Notes for February 9th

A few important reminders
- Next week we will be in the sanctuary.
- The Tuesday after our show, March 1st, will be our last day of XYE for the year. We'll have a sweet cast party (everyone bring snacks if you can!) and discuss the future!! Please remember to put it in your calendars :)
- Remember to sell your tickets! I'll have more on Tuesday if you need them.

HOMEWORK

1. You're scheduled to be completely off book next week - music, blocking, and script! This is BRING IT week, so really dig in. We will be doing our first full run Tuesday. Exciting!
2. Remember to memorize Girl of the Branches Closing Version including the changes to the final chord, noted below.

MUSIC

Girl of the Branches Closing Version

Bar 30: Final Chords Notes
Soprano 1: high E
Soprano 2: A
Alto 1: E
Alto 2: low A

Voice on the Wind

Sopranos: 
- Change "wind" to an "oo" on bar 79

Closer to the Flame

Altos:
- Make sure you are singing unison up until bar 10
- Sing unison with sopranos on bar 62

BLOCKING

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 Five Notes

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.


Scene Three Notes

A reminder for Stage Prop Movers:
- After Voice on the Wind finishes we need to move the table and chairs forward and centre stage

Prop removers
Riel: table ***new***
Rylee: table
Antoinette: chair
Anna: chair
Rowan: chair

Notes for February 2nd

TICKET INFO

Ticket prices:
Adults $15
Student $10

Most of you received an envelope with 5 tickets for our Saturday, February 27th show - Rhian, I'll get yours to you next Tuesday! I will need all of the money and unsold tickets by Tuesday, February 23rd at the latest, but you can bring ticket money to any rehearsal up until then - it will be collected before rehearsal or during break. I will bring extra tickets to rehearsal if you need more!

HOMEWORK

1. All music and music blocking should now be memorized! Keep at it! 
2. Scene 4 needs to be memorized for Tuesday.
3. Make sure you have the new Girl of the Branches Closing Version written in your script. See the notes below if you were absent. 

MUSIC

Girl of the Branches Part I - Closing Version!

**NEW** The END of the show is the same tune as Girl of the Branches Part 1. 
It goes like this:

- Bar 1-8 will be unison (usually just altos but for this 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 

Girl of the Branches Part II

**NEW** The solo line, bar 87-93, will be EVERYONE in unison! :)

BLOCKING

Girl of the Branches Part II

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

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. 

Girl of the Branches, Part II Blocking Video:

Mi.Mu gloves!

Notes for January 26th

HOMEWORK

1. Memorize Voice on the Wind. Sopranos I sent an audio file of your part in the email, please download and listen.
2. Memorize the rest of Scene 3. This means everything up until Scene 4 (page 6) is now memorized. 
3. If you were not at rehearsal, please review the blocking for both Scene 3 and Bandyrowe I've posted below.

Scene 3

• Rhian, Patricia and Shalini, you have the longest time without lines in this scene so think of some blocking you can incorporate. Claire will discuss more next week.
• Claire and Anna, after Elsie's line "Hello everyone, my names Elsie..." on page 5, walk to the stage right group and then stage left group. Groups should react negatively towards Daisy while Elsie tries to smooth things over. 

after Bandyrowe

• Claire and Anna will immediately go centre stage and everyone else move behind and to the sides.
• Sophie, your line, "So what is Mr. Bell's invention?..." happens immediately after Bandyrowe is finished. 
• Anna, you will have a prop to hold and show the other girls during your line on page 5, "Well, it will be many small kites..."
• Anna, you also have a change in your line on page 5-6: "Well, it will be many small kites and they are a special type of kite, called a tetrahedron. It's the special remarkable way Papa will put them together..."

Bandyrowe Blocking

There are two big changes: 

1. You will be moving less frequently so if you weren't here please make notes in your music.
2. The energy needs to change. Rather than this being about Elsie's loneliness  it's about the social time between all the girls instead. You should be looking at one another and interacting in your groups.

Starting positions (know your partners!)
Back row: Sandler/Sara 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 begins at bar 89 and illustrates what the movement looks like: 

Good luck on your exams if you've got them!

Notes for January 19th

HOMEWORK

1. Memorize Girl of the Branches: Part 2
2. Memorize Script: Beginning up until Bandyrowe
3. Learn Voice on the Wind. Listen to the mp3 I attached to the email, know which parts you are singing, and have the notes as solid as you can for next week. CLICK HERE  for the video if you can't use the mp3 file.
4. Spend some time every day on the rest of the music and blocking so we don't lose momentum! 

Reminder
Here is a break down of the voice parts for Voice on the Wind. Please make of note on your score when your part changes.

• Bar 1-14 is in unison and bar 15 is a 3 part split.
• Bar 17-23 is a 2 part split.
• Bar 24-42 is a 3 part split.
• Bar 43-82:
• Top line: Rylee
• Middle line: Rhian
• Bottom line: 2 part alto/soprano split
• Bar 83-94 everyone sings the same notes until bar 94:
• Soprano 1: Top D#
• Soprano 2: B
• Alto: F#
• Rhian and Anna: low G#
• Bar 95 to the end is the same split as bar 43-82.

***It would be really helpful to practice the movement while you are learning the music. 

BLOCKING

Voice on the Wind - Scene 3

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.

Beginning: When Jenny plays her piano introduction: 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 Blocking

***After Voice on the Wind finishes we need to move the table and chairs forward and centre stage***

Prop removers:
Sara: table
Rylee: table
Antoinette: chair
Anna: chair
Rowan: chair

Beginning of Scene: 
Daisy/Elsie are behind the table and everyone else gathers around on either side.

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


Happy Practicing!

Notes for January 12th

IMPORTANT: Plan ahead! Exams are coming up, so this is a great week to dig into your music and the script before life gets hectic. 

HOMEWORK 

1. Make sure you have all of the changes written in your script - your lines or your cue lines may have changed!
2. Sister Song music and blocking needs to be memorized this week. 
3. Girl of the Branches: Part II (bar 87-165) music needs to be super solid.
4. Familiarize yourself with the new script. Know your characters intentions - what is their personality, how do they move around the space, how do they interact with others?

Also:

• Closer to the Flame (music), Girl of the Branches: Part I (music and blocking), and Bandyrowe (music and blocking) are already memorized so make sure you still have them in your brain.
• CLICK HERE to watch Voice on the Wind a few times this week.

CHANGES TO THE SCRIPT

(Changes are in red)

PAGE 4/5:

• Teagan/Ada has new lines and Sophie/Frannie's line has changed.

Ada: I can’t believe how much stuff there is in Pansy Cottage! Elsie and Daisy must never be able to concentrate on their studies with all of the fun they could be having in here.

Ada: {to her sisters} Don’t you pay attention to all this. We’re here because Mother told us we had to use our weekends to help on the estate as the Bells see fit. She is rightly concerned that we earn the opportunity to be hired here if we don’t get accepted to Teacher’s College.

Hattie: I don’t think it would be so fun to be Mr. Bell’s daughter. What a strange life they have.

Frannie: Ada, why do you always have make everything about work?

PAGE 5:

• Sandler/Phyllis has a new line.

Phyllis: What on earth for?

PAGE 7:

• Rowan/Eleanor has a new line

Eleanor: It’s only thanks to your instruction, Elsie.

PAGE 9:

• Antoinette/Cecilia has a new line.

Cecilia: Yes, it really isn’t so tragic. And we’re really good at making triangles now!

PAGE 9:

• Claire/Daisy's line has changed

Daisy: Frannie and Cecilia, will you make sure that everyone keeps coming to make Papa’s triangles once Elsie leaves for Washington in the fall?

Frannie and Cecilia: Of course, yes.

BLOCKING NOTES

Girl of the Branches: Part 1 ---- Sister Song ---- Bandyrowe

GIRL OF THE BRANCHES: PART 1

CLICK HERE for an edited recording you can practice with. 

(Part 2 begins at 1:46/bar 87, Part 3 begins at 4:29/bar 167)

CLICK HERE for more specific notes on pronunciation and blocking. Work on the various hand gestures and facing forward with confidence!

There will be a soft lighting change while everyone goes to sit in their positions. 

• Mother, Elsie, and Daisy centre stage on chairs. 
• Everyone else, sitting, spread out in a line on either side: sopranos stage right, altos stage left

Remember: Everyone, for the most part, will be wearing dresses. Think of how you'll be sitting wearing a dress, and then how you will get to a standing position.

SISTER SONG

(See below for music notes)

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. **Sara will be holding hands with Tegan and Sandler.
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. 

SISTER SONG MUSIC

Remember:

• 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. 

BANDYROWE

Please review blocking! It will change a bit because of the characters but remember how you move. 

and for getting this far....

Important Dates/Snack Schedule for 2016!!

Happy New Year Everyone!!

Similar to last term snacks are divided by our three-part sections and it's your responsibility to remember when it's your turn.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

January 5th: Soprano 1 Snack

January 12th: Soprano 2 Snack

January 19th: Alto Snack

January 26th: Soprano 1 Snack

February 2nd: Soprano 2 Snack

February 9th: Alto Snack

February 16th: Soprano 1 Snack

February 23rd: Soprano 2 Snack

February 26th: Alto Snack
                         Dress Rehearsal, 6:00pm

February 27th: Dress Rehearsal, 1:00pm
                         Bell Sisters Show #1 Halifax 6:00pm

February 28th: Bell Sisters Show #2 Middle Musquodoboit, 1:00pm



As per usual, here's your prize for checking the blog! You may even recognize one, or two, or all of the people ;)

Notes for Tuesday, December 8th

This blog has homework, videos, audition information, and the finalized casting list for The Bell Sisters!

Remember!! Next week we will be finishing our rehearsal early to have a little holiday party. CLICK HERE for the GoogleDoc where you can start organizing our Holiday party food list.

Music for The Bell Sisters

***Please email Kallie if you don't have any of the following pieces. I've noted which pieces we have memorized already and keep practicing your JULIA CHILD singing! 

• Girl of the Branches, Part 1 - memorized
• Sister Song
• Voice on the Wind
• Bandyrowe - memorized
• Girl of the Branches, Part 2
• Closer to the Flame - memorized
• Girl of the Branches, Part 3

Homework for this Tuesday:

• Please review the blocking video for Girl of the Branches, Part 1 that I've posted below. CLICK HERE for more of the blocking and music notes that were posted a few months ago.

• There will be Voice on the Wind auditions this Tuesday, December 8th. Please look over the music and watch the video below.

Casting for The Bell Sisters

CHARACTER	SINGER CAST	CHARACTER DESCRIPTION
Elsie	Anna	Elder Bell sister; previously institutionalized for poor health; shy
Daisy	Claire	Younger Bell sister; outgoing, adventurous, occasionally brash, un-self-aware
Ruth	Shalini	Cousin to Elsie and Daisy; younger; earnest
Cora	Patricia	Cousin to Elsie and Daisy; younger; flighty
Mary	Rhian	Cousin to Elsie and Daisy; peer; funny
Vera	Riel	Cousin to Elsie and Daisy; older; already presented in high society; very concerned with appearances
Phyllis	Sandler	Daughter of Baddeck socialite; sister to Eleanor; snobby, know-it-all
Eleanor	Rowan	Daughter of Baddeck socialite; sister to Phyllis; naive, enthusiastic
Pearl	Sarah	Daughter of Baddeck socialite; sister to Cecilia; curious, refined
Cecilia	Antoinette	Daughter of Baddeck socialite; sister to Pearl; artistic, imaginative
Ada	Teagan	Daughter to Bell grounds worker; eldest sister to Hattie, Gertrude, and Frannie; practical, no-nonsense
Hattie	Rylee	Daughter to Bell grounds worker; second eldest sister; pessimistic
Gertrude	Rory	Daughter to Bell grounds worker; third sister; quiet, sparkly, imaginative, creative
Frannie	Sophie	Daughter to Bell grounds worker; youngest sister; lofty goals, dismissive of her parents

I know it's that time of year where you may feel overwhelmed and stressed. Sometimes you just have to take a second to breathe and remember the things you love. Leah from XCTE shared this video on her Facebook and it reminded me that it's good to put your earphones in, close your eyes, and just listen.