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

The Manx Operatic Society have had their first meeting to start off the next production - Titanic the Musical. We prefaced this by inviting all interested members and prospective members on a cruise up and down the coast from Douglas in the MV Karina last weekend. Fortunately the day was sunny, and a good time was had by all, we saw some seals in the bays going north, seagulls followed us, waves sprayed those reckless enough to stand at the prow, a couple of the men jumped off the boat into the clear water once we had tied up by the harbour steps.

It didn't prepare me for the number of people who'd turn up for the first night. We had to put out quite a few more chairs.

Fortunately the place was spick and span as the Social Committee had organised a tidy up of the rooms on the Bank Holiday . We even have had a nice new flat screen TV installed (with the intention of using it to provide feedback on rehearsals by linking it to a camcorder).

We eased people into the show by listening to then singing some parts of the boarding song (which finishes with Godspeed Titanic http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-4qRPWML1BE we just did just the first minute) and the New Rag (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v2OftuSkaGQ&feature=related from about 1 min into clip). It is nice to be doing a musical with a musical director who breaks down the harmonies and has us repeating the parts until they sound right, then putting it all together to make a glorious sound (the rehearsal room gives nice acoustics )
--:M ---:O ...:S - our new website is easy to remember the initials dot im (for Isle of Man)

Now I have to sort out the application forms...

Promise me it's better than the film

Both based on same historical event, but musical is not based on film - no Celine Dion, no being a figurehead at prow. Won numerous Tony awards in NY, apparently well regarded as a proper musical by critics.

Every character named after and based on genuine person who was on board.

Apart from Caroline Neville, bless her. Poor dear, she'd the only fictional character aboard.

I'm looking forward to getting back to Titanic rehearsals on Monday. Have been busily trying to get all the harmonies in my head over August. Hope your rehearsals go well. It's a great show with an absolutely amazing score.

And I recognised the Morse, due to my preparations for my role!

Thank you for reassuring me, Pimms

Caroline Neville - is she the one who is pretending to be married to Charles Clarke? I took the assertion that they were all real people from what was read out from the book of the musical.

Some of the you tube clips do not show the musical in its best light - some you watch and hope the direction on your own production will be a *lot* sharper. Admittedly not a dance musical, but the New Rag clips had me grimacing at the stilted movement of most on stage. Liked the idea of recording two dancers showing the moves, which could be viewed in comfort of own home on computer - remembering dance moves once I leave the rehearsal room has been a perennial problem.

That's Caroline, yes. Charles Clark was in fact married to someone called Ada - I suppose you could argue that Caroline pretended to be Ada Clarke to avoid problems, but why not pretend to be Caroline Clark and "oh, the marriage certificate went down with the ship"...

The other 2nd class passengers, the Beanes, also have slightly different names to their real-life counterparts, and some details have been changed for other character for dramatic purposes, but it's still all a lot closer to reality than the film of the same name.

There's a lot of information about Titanic available. The book 'A Night to Remember' by W.Lord is very good. And if you want to find out about specific passengers or crew members, Encyclopedia Titanica on t'internet is excellent:

http://www.encyclopedia-titanica.org/

My character definitely won't be in the rag. And I think this is a show where direction is even more important than usual, with so many characters to follow and some powerful set pieces. The opening, No Moon #2 and the lifeboat sequence are going to take absolutely ages to set, I think.

Thanks for the link David

Looked up Bride's story. After the Titanic I note he served on Monas Isle during WW1 - this steamer built in 1882 was purchased by the Admiralty from the Isle of Man Steam Packet Co. (where it had been a ferry to and from the Isle of Man) in 1915 to serve as a minelayer. A bit of local interest for Manx folk.

I hope we can set the scenes more effectively than the ones to be seen on line
with your direction. Will you be singing offstage for the rag do you think? The pro recording I have heard goes at quite a staccato turn of speed. Fun tune.

Our instructions are that if we're not on stage and not changing costume, we will sing in the wings. As I don't think I change costume, I will be doing lots of wing-singing, including the rag. Which is fun to sing, but challenging. Which is, of course, true of most of the score!

We are putting on Titanic. We were fairly apprehensive as to whether we would have sufficient males to be able to cast the show. Fortunately with a bit of arm twisting and encouragement (and a good atmosphere at the rehearsal rooms) we have had a number of lapsed members return and also a dozen new men turn up to more than the first meeting.

I have realised I need to really read through the score and work out which parts suit me. So far been singing through the general audition pieces. Due to the scarcity of admitted tenors I have reaching for higher notes than I find easy. As the MD said though most modern musicals are pitched almost entirely in the higher range for male voices - deep bass lines don't figure.

My first thought was that the designer Andrews might be a character I could empathise with. I'm a bit put off by the fact that he sings the opening prologue though...

Now a few days to the auditions and I've had second thoughts about Andrews as the right role for me.

In a solo practice rehearsal last night I found it difficult to time myself right with the accompaniment (it sounds ok a capella, and I get the cues when listening to the CD or in chorus). Also I got all reedy at the end of the audition piece. I really must learn how to use my diaphragm to get volume on higher notes. Hearing it described is easy enough, like whistling (just purse your lips and blow ), but if your muscles don't 'know' how to be appropriately controlled the result is inadequate.

The principle discouragement is knowing that someone else is also auditioning for the role and has been focussed on just this role for almost three months, had singing lessons to help him with all the songs of Andrews, and if he fails to land the part is not that interested in being in the show. He was also singing last night, and definitely made a much better fist of the audition piece than me.

Whatever, I would still audition if I thought I was going to give an adequate rendition, I am not wedded to role of Andrews, and could use it as my passport to whatever role the audition committee thought I best fitted. If I'm going to botch it, I'd much rather try an easier song for a different character and give a better impression.

Others in pre-audition company have suggested they see me as Hartley (bandmaster) or Etches (senior Steward). Hmm....

A quick count shows despite our initial concerns over being able to cast the show we have actually had over thirty new members pass auditions to join our society, with on my register around sixty members possibly auditioning for the show (evenly split male/female) Amazing

Etches and Hartley are both good roles. Etches is a great character, and Hartley gets a couple of nice bits of singing in.

Great to hear so many are going to audition. I hope yours goes well.

I need to update my Titanic diary. Things are...interesting!

I don't know ... maybe I can swing a good Andrews audition. Last night it was much better . However my concern over inconsiderately ousting the other contender for audition should not be a factor as since then a couple of other experienced singers have added their names to the hat for Andrews. If I was on Audition committee I feel I might plump for one of these late arrivals in preference to the more chancy talents of the first two on the list. I am sure I'm not alone in being my own worst critic

These late arrivals have come in from the 'rival' production which for some reason they were unhappy with (The other group has secured rights to amateur production of Les Mis, which isn't on lists as being available - a coup for them and a draw for anyone to have opportunity to be in a show not likely to come up again any time soon - it 'stole' some of our members. I put these things in quote marks as representing a common feeling, though I don't really hold them myself )

Auditions over. I didn't get part of Andrews nor any of the more demanding roles - but with sixty members auditioning there was a fair amount of competition. In the end *all* have been cast , and among those disappointed there have been a few gratified (and at least one stunned) by the juggling to produce a balanced cast.

I have been paired with a talented actress (who played Dolly in Hello Dolly), as the second class passengers Edgar and Alice Beane, me a dour Midwest hardware store owner, she with social aspirations and a Hello! style knowledge of most of the gossip surrounding the first class passengers.

I hope there won't be much bitterness over the casting. Two men dropped out of Les Mis disappointed at the parts they had been cast (which left them not much in way of solos, and singing offstage apparently). One landed part of Ismay (a plum acting role), the other Pitman. One member was cast in absentia in parts despite not even having a video audition for the panel to view (three others were cast on basis of video auditions) - but he did have a good excuse, having had to go to hospital, and also has a long-standing well-deserved good reputation for capability and commitment.

This last quality was emphasised by the Director, as with a cast this large it will be possible to recast or replace characters in scenes if they are not present when the blocking occurs. Hopefully it won't come to that...

Anyhow the stress of the long audition day is over (10am to 8pm) and the cast list is on the website (subject to alterations )

The Director has now returned to London, having blocked most of the first act in the last ten days. Two men dropped out of our cast, so the cast is now *only* 55.

It has been a disappointment to some of the cast how little they appear in. That is one of the things you have to accept with good grace and hope for more in next show I believe.

Personally I have struggled to keep up with being Secretary/Librarian and doing justice to my role. As it wasn't a part I had really considered prior to being cast I am a bit at sea with the lines and accent. It is embarrassing when my line comes out with an Irish lilt, primed I am sure by those in other parts.

The Librarian aspect means ticking people off on register and chasing up those missing, as well as issuing and recording books, amending register to include future commitments that have come up, and contacting cast and webmaster to update schedules . I have also (as I am present at all rehearsals due to register taking) been available to cover for missing characters and take notes in their blocking. Not so crucial when only rehearsing something already set, but if a person isn't at the blocking and they aren't critical they are likely to be missed from that scene.

Come back Alice...

I like Edgar and Alice. I do feel sorry for the poor chap - but then, I'm not alone in that. Etches seems to feel very sorry for him as well.

David do you know if your group has made their own set or hired one?

We're hiring one. The director doesn't entirely like it, but it's a flipping complicated show. The one we're hiring has most of the stuff flown in and out for speed (if not safety).

Going to watch a program on Titanic on Channel 4 now ... our director said early on that usually the cast for this show become obsessed with finding out more about the voyage, and asserted that there is more on this topic on the internet than almost any other (excluding p**n )