XaraBlog

Monday, April 6, 2015

Fatty Legs Script with Choir Choreo Cues

Hi everyone,

I have made a duplicate script document that includes choir choreography cues highlighted in pink. This is just meant as a helpful reference for Sarain, as well as for singers who want to double check when particular choreography moments happen.

To view the script, click here.

Saturday, April 4, 2015

Fatty Legs Tour Update!

Hi everyone!!

I wanted to give you an update on the tour schedule and details. There are still a number of things that are in flux as we have venues that haven't confirmed yet. We appreciate your patience while we sort out these details!!

Personnel

First of all, we believe we have solidified the touring personnel and unless there are any major changes with venues, you should consider this the "final" roster. You can view the roster by clicking here.

One major change you'll notice is that Nikki will be singing A1b for the tour only. This is a HUGE thing but we are immensely grateful to her because we had no other A1bs who were able to commit to the whole tour. THANK YOU SO MUCH NIKKI!! Everyone please give her major props!!! She will be singing A2b for the Halifax performances and then switching to A1b for the tour only.

Schedule

I will be able to give you a concrete update with tour venues once I have confirmation from a few remaining venues, but here is the basic sketch of the tour:

May 3: Rehearsal in Halifax
May 4-10: Shows outside of HRM (Cape Breton, NB, PEI)
May 11: Shows in Wolfville (leaving Halifax in the morning, driving home at night)
May 12 -13: Shows at HRM schools

So as you can see, if you are doing the first week of the tour, it will be an "away" week and we will be sleeping out of town each night. You will receive a detailed itinerary closer to the tour.

Driving

We have 19 people on tour for the first week when we will be doing the majority of the driving. If you have access to a car and are able to drive for the entire week (May 4-10 inclusive), please send me an email or a Facebook message to let me know. We will be helping to offset gas costs for those who are driving (more specific details about that to come).

Accommodations

We will be billeting for all nights that we are sleeping away. If you have family or friends in any of the following areas who you think might be able to host Xara singers while we are on the road, could you please check in with them and then let me know via email or Facebook message?

Sydney, Cape Breton
Saint John, New Brunswick
PEI (specific areas to follow, we are still locking down venues there)

Billets would have to provide sleeping accommodations, showers and clean towels, and breakfast each morning we are staying there. I will be circulating further info regarding billets once we are 100% confirmed with venues.

If you have any questions about the tour, please feel free to reach out to me. This is a huge project but I am SO EXCITED and all our venues are really excited too. We are going to reach thousands of school children with this tour, plus all our public audiences. Get ready to spread the XaraLove far and wide!!!!!

Thursday, April 2, 2015

Notes for Monday April 6

Hi everyone,

Great work on Sunday! We are getting one step closer every week!!! Here are some notes for our rehearsal this coming MONDAY April 6, 1:15-5:30 pm.

Location: We will be rehearsing at Bethany United Church, 7171 Clinton Ave. Please enter through the doors off the Clinton Ave. parking lot.

Schedule:

1:15 Physical Warm-up
1:25 Vocal Warm-up
1:35 Blocking Notes & Fixes
2:35 Run MNIOP + Snowforms + Noviori Ani
3:15 Break
3:30 Notes
4:00 Music/Text work only + Nuka music/text

Alto 1s are on snack this week!

Please make sure to inform myself, Erin, and Christina if you are not able to be present for all or part of this Monday's rehearsal via EMAIL. If you responded that you couldn't come when we did the Facebook poll, that doesn't count as letting us know!

Memorization:
Due to all the snowstorms as well as the complexity of the show, our memorization schedule has been pretty fluid the last few weeks. However, we now all need to put in a big effort to make sure the show is totally off book. The deadline for singers to have all music, blocking, and cues memorized is Sunday April 12th. We're going to be running the full show that day in the space for our lighting designer Matt, so we want it to be SUPER SOLID. That will give us two more rehearsals to tweak and refine, rather than doing any actual revision work on music or blocking.

Monday, March 30, 2015

Updated Choreo & Videos (March 29th)

Anything in this colour is an update or change

Video - MNIOP & Snowforms with Lisa (FYI this one stopped and started a few times, and there are two moments where the video cuts and then restarts - one near the beginning, and again about a minute before the end)

Video - Noviori Ani with Lisa

Video - MNIOP, Snowforms & Noviori Ani (from March 22 - Erin reading Lisa's part)

MY NAME IS OLEMAUN POKIAK

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.

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

M 73 – 76 (second time) 1^st – stillness (still holding hands)

2^nd – Look & lean to the right, small step with right foot – hold this position through the fermata (still holding hands)

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: “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.

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. Drift to the very edges of the stage (ideally in place by 6’40”)

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.

~~We might add an extra 11 & 12 after the repeat. TBD based on text.~~(this is not happening)

“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. 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)

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. In place by the end of text cue: “…a tear escaped my eye. It fell from my chin onto the scalding iron vat.”

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

2^nd Row: Shila, Maria, Sara, Talisa, Jess

3^rd Row: Brianna, Leah B, Colleen, Joanna, Robin, Jenny

Back Row: Hayley, Paige, Sydney, Mackenzie, Tenille

M. 51 – 96 – Hold in position

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

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.

Wednesday, March 25, 2015

Notes for Sun Mar 29

Hi everyone,

Thank you for a focused and productive rehearsal on Sunday. It feels amazing to have the show fully blocked by this point in our preparation - now we just keep making it better and better!

Thank you as well for a great performance on Monday night! I've received wonderful feedback and it was great to perform for such a huge audience of theatre-makers in Nova Scotia!!

One section of Fatty Legs that is a little behind in terms of preparation is integrating Lisa's performance into the show - so this weekend we are going to spend a lot of time working with her and adjusting the timings for the way the music, blocking, and text fit together in the last three songs (Noviori Ani, WSOG, Nuka).

We are also going to do a fully off-book run of My Name is Olemaun Pokiak and Snowforms with Lisa on Sunday.

Please review Erin's excellent videos and notes from this past Sunday's rehearsal. We don't want to lose time by reviewing blocking we have already gone over, or sorting out which order you're standing in etc.

This Sunday, SOPRANO 2s are on snack! You'll also be receiving tickets to start selling for Fatty Legs! :)

Monday, March 23, 2015

Erin's Notes - All Choreo Notes & Stumble-Through Videos

Hi everyone! I thought it would be a good idea to have all of the choreography in one place - so here you go! I will make new videos as we move forward :-)

If you missed rehearsal yesterday, you will want to scroll down to Noviori Ani - M 96, as all of the information below that is new. Also, anything in the light blue colour is an update to previous information.

Video - MNIOP, Snowforms & Noviori Ani

Video - Womanly Song of God

MY NAME IS OLEMAUN POKIAK (anything in this colour is an update or change)