Congrats on a terrific pick up rehearsal. And, you were all so professional during the photo shoot. You continue to impress me with your focus - and for how much you display care for this incredible project. I'll be out for Thursday's run. I look forward to seeing it on Friday with my family!
I wanted to offer a few reminders as you enter second weekend...
ONE
AI CHORUS - stay very vigilant about vocal consistency. All of you need to be at a similar, strong volume. And group lines need to be crisp and together. Your chorus work is STELLAR... but it's easy to get a bit loose if you're not always focused.
TWO
ALL - Do you have the last line of a scene? If so, remember that in this play, most of the final lines act as "scene buttons" or "cliff hangers" that really land a moment and propel the action forward. In listening to the play during pick up... many of the last lines are being rushed...are swallowed with low volume...or not given enough weight... There needs to be that feeling of "last line...and...BLACK OUT!" - so that it really helps build suspense and maintain thematic resonance.
THREE
ALL - First lines too. If you (and scene partners) have the first few lines of a scene - those lines are critical for framing where we are and what's happening for the audience.
FOUR
ALL - The biggest danger in second weekend is that you forget to truly drop back into the world and the story... You can start simply "performing it" rather than "living inside it". Remember, the trick of great acting is convincing the audience that this is happening for the first time... You must "play make believe" with full heart, mind, and soul...falling into the reality for these characters. Make sure, before the run...before whatever scene you are in...that you are taking that breath and dropping in. Always offer the audience the most full, complex, and rich authenticity you can!
FIVE
ALL - pacing was overall really great during pick up. Keep things tightening. Don't rush, of course...but don't over indulge in pauses. I must say, the split scene sequence in Act Two was fantastic during pick up...was giving me chills and had my heart racing...so well done... That was an example of keeping things moving and driving plot.
SIX
VARIOUS - Be aware of setting up "the shelter". There are lines about it that even cue lights and sound to go more ominous. (EX: "I could show you" OR "Show me?" etc...) - don't rush those line...set up the suspense and dread.
SEVEN
VARIOUS - don't forget underscoring... When you have music / sounds under you, your vocals have to be so full and consistent. Think about the ghost moments when Ronan and Robin walk through in Act One. Think about all the times Ronan is active in Act Two - virtually all of his monologues and scenes are underscored... Same with Robin. Tom's monologue moments are often underscored. Lotus. Etc. In listening to the show, the vocal volume was decent in these moments - and the underscoring is quite subtle in sound level - but sometimes there is a diving off of the ends of sentences, and so we're losing final words... Keep that voice work elevated!
EIGHT
MAX and ANA - the climax into Ronan collapsing is becoming rhythmically odd and tempo rushed. It's still very effective and well committed to - but here is a note to try and re-capture what we originally crafted...
To recap - at the bottom of p200 - Ronan says "A stench" ... Jalen and Casey are released from their trance, breathing heavily... Ronan, exhausted, sits and Briar joins him. (Ana, be careful not to kick the body...that happened multiple times last week.) Once they both sit... Briar and Ronan must make eye contact and take each other in... Then...the initial lines on p201 are not fast... "You didn't mean to" through "it was an accident" are slow and steady....filled with great care and comfort and pain... It is on the next line that things begin to build and pace up as Ronan begins to panic, collapse and cry - starting with "I didn't think anything would happen."
The reason it's a bit odd now is because there is this huge pause as they sit...and then suddenly, they are both talking super fast, rushed, barely understood - and Ronan just sort of falls. SO....once they both sit...it has to start slow for this to fully work... I'd suggest getting together and running this a few times... That said, don't overthink it...it's still beautiful, but I think if you can apply this note, it will be even more powerful.
