Rehearsal Notes March 6

End of Cancion de jinete

During the scene following Cancion de jinete :

Gallery holds relaxed watching position after Poncia says “dressed in sequins.” Shift energy inward, more interest in what is being said.

Adela: “They are forgiven everything” - Sit back

Amelia: “To be born a woman is the greatest punishment” - Look at one another

Magdalena: “Even our eyes aren’t our own” - Look down

Poncia: “They are turning the corner” - Look straight ahead

Martirio: “No, I’ve heard it other nights” - look at each other

Martirio: “Amelia” - lean forward

Virita Criosa 2 - Video

Mm 1 - 16 Angustias slowly enters (“Where is my photo of Pepe?”). Gallery stands, beginning with the people who are farthest upstage. Direct energy toward the centre of the stage.

Mm 41 - 56 Poncia, Magdalena & Adela enter. Gallery drift to three groups.  

group 1 (Stage Right) : Kallie, Carolyn, Georgia, Leah, Brianna, Rachael

group 2 (upstage centre) : Mackenzie, Paige, Grace, Sydney, Nikki, Joanna

group 3 (Stage Left) : Tenille, Jordyn, Julia, Sara, Talisa, Krystal

Mm 57 - 60 Gallery lean in toward each other, curious about what is happening.

Mm 61 - 72 Bernarda appears behind the screen. Middle group of Gallery split in the centre and join the other two groups. Bernarda choreo. Gallery’s reaction is fearful, holding on to one another.

Mm 73 - 88 Poncia enters with the photo. Bernarda hits Martirio with her stick. Every two measures, starting with measure 73 (then 75, then 77) Gallery makes one move at a time to form a blockade in front of the sisters. There will be 8 moves in total. Look at Bernarda as you move.

Remain where you are for Bernarda’s rant.

Virita Criosa 3 - Video

Mm 9 - 16 (hummed, piano) Move to formation

Mm 89 - 90 Slowly turn heads to look upstage

Mm 91 - 92 Slowly turn heads to look downstage

Mm 93 - 94 Slowly turn heads to look upstage

Mm 95 - 98 Slowly turn back to face centre

Mm 99 - Stillness

100 - 101 Slowly turn to face upstage, connect physically with the people on either side (domino effect starting with Carolyn, Grace & Jessica)

102 - Return to facing centre, drop hands

Mm 103 - 128 Repetitive movement for Altos (begins with a sympathetic feeling, but over the course of the section you lose your empathy for Bernarda) Sopranos shift movements three or four times in the section

Mm 129 - 130 All movement stop, shift gaze to look at Poncia. Keep Christina in your peripheral vision for the cut off.

Rehearsal Notes - February 14

La Luna Asoma

FYI - I have numbered the measures for ease of identifying when choreography happens. I recommend you do the same ;-)

Mm 1 - Martirio & Amelia team enter and meet in the centre, downstage

Mm 6 - Magdalena team stands, Martirio & Amelia teams turn to look. Adela team moves to the chairs that are upstage in the Gallery

Mm 11-12 - Adela enters, and her team joins her. Everyone else turns to look at Adela in her green dress.

Mm 12 - 17 Individual actions in sister teams (see video)

After Mm 17, there is a break for text

After text, come back in with singing at Mm 18.

Mm 18 Adela team moves forward

Mm 19 Magdalena, Martirio & Amelia teams move forward

Mm 20 All teams part to leave space for Servant’s entrance upstage

Mm 21 Excited energy (Pepe is coming!)

End of piece : Scurry to the Gallery (closest available seats), Team Adela stay in place until others are seated and then return to the Gallery

Virita Criosa Part 1 (REPEAT) - Act 1 Scene 5

Mm 1 - 4 Watch Angustias enter

Mm 5 - 8 Angustias team join Angustias, Gallery right hand on heart, left hand on thigh, pushing with both hands

Mm 9 - 12 Gallery lean in, hands crossed on thighs (“Oh, this is interesting…”)

Mm 13 - 16 Gallery shift uncomfortably in seats

Mm 17 - 20 Gallery remains still while Team Angustias has movement

Mm 21 - 24 Bernarda movement score. Gallery grab at one another for support

Mm 25 - 28 Gallery stands

Mm 29 - 32 Scandalized reaction from the Gallery

Mm 33 - 36 Angustias wipes off her makeup, Gallery watches her.

Mm 37 - 40 Poncia crosses to join Angustias. Gallery returns to sitting, team Angustias rejoin Gallery, Sisters remain standing ready to enter.

ACT 2 SCENE 1

While the text is being spoken, Gallery stands one by one to move to two-line formation across the back of the stage.

Las Amarillas

Mm 1 - 4 Focus is on Angustias

Mm 5 - 36 Gallery observes as the sisters do a movement score (yay! musical chairs!)

Mm 37 - 45 Everyone leans in towards Poncia. On the “percolate” section, Gallery can look at one another.

Mm 46 - 50 Gallery leans back to standing, sisters have a movement score

Mm 51 - 59 Gallery fills in the space behind the sisters, walk on the claps. Sisters and Poncia can start clapping in this section.

Mm 60 - 63 Everyone turns to face the audience

Mm 64 - End Everyone turns back to face the centre. Drop hands immediately after the final clap, not too abruptly.

Sorry, no video of Las Amarillas - my iPad was apparently too full to record any more than 30 seconds…. Grrr...

Rehearsal Notes Feb. 7

Homework reminders:

Las Amarillas is to be memorized for next rehearsal (Feb 14th) including clapping

BLOCKING NOTES

End of O Frondens Virga

File into new Gallery positions on the Women’s lines. Back row stay standing behind chairs, front row sit down. Be engaged watchers of the action occurring on stage.

Virita Criosa Part 1 - Video

Mm 1 - 4 Gallery all stand, Bernarda choreo behind the screen. Adela and Amelia are standing.

Mm 5 - 9 Angustias enters from upstage right, Magdalena & Martirio stand

Mm 9 - 12 Angustias’ team forms behind her

Mm 13 - 16 Angustias & team shake head

Mm 17 - 20 Angustias & team right shoulder shrug, right hand presses down

Mm 21 - 24 Angustias & team turn to face stage left

Mm 25 - 28 Angustias & team right shoulder shrug and turn back to face centre. All other sister teams join their sisters.

Mm 29 - 32 All teams react to Bernarda’s anger towards Angustias (hits her with the stick)

Mm 33 - 36 Team Angustias cries. Other teams react to Angustias crying.

Mm 37 - 40 Two steps backward, start on right foot. Downbeat of 37, downbeat of 39.

Cut-off - Bring right foot to join left foot.

On Bernarda’s line, all go into the Gallery. You have returned to being an observer of events. Sit with your sister team. See below :

La Luna Asoma - Video

FYI - I have numbered the measures for ease of identifying when choreography happens. I recommend you do the same ;-)

Mm 1 - Martirio & Amelia team enter and meet in the centre, downstage

Mm 6 - Magdalena team stands, Martirio & Amelia teams turn to look. Adela team moves to the chairs that are upstage in the Gallery

Mm 11-12 - Adela enters, and her team joins her. Everyone else turns to look at Adela in her green dress.

Mm 12 - 17 Individual action in sister teams

After Mm 17, there is a break for text

After text, come back in with singing at Mm 18.

I've also added a new Video for Kyrie because there were so many people missing the first time I recorded it. I've left the other video active as well.

I've created a Bernarda Alba playlist with all of the choreographed pieces in order. You can find it here