More Dancing! Finale Dance Video Part Two

The finale is the last number in the show, and we really want the audience dancing up the aisles at the end of the show when they leave the theater.  So let's try and make this song really sharp, really crisp, and ridiculously fun.  Here is another dance tutorial video for the finale, with the sequence slowed down and the pas de bourree explained.  Mostly because I didn't understand what a pas de bourree is.  And honestly, to me, it still sounds like something you eat for brunch.

Also posted below is the first finale dance tutorial video, which has the sequence at tempo and with music.

And while you're working on this dance, tell you what: those Sunday shoes?  Just kick 'em right off!



And the first Finale dance tutorial video:

"Still Rockin'" and Country Bars

At rehearsal, Courtney, our preacher's-daughter-by-day-Chuck's-girl-by-night-with-the-voice-of-an-angel Ariel, did us the favor of filming a couple of segments of the movement for "Still Rockin'".  So for folks who dance in that song and are wondering about the steps, they are posted below in a video.  The video features parts two and three of the movement. Thanks for Courtney for filming and Ellen and Brooke for demonstrating.

But first, before we get down to the nitty-gritty of learning those steps, let's talk about the Bar-B-Que, "the finest little dance palace in the tri-county area" (or at least that's what the billboards say).  It's a country bar, a bar with a live band, a bar where people love to get up and dance.  Along with the video of the choreography, check out these pictures for a little inspiration for the Bar-B-Que.

Enjoy!

Dancing, Dancing, Dancing!

We took some video yesterday morning to put together this little dance tutorial for the show's finale.  It features the choreography to the chorus of the song, four times from different angles.  Some of the clips are not quite the complete chorus, but this should give you a good look at what the choreography is and a great refresher for the steps.

Thanks to Melissa, Katie, Kathryn, and everyone at rehearsal for letting me make this video.  This finale, when the citizens of Bomont are finally allowed to dance, is, quoting from the introduction to the script, "not only a catharsis for the characters onstage but for your audience as well."  It's an "explosion of dance energy."  After one short rehearsal, it is already high energy and exciting to watch.  Let's get the steps really sharp and precise, and this is going to be a fantastic, thrilling ending to our show.

The Countdown is on...here's help getting ready!

Four weeks, friends.  Our show opens four weeks from today.  That may seem like a long a time, but, trust me, it's going to fly by.  We'll be getting into fittings, sound checks, spacing on the stage, and tech rehearsals in no time at all.

So now is a good time to make sure you know all those steps, all those notes, all those words, and all that blocking.  Here is a quick list of resources you have at the ready, all to help you give your best possible performance and make this the best possible production of Footloose.

-Rehearsal time-During rehearsals, feel free to ask questions if things aren't clear.  If you're not totally sure on a section of music, ask for help.  If a cue to enter doesn't exactly make sense, go ahead and ask for a clarification.  During our rehearsal hours, we're all devoted to the show, so please ask questions to make sure you feel good about your performance.

-Your friends-You've all been in the same rooms, rehearsing the same songs and dances and scenes, with the same people for over a month now.  If you're not sure about something, ask a cast mate if they know.  If you feel like there are a few notes or steps you're not getting, ask a friend to come to rehearsal ten minutes early with you to go over that section.  We've all got each others' backs.  All you need do is ask.

-Accompanease-Many of you have downloaded and are using this program.  Keep it up!  Those of you who haven't, now is a great time to check it out.  It allows you to change the tempo, to isolate your part, to hear only specific sections, and more.  Use this at home to make sure that you know those notes, so when you come into rehearsal, you're ready to go.  Here is the link to download.

-Dropbox-There is a shared folder on the website DropBox with music and the show plot, ready for you to download.  If you need an invite to join the folder, e-mail me and I'll set it up for you.  We'll continue to add resources that might be helpful into this folder.  The website for DropBox is at this link.

These are just a few things to help you review and refine your material, during rehearsal and on your own.  Let us know if we can help.  Four weeks to the big opening means four weeks of hard work, but all towards putting this fantastic musical.

Live from the Rehearsal Hall--Part 1

You may have noticed that from time to time I take pictures during rehearsal.  If you follow me on twitter, you've probably seen some of these pictures.  So here is a post, full of pictures taken from our rehearsals over the past few weeks.

And it's only part one.  More to come as our rehearsals continue!

 

 

 Chuck, Ariel, Crabbe, and Goyle (a.k.a. Travis and Lyle) working with the amazing and musical Susan Quinn on "The Girl Gets Around"

 

McCormack Family at the piano 

 A Father-Daughter game of cards
 

 Ren, Ariel, and their lovely duet 

 Betty Blast, kicking tail and taking names.

 Willard, Ariel, and Ren.  And a beautiful Victorian painting in the background.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Some ducks I saw outside the Arts and Culture Centre.  I love ducks.

Even more pictures

I know, I know.  Two posts worth of pictures of small towns, churches, homes, and Oklahoma.  Why oh why post more?

I think pictures can be a great way to get into a character and into the world of a show.  They can give us an idea of the kinds of things our characters might see from day to day.  They can help us better visualize and imagine the places where our scenes occur.  Does this church look like the one we attend?  Is this our high school hallway?  Is this what the Burger Blast might look like?  Photographs and pictures can help us think about and answer these questions.

But, everyone is different.  For some actors, pictures are effective.  For others, music.  Maybe listening to the dialects helps.  As we continue into rehearsals, think about what helps you get into character, what helps you understand these characters, and what helps you find your Bomont identity.

Dialects

A handful of members of our cast have asked about whether or not we're using dialects for the show.  The short answer is not really.  Dialects can be tricky, and making them consistent across the board is near impossible.  If we really went for it, I fear we'd spend hours poring over International Phonetic Alphabet diagrams and sitting in the mirror, trying to make specific vowel sounds and having our family members look weird at us.

But, I definitely encourage you to get the accent in your ear and play around with it.  If we can hint at the cadence of an Oklahoma dialect, it'll be a nice in-between, allowing us to give a sense of where the show takes place through the dialect, without having to spend a lot of time on IPA and hammering out exactly what vowel and consonant sounds we need.

Here is a link to a website with some great sound samples of Oklahoma dialects.  They'll give you an idea of what this sounds like.  Feel free to give a listen.  Again, we don't need to spend a lot of time working up an accent for the show.  This will just serve to get the sound in the ear.

Thanks!

Meet the Cast! Part Three

A few more brave volunteers have submitted themselves to the rigorous interview required to make of these very serious, high-budget videos.  Learn more about your fellow citizens of Bomont below!

That guy who plays Willard Hewitt...who is he?



So, it seems like our cast has a pretty fantastic ensemble.  Could we meet some of them?



Thanks to Simon, Cody, Ellen, and Kade for helping out with this exciting edition of Meet the Cast.