Notes from Dress 1

Dress #1 Done, Tribe!

Thank you all for the incredible focus and flexibility last night. We hit some tempo turbulence with the band early on, but your concentration, professionalism, and teamwork in the music cleanup afterward made a huge difference. We’re in a much stronger spot today because of the work you put in after the run last night, so thank you for that.

As we move into second full dress rehearsal, please take time to read through all notes that apply to you. If you did not review the notes from the Tech runs (and maybe even if you did) review these as well before tonight's run. Many of those notes were not taken, and that just looses us on precious time to fix and polish. If you have any confusion or question, please ask me before our run. This is our last run with just us in the house, so we need to apply these changes ASAP so we can get this opening ready! 

A few overarching notes from yesterday's run:

• Follow the Band. Tempos will shift slightly from night to night, but they set the pace. Keep your ears open, and eyes (when you can) on the conductor and follow their lead.
• Pick up cues! Momentum is everything in this show. Act on the line, not before or after it.
• Volume and text clarity. In songs and lines, make sure your words land. Slow down when needed and support your sound all the way through. Diction! Diction! Diction!
• Health and stamina. We’re at the point where endurance counts as much as precision. Please keep hydrated (with a plastic water bottle which makes no noise when it inevitably gets knocked over), and take care of your voice and bodies. We will aim for a more holistic warm up tonight, but please get whatever you need personally with physical, vocal, or just to a quiet space before runs.
• Quiet backstage. Once you are in the theatre, we are in show mode. Respect the space, the crew, and each other’s focus. There's a lot going on in the room, so keep conversations to the green room, costume hallway etc. Act tonight like there is an audience in the hall, so watch your stage crossings and where you have to go for entrances. 

We’ve come a long way, and the work shows. Our goal tonight is to let the story, humor, and energy shine through without distractions. 

Let’s bring the fire!

Josh

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ALL: Once you are in places, please be quiet. 

ALL: Follow band for tempos. They will probably alter slightly night over night. Well done following later in songs when they were done at, shall we say, different tempos, but the band ultimately sets tempo and we have to follow them. 

ALL: Pump up energy in "Fire". It really sets the tone for the show! 

ALL: Review choreo directions for "power" movements. Extend arms fully to make those clear. This song is all about specificity in motions. 

FULL COMPANY: No metal water bottles back (or on) stage. Multiple fell during the run.

ALL: During We are People Now remember to look at, and discover, the world you are exploring. Look at the leaves, the sky, the clouds, etc. 

SMELLY-BALLS: Overall, pick up cues. You are wanting to give air before many of your lines, remove these gaps. Specifically here less beat before the first "yes" to Chorn. Act on the "yes", or during the "yes, yes, yes" rather than adding beats to react/act through.

TIBLYN: Step forward for "peacemaker" line, we are losing you behind other Tribe members

DUCKER: have the duck prop squirm whenever you are holding/presenting it, as though it is trying to escape. It doesn't need to be a whole thing, but currently the stuffed animal is reading as a dead duck, not as a trapped living duck.

ALL: Great job following the band during "Work to do" even though the tempos were miles off. If such a thing happens in show, you did exactly what you should there and just rolled with it.

JEMILLA: the first "Dawn of our time" really bring the confidence up. I don't know if its music confidence or just following the band, but it's not reading as a leader establishing a statement.

JEMILLA: don't watch Molag before she greets you. Whatever moment you want to have there is good, but you can't see/hear what she's saying until she acknowledges you. 

JEMILLA/MOLAG: Jemilla pick up cue after "Molag the war-master", Molag can keep threatening the band during you line there, you don't need to give her a beat to do the prop work. 

MOLAG: no "mmmmhhmmmms" before "weeellllll" about the lies. Act on the word "well", you don't need to add a pre-beat with the mmmhmmms.

MOLAG: lost "mammoth dung", should have same energy as "bullshit"

CAST & CREW: Do not stand on top of, or let anything cover the lights upstage at the Cyc, we had a couple times were we saw a shadow across the sky, so just be careful when crossing there.

MOLAG: your new exit is the center left isle not the side isle. Go straight up from the thrust's SL stairs (there's light for you there)

JEMILLA: on "mouth is watering" line, allow one beat of either going to your mouth or your stomach, not both.

KEERI: Fantastic squirrel nut collection and death scene! Great energy and the narrative is reading really well!

ZAZZALIL: Great juxtaposition of each of your "don't know what you're talking about" characters. That story is coming along nicely.

ZAZZALIL: line mixup, "these aren't nuts" not "these aren't rocks"

TRIBE: more party at the end of Stone Age. Loving the spinning and cross stage action, allow for more of those (and you can take a touch more time in exiting).

SMELLY-BALLS: quicker pickup for "Impossible" after "Schwoopsie is telling the joke". Pick up that cue.

SCHWOOPSIE: We are loosing the plot of the joke due to speed. Slow down the joke and increase clarity. A number of lines, especially longer lines, during this run were rushed; ensure clarity of line. 

TIBLYN: enter earlier after the joke to catch Chorn without sprinting across stage. Remember you need to play it cool before you say something.

EMBERLY/GRUNT: work the butt smack. It's not currently reading as an actual strike, nor are we hearing the nap. Make sure to rebound with the hand, not swing it across. 

GRUNT: actually touch the bush to take the berry to eat. 

EMBERLY: your volume is swinging a bit on "Just a Taste". It seems to be you are louder when you are more confident, and are shying away when you are less note-confident. It's hard to mix your sound when the volume changes so much, so if you need review of music to keep a more constant volume, please take that time to review. 

TIBLYN: "huge slam on Emberly out of nowhere" bigger, bigger. You are facing upstage, so the delivery needs to be 2x/3x more to read and for the audience to understand what you are saying.

DUCKER: If you cross downstage of Jemilla on "he is lord, duck is lord" you can't block her by her line, so be back SR of her by her "Its not true!" moment.

SCHWOOPSIE: Don't mime attacking Ducker about sleeping in the dry spot. Either attack him or don't. The "attempt" is reading very "Actor ™".

DUCKER: do the whole line of "you don't have the guts" SL of Jemilla, rather than the cross and around. 

SMELLY-BALLS: (as in yesterday's notes) you have to duck when the sky is falling like everyone else. Love the instinct of being able to fight the sky, but the visual of everyone but Chorn dropping there is muddied by Smelly-Balls fighting the sky and undercuts the moment.

DUCKER: Don't go to a kneel for the "all a test" lie. Stand or stay seated, don't go half way.

ZAZZALIL/JEMILLA: Zazz stab the spear all the way behind Jemilla's leg. You were a good foot back last run and it didn't read as even close to making contact. Be more careful and precise. Both of you should not be walking, do the stab, then continue, so you have a marked place to do that motion from.

Issac, Savanna: (as in yesterday's notes) more on stage for spear discussion. You need to be inside the proscenium arch not outside it. 

ZAZZALIL: pick up cue before "Its not dangerous"

TRUNKELL: Remember to wander away from the tree, but don't fully exit. Hide by the cave entrance. 

DANCERS: In The Night Belongs to Snarl, enter from the lobby or up the ramp. You cannot travel to the back up house through the theatre.

DANCERS: In The Night Belongs to Snarl, review counts for second chorus. Leiana's message was everything looks good for the first 8 counts, but then it gets a bit messy until "face each day".

SMELLY-BALLS/CREW: Need the Mic on the Mic stand and brought on for "The Night Belongs to Snarl". Crew should make sure that is powered on, but Quincy, you should also know how to do that and what to check.

Maddie - Enter onto the platform but don't go up the higher stairs for snarl chorus before your solo, then go up to the Mic. Because of that spotlight we are just watching you, so enter it when you want to pull attention (right before your solo).

SMELLY-BALLS: Enter later for your final verse. You don't want to be waiting on stage as though in a line, so walk on at the last moment you can without rushing to get to the Mic stand.

SCHWOOPSIE: Slow down all of your lines in the cave scene. You be bringing the energy, but we are loosing almost every line. 

ZAZZALIL: the spear storage location doesn't seem to be stable with how much the spear keeps falling. Can you find an alternative or a more stable setup.

ZAZZALIL: you don't need to keep the spear behind you when you are talking with Keeri. You just don't want the tribe to see it, but don't have to body block or oddly hold it behind you to accomplish that objective.

TRIBE: remember the cave is cold and cramped. We are getting a bit spacious with how far we can sit apart.  

SMELLY-BALLS: pick up cues in Cave scene. Stop adding internal beats (i.e. before "the joke wasn't really funny", "do my balls even smell"). Start with these lines right when the previous line completes.

TIBLYN: "no one told her the truth" loosing this line

SMELLY-BALLS: stand on "Do my balls even smell". For the reaction the tribe gives you, you need that to be a big line.

JEMILLA: there are 2 crashes of thunder on the first thunder effect. Let them both hit before your line

DUCKER: when you stand on your dry spot, can you not stand higher than the floor of the platform upstage of you. Like hunching down to keep your head from hitting the top of the cave? 1. your out of light when you stand fully, and 2. it can give us a sense of how cramped the cave is.

SCHWOOPSIE: loosing "anything else to live for". Don't let the line fall off.

SMELLY-BALLS: quicker cues at end of scene with "I will go, I will, etc". There is urgency in this scene and that is undercut with the internal beats.

SMELLY-BALLS: Don't yell at Jemilla. You can have a larger voice, but the operative word in that line is "Family" not Jamilla. You are saying Jemilla's name to reassure her, not overpower her.

TRIBE: reintroduce the chattering as you head into the storm. Being worried, etc, talking with one another. The audience shouldn't hear any one of you, but hear a general sentiment of concern/worry/fear.

TRIBE: We've gotten pretty efficient at getting through the stairs in "Into the Night" allow it to go a touch slower. Remember you can't see because it's night. 

ZAZZALIL: smaller first ouch when touching the fire. More surprise than you actually burned your hand.

TRIBE: In Into the Night for the fire dance, less noodle arms. Be sharp and specific with arm movements.

SNARL: Hackles up with more predatory movement in general. Think more how big cats hunt, with stalking, crouching, and pounce. If it's possible, lean/use front paws more as legs than hands.  

ZAZZALIL: great hot and cold searching

TRIBE: Stronger/more confident on the first "This is the Dawn" in Into the Night

TRIBE: Be very specific and together for timing of end gestures in The Night Belongs to Us at "I know we're right, this is our night, to start a brand new life"

TRIBE: Arms come up to chest on "belongs" in the last line"but the night belongs to us, now", some people are waiting until "us" to bring their arms up.

-- INTERMISSION --

ALL: Make sure the audience does not see you before you enter

TRIBE: With those extra 8 beats, you can enter so much slower at top of Climate Change. Don't get to the lines too early (especially if you are in the upstage entrance and have not very far to travel). 

TRIBE: Don't start swaying on "Ooo's" until after Zazzalil has the line "Jemilla's slaves"

TRIBE: Pump up energy when you are seated in Climate Change, it's not reading as chill but rather disinterested. 

TRIBE: Do not block (be downstage of) the center of the deck once the "Work to do" phrase starts in Climate Change. This includes those on the thrust platform. 

CHORN: (as in yesterday's notes) do not touch the fire, just stare at it in wonder. Your alien brain understands that it's hot.

KEERI: approach Zazz during the excuse me. It's odd that we have the distance between you when you're trying to get her attention (my bad, not yours).

DUCKER, SCHWOOPSIE, Issac: talk with your Tribe-mates and get one of them to give you first post Climate Change.

ZAZZALIL/KEERI: Great job picking up the cues post Climate Change and having that energy build before Zazz bans things. Really well done.

ZAZZALIL: "Look Keeri", is a conversational tactic pivot in the line. Allow that to change energy in the line, and use a new tactic after it.

KEERI: "If Jamilla were here" keep energy and volume on that line.

JEMILLA/Duck: allow that scene to take the 10 measures you have. Band can't cut anything so have a full conversation with the duck. 

EMBERLY: go downstage of your keys player (might not be Salem tonight) to hand them fire. They don't know when to turn around, so you can give away your fire when they can see you. Remember this is "in character" not an actor needing to get rid of a prop, as a more "can you hold this for me" energy.

GRUNT: Chat with the keys player (might not be Salem tonight) on how you get rid of that stone. It should be a more "throwing away the trash", then a nice, gentle "here you go", but we'll want to make sure they know what to expect if you toss or drop something to them.

EMBERLY: when looking at "My Penis Touches the Moon" don't overshadow Grunt's punchline with your "going up tooooooo"? Just ask him what this random circle is on the painting.

GRUNT/EMBERLY: This scene can actually have a bit of breath in it. Click our line speed down a touch, and allow yourselves to really act and think your words as you area saying them.

GRUNT/EMBERLY: Paint me is looking really great. Leiana called out complements for the Waltz section! Well done, you two! 

GRUNT: Find a couple more moments to look at Emberly during the song, especially on the solo sections. 

GRUNT: don't forget to look at the painting for a moment before you realize you forgot the eyes

SCHWOOPSIE: Don't mime the light your head on fire bit. Lots of gesticulation there which is not needed. Thanks for pushing it to 11, but I think we need to tone down the standard clowny nature when Schwoopsie isn't actively performing.

ALL: In Ouch My Butt  think a bit more frantic, small movements (self tapping, shaking) about how you would actually move if you were on fire. You are both the people being set on fire, and the flame itself, so think if there's any way to embody that movement of fire in your body.

SCHWOOPSIE/TRIBE: Schwoopsie don't cross downstage of Grunt for the snarl attack. Find a reason to not walk to the cave quite yet, or get ready to walk to the cave rather than bringing your whole SL side with you.

SNARL: we are getting a bit Disney costume, rather than a cat. Allow yourself to prowl more and as close to "on all fours" as is comfortable. When coming after Grunt, you can truly be a cat on the hunt.

KEERI: loosing, "You just shat out fire"

EMBERLY: when you make the fire painting, hold the stone in front of your squat/legs not torso to "hide" your pooping from the audience. 

DUCKER/TRIBE: Allow Ducker to establish how to worship the fire-shitter, and copy him, rather than immediately knowing how to fire shitter praise/duck praise. 

ALL: When running backstage, I can hear your feet. Walk or run quieter.

TIBLYN: Point at Zazzalil during Backfire. You're the only one not doing the "she's a witch" point.

ZAZZALIL: great beat on Molag's "Certain Doom". Well discovered and I love it.

Issac, Anna: BIIIIGGGGG voices. Neither of you have any reinforcement, so strong strong voices as the Kids.

CLAIRE: Cross on "I'll be over there" so you can more naturally get into the intimacy

NICOLE/HAIR: Did we get your hair wet? Can we figure that out if we did not?

NICOLE: "Mollusks" is still not landing right. Use a more "mahl-usks" rather than "mowl-usks" pronunciation. 

NICOLE: Even more on stage before your hair flip.

NICOLE: "Must come diving with me" loosing line because you're facing up stage, just much stronger volume.

JEMILLA: "Sides of the same......I don't even know what". Repeat the phrasing Molag uses for her previous, I don't even know what. The beat is more confusion because we can't use the idiom because Coins haven't been invented yet. So it's like turning to the next page of a book and it's blank.

NEANDERTHALS: this exit is working much better! Thanks for workshopping it!

JEMILLA, ZAZZALIL: Longer kiss. Let it land for the audience. I think this was a 3 second?

JEMILLA, ZAZZALIL: Choreo is still funky in places in "Together", especially when the band uses slower tempo. Please review Choreo and Lyrics. 

JEMILLA, ZAZZALIL: The first two lines of "Together" are in reference to one another, so direct those lines across the stage to keep that invisible rubber band energy.

JEMILLA, ZAZZALIL: Hold hands through the end of the song, don't drop them when you run downstage. Send that energy out to the audience on the last note!

EMBERLY: Start the "drag him by his feet" line earlier

GRUNT: were you okay with the drag in your Costume? Make sure to not have any weight where you have skin touching ground

KEERI: "Can I touch him" bigger

SNARL: more cat like in your standing, probably this means to go lower (or as low as you can with the head)

TRIBE/SNARL: In the cave chase, allow it to be more like a bull-fighting matador than pure chase. Allow snarl to prep, and charge and you can dart out of the way at the last second. It's becoming a bit homogeneous of running around stage, and we are missing the shape. 

SNARL: check rawr cues so you know what you're acting to

SNARL: move to hit your head, and give us a whole spin as your are dizzy, so there's clear storytelling to the audience

JEMILLA/ZAZZALIL: prep the spearhead before standing back up

CHORN: cannot laugh, even if the Tribe is reacting to your makeup. If looking at others is causing you to giggle, look somewhere else. You can always deliver that monologue to the audience if you need to.

CHORN: lost the line "There is no god"

SCHWOOPSIE: Please do not shake your head so strongly during the Chorn monologue. It's pulling attention from the words.

CHORN: Spoken volume for your whole monologue was low. We level your mic on your power belting, so we can't give you much of anything from sound side. 

CHORN: as you head down onto the thrust during the song, keep as SC as feasible. With how dark it's lit, we lose you as you head SR especially towards the top of the song. 

CHORN: In the song Chorn your first "I am Chorn" have a strong "n" at the end. I'm hearing "Chor" which doesn't rhyme with "world was born"

TRUNKELL: Exit with the spears during the party

JEMILLA: Watch your arms on "We got a lot to do" phrase, make sure to fully extend them and energize your hands

DUCKER: extend arms in "ooo" phrase

Platform TRIBE members: stronger arms on the "we gotta make the most of our time here" phrase

Issac: (as in yesterday's notes) more SR during Tiblyn's solo. You're upstaging her due to your silhouette being the only other thing up there.

JEMILLA/ZAZZALIL: startle/jump apart out of kiss in Finale

JEMILLA/ZAZZALIL: On the very last "work to make it" you two are going the wrong direction. I believe it is Left to Right first.