Tim,

Let's see if I can make this short. I teach/direct a M/S choral arts class of 23 in a private school. When I do a musical each semester, every student has a part. During our 50 min. class, what activities can you suggest for students with smaller roles as they wait to practice their scene? I have had them write a character development story. And have suggested they bring homework to do. As we get closer, we will work on posters and program design. These are rather immature students and working independently will be a challenge for some. And it's just me! I really would like activities that would help improve their skills...that wouldn't feel like busy work. We are one month out from performance.
Please help?
Thanks!

Middle School Madness

Dear Middle School Madness,

First let me open up this challenge to everyone-if you have any good suggestions please forward them on to me and we'll post them on the site!

It's always a challenge to keep everyone focused and involved during rehearsal, especially if you are the only teacher!

My first suggestion is to make your production as student driven as possible. Assign a student to be your assistant director/stage manager. Have him or her take detailed blocking notes, make prop lists, keep track of the time and keep rehearsal running on schedule.

Next select a boy and a girl to serve as your dance captains. They will be responsible for learning the choreography and teaching it to the other students. (If you're teaching the choreography, teach it to them first, but then empower them to clean it up from that point forward.) I've also been told of teachers who hand the choreography DVD or video to students and have them teach it from the video with great success.

Assign another child as your props master, and empower them to find rehearsal props. Rehearsal props can be anything, a card board cut out with the word bucket can serve as a bucket for rehearsal. Building the props is a great rehearsal activity. Make the student (or students) responsible for creating the prop list, finding the props and making sure they are accounted for prior to rehearsal and stored after rehearsal.

You can also assign a boy and a girl as your vocal captains. Their job will be to help rehearse and teach the music-much like the dance captain.

You probably are seeing a trend here. You can assign a student to assist in nearly every aspect of the show. At first this may feel a little bit like allowing the inmates to run the asylum. But by empowering your students you are getting them to buy into the production and have ownership in it. You are also spreading the responsibility from your shoulders, which is a lot to carry, to everyone carrying a little bit of responsibility. You are also teaching your students valuable life lessons in everything from working together for the greater good, to time management, leadership and so much more!

My second suggestion is for you to find adult volunteers to assist you. These could be parents, a fellow teacher, or even an older student. (My middle school choir teacher would recruit high school students as assistants, which was a great way to develop peer-to-peer mentoring.)

Assign this volunteer to run activities with kids who are not being rehearsed. You could also do this with your student stage manager, by the way.

Theatre games are a great way to occupy young minds and bodies while also developing their skills on stage. There are literally thousands of them available through various resources. The best books are by Viola Spolin-check out http://www.spolin.com as a place to find her books and videos.

Also, let me know which show you are presenting and our team can provide you with specific games and activities to match your show.

The other trick is to make sure you're hyper organized when it comes to rehearsal time and also strict when it comes to discipline. Kids like order-so start every rehearsal with a silent physical warm up, and then move to a vocal warm. Next announce the schedule for rehearsal and stick to it to the minute. Your student stage manager should have a watch and let you know when you're on time or running over.

If any other teachers have great suggestions please forward them to me and I'll post them on our site!

Break-a-leg
Tim

Dear Tim,

My school is going to perform a Broadway Junior show and I really want one of the lead parts. People say I am a great singer but my best friend is trying out for the same role. I would certainly love to get the part, but I don't want my best friend to be upset, vise-versa. If I get the role it would make her upset. What am I supposed to do If I get the part?

Also, I get stage fright very easily! What can I do to solve this problem?

Anonymous-

Dear Anonymous,

Thanks for your letter.

Auditioning for a part you really, really want is hard enough; having your best friend also audition for the same part makes it even harder!

Here's what I suggest: talk to your friend about the auditions openly. Talk about your excitement, your nerves, how cool it will be to be in the show, and be supportive of each other. Remember, the director is going to pick the person he or she thinks is most appropriate for the part-it's the director's decision not yours or your friend's, so worrying about something you can't really control may just be a waste of worrying!

Having a best friend is much more important than playing Jasmine and just being a part of the show-whether on stage or off is ALSO more important that playing a certain role. So be good friends, support each other, practice your audition in front of each other and make a bond prior to the auditions: "whatever part we get, we'll be happy for each other!"

Onto stage fright!

Stage fright is a natural part of performing. It's excitement and adrenaline mixed with a bit of fear. Think of it like the feeling of riding an amusement park ride or seeing a scary movie-just part of the fun.

There is a trick to overcoming stage fright-practice, practice, practice! Know your lines, your songs, your dances, your scene changes, check your props and be over prepared. Because what makes theatre so exciting is that it's LIVE! And ANYTHING can happen and probably will. The more prepared you are, the better you'll be at dealing with whatever surprises may come your way. Like the time I was in my middle school musical and my sister forgot to come on stage! AND she had a line that set me up for a song. I had to make it all up on the spot! Boy was THAT exciting, scary, and FUN!!!

Break-a-leg
Tim

Tim,

I think our production of our musical this year will be Aladdin or Beauty and the Beast. I would really love to be a leading woman role like Jasmine or Belle. The only problem is that I am very tall for my age, and all the boys that try out are kind of short. I'm afraid I won't be able to get it. And in previous productions I have always been used as a comedy role, where I don't sing as much and my acting is just for laughs. I think I could do a great job as a more main role, and I think I am a very neutral actress. I don't know exactly what I'm asking, but is there anyway I could still get the part? I understand how the directors have a certain image of the character in their head, but is there anyway I can follow that image? I really just want some truthful input. Thanks!

Kate, 14

Dear Kate,

It's completely normal at your age to be taller than the boys. I wouldn't worry about it too much; they'll catch up and remember most models are very tall, so you're in good company!

Based on what you say in your letter, it sounds like you're an excellent comedienne-which is a rare talent! Sometimes people think playing the comedy role is easy (and it may be for you) but trust me-it's a gift! They say you can teach someone to dance, you can teach someone to sing, but it's nearly impossible to teach someone to be funny! So celebrate your gift.

You can't get inside the imagination of the director, but you can let them know you're interested in a specific part. Try to talk to the director in advance, let him or her know you'd like to play Jasmine or Belle and why you'd like to the play the part. Be sure to let the director know that you'll accept any part they choose to cast you in and show them you're a team player. And remember, regardless of the part you play, just being in the show, off stage or on, is a blast so enjoy it!

Break-a-leg!
Tim McDonald

Hi, Tim,

I love the whole idea of the "Broadway, Jr." concept. Here's to you.

My question is, do you think I could pull off doing Annie, Jr. within the confines of a two week summer workshop? If my math is correct, that would mean at least 4 1/2 hours of rehearsal a day... not for everyone, of course, but, I could have choreography, musical, and blocking groups all going at the same time.

Have I lost my mind?

Thank you.

Gebby Smith
Circle Off the Square Theater
Raymond, MS

Thanks Gebby.

You haven't lost your mind... but if you find mine, would you send it back to me?

Mediocre comedy aside...

I'm working with the assumption you have ten days of rehearsal, for 4 ½ hours each day, which means you have a total of 45 hours of rehearsal. This should be enough to pull off Annie Junior. Especially if you take the "three ring circus" approach of having multiple rehearsals happening in different rooms at once as you mention, this is a very good use of time and energy.

Just make sure you (and hopefully your team) are well organized. Take the time to create a chart of what is happening in each room during all 4 1/2 hours of rehearsal. Break the show down by the biggest musical numbers (chorus numbers) and work down to the duets and solos. (Teach the music first, then the staging/choreography.) You can block the principals around these numbers. It's often helpful to work the schedule backwards from opening night, then tech/dress, then run thu rehearsal, all the way to the first day of rehearsal. But do spend lots of planning time on getting the schedule perfect and adjust it as you go along.

Also read your director's guide and have your blocking, and choreography completed prior to your first rehearsal, it may not all work, but it's easier to fix a few things then everything. And keep it simple-including props, sets, and costumes-less is more especially in the amount of time you have. (And everyone will be amazed-you did this is just two weeks? That Gebby is a miracle worker!)

Remember to schedule some break times for you and your team as well as the kids.

We schedule 30 hours of rehearsals when we test new shows with kids. It's tight, but we've never had a show not open...knock on wood!

Break-a-leg-your cast is going to have a GREAT and MEMORABLE summer!

Tim McDonald
Director of Education
MTI

Tim,

Last year my school did Annie, Jr. and when I first auditioned I got the parts of Bundles McKlosky and Mrs. Greer. After a while the person who was playing Lily St. Regis, which was the part I wanted from the beginning, dropped out, I tried out for the part and they gave it to another 8th grader, the former Lily was an 8th grader also, but I was a 7th grader. The new Lily was kicked out of the production due to grades and an ISS, in school suspension, and I tried out for it again and I got it, no 8th graders were at the audition. I did great in the production, so I'm told, and I think next year we are doing Disney's Aladdin Jr. and I really want the part of the genie. Will they give me a large part just because I'll be an 8th grader or was that just a coincidence last year?

Dear Kara,

First of all, CONGRATULATIONS! You did some really great things and I hope others will learn from your example! For example, while you wanted the part of Lily St. Regis, you accepted the parts of Bundles and Mrs. Greer, which showed your director that you are a team player.

Some kids may have foolishly quit the show when they didn't get the part they wanted. Think about it... had you quit the show you would have not only not been in the show and missed out on all the fun, but you would have also NOT been around to get the part you wanted when the other actor left the show!

In terms of Disney's Aladdin Junior, I think you should go in with the same attitude you did for Annie Junior. Audition the best you can, let your director know you'd LIKE the part of the Genie, but will accept any part the director thinks you should play, and truly believe that.

In the end, it's fun to play a lead, but sometimes it's more fun just to be in the show.

Some directors will cast the oldest students in larger parts as a policy, since they have the most experience. But most directors will cast the most appropriate person for the part, regardless of age or grade.

Break-a-leg!
Tim McDonald

Hello Tim,

You have done amazing work, and we're about to get "Into" the Woods starting the last week of February at our school with performances planned for early May. I have been chosen as Musical Director. Rehearsals are scheduled M-Th for 4 hours a day in March and April with one week off for school vacation. (So about 7 weeks of rehearsals.)

My question is this: Do you have a hint as to how the Director and I can best arrange that time? I realize it all depends on the kids' ability to grasp and learn the parts. I have only music-directed one show and that one was fairly easy; Into the Woods seems rather difficult and I'm a bit intimidated. So any hints and tips? (I am an excellent pianist, but even so, the pianist's book is difficult!) We do plan to use the backing track CD. . .

Greetings Bill,

This is a great question. Into the Woods is nearly sung through and the music is challenging. Although Mr. Sondheim said it best-"we adults see the music as challenging, the kids just see it as fun."

That said here are some tips on maximizing your rehearsal time.

• Teach the music first starting with the numbers that involve the most people and work towards duets and solos.
• Encourage the cast to bring portable tape recorders to rehearsal so they can tape their parts for practicing outside of rehearsal.
• Schedule rehearsal using two rooms-one for the director to stage (using the CD) another for you to rehearsal music with kids who are NOT being staged. (This technique doubles the amount of rehearsal time you have available and if you and your director set the schedule in advance, you'll both know who you can work with at any given time, based on the scenes being staged.)
• The key to teaching music is repetition with variation. After teaching a song, repeat the song straight through and ask the kids to sing it very softly. (Explain that they won't perform it this way in the final show.) Then repeat it loudly. The kids will focus on the "soft" and "loud" but what you're really doing is reinforcing the song.
• Start rehearsal with a warm up that is directly related to a piece of music the kids are having difficulty with. (Perhaps it's a tough interval, or memorizing the lyrics of a tough section.)

Tim,

I'm getting ready to try out for Miss. Hannigan. I am really nervous! I'm afraid of what everyone else will think about my singing. What if i don't make it? Do you have any tips on how I can get over my fright?

Dear Haylee,

It's natural and o.k. to be nervous about auditioning. Nearly everyone feels nervous about auditioning-even the professionals on Broadway. But each time you audition you'll find you get less and less nervous.

It's like when you first learned how to ride a bike or swim. At first it was a little scary and you were a little nervous. But with time those feelings went away and were replaced with the joy of riding a bike or being underwater.

Remember when you're auditioning that the director is on your side and wants you to do well and succeed. Take lots of deep breaths. Also practice auditioning in front of small groups of people-like your friends, your sister, or even your dog, cat, or stuffed animals. The more you practice the more comfortable you'll be.

Finally after auditioning be sure to ask your director what you can do to improve your next audition and don't forget to thank him or her for their advice.

If you are not cast, ask the director why and let them know you're interested in any part even working back stage.

Dear Tim,

I would like to be a singer/actress. The only problem is, I can't sing that well. Should I give up? My other question is, we are doing Fiddler On The Roof Junior and I would like to play the part of Yente, but what if I don't get the part? Do you think they will just leave me out of the play or just give me a smaller part?

Dear Ana,

Singing is something almost everyone can learn.Think of it as a skill like riding a bike, swimming or playing tennis and the more you do it, the more your skills as a singer and a musician will develop.

Casting is always a tough time not only for actors but ALSO for the directors of the show. Trust that the directors will do the best job they can casting the show and try not to worry about what part you get.

Finally when you're auditioning make sure your director knows that you really want to be a part of the show. Let them know that you're willing to work hard, and be a good cast member by learning your parts, showing up on time for rehearsal and by not missing rehearsals.

If you don't get cast, don't stress, volunteer to be a part of the backstage team or as a stage manager. Many kids find back stage work more fun than being on stage!

Hello Tim!

My name is Sarah Sendlbeck! Im going to be doing the Music Man Jr. show in a short time and I have a question about the characters. You see I'm getting considered for the parts of either Mrs. Puroo or Eulalie Mackenzie Shinn, and I was wondering which one would be the bigger part to shoot for? Like how many solos does each have and what songs do they sing, which one would be more worth it?

Dear Sarah,

Sometimes people think some parts are better than others because they have more solos, or more lines.

In reality, this is not the case.

I know of parts that have lots of lines, lots of solos, but aren't as much fun or as memorable as a part which may have only a few lines, but lines that are really funny, or dramatic. Consider which part suits you best. For example, Eulalie is a very comedic role (and often the audience's favorite) while Mrs. Paroo offers the challenge of learning an accent, and steals the audience's heart. So ultimately I recommend trusting your director and taking on the challenge of any role you receive with lots of energy and hard work. One way or the other, you'll have a great time!