Working for play

Anytime we get to have rehearsal on the stage/in the gym, we have 6 heavy platforms and 2 sets of wooden stairs to move down off the stage and onto the floor.  

It's not a fun job, but I'm thankful there are students who are good workers who just get it done quickly and efficiently.

Today we had our last work day.  We didn't have a lot of work left to do, really.  Some of the guys brought a heavy metal desk up from the basement for the police station scenes. We assembled cardboard moving boxes and taped them together in stacks so they could all be moved quickly and easily as one prop for our U-Move-It offices.  We ModPodge'd a map of Wisconsin to a foam board for a prop. We took all the make up and hair supplies down to the study hall where the cast will get ready for performances. We hole-punched and put the crew scripts into color-coded folders for them to use next week. And we painted the other side of the folding divider lavender for Madame Dubois' home.  It was good to tie up a few more loose ends!

Red Ribbon Week

The junior high is celebrating Red Ribbon Week this week and learning about being drug-free.  They're having spirit days each day. Today was class color day.  Here is most of the 7th grade class wearing their class color--gray. Caeden is 2nd in from the right in the back row.

More play prep

I think I am somewhat of an obsessive person.  I've come to realize this when I take on some kind of project or new thing.  Directing a play seems to be the same.  I pretty much spend every waking moment thinking about it and things I need to do for it.  I haven't been sleeping well for weeks now, and I'll wake up several times each night--every time thinking of something having to do with the play or something that needs done for the play.

Our script is only divided into 2 acts, so several weeks ago I went through and divided it into scenes--12 in the first act, and 3 in the second act.  Then I made a chart showing what pages of the script were for each scene, where each scene takes place, and what characters are in each scene. 

I also made maps of the stage for each scene for the stage crew. For the most part, we're using half of the stage for each scene on stage in the first act.  I included/labeled each piece of scenery and prop that needs set for each scene, as well as the pieces that need removed for each scene.  

I hung all of these up on the wall backstage.  Hopefully they will be helpful to everyone helping with scene changes--especially as they're learning what to move when!

Our friend Shannon has been so kind to offer multiple times to help get things ready for the play. One of our scenes takes place in "The Fabulous Kabuki Room of the Holiday Inn in lovely downtown Peoria," and I've been having trouble coming up with ways to dress the stage. I had seen this divider screen and thought it would work well, though it was too expensive and not big enough.

Shannon built us a divider screen out of wood that was much bigger. This week,  I spent a couple hours on stage during the school day painting it.

I had so much fun painting a Japanese cherry tree!

I'm happy with how it turned out and think it will look nice in our Kabuki room scene.

Rehearsal scenes...

During Act 2, there is a moment when all the murder suspects are gathered together at the police station and the detectives grow frustrated with the case. They decide to open it up to the audience to ask them questions, so the actors need to be prepared to improvise their answers!  We have spent part of a couple rehearsals coming up with questions we think people may ask, and we rehearse these now so they can have some answers planned.  But, we hope folks will be into the show and ask questions of their own too!

SaveSave

Candy cell

Sylvia and Alexis stayed after school today to build their biology project--2 cells, made out of a variety of candies.

I think they did a fantastic job!

Rehearsing with sound

Annah designed this image and poster to put up around the school to advertise the play.

Monday night we started evenings rehearsals, and Mr. W came in to show some students how to set up the sound system.

We put the sound table on the opposite side of they gym from where it has always been for past performances.  I was nervous about it working well since we are using spaces other than the stage itself, but it seems it's going to work out well!

During the work day last week, Sylvia and Briahnna organized the prop cubbies backstage. They labeled each cubby with each character's/person's names and put all of their props in the proper spots.

Sometimes it's a bit tricky to get rehearsal started if a basketball or volleyball has been left in the gym...

This week, we have a couple kids missing from rehearsal because they are attending the FFA National Convention in Indianapolis, so Mrs. Lovitt is filling in for their parts.

For this week, actors are playing audience members when they are not on stage for a scene.

Break-out!

Clearly Canadian

When we were at HyVee last weekend trying to find more of Sylvia's candies for her cell project, we saw an end-cap display we couldn't resist for all its nostalgia...Clearly Canadian! The bottles seem smaller and more expensive than they used to be, but we bought 2 just for old times' sake.  Of course Jeremy had to get harvest peach, and I chose the red raspberry. We cracked them open tonight and I'm pretty sure the kids thought we were crazy when we asked them to take a picture.  

While life is flying by these days, I am once in a while nudged to take a picture while appreciating a moment that is worthy of remembering.

Friday, 10/18/17 @ 8:49pm -- Hanging in my room with my kid, watching FRIENDS

Saturday 10/21/17 @ 8:58pm - Daddy hugs his girl goodnight

Sunday afternoon 10/22/17 - I get to spend the day running around with my husband to 5 different stores to find costumes for a church event and the school play, as well as various candies for Sylvia to build a cell for her Biology project. We hit Farm and Fleet, Goodwill, Meijer, Dollar Tree, and HyVee. We also had a really nice lunch at Logan's.  Great day with my hubs!

Meanwhile, the kids were at Beacon Youth band rehearsal...

Monday 10/23/17 @8:09pm -- These 2 decided to be civilized to each other, relaxing on the couch, ready to watch FRIENDS together.

Tuesday 10/24/17 @7:27am -- The kids have gone to school and left a mess of the bathroom, including used cotton balls on the sink!  Ew!  Like mother, like daughter, I suppose.

I love it all.

Cast photo and rehearsal

We tried to get an all-cast picture today after school, but we were missing 5 people.

We rehearsed our opening scene.

And other parts of Act1, including the tavern scene.

Work Day

There was no school today, but the cast of the play spent the day at the school working.

They physically washed the stage on their hands and knees!

They took all the cans of paint from the stage up to the prop/costume closet and organized all the paint on a bookcase.

They gathered and put together props.

We got costumes together.

And for 2 hours of the day, we rehearsed Act 2!