Schedule through performance week

Hi folks,

Since today is cancelled, I thought I'd post a revised schedule, along with the email I sent you last week.

March 21, CANCELLED 

OFF BOOK from now on, no exceptions! March 26,  3:30-5:30pm: scene 2 and end of scene 3 (starting with Hermits entrance). Again, we won’t have Chris, but this is still an opportunity to refine your acting and get used to orchestral cues. Hermits, do what you can before Michael has to leave at 4:30. This is what we'd planned for 3/21.

March 28, 3:30-6 we will have Chris, so all called! Our lighting designer will either attend or I will be recording, so all bodies are needed. Run the show at least once. Lighting designer present.

April 2 and 4: TBA, based on Chris’s availability. Keep 3:30-5 free, at the very least...till 6pm on the 4th, please.

Tech week has been posted for months, so you know the drill. Here they are again:

Orchestra-only rehearsal on Monday, April 8 (7-9pm). This is not required, but might be very helpful if you’d like to hear the orchestra parts before you sing with them. 

Piano dress April 9 (6-9 pm: 5pm call for costumes and makeup)

Orchestra dress rehearsal on April 10 (6-9pm: 5pm call for costumes and makeup)  

Performances: April 11 and 13th (BOTH at 7pm: this is a time change you all agreed to! Make a note of it). 6pm call for costumes and makeup. Come earlier if you need the time to warm up, etc.

A few thoughts as you move closer to opening night:

Now is the time to experiment. I gave you very few “don’ts” in terms of gestures, but other than that, you all have tons of latitude. Try things within the blocking guidelines and the character discussion we had. From there, I can help you refine your work...bigger, smaller, what works, what doesn’t, etc. PLEASE don’t feel afraid to try something for fear it will be vetoed! You only find out if something works in context if you go for it unabashedly. And some things work or don’t work simply in accordance with what else is happening on stage. Trial and error is part of the process, and half the fun. Enjoy playing around!

Please be on time. We have such limited rehearsal time—twice weekly is really scant for any staged work—so I implore you to honor each other’s time. We are all spread pretty thin.

Remember that part of your memorization process is integrating the coaching we did. If it’s pitches we fixed, diction we refined, tuning we adjusted, or balance issues, be sure you’ve made all of those automatic. Please do not sing it the way you did in the first rehearsal! The reason we spent weeks working so specifically is so you’d bring those changes through the rehearsal process and to the final performance.

This is such a profound opera, and all if you have the gifts to bring something truly special to it. I challenge you to stretch yourselves. Conquering a tough piece is something you’ll never forget, and truly makes all of us better people.

Know that each of you is loved and honored.