A FEW HELPFUL TIPS TO REMEMBER:
- Get TONS of rest. Tech week can be exhausting, so try to go to bed as early as you can!
- Drink lots of water. It is easy to forget to drink water, but please stay hydrated!
- Wash your hands often. With 125 + students all in one area, germs can spread rapidly. I want everyone feeling as healthy as possible, so please wash your hands often - especially before you put something into your mouth.
- Bring your homework to work on for all rehearsals this week. There will be down time at rehearsals. After all, you only perform for three minutes, so you will have a lot of time to do your homework in order not to be a late night after rehearsal.
MONDAY:
**NEED PARENT HELP: We are borrowing a platform from Friendship Methodist Church in Wyoming. We currently have about 4 men helping carry this from the church to their trucks, but I have been told it is quite heavy. If you are available to help, please meet over at the church at 6:00 on Monday to help load up. We then need some extra set of hands to help carry the platform up the stairs and help set this up on stage at WMS. After the platform is set up, I also need help hanging a huge backdrop. If you are available to help, please come on over!! If we can get at least 4-6 more adults from 6 - 7:30ish on Monday, we will be able to get this done without taking too much time.
**REHEARSAL extended on Monday. Due to adding in some physical labor to set up the stage, I believe I will need to extend rehearsal to 9:00 on Monday, just in case we do not finish on time.
Please note the schedule now:
5:00 - 7:00: ACT 1
7:00 - 9:00: ACT 2 (please arrive at 6:30)
Some of you may be released early -- please bring a cell phone, just in case. If you have told me about a sports conflict, please just get there as soon as you can on Monday night. You can use all the time that you have in the learning center and green room to practice your act.
**REMEMBER, Tuesday and Wednesday's rehearsal is just one act at a time from 4:30 - 6:30. I will need to leave WMS at 6:30 due to previous commitments, so please be prepared to not stay late on Tuesday/Wednesday.
**STAGE CREW: The stage manager would like to meet with you directly following school until rehearsal begins on Monday. ALL OTHER TALENT WMS PERFORMERS are expected to leave WMS until rehearsal begins at 5:00. Please go home and eat dinner and finish homework. The only students who are allowed in the auditorium before 5:00 are the stage crew. Stage crew, you might want to bring a snack to eat (not in the auditorium) since you have a long night ahead of you.
**CELEBRITY EMCEES: You have an entrance before the band begins to play during the opening of show that I need to block for you. You will come on as your character and paparazzi will take your picture. Please know that you are now in ACT 1, as well (in case you were only in Act 2). You will enter from Stage Right (by the greenroom) and exit Stage Left. You will need to be in your celebrity costume for this.
CAST: I also will be pulling some cast members to be "paparazzi" for the opening scene. If any of you have cameras with a flash that we can use for this, please bring them on Monday. If you are asked to do this, you will need to wear the "I heart WY" tshirts and black bottoms (skirt, pants, leggings, etc).
DIRECTOR'S NOTE: PLEASE READ
- ALL performers are expected to enter from the wings for all entrances and exits. A live video feed will be playing into the green room and learning center, so that all kids will know where we are in the show upstairs. Please pay special attention to the tv, as this is how you will know when it is your turn to go upstairs to perform. Students, please only come upstairs in the wings 2 acts before you perform. Our wing space (the space between the stage and the doors to downstairs) is pretty tiny. Remember, if you can see the audience, they can see you! There will be parent volunteers in the green room, learning center, and in the wings. Please listen to them, as they know the order of the show.
- Please memorize who you are before and after. If you need to refresh your memories, please go to the previous blog posts to view the order. I will also have copies posted up backstage.
- We may have to stop and tweak a few things as we go on Monday, but please be patient. There should be no one in the auditorium Monday - Wednesday. You will be watching from the green room/learning center.
- SET: We will be finalizing the set Monday night, so please know that you might have to work around the adults that are helping. We will be setting up a platform for the band, as well as hanging a Times Square backdrop.
- MICROPHONES: Unless you are singing a solo while playing the piano, or have been practicing with a microphone already in rehearsals, you will probably not be using a microphone. The hanging mics on stage should be enough to help carry your sound. PLEASE PROJET -- remember, you want your fans to hear you all the way in the back row!!
- PROPS: These should be brought in and kept in the green room in a labeled bin (or in the prop shelf in the staircase leading up to the stage). Please plan to leave your props at WMS starting Monday (unless you have already seen me).
- COSTUMES: You need to wear these starting Monday. SO, this week, you will wear your full-out costumes Monday + whatever day you were called (Tuesday/Act 1 and Wednesday/Act 2). You are responsible for your own props and costumes. Please pre-set these (meaning, before the show - you should know where these props are). You would hate to get on stage and be late for an entrance/exit because you forgot your props -- or have to call you parents to ask them to bring it for you since you left it at home. Please know where your costumes and props are at all times.
- LIGHT CUES: Things may feel a bit different, as the stage crew will be tweaking lights and set placement. Please just go with the flow and continue to perform as they play with the lights. We will begin setting lighting cues during Monday's rehearsal, so you may hear my voice while you are performing. Please just continue -- and if I ask you to stop for a second, just freeze where you are (don't talk), as we will be making sure we have the correct lighting for your performance.
Thank you for your enthusiasm! I am having a blast and have enjoyed working with you! This show is certainly a team effort, and for all the new families involved, I am thrilled to have you! Please feel free to introduce yourselves to me. We have a crazy week in front of us, but we can do it!!
Thank you again,
Miss Wilmes
