Rehearsal Call Times for Saturday 1/31

Rehearsal Call Times for Saturday 1/31

Called @ 9:15a-10a: Darty and Father (1:1)

Called @ 9a-10:15a: Ragan individual w Jonny (2:6, 2:9 Fight Choreo)

 

Called @ 10:30a-12p: Sherry, Cameron, Sabine, Milady, Darty/3M (1:11 Blocking/Choreo)

Called @ 11:30a-1p: 3M, All Males (King play Athos) (except Card and Treville) (1:7 Fight Choreo)

Thank You! 

Kiara Steelhammer

Rehearsal Call Times for Thursday, 1/29

Rehearsal Call Times for Thursday, 1/29

Called @ 6:00p: Darty, Father, Rochefort, Ravanche, Constance, Athos (Fight Call 1:1, 1:3, 1:5 1:7)

Called @ 8:00p: All Males (except Card and Treville) Rochefort, 3 Musketeers, Sabine (Fight Choreo 1:7)

Thank You! 

Kiara Steelhammer

Reminders for Rehearsals

A Few Quick Reminders

This post is to remind everyone about a few rehearsal expectations.

Getting to know your fellow cast mates is a wonderful thing. 

There are back rooms, an alley, and right outside of the front door where that can be accomplished without disturbing the scene work taking place in the rehearsal space. Please be mindful of others and remain respectful by utilizing these areas when not needed for the scene. A stage manager will retrieve you when needed if you are in those locations.

I, Kiara Steelhammer, have a million pencils that can be taken for personal use during rehearsal. It is strongly encouraged that all actors write down blocking and additional notes in their script. 

Now that we are nearing the off book stage of rehearsals, please feel free to call for line. There is nothing to be ashamed about and every actor will do it. Guaranteed. Time is a precious thing so there is no need to apologize or give commentary on a dropped line. Keep it simple and just say line. A stage manager will assist you further.

There is a props table in the back room of Neverland that is full of pros to use. Please use them! Also put them back on the table when your scene work is finished. We can keep better track of what props we need when they are always used in rehearsals.

Equally, if not more important, being on time and arriving for your call. I'm sure we have all heard it before but 15 mins ahead of call is on time and on time is late. Arriving 10-15 mind ahead of your call time assures that you have time to attach swords and gather props needed for rehearsal. It's understandable that things come up but communication is key! 

Thank you for taking the time to read this! I look forward to even more productive rehearsals and good times! 

Kiara Steelhammer

Rehearsal Call Times for Wednesday, 1/28

Rehearsal Call Times for Wednesday, 1/28

Called @ 7:00p: King, Card, Rochefort, Milady, Darty (1:9 Blocking)

All others are not called today! 

Thank You!

Kiara Steelhammer

Rehearsal Call Times for Tuesday, 1/27

Rehearsal Call Times for Tuesday, 1/27

Called @ 6:00p: Darty, Athos (1:7 Fight Choreo)

Called @ 7:00p: Darty, Porthos, Athos, Aramis (1:7 Blocking)

Called @ 8:00p: Aramis, Porthos, Athos, Darty, Kiara, Sherry, Adrian (1:8 Blocking)

Called @ 9:30p: Athos, Aramis, Porthos (1:2 Blocking)

Thank You!

Kiara Steelhammer

Off-Book Followup...

3M:

First, thank you for patience last night!  We saw really strong moments already.  This is one of 4 very challenging scenes in the show and we made it about 3/4, so that is big.  We will finish up tomorrow and clean next week and following.

Following up on the discussion last night concerning "off book".  The challenges of any show, but particularly a show like this, is the physicality. As you can see in Scene 5 blocking, there are a lot of very specific movements and timing challenges and your ability to remain line consistent in rehearsal is important for the cadence and rhythm of everyone in the scene.  Theatre is a teamsport! 

It will makes our rehearsals move smoother if you can get out of your scripts as quickly as possible.  I fully expect our phenom Stage Manager(s) to help you and provide lines for an unplanned pause or on your que.   I suggest you try to be out of your script/off-book by the next run of the scene.  I am not expecting perfection by any stretch--but a big win for us would be you to not have your script on stage.   As a general rule, if you comfortably memorized 80%+of your lines for a specific scene, leave the script offstage and call for lines.  

btw: Contrary to the rumour...there are no "punishments" or "wrath" of Stephanie, Michael or Kiara for not being off book! We are thrilled to see are actors already 80-90% off book, so I would expect positive pressure to motivate you.  The bigger challenges will come as we load more scenes :-).

Notes: 

-If a combat/sword scene calls for lines, you should be off book before your first choreography session for that specific sword fight.  Just easier to work. 

-We will start providing specific line notes next week.

-When not in the scene, feel free to work lines with actors in the extra room.

-Review your lines before every rehearsal, if you think you are off book.  It will help when you have to save a dropped line as well.   Some of the most success actors I know, review lines before each show as well, no matter how confident they are. 

-If you cannot give your line, pause one beat and call for the line by only saying "Line". Please don't pause for an excessive time, stop the scene with commentary about missing the line, etc, drop character and panic or get down on yourself.  It will come together if you stay vigilant on your daily line work.  Acting is hard work--especially for part-timers. This is why we rehearse. It's all good :-).  

Thanks Guys and Gals...See you tomorrow!
-Michael

Musketeer Previews at Lone Star College

Previews at Lone Star University Park

Great news!  Lone Star College-University Park  is interested in having us come out and perform a few scenes from the show on the week of March 2.  

The goal is two-fold:

• Promote our show!
• The college can promote their new theatre department.

We'd be performing these scenes during a weekday afternoon.  Please fill in this two-question survey so that we can see which actors are available and determine which scenes we could do.  

https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/HNHKBNR

This is NOT required, as it's during day-time hours and isn't what you committed to. This is completely extra-curricular!

Tickets on Sale to General Public

Tickets went on sale to the general public today. 

Translation:  Your friends and family no longer are getting "early" chance at seats...so they should get tickets now!

Once you turn in your ticket orders to me, please ensure that you put the email address of the person purchasing the tickets on the form. This will ensure that the emailed ticket confirmations will go straight to their personal inbox. They will receive these confirmations within a week of you turning in the order to me.

ALL FOR ONE!

Rehearsals and Schedule Once We Open

Team,
Once we open, we will hold a pick-up rehearsal each Thursday evening. The content of this rehearsal is the director's choice.

We also have a possible show run (NOT for the public, but for the Community Impact Newspaper customers) on Thursday evening, March 26. This would normally be a rehearsal and a run-through, so it's STILL going to be that, but with costumes and a potential audience.

Let me know if you have any questions.  

Costume Updates

A couple of notes regarding costumes.

Costume Pieces from Home
If any of you have boots/gloves/belts/frogs/hats, etc. that you'd like to consider to be used in the show, please toss them into your trunk and let's get a firm decision on whether we'll use them or not. Thank you to all who have offered. 

We will be doing an inventory of such items over the next week to determine what is missing. It is important that you start rehearsing (especially sword fighting) in the shoes you'll actually wear in the show, so this is priority. 

Purchasing Costume Pieces
I know many of you love to own some of these pieces, as you perform at venues that require such.  That's wonderful! If you are going to buy a piece for yourself and want to wear it in the show, please send a link to Amber Stepanik (astepanik@gmail.com) prior to purchasing to get approval for it.

Corsets
Here are two links to purchase a corset. If this creates a financial burden for you, please let Amber know. astepanik@gmail.com

• Option 1
• Option 2

Thanks, team!
Julie

Show Schedule

SHOW DATES:

Shows are "normally" every Friday at 7:30pm, Saturday at 7:30pm and Sunday at 3pm.  However, for Easter weekend, the Sunday matinee will  move to Saturday at 3pm, thus a double on that day.

SCHEDULE:
Friday, March 20 - 7:30pm
Saturday, March 21 - 7:30pm
Sunday, March 22 - 3:00pm

Friday, March 27 - 7:30pm
Saturday, March 28 - 7:30pm
Sunday, March 29 - 3:00pm

Friday, April 3 - 7:30pm
Saturday, April 4 - 3:00pm
Saturday, April 4 - 7:30pm

Friday, April 10 - 7:30pm
Saturday, April 11 - 7:30pm
Sunday, April 12 - 3:00pm

Patrons may purchase tickets through you and save $2 discount plus $3 online processing fees.  Use the form in the right sidebar and you must collect cash or checks. 

Alternatively, they may purchase directly via our website. 

Your System of Wants...

Hello Everyone,

Happy MLK day!   I was reading an excerpt from a well known director this morning and I thought about 3M.  Many of you have heard the following before from school, workshops, readings, but I always think it is good to hear it again and again, especially after being cast in a show.  It is back to the basics moment and a good review for everyone.

The challenge with this specific show is quickly developing your character.  Your mission is to establish your own character and surprise or unset the audience from their preconceived notion (especially with 3M).

To do this, we need you to develop your character's system of wants, also known as objectives.  I prefer system of wants, because it is more primitive and actable imho.  My role is to help you find these, so I will frequently refer to this by asking questions, chatting about your character's wants, spine, desires (all known as objectives). Establishing your character's system of wants will help you experience a character's feelings rather than just indicating them.  Wants: create drama, give life to a character, are perpetual, cause the action, create conflict and are the very energy of your character.  

William Ball insists that "the art of acting is your ability to sustain a character's inner life experiences."

To experience your character's inner life, your wants:

1. Should be ongoing--expressed in a verb that is actable for 5-10 minutes (this is a good rule of thumb).
2. Should have a receiver (the character you are speaking to typically in that scene)
3. Should have a desired response (what do you want from that person in that scene or line).

Example:
I want father to reassure me that I will be a great musketeer!

• Father (receiver of your want/desire)
• reassure (want/actable verb)  
• I will be a great musketeer (desired response).

Move through your script line by line and write down your want in terms of an actable/sustainable verb and desired outcome for each line.

Be relentless and obsessive in your quest for character's systems of wants line by line, scene by scene, moment by moment on stage.  No offense to anyone ;-), but the audience is not paying to see you Cole, Morgan and Jonathan, they are paying to see d' Artagnan, Sabine and Buckingham!  

I invite you, give you permission, grant you right of way to come to each rehearsal to take risks and play with your character's wants, as long as you do not rehearse as Mark, Sherry and Kiara (for illustration), rather Richelieu, Mother Superior and Elise.  If you are having conflict over this, I can help you.  If you are unsure, take a risk and let's see what happens.  If you are confused, get with me before or after rehearsal and let's talk it through.  In a few cases, I will give you exactly what I want you to do or we will work together to change your character's wants.  That said, there will be many instances when I will ask you probing questions for you to find your character's wants.  There will be times that I will want a specific blocking or a line on a specific beat, but I need you to "have a take" on stage at all times on your want/desire and verbs.

See you tonight and thank you for the vine!

Cheers,

Michael.

Ticket Form Updated!

Team,

Please notice the link at the right should render the proper ticket form. Please note that Easter weekend has no Easter Day show but that we do have two shows on that Saturday. 

Get selling!

January Schedule is Up!

Team,

See sidebar for current rehearsal schedule through January.  If your character is not called on a certain day/night, please don't make solid plans on top of those days, even though you're currently listed as "off."  This schedule will change.

We are always in "Neverland" down the strip center, unless otherwise noted on the schedule.

Below, where it reads 1:6, that means Act 1, Scene 6. We will continue to use this format for listing what will be worked.

Saturday rehearsal:

Saturday, 1/17

Read Through 1:6 Sword Camp

9-11am 1115am-1245pm Red Room - King, Queen, Cardinal Constance (Kiara read), Rochefort (can join later), King’s valet (TBD) 1115am-1pm – All Males , Stephanie O, Cameron C, Sherry R

First Rehearsal/Meeting! Thursday's Schedule

Team,
We'll see all of you tomorrow.  Please wear warm clothes as we'll be down the strip center in a "rollover" space that we have. The heating is "spotty."

If any of you can arrive earlier (6pm or so) to start on headshots, that would be amazing, but not required.  Be patient with us for a couple of hours, as a lot will be going on...but it will be fun!

Headshots:  Remember to wear a solid color and a smile!
Scripts: Scripts are in and may be picked up this evening until 7pm or tomorrow during the day after 11am.  Text Bethany Morgan, Assistant Stage Manager, to ensure that she's there before you go.  917-832-4163

We won't block, but will hopefully get through some reading of the script.  

Tomorrow I'll get up rehearsal schedule for the next week. Stay tuned. 

Scheduling Survey - Please Take ASAP

Gang,

Please go here and take the new survey ASAP for scheduling: 

https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/XL7TZ8X

Thank you.

Media Night: Thursday, January 15

Team,
Mark your calendars for Thursday, January 15th.  The following are requested to be at the theatre at the following times:

5:15pm for promo shots with costumes:
D'Artagnan - Cole
Three Musketeers - Manny, Jordan & Jared

6:00pm for interviews (some of the marketing team will be here to ask you about your characters):
Michael Montgomery
Jonny Ringo
Sabine - Morgan Montgomery
Miledy - Ragan Richardson
Constance - Kristen Malisewski

7:00pm-9:00pm Cast meeting and headshots
All are called (including production team) for headshots.  These will be used in our playbill (a black & white version), but you will have the option to purchase the shots in color from our photographer at a very reasonable price.  Wear solid colors, as patterns don't photograph well.

After we get the shots wrapped up, we will start our cast meeting. You may have some downtime waiting for your headshot/waiting for the meeting to start, etc.  We hope we can use this time to start to get to know one another.

More info coming shortly!
Jules