h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

"I put the 'pop' in 'pop music', baby!"
After a gruelling day of auditions the cast has been chosen for the next production on stage at the end of February 2008.
The day started at 10am for most auditionees and finally finished after 8pm. I had been working ealrier to complete a final list of auditionee commitments for the period of rehearsal.
This was a detailed task as I had created a form for each of them to complete giving a calendar from now to show date to cross off days with other commitments, and space below to detail what the commitments were (work, holiday, other). I then collated all the forms onto a 10 page summary with a line for each person going across the page, with colour coding to show weekends, christmas break, when the director was over and what type of commitments had been given. It was very pretty

We started with a vocal warm-up, then practice for the dance auditions, then had the dance auditions in groups of five to a piece that had been set on Friday evening by the director, and had been practised by most of cast at optional reharsal on Saturday afternoon, so when we came in on Sunday morning most people were ready to complain about aching hips, bruised kness (there was a knee spin movement). I have to confess I thought I was pretty dreadful, but I was by no means the worst. Yes, it was some of the men (particularly those over 35) who stood out as struggling to get into the groove.

Each small group had to do the ensemble singing audition after they'd caught their breath following the dance. Those who clealry said they were auditioning for a principal role were excused singing solo in this - I didn't make it clear and had to sing a couple of lines of "blame it on the boogie", without being entirely sure of the words I struggled through OK though

Then there was the waiting I eventually got to audition for the part I was interested in about 3pm. First I read the set pieces (to some pleased amusement from committee for the expression I put into it )for my role (which comprised nearly every word the character has - it isn't a big role ) with some non-auditioning members standing in for the other roles in the dialogue. They then left and I sang to the audition committee alone (all five of them - Director, Asst Director, Chairman, Musical Director and Stage Manager). I fluffed one or two lines, but it was better than some auditions I've done. Useful that the song is mostly speaking in rhythm, rather than musically demanding - Pop Musik by M people (Talk about Pop Music, Pop pop pop Music!) After the audition I managed to excuse myself for a couple of hours to go home.

To cut a long story short I've got the role
The director in his closing remarks made clear that we have our work cut out for ourselves in this production, due to the number of inexperienced castmembers - unlike previous shows he was not able to cast it easily and be happy that he would be able to fulfil his vision of how the show should be. He was particularly disappointed by the poor reading several auditionees gave, that gave him no idea of how they interpreted the part (so I don't think I came in that sad category - I got a out of them)- if he'd wanted it just read aloud without expression he would have asked. It will be up to us to reach the potential the Asst Director assured him we have.

Well done on getting the role you wanted.

I hope the director's comments push people to strive for the best they can be and don't make them either disgruntled or despondent.

Chased up director for schedule for the first blocking week starting on Sunday, which he faxed through promptly. Typed it up for the rehearsal last night, emailed it to AD, and printed it out, and delivered it by hand minutes before rehearsal started (luckily, as AD had been unable ot print it out herself) before continuing to a prior engagement in my spiffy DJ and black bow tie.

Quite chipper as I am not called to *any* rehearsals in this first blocking week - my scenes come later in the show than he is covering.

The effort was somewhat wasted as the director fell ill and was told he was not fit to fly. He postponed, and rescheduled, postponed again and eventually arrived on the Thursday, and by the end of his visit had only set the first ensemble number and dialogue to page 30 or so of libretto (that isn't 30 pages of dialogue). My character has not appeared yet...

As a aconsequence he is extending his second visit, coming over four days earlier - in two weeks time.

I am nervous as recklessly I have volunteered (never volunteer! ) to fill in for one of the male ensemble who wants to drop out but was coerced/gently bullied into agreeing to be in the show. I am hoping my offer is not required as having to learn all the ensemble choreography is enough to give me nightmares .

Exciting times.

What amazes me, after reading your stories and David's, i sthat it all actually comes together and goes beautifully.

looks like I may not be called to fill in Relieved but also disappointed that my my estimation of my limited choreographic skill has been tacitly endorsed - even when they are desperate they don't call me in to dance!

I have stood in for ensemble dancers at rehearsals for both 'big' shows so far, but have never been called on to do so in the actual show. I can understand your relief/disappointment mixture. Are they replacing him at all?

I'll find out after my holiday. ...

So yesterday was the first blocking rehearsal for my character. I actually turned up a couple of hours early in order to stand in for someone who had to be absent - the same chap who gets drinks thrown at him. In this scene his girlfriend slaps him. What a part . Fortunately for me the girlfriend was also missing, and didn't have a stand-in, so I just had to slap myself (possibly less painful than having someone else do it) - the slap is important as it is the cue for the next line.
Anyway about half an hour after scheduled start all the ensemble were brought in, and we bagan to block Pop Musik (the dialogue before and after the number will be blocked later in the week).

The director revealed that he plans for me to wear a wig with a flop of hair that I can flick to the side for emphasis, and his hopes to arrange me a reversible costume jacket - initially leopardskin , to reverse to shocking pink . Odds on I won't be recognisable

We managed to get through over half the song, and my movements are pretty straightforward (a relief) - it is the company who have to be remember the robotic movements and exacting choreography.
The number is the moment whne the hero Jack is transformed from his normal self into the rockstar "Jumping" Jack Flash.

Sounds like fun to me--except for the singing part. I don't even attempt to sing seriously any more.

The director has left now until after New Year, but with a three week break over Christmas (due to conflicts of cast with the pantomime) we have to be very disciplined over next three weeks to knock the choreography and dialogue into a decent shape. That is if there aren't reasons not to ... (see other thread)

All of Act 1 has been set, but the director says there is a lot of wrok needed on the numbers to get them to the standard he wants, and usually before Christmas he would have at least begun to set the second act for one of our shows, so he is a bit behind.

The hardest bit of my scene now set is figuring in the movement - I already knew the words - so that I end in the right places at the right times to direct my words and expressions in the right direction. This has meant lengthening some lines and adding pauses. As a caricature my character has chance to get some easy laughs - certainly the cast has found my mannerisms amusing so far Everythign in this show is over the top, but to carry it off it has to be done with panache or it will flop like an overdone souffle.

In the song I've found myself lost from about half way through, as the emphasis has been on getting the company moving correctly, and my role has not received much time (at least I haven't picked up what I am supposed to be doing as fast as the cast have), though the dirtector hasn't expected me to do too much - obviously adjusting the choreography to suit the abilities of those doing it

Well we now have another six weeks to rehearse due to the postponement caused by the film company that has usurped the theatre bookings that had existed. Hopefully we can keep the energy and discipline up to mid April - no excuse for not having a polished production.

Rehearsed my song last week, but it was mostly for the choreography of the ensemble. I need some time to learn my movements and don't want to end up sidelined too much just singing.

Been a bit lax in keeping this up to date. It isn't that nothing has happened, but most of it has been in my secretarial capacity. In our third week of directorial blocking. Have not attracted any adverse criticism of my role (it is a size that it would be hard not to have learnt the lines and song by now). Some useful constructive suggestions made. I should endeavour to exude confidence in myself, be happy with my surroundings, be flamboyant but precise in my gestures and not camp it up *too* much.

Have also been helping the lead character practise his flips - he needs to perform a backflip on stage in one number, and for the first few practices likes to have someone 'spot' him - that is hold a hand just above the small of his back that will support some of his weight and provide a little extra momentum to his spin when he jumps and goes into a tuck. He finds it easier to trust me than some other members of the company
Before Christmas he came in with an impressive black eye where he had managed to hit himself with his knee. An x-ray indicated a slight fracture of his cheek bone, that fortunately healed without requiring surgery.

*Lady C*

Now in the final run up to the show. The last visit of the director had the inevitable dressing down that happens in the run of every show rehearsal period when everyone told to pull their socks up. "This show" he said "is like a cat with nine lives, and it has used up seven of them already"

He was referring to the show dates being moved, the difficulties rearranging new dates, the expected problems with cast having commitments after the original end of show dates, continuing problems with late notification of commitments preventing attendance, and intransigence of the Performing Rights Society in disallowing changes to music in the show.

This week (with the get in starting in less than two weeks) one member of the cast decided to drop out of the show in order to pursue his dream of fame. This is because the X factor initial auditions which he has got an invitation to this year inflexibly occur on our first night (meaining he'd miss dress rehearsal the night before, two performances on the Saturday and possibly two or three further if called back on Monday/Tuesday).

This blow is another life gone - it has meant the AD has had to rearrange the rehearsals to go over all the numbers he was in and rearrange them to work with one person less in the choreography. While initially this defection was accepted with disbelief or good grace there is now considerable ill-feeling toward him and the crisis he has selfishly caused.

It might be easier to accept if his brilliance was such that he was considered to have a chance of getting to the finals. The concensus however is that unless he has been hiding his talents from us he hasn't got a chance.

For those who are following "I'd do anything" on BBC1 Samantha Barks, one of the 12 (now 11) finalists is a former member of our society and there is *considerable* interest in her chances of winning the role of Nancy in Cameron Mackintosh's forthcoming production of Oliver! I have performed in the same cast as her in a couple of shows. It is surprising how much of a frisson it gives to 'know' someone you can follow the progress of in a TV show There is no comparison however between Sam and our defector both following their dreams - she hasn't let us down at short notice, and has already some proof of her capability.

still reading.

It is great to follow a career from amateur to professional. I've never done it with actors, but i have with baseball and football players.

Sam now one of nine remaining (http://www.bbc.co.uk/oliver/news/) - the girls get monochromed when they have been knocked out of the running.

As far as our production goes the Get-in week has started. We have had our first tech in the theatre, which had me as audience the whole evening as I don't appear until an hour into the show, and when teching an hour can stretch enormously longer.

The Sunday was our actual get-in (where we were allowed to start bringing stuff into the theatre and setting up our set) Apart from lugging sheets of chipboard (as a false floor) and large squares of black glossed glittery lacquered hardboard (the dance floor) my main contribution to the get in was pinning up the names on the dressing rooms, and the register sheet by the stage door. Irritatingly my neat work was marred by the theatre stagecrew screwing up one of the name sheets mistaking it for something obsolete from the previous production.

The dressing rooms you are assigned to can make a good deal of difference to how you enjoy the show, as in our productions no-one is by themselves, with rooms being shared by from three to ten of the cast. The leads tend to get the first two rooms closest to the stage. In this production the minor characters (such as me) get the third, wigs/makeup the fourth (all on the sAme corridor), then the rest of the cast are in the three remaining dressing rooms the next floor up.

Second teching night over. Still not at end of show. Plan to finish teching show tonight and then start from beginning immediately and try to run recalling all the notes made during tech about spacing and entrances. As an extra challenge this will be the first night with the band also present at the theatre Their loudness will highlight the largest problem I see with the production - the chronic lack of encouragement or direction of ensemble to sing backing vocals. This has led to a position which I fear no last minute chastisement can rectify where most non-principals are often not doing more than whisper the vocals, and some not even attempting to do that. It was recognised early on that the energy going into the dancing would impact on the ability to sing at full belt, and all off stage not getting changed for their next number will be expected to sing backing vocals at offstage mic. This arrangement has not been drummed into the cast though, and very few who are offstage can be seen trying to bolster the sound.

In the second tech I ran my scene. My biggest worry is still the timing of a phrase in the middle of the song when I have glanced at the transformation of Jack and say "Very nice" before launching into "Talk about pop music, talk about pop music" again.

The only criticism I got from the director was for allowing myself to drift wildly off tune in a series of "la, la, la"'s - as another of the cast reassured me I shouldn't be singing them anyway, but speaking them. So I should be able to remove that problem

First time with telephone prop, and I've had to change the hand I would naturally pick it up with because of the way the handset cable attaches to the phone.

Tomorrow will be first costume rehearsal, and finally on Friday full dress with the wigs etc.

The show will look excellent, principals sound excellent, choreography will impress. Will the backing vocals be recognised as a detracting feature?

I'm ing on this thread, Pimms

Having never done any drama stuff, I don't have much to contribute, but it is a fascinating read

However I wonder why my mind sings *Copa- Copacabana!* to me every time I see the thread on my PS?

Fb

Took my costumes from rehearsal rooms down to theatre last night, will be wearing them tonight (without hair or makeup).

Waiting until this evening for notes on partial run last night (didn't finish tech until 9pm, so run only got as far as on Monday - not as far as my scene) I know general comment was that it was 'OK' - but really we should be doing much better than that. Hard to identify specific failures, the problem is a lack of 'energy' being put into the performance, and dialogue scenes dragging, with pick-up of lines being too slow.

I realised last night for the first time that with the additional costume in Act 2, and the need to appear in Act 1 costume in Hell scene in middle of Act 2, that I now have two quick changes to perform. These I will not be able to achieve by layering of costumes, so one simply gets pulled off. I will need to strip down and redress from top to toe. At least I don't need to be laced into my costume as Lady M does - she having to do the same two quick changes.

For first time last night we also used offstage mic to sing backing vocals, and these were audible . However it is still striking that some company on stage are not even attempting to pretend to sing during some numbers, and others offstage who can't claim they are theoretically in middle of a quick change, aren't clustering around offstage mic. Since I didn't do my scene my only role was hanging around the mic, so I am naturally a bit picky about this
Did my own bit of backstage work ensuring offstage mic was in correct place and its wire was safely taped down out of the way to prevent trips

Irritated the daughter of the wardrobe mistress with my skepticism, who was sitting by 'haunted' seat in the auditorium waiting to be shocked by spooky phenomena I have to admit that at times there was an isolated area of cold draft above the seat, not existing in seats to either side, but that was as far as I was willing to go. Admitting unexplained phenomena exist, is not the same as attributing them to supernatural causes. I would posit the opening of the stage door to the drafts. Not sure quite how the eddy happens to exist in second row of the stalls (B14 if you are interested).