Girl of the Branches, Part I, Closing Version

MUSIC

The Closing Version is the same tune as Girl of the Branches Part I, with these exceptions:

- Bar 1-8 will be unison (Part I is just altos but for the Closing Version everyone will sing)
- THEN skip to bar 23-30 and sing music as written.
- THEN repeat bar 23-30, except bar 30 is different for Sop I and Alto II.
        - Soprano I, your last note will be a high E
        - Alto II, you will sing a low A 

BLOCKING

"U" Standing order: 

Rylee, Antoinette, Sandler, Shalini, Sophie, Teagan, Patricia Rowan, Riel, Claire, Anna, Rhian. 

The blocking is similar to Girl of the Branches, Part I, except sopranos now do all of the hand movements with the altos - single right hand, then single left hand, and then the box/cat.

First time around the actions are beautiful and mysterious - imagine the mist rising up in the morning
However, when on the repeat make sure you are standing strong and proud - you made something beautiful together so show that on your faces!

BOWS

1. Full company!
2. Individual group bows
• Group 1: Tegan, Rylee, Sophie
• Group 2: Sandler, Rowan, Antoinette
• Group 3: Shalini, Patricia, Riel
• Group 4: Sara (coming from backstage)
• Group 5: Anna, Claire
3. Jenny 
4. Tech/Matt
5. Full company again

Then divide in half and leave stage quickly!

Claire's Vlog from Feb 9 Rehearsal

Hi everyone,

Check out Claire's vlog from our run at the February 9th rehearsal: https://youtu.be/8gQ_vSc1Gq4

Hair, Makeup, and Footwear Notes from Jordyn

Here are some notes from Jordyn about hair, makeup, and footwear for Bell Sisters:

Hey ladies!

I'll be coming in with the entire cast's wardrobe next week, so it's important everyone has their shoes on at the rehearsal. Additionally, I would recommend everyone wears a white tank top underneath, as some of the blouses are a little see-through. and black leggings or tights. If any of the girls have questions, they can feel free to email me as well: jordynb@gmail.com

Thank you! 

Hair tutorial videos:

A good Gibson Tuck hair tutorial: https://locksofelegance.wordpress.com/2012/12/20/elegant-curly-gibson-tuck-hairstyle/

Pompadore puff hairstyle: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2fireCuKJoY

Claire's Vlog from Feb 2 Rehearsal

Hi everyone,

For your easy reference, here is the link to my rehearsal notes vlog from our partial run on February 2nd!!

Happy practicing!
Claire