If you were absent, please make note of ALL the changes in teal.
Homework Notes:
Alto 2 – check M 11 – 15 in MNIOP
MNIOP – Go through the script (link on the
blog) and your music. Think about your emotional map over the course of this
song.
MY NAME IS OLEMAUN POKIAK (anything in this colour is an update or
change)
M. 1 – 4 (Snowdrift 1) When your part enters, take you
time and “melt” into your snowdrift position
M. 5 – 6 (Snowdrift 2) When your part enters, take your
time and melt into your second position
M. 7 – 9 (Snowdrift 3) When your part enters, melt into
your third position. You will hold this position under the pause in m. 9
M. 10 – 15 Unwinding the snowdrift to come
back to standing tall (when your part enters) Take 4 full beats to achieve
this.
M. 16 – 22 Starting on the downbeat of 16:
Sway gently right to left, three beats going to the right, two to the left. Gaze
should be up and out, slight smile (“I’m so at peace in this beautiful place
where I live.”) On beat 5 of m. 21, come to stillness. Rather than swaying all the way over to the
left on beats 4 & 5, sway back to center.
M. 22 –
Right after the cut-off for the fermata, hold hands.
M 23 – 42 (first time) Hold hands. Move into a ¾ semi-circle (igloo/tent) over the course of
these measures – step-together every two bars (each step on the downbeat).
Right foot, together. Left foot, together. 10 steps in total. Last step is in bar 38
M 39 – People on the ends turn to
face the center
M 45 – 58 – Sway SLOWLY right to left (two bars in each direction) Come
to stillness on the downbeat of 59
M 59 – 62 – Stillness. Release hands on the
downbeat of 62.
M 63 – 67 (first time) Tiny steps backwards on every
beat (People on the end, peel back a little bit to open the circle wider) *People in the back, do these steps on the
spot.
M 63 – 67 (second time –
immediately after the first time) Tiny steps on the spot on every beat
M 68 – 70 – Tiny steps forward on every
beat. Last step on the downbeat of 71.
M. 73 – 76 (first time) When you sing, turn to face the
audience and break the circle. (You should move in a cascade) Remain standing upright
M 23 – 42 (second time) Hold hands with whoever is
closest (with at least one person). Drift back to a scattered formation near
the center of the stage, same step
pattern as before (10 steps total) It’s
very important that this happens more towards the front/center of the stage so
there is room to move backwards later
Drop hands
on M. 42
M 73 – 76 (second time) 1st
– stillness (still holding hands) Entries will be on the stick this time through.
2nd
– Look & lean to the right, small step with right foot – hold this position
through the fermata (still holding hands) Turn on your own entry.
M. 77 – 78 – Slowly drift back to a regular
standing position, slowly release hands as you go (head comes forward
over the last two beats)
M. 79 – 87 – Stillness
M 88 – Right shoulder back & down
M 89 – Left shoulder back & down
(*5 beats)
M 90 – Step back with right foot
M 91 – Step back with left foot (past
right foot)
M 92 – Step right foot to meet left
foot
Make sure to drift to the U right
on M 93
M 93 – 94 – Drift slowly to a standard
spread out U formation. Spread all the way to the edges of the stage.
M 95 – End – Standing still in the U
formation.
SNOWFORMS (anything in this colour is an update or
change)
0” – 20” – Standing in the U
formation.
20” – 50” – Move to scattered
formation. **Alto 2s should be closer to
the back than the Alto 1s**
55” – 1’55” – Starting on the Soprano entry, pivot to face 45˚ toward the downstage
right corner. Arms come up very slowly (as though the balloons are slowly
filling with air). Slowly drift backward towards an upstage left clump (A2s
in the back of the clump, then A1s, then S2s, then S1s in the front). Maintain
a low center of gravity, feet should glide along the floor, and arms should be
engaged (imagine there are balloons under your arms)
On Mauyuk – People in the front row, do a bit
of a lean forward, everyone else clump in behind them (85% - 90% clumped)
2’05 – 3’00”
– Each section splits off from the big clump to form smaller clumps. Soprano 1s
end up downstage right. Soprano 2s end up upstage right (slightly toward the
center). Alto 1s downstage left (slightly toward the center). Alto 2s upstage
left. You should be still by the time
the Sopranos do their descending Qanit line.
Text : “Father, Father, please Father…. Pleeeeease
can I go to school this year?” His answer had not changed. On the first
“Father” – move to two diagonal lines on either side of the stage, in a V
shape. Sopranos stage right, Altos stage left.
3’00” –
3’35” – Remain in the V position throughout. Dialogue back and forth.
Text: “Now
it is nothing but a small pebble.” Pivot into two straight lines across the
back of the stage.
Text: “That is what the outsiders will do to you
at the school.” Pivot into two
straight lines across the back of the stage.
3’35” –
4’40” – Remain in two straight lines.
4’40” –
4’50” – Altos take a large step forward and cross in front while Sopranos cross
behind. Create two diagonal lines (mirror image of 3’00” – 3’35”, Sopranos stage left, Altos
stage right)
5’05” –
5’15” – Move to your position on stage.
Create a channel that runs from upstage left to downstage right, with
Altos on the upstage side and Sopranos on the downstage side. Right foot forward in a lunge, with left
hand reaching back. Left hand is facing toward your left thigh. Altos need to
be very snuggled together in order to fit.
5’15” –
5’45” – Move your body into position and hold.
5’50” –
6’00” – Transition back to standing up straight. Cue is at the same time that Lisa says, “We made our way down the
plank…”
6’00” –
6’15” (first time) –Hold hands.
Create a ¾ semi-circle (similar to the igloo in MNIOP, but with Altos on stage right and Sopranos on stage left)
6’00” –
6’15” (second time) – You will be in the semi-circle
6’25” – End
– Drop hands on “Mau” Drift to the very edges of the stage
(ideally in place by 6’40”) Steps are
not in time, just a slow drift.
TRANSITION
-
Altos drone a low D until “My mother
was silent”.
-
Text cue : It is not too late to
change your mind Olemaun.” Altos refresh the low D. Sopranos tumble the chords
from top to bottom (if your note is on a line, sing the D-based chord; if your
note is in a space, sing the E-based chord) Finish at “…chance to say goodbye”
and then sign the chord and hold until,“A priest approached and they walked
away with him.”
During the
transition after Snowforms, hold in place in the big U
NOVIORI ANI
M 3 – 6 – Sops step forward, Altos go
behind, walk in single file lines past each other to the opposite side of the
stage. Look toward the center. VERY SLOW
WALK
Arrive in
places by the end of Lisa’s text and look forward. (“…My other braid fell to the floor to meet
the first, and I joined the others in their weeping.”)
M 7 – 12 – Two times through and
then break for text.
“There we stood, sobbing in the
humiliation of our discarded hair.” – drop heads to look at the floor.
Break for text: “One of the nuns said something… I
held my breath, scared of what might come next.” On I held my breath, heads up.
M. 13 – 39 – Stand and sing
Break for text: “I hated my new clothes… like a
man shaving his whiskers. The older girls laughed loudly”
I hated my new clothes: Move to 4 row formation, centered
Back row:
Jess, Sara, Talisa, Cat, Nikki, Leah P
Row 3:
Tenille, Makenzie, Sydney, Joanna, Robin, Jenny
Row 2:
Brianna, Leah B., Colleen, Paige, Hayley
Front row:
Kallie, Maria, Zoe, Shila, Carolyn
On the word “snatched”, reach out suddenly with right hand
and then slowly bring it back to your side.
“The older girls laughed loudly” is the cue to start singing and
move (M 40)
M 40 – move to V formation, angled
toward the center. Front
& Back rows move first on M 40, then Second & Third rows move on M 42. Tenille is the apex. In place by M
46. This position will be held until measure 68.
After “How was she to know that she
was buying shaving cream and not toothpaste.” & Chord, move to checkerboard formation
(same 4 lines as before, but very spread out side to side) Once in place, begin
the sniffling sounds. Fade out after
“Sobs also carried through the room.”
M. 70 – 86 – Hold in position
Break for text: “The smile shrank from my face…as
my stockings began to slide down my calves.”
“The smile shrank from my face” – Row 2 & 4 step forward into
the gaps to make a two row formation. Then move to the “desk” formation and
hold for text.
M 90 – 95 Move to the cafeteria table
formation (two sets of lines, facing each other – Sops Stage Right, Altos Stage
Left)
M 96 –On the downbeat, quick snap to
look at Sarain in the center. Inside rows, turn by stepping back with the foot
that is closest to the audience. Outside rows, step forward with upstage foot. Hold the notes in this measure until cued.
M. 97 – 98 – Hold in position
Text cue: “The Raven (swooped
down…)” Turn to
face forward, stay in rows.
M 99 – On the downbeat, lean & tilt
in toward Sarain – what’s Margaret going to do now? (Sops with left foot, Altos
with right foot) Hold the notes in this
measure until cued.
M 100 – 101 – Hold in position
Text cue: “The mush oozed…” Turn to face front, heads down
(trying to hide from trouble)
Text cue: “I knew I was in for
trouble.” Heads
come back up.
M 102 – 109 (first time) – Form a tight double U, hands up on
the backs of the people on either side. Step forward on each note to form a very
tight U around Sarain.
Break for text: “The nuns did their
very best… keeping us in their nests was a money making business.” Hold in place.
M 102 – 109 (second time) – Move to checkerboard formation –
slightly excited energy.
M. 110 – 115 – Hold in position
Text cue: “But the Raven had played
a heartless trick on me…” Stumble-walk back into a large U.
M 116 – Hold in position
Text cue: “The Raven cackled as I
ran to my bed.”
Hold in position
M 118 - Step & lean in toward the center on the third beat
(noviana) (Sydney to Kallie step with right foot, Colleen to Carolyn step with
left foot). The depth
of your lean should come from more bending of knees, rather than pushing your
chest forward. Try to stay in line with the people on either side of you.
Text cue: “It was bad enough” - Return to standing
Text cue: “It wrapped a million
fingers around me and would not let go.”
M 120 – 125 – Lean in toward the center on the
downbeat and then hold.
Text cue: “The next morning…” Return to standing
M. 120 – 125 (second time) – Sydney to Carolyn step forward and
both halves turn and cross to the other side of the stage, forming the U again.
Watch Christina for the cue to
sing while you are walking – look over your shoulder toward the center. In place by the end of text cue: “…a tear escaped my eye. It fell
from my chin onto the scalding iron vat.”
Choir
makes the Tsss sound of the tear. On Christina’s cue.
Text cue: “I had only to await my
chance.” - Final “Vi”
WOMANLY SONG OF GOD
M. 1 – 4 (vamp) Move into 4 pods (Sop 1 Downstage right, Sop 2
Upstage right, Alto 1 Upstage left, Alto 2 Downstage left) Sing first measure 6 times, and then move on to measure 5
M 5 – 8 & M 9-11 (vamp) & M
12 – 17 – Stay in pods
Text cue: “On Sunday, my last day in the
laundry room…” – Turn around
and form a regular U facing upstage.
Text cue: “The Raven (was about to find out
what I was made of…)” – Slow turn
(Sops over left shoulder, Altos over right shoulder)
M 18 – 50 – Hold in position
M 51 Move to 4 line formation in parts, loose lines
Front Row: Carolyn,
Kallie, Zoe, Nikki, Cat, Leah P
2nd Row:
Shila, Maria, Sara, Talisa, Jess
3rd Row:
Brianna, Leah B, Colleen, Joanna, Robin, Jenny
Back Row: Hayley,
Paige, Sydney, Mackenzie, Tenille
M. 51 – 96 – Hold in position
M 59 &
60 – Alto 2 line vamp until Lisa finishes speaking “so long that I missed
breakfast”.
M 96 – Move to a U, very proud body language. Vamp for a very long time.
M 96 – End – Hold in position
NUKAPIANGUAQ
Pod 1 will only happen once before Altos enter.
During the first page
of music (page 4), form the boat shape (See photo)
When Pod 3 enters (top
of page 5) – Move to a two-line formation Pod
3 – no repeat. Cut Pod 4
Altos (Pod
2) Finish your repeat on the third system, second measure. Hold the low b-flat
until Pod 3 finishes.
Silence after Christina cuts off at the end of
Pod 3. Start the Treble 1 solo section
after text: “But my mother didn’t know me.”
Treble I Solo (page 8)
– Move very slowly to double U shape. Hold this shape until the end of the
piece.
After
Treble III Solo (Alto) ends, break for text.
Text cue: “I
was not sure I would ever be able to eat it.” After that, you begin in the
middle of page 8 at quarter note = 108. Sing through to the double bar line and
then stop.
Music
starts again (on Christina’s cue) at the pickup to the 9/8 measure on page 9. There
will be minor pauses after each section for Lisa’s text to finish. Sing through
to the end of the page (NO clapping at the bottom of the page), then go on to
page 11. Vamp the 7/8 measures (WITH clapping) if needed (although it looks as
though that will not be necessary) until cued to move to the War Chant.
