Spamalot Photos

Hey kids! I took pictures closing night.  They are from the back row, blurry, and the spotlight really screws with exposure.  But a few of them turned out nice.  Here's the link to the whole flickr set.  You can use them as you please.

--Ms. Mason

Friday Rescheduled to Next Thursday

Hi, guys.  Waterhouse here.  

Man, this sucks.  I appreciate all of you voting who were able to today.  As you may have heard, the vote was extremely tight.  I talked to Mr. Walters, Mr. Schmidt, & Mr. Hirschfeld; and we took a look at the votes, the situation, the potential for audience turnout, and the calendar; and made the call to reschedule to next Thursday evening (March 13th) with a pickup rehearsal that day after school.  

I know this puts some of you in a rotten situation, and I'm truly sorry for that. Either way it's going to be tough.  All my knights are fled and we're stuck in this large and very inconvenient snowstorm.

I hope you are warm and safe and that we can all reconvene tomorrow to put on another outstanding performance.


To recap:
Saturday, March 8th - 4:00 Call,
                                   6:30 Show
Thursday, March 13th - 2:45 call for run-through,
                                      5:30 dinner break (a very brief one)
                                      6:30 Show

(Remember that midterms are over Thursday, and Friday is a Student Non-Attendance Day.)

Notes from Saturday's Second Run

Below are the notes as promised.  Please comment here or on Facebook acknowledging your specific details.  If anything is confusion or if you have questions, I'll be happy to address them on Monday.  Any dance/Ms. Mason questions can also be sent to her via this blog or through me.

Get some sleep, you awesome and good-looking people!  We'll see you Monday!


                                                         

Prologue       

          Rebecca - Much better mic position!  Thanks!

                      - Watch your volume as music builds towards end      

                                                         

Finland         

          All        - This is amazing!  You look great! 

                      - Yay feet schlapping and faces up (except Ryan)                              

          Sarah T. – great singing                                 

          Fish Dancers – Make sure the fish are dangling by the tails in your hands like this:

– the timing of the slaps was off, and it was emphasized by the addition of the slap sound effect.  Listen to the music for where it goes.

            Ryan – great expression while on box waving arms    

          All        - Nice groaning and de-hat-ing at the “England!”       

                                             

Not Dead

          Monk #3           Board too low             

          Monks              Better that this morning, still need to run it together   

          Bodies Quicker entrance

                      Much better poses!  Love the leg, Chris          

Ezra & Zach     Louder on dialogue, tighter                            

          Sage    Throw Jackie's tunic on under your shirt                     

          Ezra     Over the top reaction to dead coming to life  

          Chorus Fix heads behind crenellation

          Kylen   Hair looks better!                     

          Horgan Watch out for the awkward sword protrusion from under your cape.  Perhaps leave the

sword to the side?  Hook cape behind it?                                           

All        “Bra” is thrown away – REMEMBER THE DISCUSSED CHANGE TO THE BLOCKING WE MADE TO FIX THIS!                                                        

         

Lady of Lake

All        Stand in non-curtained places (if possible) to sing “Excaliber”

          Jonah  Pray upwards                          

          Lakers  Black legs are good!  Nice silliness!                

          Christina          Use your arms as you enter – again, perhaps copying Glinda?

          Jacob  Drop shovel before “blimey” to catch attention

          Lakers  Better, but you can go even bigger with tiredness.  Alena, nice face

          Jonah  Pull out whistle during “…welcome your son into my army!”                                       

          Patsy    Nice touchdown dance                                  

          Boys     Don't look bored while clapping         

          All        Cheer went much better, but watch timing – listen to the drum beat                          

          Lakers/Cheyenne         Work on letter bit (perhaps with me Monday?)

Song Goes    

Christina          Use arms as you move            

          Jacob  Good “E” singing                     

          All        Good boredom, now exaggerate and deliberate                                

          Lakers  Change up backup singer movements?           I can give you a few other moves.      

          Horgan Shake the chandelier at the end high note, maybe do a sleepy drop and catch?

         

All for One

          K6        Great poses and expressions 2^nd time we ran it

          Rebecca          You can watch K6 enter as you speak if you want      

          Ez & Za                        Great blocking shift for solo line         

          K6                   Don't fidget during Art's mono (be your ultimate knightly selves)

                                                         

Camelot        

K6        Shields?  Passing them to the women folk?                

Rebecca – Can you come up with a simple move (perhaps a quick ball change) to fill the musical/movement gaps in Arthur’s dance solo?  Something for you and the other 3 to do to fill it.  We can talk if you like.                      

Chism  Much better shove through the guys, check end note pitch

          All        Partnering looks better            

                      Better whooos                         

          Christina          Maybe cross to Sage and stroke his chin during the first part of your solo?      Chism  Awesome faces            in the pas de deux

          Ang      Awesome pas de deux.  You’re so pretty!        

          TECHIES         Christina's mic issues?            

          Christina          Maybe watch some live Mariah Carey performances for arm work      

          Chorus             Great reactions to Christina                

          CAM Shields    Much better!  Make sure shields are against your body to hide the backs

          All                    enunciate “gory” and find your volume.          

          CAM Shields                Make sure you match the arm movement below you  

                                                         

Grail  

All        Mics are always live off stage!

Steven Nice enunciation as God.  Hold for laugh after “Jesus!” and hold for holy music as indicated in script.                                                         

          All        Spam box under bridge (watch for such things and fix them!)

          Chism  Be resolved by their song (since there’s a lot of weeping)                   

          K6        Diagonal during solos – spread to lines          

          K6        Hold off on sobbing until the song moves you.  Maybe after the 1^st verse?

          K6        Center hand clasp?  (We’ll talk)                      

          Ryan    Good signs

Chorus except Ryan – Step it up on the sign animation

          TECHIES         LIGHTS FOR GRAIL (Cati – let’s discuss)        

          Shaely Louder on seasons (especially “Water!) – Face the audience if that helps

                                                         

French

          Frenchies         Watch sight lines in balcony               

          Cheyenne        “Allo”    (French don’t pronounce “H” at front of words)

          K6                    Um... check the script for lines.  That was a mess.      

          Frenchies         Make rude gestures before Ez predicts the future

          Kasey               “C'est un lapin (PAUSE) Un grand lapin de bois”

          Chris                Louder on “It is Art?”               

          French People Better pauses – let's tighten the gap on the Can-cans

          Cheyenne        No belt - I think the tunics are too short for them  J                

          Cheyenne and Kasey   The black bottoms look good!

          French People Take easier exit with rabbit to clear sooner     

          Jonah              Quicker on “What?” with Bed.’s “Leap out of rabbit”

          Frenchies         Disappear after “Fetchez la vache!”                

                                  Song is weak (Do you need mics?)                 

          All                    Slower on chasing scenes (that's why it’s off)  

          Frenchies         Better taunting from bridge, I like it                

          Cow Boys         Straight up in air for toss                     

                                                         

                                                         

Act II                                                 

Ni

          The holders were totally visible

          Chantel            Hair needs to be tucked away from helmet     

Bight Side     

Katie    Better, but even happier at start of song.  Use your arms more

          All        Could only hear Rebecca for first 5 words of song

          Band    speed up this song                  

          Dancers           Head to cane on floor during airplane around

                                  Really stomp feet on the dance off (Can you add something hard to make a noise?)

          All        “Always look on the bright side” not “at”                       

          Sage, Alex, Horgan, Stephen – Dangle/kick your legs like kids on bridge

          Horgan and Michael    You're still just giving me chin height on your arms – better Steven

          Patsy/Art          Add handshake            (Waterhouse can explain)      

                                                         

Minstrel                                               

          Ez        Good gradual facial change              

          Cheyenne        Leggings for minstrel too (just like French)                  

          Ryan    Cheat out more when you’re not masking something              

          Art        Just walk out (no horse)                       

          Jacob  Don't show your skirt under Ni outfit     

          Chantel            All the way to.. BAILEY! (That’s the 1^st time we’re hearing the reference)

          Braden and Sara         Bigger and more noise as side-knights

Showbiz                                                          

          Sage    Enunciate “Sharon!”  You can stop walking for that moment.             

          Pat & Art          Cross upstage R instead of DL for opening of song?  (We can discuss)

          Sara T.            Mic on?  And can you wear some awful lipstick as Susan B.?            

          Chris    Michael Flatly Pose (I’ll show you via Ms. Mason)                  

          Ryan    Cross your arms as Simon, shirt should be tight (I can fix)       

          Robert  Don't hide face as monk this time       

          Jonah  Miley Cyrus instead of Anothny Weiner?         

                                                         

Concorde/Diva Scenes         

Lance              Yeah, you do need other shoes or fake boot covers (see me for fabric if you choose that option)

          Jessica             Clap shells for landing after the big jump       

                                  Maybe bigger arrow?  It was hard to see on stage.                  

          TECHIES         Check Lance's mic.  Lots of in/out static         

          Jessica             Maybe Bobby pin hood to keep in place?      

          Christina          Change from Posh lyrics Bway version

                                  Practice “Not Yours!” moment

          TECHIES         Lights for “Not yours!” moment                                                                                    

         

Lancelot

Chris    Mic?                           

          All        Fix curtain gap if need to                   

          Robert Straps hanging out of sleeves 

          Chris/Robert     Run/Fix “Aaah” part                 

          Guards Need matching helmet style               

          Lance  Keep your belt –a guard can take it off during song prologue (“move aside your scabbard”)

          Robert  See Lance (an armed man!) in your son’s room!  Be startled!             

          Chris    I like the bare feet                   

          Chris    Toss rope out of the window                           

          Chris    Better fall! watch curtain.                   

          Robert  Maybe some pants?

          Robert  React to your own guards holding you (offended)       

          Lance  Can play off shortness of tunic when it’s exposed if you like.   

          Horgan Leg cross in front balance  (Ms. Mason can clarify)                

          Middle row – Steven, Jacob, Chism    Come further DS                     

          Chris    Entrance pose?

          TECHIES         Spot the night life spots           (We can talk about this scene’s lights)

          Boys     Count out disco dance                       

          Girls     Yay on the La volumes!          

          Chris/Za           Higher snaps                           

          TECHIES         run J's quick change with me if you need tips on doing it       

                                                         

All Alone

          Jonah  “This is a total disaster” - make a joke out of the repetition

          Jonah/Katie     Nice “heavy load” gag with sword/pack           

                      Nice “But I'm alone” simplicity            

                      Both of you need to be louder (orch quieter?)

          Chorus             Can use the dressing room entrance   

                                  Um... where's everyone else?  

          TECHIES         Low lights for this song w/ spot on Art and Pat

                                  Close Blues                           

                                                                                                                     

          Christina          Nice eyelashes, btw    

          Patsy    Cheat out        

                                                         

Coconanigans                                                           

          K6        We need to see smiling teeth from all of you! 

                      (Ez  you started to smile better towards end)   

          Jacob  Turns and formation (per Ms. Mason)              

                                                         

Tim                             

TECHIES         Don’t open blacks until after thunder and such           

          TECHIES         Spike hill placement                                                                                      

          Tim      Good timing of name             

          Ensemble        Great reaction to Tim             

          Tim      Don't laugh at reaction                       

          Leads   Run lines for this scene                       

                                                         

          Bors     Watch your blood spilling out your back

                      You can slow down your death to get the rabbit toss right                                                      

          Steven Did you forget how to skip?

          Chorus Thanks for moving on the hill!            

                                             

          All        How do you sound so good on “Get your hand” and so quiet on “Life”?

          All        React to Kasey running away 

          Kasey   Keep Rabbit on hand

          Arthur   Add “Idea!” sound pre-kneeing to pray for help with cue         

Award

Pat, Art, and Bors – Have a pow-wow at every intermission to discuss/decide which front row person will be the grail winner.

          TECHIES – We need to rig stairs for the audience member

Patsy – Yay! Ms. Mason asked me afterwards where the grail came from!  She had no idea you pulled it from your sleeve!

Finale

          TECHIES         Glow tape on stairs and other needed places                                                 

          Ez        Better job on confidence w/orch!                   

                                                         

Jonah & Katie  Claim a water oasis for yourselves on both sides backstage and hydrate any time you’re off!

          Christina          Wedding bouquet?                 

          Yay Zach, McKenna, and Laely, Jackie for hands at end

          Chris    Give a “My hero” facial expression reaction to Zack hitting Robert                 

          TECHIES         The hearts come on a little earlier.  Very cute!

You all rock!  I hope you got some compliments today.  I didn’t get many requests for compliments today,  so I hope you ask me for one on Monday!  I have a lot to give.  J