First order of business for the night was Carl choreographing "Two People in Love" with me and Mary Kate. It's very playful and energetic, and a lot of fun to do. The big challenge for me is breathing; I actually had to sit down for a minute to gather myself. It's a lot of movement with a lot of singing, so I really need to build up some endurance. A minor challenge was to not make it look so choreographed and make it feel more natural and playful.
We spent the rest of the night reviewing and tweaking the songs we've staged already.
Thursday, November 4, 2010
10/9/10 - 13th Rehearsal
Marcus excused me to be a little late for rehearsal so that I could go meet my aunt and the producer offering me the backstage job at the Drama Desk Awards for breakfast. Unfortunately, due to a series of events on the way back to Montevallo, I was later than I intended to be. Upon typing this, I realize that it was my 13th rehearsal, so maybe I should have expected at least a little bad luck!
Nevertheless, as soon as I arrived, rehearsal went well. We worked "Fatherhood Blues," and I worked more on loosening up physically. Letting my hair down definitely helped me get into it mentally. I'll have to take note of it, because my hair's current length definitely won't be here for long!
At the end, we blocked “I Chose Right.” It’s very simple, all revolving around the bus station bench in the scene. What’s special about this, though, is what Marcus wants for the bridge of the song, which is to get completely lost in rock star mode. This feels really good, and absolutely right for the scene.
Nevertheless, as soon as I arrived, rehearsal went well. We worked "Fatherhood Blues," and I worked more on loosening up physically. Letting my hair down definitely helped me get into it mentally. I'll have to take note of it, because my hair's current length definitely won't be here for long!
At the end, we blocked “I Chose Right.” It’s very simple, all revolving around the bus station bench in the scene. What’s special about this, though, is what Marcus wants for the bridge of the song, which is to get completely lost in rock star mode. This feels really good, and absolutely right for the scene.
10/7/10 - 12th rehearsal
Another sing-thru of the show. Everyone is definitely getting more and more comfortable wit their music. Mary Kate and I are definitely on top of ours, which gives us a little more room to play. I'm also finally getting the hang of the rock sound that Marcus is looking for from me. I'm just going to have to keep developing it on my own and find my own way of doing it without causing any vocal harm.
10/4/10 - 11th Rehearsal
Tonight was a clean-up night, reviewing everything we've blocked so far (The Sperm Ballet; "We Start Today;" "Baby, Baby, Baby;" and "Fatherhood Blues"). Still getting notes about loosening up and singing "pretty." I have to keep figuring out how to bring the rocker out of me.
10/2/10 - 10th Rehearsal
Carl Dean is trying to kill us all! ...Okay, not really, but he definitely created one exhausting number!
The only number on the schedule for today was for Carl to choreograph "Fatherhood Blues." First off, Carl had a different take on the staging, so all this called for was us reversing what we had blocked last night, which was easy. We spent the rest of the day staging the song. This is probably one of the hardest dances I've done with Carl as choreographer. It's very lyric-driven and has a lot of '80s and '90s influences; he even managed to work in some Michael Jackson in there! It all culminates in a unified, boy-band finish.
This will be a HUGE challenge for me, because all of my choreography is punk rock-based, complete with head-banging and pulsating. It's so different from the way I'm used to dancing. I have to loosen up or this will be way harder than it has to be.
I did make a breakthrough in one way, though. After singing the song and running the dance over and over again, I finally found the vocal sound that Marcus is looking for. It's a kind of rock growl, less smooth and more gritty. I have to figure out how to do that on command.
The only number on the schedule for today was for Carl to choreograph "Fatherhood Blues." First off, Carl had a different take on the staging, so all this called for was us reversing what we had blocked last night, which was easy. We spent the rest of the day staging the song. This is probably one of the hardest dances I've done with Carl as choreographer. It's very lyric-driven and has a lot of '80s and '90s influences; he even managed to work in some Michael Jackson in there! It all culminates in a unified, boy-band finish.
This will be a HUGE challenge for me, because all of my choreography is punk rock-based, complete with head-banging and pulsating. It's so different from the way I'm used to dancing. I have to loosen up or this will be way harder than it has to be.
I did make a breakthrough in one way, though. After singing the song and running the dance over and over again, I finally found the vocal sound that Marcus is looking for. It's a kind of rock growl, less smooth and more gritty. I have to figure out how to do that on command.
10/1/10 - 9th Rehearsal
Tonight rehearsal plans changed; we're ahead of schedule!
Since work on "Baby, Baby, Baby" went so well the night before, Marcus decided to work on two different scenes. The first was the opening of "We Start Today," which is really like three mini-scenes which introduces us to each of the three couples. Danny and Lizzie are just moving into their below-ground-level apartment; Lizzie folds clothes while I sit composing on my guitar. As I hit a bump in my songwriting, Lizzie gets me to stop and take in the moment, and we sing of how ready we are to start a new life together. Marcus's direction brought up some interesting points. Danny and Lizzie aren't quite at the point Nick and Pam are; there's still a lot about each other that they're figuring out, so while they are crazy about each other, there's still some distance there.
Next we blocked the scene before "Fatherhood Blues." My only part of the scene before the song starts is that I run in in my punk rock costume to tell Nick that I got the job with the band. Not much else happened concerning me. Although Marcus did tell me that we were modeling my costume after the band Gwar. I've never heard of them, so I need to look them up.
Since work on "Baby, Baby, Baby" went so well the night before, Marcus decided to work on two different scenes. The first was the opening of "We Start Today," which is really like three mini-scenes which introduces us to each of the three couples. Danny and Lizzie are just moving into their below-ground-level apartment; Lizzie folds clothes while I sit composing on my guitar. As I hit a bump in my songwriting, Lizzie gets me to stop and take in the moment, and we sing of how ready we are to start a new life together. Marcus's direction brought up some interesting points. Danny and Lizzie aren't quite at the point Nick and Pam are; there's still a lot about each other that they're figuring out, so while they are crazy about each other, there's still some distance there.
Next we blocked the scene before "Fatherhood Blues." My only part of the scene before the song starts is that I run in in my punk rock costume to tell Nick that I got the job with the band. Not much else happened concerning me. Although Marcus did tell me that we were modeling my costume after the band Gwar. I've never heard of them, so I need to look them up.
Monday, October 4, 2010
9/30/10 - 8th Rehearsal
Tonight Carl blocked "Baby, Baby, Baby," so only the three couples were called.
Danny and Lizzie's portion of the song shows them having a picnic, drinking beer out of champagne glasses with a napkin as their picnic blanket. It's another sweet moment of fun and intimacy between the two, preparing themselves before facing the challenges of young parenthood. My main struggle for the night, though, was grasping the rocker/goofball side of Danny in this song. Marcus told me to open up and start playing more with the choices I was making, addressing a concern I had about reverting to stock choices in Career Prep class. This marks the beginning of really finding Danny's personality; what about it is similar to or different from mine? How can I make my performance different than anything I've done before?
Danny and Lizzie's portion of the song shows them having a picnic, drinking beer out of champagne glasses with a napkin as their picnic blanket. It's another sweet moment of fun and intimacy between the two, preparing themselves before facing the challenges of young parenthood. My main struggle for the night, though, was grasping the rocker/goofball side of Danny in this song. Marcus told me to open up and start playing more with the choices I was making, addressing a concern I had about reverting to stock choices in Career Prep class. This marks the beginning of really finding Danny's personality; what about it is similar to or different from mine? How can I make my performance different than anything I've done before?
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