“Even If You Are Little, You Can Do A lot!” – Matilda
We have reached the halfway point – way to go! It’s now more than ever that our actors need to come prepared and focused. All actors should be off-book by this weekend. PLEASE encourage them to memorize their blocking and lines, to know all the songs learned to date, and to use the Electronic Resource Library to help with music and choreography.
Now we are in the fun part of rehearsing…well, it’s all FUN! But, as our actors get used to saying their lines off-book, their director is encouraging them to think more about their character and how they would talk, stand, etc. All the character development we worked on earlier in the process comes into play now. Our characters come alive with meaning, purpose, and personality.
Our actors are doing great, and we want to keep the momentum going. We believe with some practice in between rehearsals our actors are going to nail it. Thank you to those who have been called for additional rehearsal days.
A shout-out to our actors for bringing their best selves each week. We commend our actors for their determination and dedication; it is admirable. Please read through the information below, as it is full of important information, dates, and upcoming events.
Electronic Resource Library
PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE share this with your actor. This section is designed to assist them between rehearsals. Happy practicing!
4 Things You Can do With Your Actor This Week
- In the car listen to the music as they sing along (in character).
- Ask them to review the ERL videos with you for 10 minutes, and then ask them to show you what they learned.
- Ask your actor to give you a “sneak peek” of one of the numbers and have them perform for you.
- Practice lines with your actor, and act out a scene or two with them.
A Little Bit Naughty Highlights
- Meditation of the week “Never do anything in halves; be outrageous—go the whole bag!” a Matilda quote. We encouraged each actor to apply 100% to everything that they do. Great things can happen when you give it you’re all! Dare to be larger than life!
- Theater Vocab: A stumble-through is when the actors start at the beginning of the show and work their way through to the end, stopping and starting, to make sure they covered all the bases in terms of blocking choreography, and music. This is also the first time that actors do the show in scene order, trying their best not to use their scripts. We began our first stumble-through of the show on Sunday and we plan on finishing next week!
- The importance of the warm-up: We emphasized how important it is for performing artists to warm up before rehearsing or performing. Since musical theatre includes acting, singing, and dancing, it is important for actors to stretch their bodies and their voices. Great ways to warm up include shake-downs, roll-downs, tongue twisters, lip trills, and vocal sirens.
- Theater Etiquette: Cheating Out! On Sunday during our stumble-through, we found a lot of actors upstaging themselves; meaning they were acting away from the audience. In order to be seen and in order for the audience to hear you, it is important to cheat out (face the audience slightly) even when you are talking directly to a scene partner.
When I Grow Up Highlights
- Meditation of the week: “Never do anything in halves; be outrageous—go the whole bag!” a Matilda quote. We encouraged each actor to apply 100% to everything that they do. Great things can happen when you give it you’re all! Dare to be larger than life!
- Theatre Etiquette: We reviewed some theatre etiquette and learned the proper way to respond to being told we have 5 minutes – Thank you 5!
- Theater Vocab: We learned the dynamic music term Forte. Forte is a musical term that means ‘loud or strong‘. Forming part of a piece’s dynamic range.
- Accents: We continue to work on British accents with small groups of actors, learning to drop our Rs and to keep our vowels nice and round.
- Theater Process: We worked on writing, “Our Show.” Writing out your show is a very important part of an actor’s process. It helps actors keep track of their entrances and exits while learning the show’s order and solidifying their blocking and choreography!
Costume Fittings and More!
Our team has been working behind the scenes. The set design is in full effect, projections too, and so are our costumes. They are looking fabulous. Friendly reminders, early costume fittings begin this week with our A Little Bit Naughty cast, When I Grow up Cast is next Sunday. I will send a reminder email regarding assigned and agreed-upon time slots for costume fittings. Costume fittings happen prior to rehearsals on the dates indicated below.
Friendly reminder to our Little Bit Naughty cast: Please bring your actor’s base layers as requested (each item labeled with your actor’s name and in a bag labeled with your actor’s name and what cast they are in on the outside of the bag) that was sent in the costume fitting email to the J on Sunday for their fitting.
- A Little Bit Naughty will have costume fittings this Sunday, February 26th prior to rehearsals.
- When I Grow Up will have costume fittings on Sunday, March 5th prior to rehearsals
Social Media Challenge – Digital Marketing Kits
Who has used their digital marketing kit to spread the word? Please use the materials to help us ensure we have a packed house for our actors – so exciting! What about this…if each of us did one post that would be 78+ posts circulating on social media about ticket sales – let’s do it! Who’s in?
Social Media Challenge – Digital Marketing Kits
This Sunday we will provide small flyers to our actors so they can hand them out to friends, teachers, and family – you name it – to promote all their hard work! I love watching our actors have an opportunity to feel empowered by handing out their flyers! The response from doing this year after year has been very positive – the actors love it. Please encourage your actor to bring them to school, give them to their friends/teachers, or hand them out to your neighbors or at another one of their after-school activities. This exercise is beyond marketing the performances. This small act teaches our actors to take ownership of their “work”, to speak out when otherwise shy, to learn a “behind-the-scenes” skill, and ultimately, a sense of pride in something they are committed to.
Purchase Your Tickets Today
Please spread the word to friends and family! Our 2:00 pm matinees are filling up so please purchase your tickets today! 😊 Online tickets cost less than door sales so buy now and save!
Galleria Preview Showcase
Several actors have been selected to be in the Matilda Preview at the Galleria Mall on Thursday, March 9th from 6-6:30 pm. Come support your fellow cast mates at Level 1, near Tiffany & Co as we sing and promote our upcoming performances. Friendly reminder: to those selected we have an additional rehearsal set for this Sunday from 5:30 – 6:30 pm following our regular rehearsal time.
Performing Arts Summer Camps
Both Camp StarPower and Camp StarQuest have a FEW SPOTS LEFT!
Pricing for camp increases after March 1. If you haven’t registered, take advantage of this opportunity to save. Like so many of our JPAS campers, camp is my favorite time of the year. For those who haven’t tried one of our performing arts camps before, they are truly is the best!
Ask someone who has attended our performing arts camps and they will tell you – Camp StarQuest and Camp StarPower is where we make dreams come true! Want to learn more? Call 214-239-7140 or email me at arobinson@jccdallas.org. I would love to tell you all about it. Please register today to save your spot.
- Click here to learn more about JPAS Camps, StarQuest, and StarPower.
- Click here to register.
Be sure to follow us on Facebook and Instagram. We are posting pics there too!
Shine Bright,
