Sally-Anne Kerry

Performing Arts Blog

[sallyannekerry]

Rent Blog 6 - Review Blog

Physical

What do you find most interesting about your physical performance?

 I find it interesting that I play 4 different characters and there is a clear difference between their physically when I am acting. This is because in the past I feel my characters are all very samey. My physical performance as Alexi Darling is so strong that I have surprised myself as I feel that it is one of my best and most convincing performances to date. My gestures and facial expressions in the role of Alexi suit the character really well and she is so much fun to play because she is so vibrant and over the top in both her vocals and actions.

 I find it interesting that my bohemian character has turned out completely different to how I first imagined her and played her. How I first described my Bohemian characters movement dynamics in my earlier blogs has now completely changed because I have changed the mood and nature of my character over the rehearsal process as I have had the opportunity to try out different physical traits and see what fits better. My character is now much softer with her movements because my costume was not rocky enough to have the harsh, sharp dynamics I was originally going for.

 I also think my characterization is interesting because I use different techniques to represent the different emotions within the same character or different characteristics to show a contrast between characters. For example when my character is sad/unhappy my gestures and movements are much slower, smaller and closed off from the audience than when my characters are happy. When I am portraying happier emotions and having fun my gestures and movements are much bigger and sharper.

 How could you experiment more with your movement?

 I feel that the character I most need to experiment more with is the vendor. She is the character I least connect with and struggle to get into the mind set of which means she is my least convincing character. I feel that I need more of a plan for her within characters bells as I struggle to come up with new movement for her and tend to use the same few gestures and movements throughout.

 As my bohemian character I need to experiment more with the spontaneous dancing in La Vie Boheme. I struggle with this as I’m not a very talented dancer and struggle to think of moves on the spot. I have thought of some go to movements for this character but feel like my dancing is now very repetitive throughout because of it.

 As the homeless character I play I feel that I could experiment more with the dynamics of my movement. At the minute I don’t think my characters dynamics reflect the fact that she is so pissed off in Christmas bells it just looks a little like she feels sorry for herself. Also I feel that I could have a wider range of gestures as this character to keep her interesting and so that she sticks out as a character against all of the other homeless people.

 As Alexi I feel that this is my strongest performance physically so there is less to change. However I do feel that I could work on my facial expressions as Alexi further. I am fairly expressive as Alexi but at times I feel that my facial expressions could be sharper and more blocked out as this will probably add to the comedic effect of the character.

 What was good about your physicality?

I think the strongest part of my physicality as Alexi is my stance. I stand tall with my shoulders back and head held high like a business woman or someone who thinks that there are of great importance in life. I don’t move across the space as Alexi so I can’t really discuss my movement as her.

 As my bohemian character I think it’s good how I move quite natural and keep my physicality how mine naturally is as the way I play my bohemian character she doesn’t need to be too exaggerated in her movement as she is just a regular human being. I think it’s good how my physicality and movement across the space changes depending on the mood of my character at that particular second. For example my pace is much quicker and my dynamics are much bouncier in rent and la Vie Boheme than they are in I’ll cover you reprise or seasons of love.  My pace of movement also depends on the pace of the song.

 As both the vendor and homeless characters I feel that my stances are the best thing about my phsicailty. This is because I have taken all things into account when creating them ,for example their mood and the weather.

 Have you remembered your blocking and movement?

 I feel that I have done extremely well in remembering my blocking during this project. I have tried extremely hard to stay focused and pay absolute attention this term as his is where I have failed in previous projects. I have tried my best not to miss any rehearsal and have only missed half a day during this project which means the reputation of scenes helped the blocking to stay in my head. I do however need to finish annotating my script as at some point during rehearsals everything else began to take over and I don’t have as many notes for the second half as I do the first as a result. This will be one of my actin plans for this week.

 Do you use appropriate gestures and facial expressions? If so when where and how effective are they?

 As Alexi I do not use gestures in my first voicemail as I am holding a phone in this scene. To keep my character over the top and constant in the first voicemail I have to overcompensate with facial expressions so I tend to over use my eyebrows to enhance the comedy effect the character Alexi has. In Alexi’s second voice mail I use the same facial expressions but my hands are free so I also can use gestures with my character. My gestures as Alexi match her personality they are very over the top and exaggerated. I tend to mime what I taking as Alexi as I imagine her to be someone who talks with her hands. For example when she says “told him you say hi” I wave and when she says “Pick up the phone” I mime a phone using my hands. I feel that the miming gestures are very effective and add to the comedy effect the character is supposed to have.

 As my bohemian character I exaggerate lots with my gestures as I do with Alexi but the dynamics of the gestures are much less sharp that Alexi’s as this character is not as exaggerated for comedy effect. I use lots of lifting/swinging my arms up on big final notes of songs, particularly in rent as I feel it enhances the care free mood I have chosen to give this character. I decided to make my bohemian character quite sarcastic so many of my expressions are mimicking the characters that I dislike such as Benny, I do lots of this in La Vie Boheme. She is also quite disgraceful in the way she behaves, for example she sticks her fingers up a lot a Benny and Mr Gray.

 As both my homeless character and the vendor I keep my movements much more reserved than I do as Alexi and my bohemian character because they are less out there and impulsive characters in terms of personality. The only time I use bigger gestures as the vendor is when one of the druggies steals from my stall in Christmas bells and I get angry. My homeless character is more aggressive in the way she moves and her pace of walking that her gestures so not many gestures are used. Facially I like to keep my homeless character quite blank and straight faced in a way. This is to show that she has given up on life and no longer cars what happens to her. Every now and again though I will allow my facial expressions to get stern because occasionally the anger does come through.

 What could be improved “even better if……”

 My character Alexi could be improved if I slow down my speech because sometimes I ramble the phone numbers out just to get through them without stumbling and then some of the comedy effect of the character does get lost.

 My Bohemian character could be improved by having more of a connection and more eye contact with the other characters in some of the bigger scenes so that my character is more believable. I have started to do this with Becky W in Rent and I feel it has added to our characters nicely and makes the audience believe more in our characters living situation. I have also started to do this with a few people I sit with in La Vie Boheme but could do it much more in places.

My homeless character could be improved if thought more about various gestures I could use during Santa Fe as I feel I have a dip in characterization here as I don’t always know what to do or how to react.

 My vendor character could be improved in Christmas bells if I had a clearer character given circumstance as sometimes I will repeat the same actions and my characters story is not clear which can sometimes make this look strange. For example when I keep looking around the stage for someone or something. I am looking for things to steal and sell on my stall but I don’t know if this is sometimes clear enough.

Charcterisation

Are you using appropriate acting techniques ?

I feel that I have been using the appropriate acting technique for the emotional scenes. In order to create the correct atmosphere I have been using Stanislavski’s emotion memory technique. I think of a situation where I have felt a similar emotion to my character and then this helps me to portray the emotion better.

I have also been using a video technique to base my characters on. This is where I find an example of someone in real life to observe and base my character on. In a previous blog I posted an interview with a homeless woman who spoke about how she ended up on the streets and how she feels about it. The video taught me lots of stuff I didn’t know about homelessness and changed how I played the character from then on.

Is this an appropriate portrayal of the Character?

I feel that these techniques help me to portray the characters better than if I was trying to play them without being in the proper mind set of someone in that situation. It helps me to create a better atmosphere and a more believable character for the audience.

Can you identify your given Circumstance? Do you believe in it?

I feel that I can identify with some characters given circumstances better than others. I feel that I identify with my Bohemian character and Alexi better than I do with my homeless character and vendor as they are more like I am so I understand how to play them, where as I have never been homeless so I fail to understand it truly.

I believe in my characters given circumstances because  I have done some really detailed character research since the start of this unit. This means that I have taken more time to understand the circumstances of the characters than I have for previous performances. I think this is because I truly really care about this musical and found the research really interesting.

Are your characters objective clear in each scene? If so what is it? (I want to…)

Bohemian

Rent – In the song rent I am desperate I want to find a way to pay my rent. By the end my character is more care free and wants to rebel against the rules.

La Vie Boheme – My characters objective is to embarrass Benny in front of Mr Gray because I want to ruin his chances in life as he is the one causing the rent issues.

Seasons of love – My characters objective in this song is to enjoy life for what it is and celebrate love and friendship, I want to have fun.

I’ll cover you (reprise) – My characters objective is to remember loved ones that she has lost, I want to remember them to keep their memories alive.

Finale – My character has no objective as such she just wants to celebrate love and friendship during this song.

Homeless

Will I? – My characters objective in will I is to reflect on the effects that aids has had on her loved ones and people around her, I want to question the situation and reflect on what is happening.

Finale A – My character is pissed off at the economic situation and being homeless, I want to communicate this to the audience and set the scene.

Vendor

Christmas Bells – my character wants to make a living but is finding it hard in the area she is trying to sell in that is full of junkies and homeless people.

Is the acting technique appropriate to the style of the performance

I feel that the acting techniques I use are very appropriate to the performance because it is a very emotional show and the techniques I use help me to enhance and deepen my emotions in places. This will help to enhance the overall atmosphere and feeling of the scenes and get the audience more emotionally involved and connected with my character.

Do you react to other characters on stage?

I do react with the other characters on stage but feel as though I could do it more in some places. I always react to what is happening on stage but could do with some more eye contact with other characters in places to make the connections between the characters more believable. Myself and some others have started to plan out moments where we react to each other in the background of scenes to add to the action and make the scene more interesting.

What could be improved ‘even better if……’

I feel that some characters would be even better with much more character reactions. I feel that we have the odd thing happening in the background but there could be more to keep the audience engaged in the action and keep them believing in the characters. Also I feel that some of my given circumstances could be stronger so that I connect with the character better and give a more convincing performance.

Grade the following vocal skills out of 10 and give reasoning

Projection, Timing, Inflection, Emotion, accent, diction and pitch

 Projection – 8

I feel that my belt (projection) has improved so much whilst we have been doing rent and things that I would listen too on the dvd and thought I would never hit I can now hit quite easily. I have only given and 8 though because there is always room for improving and my voice can sometimes crack when I try to belt.

 Timing – 7

I have picked 7 because it is hard to tell for me. I may be higher but because the only time I sig solo is accapella it is hard to judge timing as it is easier to sing in time as an ensemble than as a lead.

 Inflection – 6

I have picked 6 because my inflection has improved during the rehearsal process but is still one of my weaker areas where performing so I had to give it a lower score than all the rest.

 Emotion – 8

I have picked 8 for emotion because I feel that my emotions are the strongest they have ever been for any performance I have done and my acting has improved so much over the last few projects in second year. However I have not picked higher because again there is always room for improvement in life.

 Accent – 9

I have picked 9 because my accent is quite strong particularly as Alexi Darling, however there are points where I do sound a little northern. For example as the vendor because when I call out what we’re selling on the stall it just reminds me of the people you get at Chesterfield market.  

 Diction – 8

My diction is very good as homeless, vendor and bohemian (particularly in la vie boheme which is a hard on to do) but as Alexi Darling I sometimes stumble over my words and my diction is then not clear enough.

 Pitch – 7

I think that my pitch has improved so much this term and my voicemails have come a long way since the first rehearsal  (initially I couldn’t reach some of the higher pitch notes but now I can reach them all) but there is still so much room to improve to be perfect.

Grade the following physical skills out of ten and give reasoning

Posture, expression, confidence, use of space, audience interaction, energy

Posture – 7

I feel that my posture for each character was clearly thought out and that my posture varied to show the physical traits and mood of each individual character. As my Bohemian character I kept a natural every day posture, for Alexi I kept a straight posture and for my homeless character I have a hunched over posture. This helped me to portray the mood and hierarchy or each character.

Expression – 9

I feel that this is the strongest my expression has been during any project so far and I even manage to stay focused in the background of scenes when I am frozen or don’t have much to do. I feel that I could have pushed my expression as little more as my homeless character but I found this character the hardest to connect to.

Confidence – 9

I feel that my confidence since the singing unit has improved so much and for this performance I didn’t even get nervous what so ever I just had so much fun and tried to lose my inhibitions whist performing to my full potential.

Use of Space – 8

I feel that I have quite good use of space and spread myself out evenly from the rest of the cast. I also manage to spot opportunities where a space needs to be filled and fill it immediately. For example in la vie boheme there always ends up being lots of room at the bench when we are all cramped down the end so I always rush to fill the space the second I can.

Audience Interaction – 8

I feel that even through this isn’t a very audience interacting show in terms of how a panto or comedy is I did my fair share of making the audience feel involved by using eye contact and gestures towards them during the bigger numbers and through the fact I got to address my voicemails to them as Alexi.

Energy – 8

I feel this is something that has drastically improved for me over the rehearsals and once we have an audience to perform to I always push my energy levels as far as I can so that they are more enticed by my character and performance.

Set three action plans to improve weaker areas for the performance

Firstly I will practice my voice mails to work on the pace which will in return help me to improve on my diction. I will do this every day now until the show.

Secondly I will further practice my belt as I still struggle at the very end of finale B to hold the final note the whole time. I will practice this in my singing lessons.

Finally I am going to work on getting the harmonies right in the I’ll cover you reprise because I always think I sound a little off on them. I will do this by listening to the Broadway track and trying to pick out what fits of an evening this week.

[sallyannekerry]

Rent Blog 5

What have you completed this week? If rehearsing what scenes did you work on?

Over the last couple of weeks we have moved to Chesterfield studios for our rehearsals. We have done a number of runs and polished certain parts of the show to look the best they can be. We have polished the song Rent and some things have been added to it to improve the atmosphere and make it more entertaining for the audience to watch. We have also worked on contact to make it more polished and together as it looked a little messy. We have in addition to this recorded the vocals for contact as we found it too hard to do the blocking and say the words at the same time as it is a hard song to master. Christmas bells is another thing we worked on because the energy has slipped and we needed to polish sections to get it back to where it was and we re blocked the start of Will I? so it looks nicer.  Also we have all been back over la Vie Boheme to polish it and to teach it to Matt and Lucy who have returned from uni to help boost vocals and add to the scenes background wise. we did a number of runs the last one of witch has been a full run of the show with costumes and props in preparation for our tech/dress run at the theatre. 

What songs/ dances have you worked on?

We have worked mostly on the bigger and more memorable numbers to get them up to a better standard in our final rehearsals. We have worked on Rent, Christmas Bells, Will I?, La Vie Boheme, Contact and the Finale. We have also blocked bows, we have kept them nice and simple as rent is not generally a show that has big flashy bows but we wanted them to celebrate our last performance. 

What went well?

Rent - I think that Rent looks so much better with the new adjustments. I think the running sections look less awkward now because people are taking bigger routes and getting to their places later which look much more effective. I also think that some of the changes really add to the mood and atmosphere of the song. For example when we stand in a group and move down slowly i think this adds to the tension of the song very nicely. 

Christmas Bells - I feel that now we have made some adjustments and we all have a clearer idea of our given circumstances in this scene that the scene has much more energy and therefore captures the audience better and keeps them engaged with the story line. I also feel that the harmonies in this song have reached there peak and it now sounds amazing particularly when we hit the last note and all come off of it together. 

Will I? - Will I is much better vocally now that we have worked on when each group comes in and made each group louder so it is clearer when a new group starts. Also I feel that the harmonies in this song have got stronger as people have got more confident with their timing and started to be louder. 

La Vie Boheme - Lucy and Matt have now been added into this and as a result we all went back over it meaning that we all have a very clear idea on the blocking now and the choreographed sections look tighter. We have also worked on the harmonies in this as they were a little off in places and it sounds much nicer now. 

Contact - We have now recorded the vocals for contact as they never sounded right live. We had a few goes at this till we got them correct so the vocals should sound very good on stage. I have been taken out of this number for time management purposes so I couldn’t really say what is going well or the people in it. 

Finale - Even though this is already blocked some absent people got blocked into it and some of us who were there got moved about a little. I feel that vocally the finale goes well and the very last note sounds amazing and nearly everyone can hold it the whole time now. 

What didn’t go well?

Rent - In rent we did make an alteration that got taken out because it didn’t look right. We were supposed to rise/fall slowly on each “how we gonna pay” but it didn’t look right so we don’t now. 

Christmas Bells - We have made lots of improvement in Christmas bells and I feel now that all we have to do is make sure we keep the energy up on the show nights.

Will I? - Some people didn’t turn up to rehearsal when this got re blocked meaning it got re blocked again and had to take up further time. However it looks fine now. 

La Vie Boheme -The spontaneous dancing still looks a little awkward from some people (me included). I feel that now we just have to hope the adrenaline on the night solves this. 

Contact - Putting to vocals with the movement didn’t go well which is why we recorded it and those on stage will mime. They now need to remember to mime though or it will be obvious.

Finale -Again the problem with the finale was having to block in the people who were missing when we initially did it which help us back a bit but not too much as the finale is just a case of standing and singing. Also me and Leah got swapped with Tom and Conner in the Finale because there were too tall to be in front of the projector.

What do you need to improve for next session?

We do not have a next session because I have done this blog as a summery of the last 3 weeks of rehearsal since you move at a slower pace at the end of a project and there is usually less to say/write up about. However I feel that the show is ready for an audience and we just need to up the energy now which I think will naturally happen when we get to the theatre.

How are you developing your character?

Over the last few weeks I have just been adding final tweaks to all of my characters. For example I have more thoroughly blocked out my second voicemail as Alexi so that I can give the full comedy effect the character is supposed to have. I have been studying the Broadway version of the character and look for certain traits that I like and want to use in my performance of the character for inspiration.

Here is the video i have been using...

I have picked up on some of the changes in vocal tone she uses and decided to exaggerate this in my version as it adds to the comedy effect she gives of nicely. I have also copied some of her facial expression and over use of the eyebrows and I think this is effective. I use more gestures than the woman who played her here though and I feel this adds even more to the comedic feel of the character.

What ideas have you got for your role and the overall performance?

For the role I haven’t had many more ideas for the characters specifically as at this point they are all pretty much established, however I have come up with some more costume/make up/hair ideas for my role. I have decided to go for a half up hair style. I will be crimping my hair and putting in a silver scrunchie. Costume wise I have found a cardigan for my bohemian character and some ripped jeans for my homeless character to hide my legs as i wear fishnets throughout which isn’t very homeless fitting.  

What techniques have you used in the session? What effect did you use them for?

To enhance my emotions in Will I?and the I’ll cover you reprise I have started to use the technique of emotional memory by thinking of a situation I have been through that match the emotions of the character so that my emotions on stage are stronger and create a much more believable atmosphere for the audience. 

What feedback did you receive from your director/ peers?

Specific feedback to me I have received over the last couple of weeks includes...

- I need to slow down my voicemails because sometimes what I am saying can get lost in the hyperness of my character and then the comedy effect gets lost.

- I need to pull down my homeless hat because I end up with a dome shape if I’ve put it on in a rush which looks silly and in no way homeless.

-I need to make sure that in Christmas bells I don’t stand/walk in front of the leads during the background action.

-I need a second costume as Alexi consisting of a tracksuit top and a headband.

Some general feedback we have all received was...

- We need to keep the energy and pace up in Christmas bells and la vie boheme. 

- We need to not fidget in the background of scenes.

- We need to keep our character consistent as we loose it in some places like when moving the set in la vie boheme.

What did you think of the feedback?

I agree with all of the feedback given and it has all helped me to improve either performance wise or with looking better on stage. I think that the feedback given was a bit repetitive to previous weeks which means some of us really need to up our game in places on stage. 

What are you going to do in the next rehearsal to improve on the feedback?

I have already started to improve on this feedback in lesson because this blog is written over the course of a couple of weeks. I have already slowed down my voicemail and it has added to the comedy effect, I have had further feedback saying that this has improved. As a group we have upped our energy and are now keeping our character more consistent and i feel this will only improve when we get to the theatre. I do however still need to find my second costume for Alexi which i will have done by Monday.

Discuss Strengths and Areas for Development and set an action plan on how you hope to meet those areas for development and improve them.

Strengths:

My first strength is that I have made the improvements asked of me for Alexi Darling and it has really helped me to improve on the comedy aspect of the character.

My Second Strength is that I am prepared now with all of my costume and props (with the exception of the costume that has only just been asked of me).

My final strength is that I know the running order of the show well and always remember extra stage hand jobs that are handed to me. 

Areas for Development:

Firstly, I need to finish marking my script as some of the second act is missing and some notes that I will need for props. 

Secondly I need to come up with new make up ideas as what I was doing is not enough for on stage and i will be washed out by the lights. 

Finally I need to continue to work on my Alexi vocals because even though they are fine I need to keep them at this standard for the show.

Action Plan –

I need to finish marking my script to have side stage with me and hand in at the end, I will be doing this on Sunday evening ready for the dress run on Monday.

I am going to try out some new make up ideas over the weekend and pick my favorite to do for the show.

I will continue to practice my voicemails for at least 15 minutes each evening at home to ensure that they are as good as they are now for the show, also there is always room for improvement. 

[sallyannekerry]

80′s Rock and Roll Poster Idea’s

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Final Outgoings For Rent - FMP

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Song Analysis 1 - Singing

MILLIE: I studied all the pictures in magazines and books I memorized the subway map too It’s one block north to Macy’s and two to Brothers Brooks Manhattan, I prepared for you You certainly are diff'rent from what they have back home Where nothing’s over three stories high And no one’s in a hurry or wants to roam But I do, though they wonder why They said I would soon be good and lonely They said I would sing the homesick blues (taking a train ticket from her pocket) So I always have this ticket in my pocket A ticket home in my pocket To do with as I choose (tearing the ticket in two) Burn the bridge, bet the store Baby’s coming home no more Not for the life of me Break the lock, post my bail Done my time, I’m out of jail Not for the life of me A life that’s gotta be more than a one-light town Where the light is always red Gotta be more than an old ghost town Where the ghost ain’t even dead Clap-a-your hands, just-a-because Don’t you know that where I am ain’t where I was Not for the life of me Boh-doh-dee-oh Not for the life of Not for the life of Not for the life of me!

What is the song about? Describe the scene. What happened before the scene to lead to this moment?

The play is set in New York in 1922. Millie has just moved away from her home and her family to start a new life in Manhattan. In the scene she has just arrived in New York and she is observing her surroundings. She sings the song above explaining how she kept a ticket to go back home but she won’t need it because New York is great so she rips the ticket up and decides to stay. Before this scene there isn’t another scene as this is the start of the musical so I can’t really say what happens but this is a nice clear and to the point start to the musical.

What is the purpose of this song?

Well this song is at the very beginning so the purpose is to entice, entertain and inform the audience. The song is nice and catchy so the audience will be griped and want to see more. There is a clear story told within the song so it is clear to the audience what the characters situation is. Also the song builds nicely so it starts of slow and then gets more upbeat which I think is memorable for an audience and you can show of multiple talents which is why I initially chose this song for my university auditions.

Where does this song take place? How does this affect your singing and movement?

The song takes place in a public place in New York. There are lots of people around going about their daily business and it is a packed and fast paced place as New York is a busy city. I wouldn’t say that the place exactly does affect the singing and movement; however I would say that the singing and movement of the song fits the energy and pace of the scene happening behind.

Who are you singing to?

This song is not sung to any particular character it is sung out to the audience to tell them a story. This means it requires lots of eye contact with the audience and gestures towards them to make them feel as though the song is directed at them. I would also say that she is singing to the city itself so she needs to look around and point/gesture at her surroundings a lot. For example she could do this only the like “Manhattan I prepared for you”.

Who or what are you singing about?

In this song I sing about the characters past life and events that lead to this scene. Also I sing about what my character knows/likes about the place she has moved to. And then finally the song goes into a sort of upbeat celebration and the character sings about what she is going to do now she is free.

 How do you feel during the song?(Plot how the emotions change on your lyrics)

I studied all the pictures in magazines and books I memorized the subway map too It’s one block north to Macy’s and two to Brothers Brooks Manhattan, I prepared for you

This is the first section and here Millie is getting excited about the fact she has finally arrived where she has wanted to be for so long. As well of excitement there is also an element of disbelief that she is finally actually in New York.

You certainly are diff'rent from what they have back home Where nothing’s over three stories high And no one’s in a hurry or wants to roam But I do, though they wonder why

Here the character starts to sing about the differences in New York from where she has come from. There is still the feeling of excitement here as she prefers everything about this place. But there is an element of nostalgia and memories from her previous home.

They said I would soon be good and lonely They said I would sing the homesick blues (taking a train ticket from her pocket) So I always have this ticket in my pocket A ticket home in my pocket To do with as I choose

Here the mood and pace of the song drops a little. While she thinks about her option to return home and she decides what she should do. There is the feeling of wandering in this section as the character debates her options.

(tearing the ticket in two) Burn the bridge, bet the store Baby’s coming home no more Not for the life of me Break the lock, post my bail Done my time, I’m out of jail Not for the life of me A life that’s gotta be more than a one-light town Where the light is always red Gotta be more than an old ghost town Where the ghost ain’t even dead Clap-a-your hands, just-a-because Don’t you know that where I am ain’t where I was Not for the life of me Boh-doh-dee-oh Not for the life of Not for the life of Not for the life of me!

The whole last section of the song is very upbeat and happy after she decides to stay in New York ripping up her ticket home in the process. She starts to get excited and anticipates her new life and how great it is going to be.

What are the inner and outer feelings of the character in the song?

As this song is mostly about conveying her emotions to the audience and telling a story so the character is pretty much and open book and what you see is what you get. She conveys the emotions of happiness and excitement through the majority of the song and this is genuinely what she feels in anticipation of her new start in life. Her inner emotions therefore are no different to her outer emotions so I can’t really do a paragraph about the contrasting emotions.

What facial expressions will you use to show what your characters thinking or feeling in this song?

Through most of the song my character is happy and excited so I need to show this with my facial expression. I will do this by keeping a constant smile on my face. I will need to use my eyebrows a lot. They will mostly be raised because this makes my eyes light up and this will help to convey the emotions of happiness and excitement.

There is on section where the mood dips as I have plotted in an above question. Here I will lose my smile and drop my eyebrows a little to make my face look a little less ecstatic and I will occasionally frown to show that my character is considering her options.

What gestures will you use to show what you character is thinking or feeling in this song?

I feel that in this song there are plenty of options for gestures. When Mille talks about her surroundings I can do lots of pointing and holding my hands out as though I am actually observing the surroundings. I can use softer gestures for when the tempo of the music is slower and then when the music gets more upbeat and exiting my gestures can become sharper, quicker, bigger and stronger. There is also opportunity in this song for a small dance or more choreographed movement then there would be in a slower, less upbeat song.

[sallyannekerry]

Could also be classed as business as this was my audition piece

[sallyannekerry]

Contingency Plans/ Raising money for Rent

•Bag Packing We went to Morrisons to raise awareness of the show by discussing the show with their customers and handing out flyers. This helps us to sell tickets and therefore raise even more money for the show

•Concerts/Events We have performed some of the songs from rent at 2 events. This raised awareness of the show and as a result people bought tickets which will help us to make some of the money back that we spend on the show.

•Collection Buckets/pots We have had collection buckets/pots to raise money for the lgbt community. This also helps us to raise awareness for our show and sell tickets because we can explain how the charity links to the themes of the musical and this will attract people who care for the charity.

•Programme adverts We have been giving local businesses the chance to buy a space in our programme to advertise their business. This will help us to cover some of the cost of printing the programmes.

•Selling programmes Selling the programmes at our show also helps is to cover the cost of the programmes and over all cost of the show.

[sallyannekerry]

Rent - Blog 4

The last couple of weeks have been our final weeks in the college rehearsal space this means we have been finishing off the final parts of blocking and working with the different levels as we will not have these to work with when we get to Chesterfield studio’s. We blocked finale a and b and I personally I blocked my second voicemail as Alexi Darling but I did this independently without tutor direction.

We rehearsed every scene this week because we were doing a full run and we now have the full show blocked this means from now on we will just be polishing and working on final things for our tech groups.

 What went well with the scenes?

 Alexi’s final voicemail – I feel that Alexi’s second voicemail went much better than the first because I am freer to use gestures and stances which I don’t get the chance to do when holding the phone in my first voice mail. I feel that the gestures I have chosen for Alexi really suit the character as I have used lots of big over the top gestures to reflect what she is saying as she is a very over the top and exaggerated character.  I also feel that this voicemail is going very well vocally because my range has improved loads and I can now hit the top notes easily. I also feel like there is more depth to my vocals in terms of tone and pitch now which adds more exaggeration to my character.

 Finale A – I feel that the homeless section at the start is going well and that there are some strong characters coming through. I feel that everyone has an individual quality to their character that make them stand out even though we are stood in a big group and are tight together. I feel that the leads did very well in this scene also and that they hold the emotional atmosphere very well.

 Finale B – I feel that this scene is very effective because of the power behind the blocking, I love how simple yet effective the movement is and with the right expression and emotions coming from the characters this could be the best scene even though not much occurs.

 What didn’t go well with the scenes?

 Alexi’s final voicemail – I feel that I now need to over exaggerate my facial expressions to match my gestures and vocals because my expression is not as over the top and means I lose some of the comedy effect my character is supposed to have.

 Finale A – I feel that as a group our emotions need to be stronger and our expressions more exaggerated. Like I mentioned before there are some strong characters and these people shine out against others in the group who I don’t think have captured the characters quite so well. Also I feeling that there are tuning/pitching issues for some people because it can sometimes sound off and the harmonies could be a lot stronger in places.

 Finale B – I feel that vocally this scene could be stronger. It sounds good at the minute but could do with a final push of power in places to have more of and emotional impact on the audience. Also I feel that character and expression need to be more consist ant in some people.

 What do you need to improve for next session?

 For next session I need to go over and over the lyrics for finale a as I keep merging the Christmas bells section with another one which i know better. I feel that if I keep going over it it will flow more naturally for me so I don;t have to break character to think of the lyrics.

I also need to work on my vocals for Alexi Daring in her first voicemail as I keep stumbling over the numbers which results in a break in my character therefore making the role less believable for the audience.

Finally I need to work on my spontaneous dancing for my bohemian character. I feel that because I’m not a dancer I am restricted on moves I know for the character so i am going to research some more moves that might fit my character better and look unique.  

What songs/ dances have you worked on?

 This week we have run the show a couple of times so we have worked on all the major numbers but the ones we have looked at specifically are La Vie Boheme, Contact and I’ll cover you reprise.

 What went well?

La Vie Boheme - I feel that la vie boheme is starting to get more energy which is making the piece less awkward to watch from an audiences point of view. I feel that this is because we are all now very comfortable with the lyrics so we now can think more about character than what we’re singing. 

Contact - Contact has been changed lots this week to make it look and sound better. Half of us have been taken out of the dance and been put on the task of learning the vocals to boost them and give a better atmosphere to the piece. This also means that there are less people in the dance so it is now not as crowded on stage and the people left are mostly dancers  so the piece looks a bit more professional.

I’ll cover you reprise - The atmosphere we create in this song is so strong and powerful that i feel in the theatre it will blow the audience away. I feel that this is because of the body language and facial expressions we all use within this scene. I feel that because we find the scene emotional our emotions are pushed that bit further than usual.

What didn’t go well?

La Vie Boheme - Some of the dancing still looks a little awkward at times which results in massive energy dips in places because we are all concentrating so much on the dancing. Also we are all being too loud in the scenes which results in the principles not being heard and the story line then gets lost on the audience. 

Contact - contact isn't going well on the vocal side of things because when we all sat down to go through it with Johnathan people were missing meaning that they don’t know what they are doing. I think it is going okay on the dance side of things but I am no longer in this bit so I can’t speak from personal experience, I now feel that some of the dancers need to be more focus to make the dance sexier. 

I’ll cover you reprise - I feel that this is one of out stronger things so the there isn’t that much to fault but vocally I think we could have more power in places and I feel that more harmonies could be added in other places.

What do you need to do to improve for the next session?

 I need to learn the contact vocals as I have only just been put in it and i didn’t previously know it because i didn’t know which group I would be in. Everything else I believe I have mentioned in an above question.

How are you developing your character? 

At this point in the process all my characters are pretty much developed in terms of vocals and movement as I have been playing them for a couple of months. Now is more about polishing my character in certain scenes that I find it harder to connect and relate to than others. For example I feel like my bohemian character is stronger than my vendor character because I relate to her better. This results in me portraying better emotions and create a better atmosphere in some places of the musical more than others. 

I have been looking at scenes such as Christmas bells and will I? from the Broadway version to get inspiration and ideas on how I can use my physicality to create stronger emotions...

I have been studying the vendors in the background of this scene and decided that to improve my character performance within this scene I need to start thinking more about the pace of my movement in relation to the music. For example when the music is quicker I need to keep my pace up which will therefore keep the energy up. However when the music slows I need to slow the movement so that I don’t draw to much attention to the energy of my character.

I have also studied the broadway clip of will I and decided that my issue in this scene currently is that my character is there physically and facially but my eyes need to do more to tell by characters story as this is a very reflective song and at the minute my characters thought process doesn't look too deep.

What ideas have you got for your role and the overall performance?

Role wise I feel that my character is fine and now it’s about fine tuning certain parts of my blocking and movement. I have now started to have ideas for clothing, hair and make up for my character. I have already got a bohemian and homeless costume. I also have half of my Alexi costume but still need to find glasses and possibly a wig. I have some hair ideas. My first idea involved crimping my hair and having it half up/ half down in bunches but apparently this is a common idea among the cast so i am going to try and find a more original look for my next blog.Costume wise I just need to bring a couple of things, for example i need some trousers for my homeless character. I was thinking of ripping up some old jeans I have that are no good any more and bringing them to throw on my legs as i look odd with bare legs when homeless.

What techniques have you used in the session? What effect did you use them for?

 This week Kerry got us to do a workshop to get us thinking about character relationships. For this we pretended like we were at a party and we had to greet each other how we feel our characters would greet each other. This helped us to connect better with our characters and understand how each individual character might feel about each other. 

What feedback did you receive from your director/ peers?

 For my role of Alexi Darling I received some very positive feedback this week.  Kerry feels that I am really starting to shine in the role and that it have come a long way since I last performed it for her. Becky did say though to watch my diction in places as I tend to stumble over my words and some of the humor to the character is then lost.

What did you think of the feedback?

 I was very proud of my feedback this week because I think it was probably the best feedback I have ever had on a role and it really boosted my confidence not just in that role but in general. I agreed with the negative comment about stumbling over my words because i had noticed that there are sections where i struggle to get my words or numbers out.

What are you going to do in the next rehearsal to improve on the feedback?

 I am going to go over and over my part every spare second I get at home and in rehearsal. This should just help me to get over familiar with my lines and then i will be able to perform them without thinking about it which should mean that everything flows much more smoothly.

Discuss Strengths and Areas for Development and set an action plan on how you hope to meet those areas for development and improve them.

 Strengths:

My first strength I feel is my character as Alexi. I feel that she has got stronger week by week and i am so proud of how I perform her now as i think it is the strongest role i have ever played. 

My second strength I feel is my movement memory because I have remembered all of my blocking and rarely have to be retold things that I should be doing.

My final strength is how far I have come with tech stuff this week. As we are moving to the studios after this week I have tried to organised all of the props ready to be taken to the studios.

Areas for Development:

 My first area for development is that i need to make sure I know the contact words by heart now that we are the ones saying them now. 

My second area for development is that I need to practice my Alexi voicemail’s over and over till i stop stumbling over certain parts of it such as the numbers and the part in the second one where I say “we still need directors, you still need money. you know you need money”

I need to replan my root in rent to avoid running into people because this happens on a regular basis. 

Action Plan –

My first action plan is to listen to contact on repeat till i am fluent with the words as currently i know them but not well enough.

My second action plan is to practice Alexi;s voice mail for 15 minutes straight every night so that i am 100% confident with the words because then I should stumble over them at all.

My final action plan is to watch the rent recordings from previous rehearsals and see where people run to pan a clear root. I will then try it out in rehearsals to see if it is effective.

[sallyannekerry]

Character Sheet 3 - Mood Board - Bohemian Charcter

I have picked a multicoloured theme for my mood board because my character is very inconsistent with her moods and tends to change lots between happy, sad and angry. I have then picked some photos from rehearsals to show different emotions I use within the performance and how I use acting skills to portray these emotions. I have then picked some various quotes from the musical that I think sum up the important thoughts and feelings of my bohemian character.

[sallyannekerry]

Programme Biography

Sally-Anne has been performing in musical productions since the age of 13. Some of her most notable appearances have been in shows such as Disney’s Little Mermaid (in which she played Ursula as her first main role) Joseph and the Amazing Technicolour Dreamcoat, Grease and Cats. In this time she has also taken part in numerous musical concerts.

She has loved the last 2 years studying performing arts at Chesterfield college and really feels the course has helped her grow in confidence and as a person. Next year she will be furthering her performing education through studying Musical Theatre and Acting for Film at Chichester University.

[sallyannekerry]

Just did @beckylangford1983 :)

[sallyannekerry]

Sally Anne is an talented member of our production team who plays the role of Alexi Darling and is a vital part of the chorus within our company. She is an exceptional actress and soprano with experience in many plays and musical productions including numerous musical concerts. Sally Anne is a creative professional  who is about the graduate from Chesterfield College with a Btec Extended Diploma in Performing Arts. She is looking forward to her next step after gaining a place at Chichester University where she will continue her studies in Musical Theatre and Acting for Film.

^^ Kerry’s Alterations 

[sallyannekerry]

Programme Biography

Sally-Anne has been performing in musical productions since the age of 13. Some of her most notable appearances have been in shows such as Disney’s Little Mermaid (in which she played Ursula as her first main role) Joseph and the Amazing Technicolour Dreamcoat, Grease and Cats. In this time she has also taken part in numerous musical concerts.

She has loved the last 2 years studying performing arts at Chesterfield college and really feels the course has helped her grow in confidence and as a person. Next year she will be furthering her performing education through studying Musical Theatre and Acting for Film at Chichester University.

[sallyannekerry]

Just did @beckylangford1983 :)

[sallyannekerry]

Programme Biography

Sally-Anne has been performing in musical productions since the age of 13. Some of her most notable appearances have been in shows such as Disney’s Little Mermaid (in which she played Ursula as her first main role) Joseph and the Amazing Technicolour Dreamcoat, Grease and Cats. In this time she has also taken part in numerous musical concerts.

She has loved the last 2 years studying performing arts at Chesterfield college and really feels the course has helped her grow in confidence and as a person. Next year she will be furthering her performing education through studying Musical Theatre and Acting for Film at Chichester University.

[sallyannekerry]

Rent Movement Analysis 3 - Contact

(I have done this based on the old contact blocking as I did more then)

What mood are you aiming to create? Describe the skills you use to create this mood.

Within contact we are trying to create a mood of passion. Most of the ways we created this mood was through the dynamics of our movement. Most of the movement was sharp and almost pulse like and then this would occasionally change to a smoother more flowing dynamic at times. We also used expression to create the atmosphere. We had to use lots of eye contact with our partners to create the passionate atmosphere.

Were you successful in creating the atmosphere for this scene?

I feel that dynamics wise myself and Amy really helped to create the atmosphere using dynamics within the movement and I think that we both showed a clear contrast between the different dynamics. I do how ever feel that I needed a stronger facial expression and to keep more eye contact with Amy to create a stronger and more consistent atmosphere within the piece.

What do you need to do to improve your contribution to this mood?

To improve my contribution to the mood I need to maintain eye contact with Amy throughout to help show the passion between us. I also need to keep my expression strong and consistent as when I was thinking about the movement I lost focus. Finally I need to commit to each movement and perform it to my fullest so that my effort levels look higher, but I think this will come when I know the movement better.

What message does the song send to the audience? How do you enhance the message within the dance? What skills do you use to share this message with the audience? What could you do to improve your contribution to this message?

I wouldn’t say that the song sends a particularly clear message to the audience as it is very abstract and hard to grasp exactly what is going on. However I do feel that Angel’s section sends a message of urgency to the audience as it is clear that something is wrong with him through the urgency and panic in his section of the song.  

Where does the dance take place? Describe how you show this in the dance. Describe how this effects your movement.

The dance takes place in different areas even though we are all on the same stage (as much of the ensemble sections of rent do throughout). We show this in the dance by only making eye contact with our partners and not making eye contact with the other people on the stage. At one point we do all come together but this is a very abstract moment and we are not in a particular place even though we all come together in the dance. Our movement is not really affected by our location it is more affected by the situation between the couples and they all act the same no matter where they are even though they are at different locations.

Describe how your character feels within the scene. How do you show this in your movement? For example how does this effect your facial expressions and dynamics of the movement.

At the start of this scene my character is feeling passionate and connected with her partner. We show this in our movement through the use of our dynamics and eye contact as I have previously mentioned. Half way through the song the sense of passion is replaced by concern and worry for Angel’s wellbeing. We all stop what we are doing and look at him and our expression turns into more of a concerned look. Our dynamics also change when out mood does and become smoother to show the sadness of the scenes mood change.

Describe three points in your dance which are good and explain why they are effective.

Dynamics – I feel that myself and Amy have really got the dynamics of the movement down to portray the correct emotions and create the right atmosphere.

Chest Thrust into body roll – I think this is the most effective bit out of all of the sequences because it is the most fitting movement for what is happening within the scene in my opinion and I feel that the contrasts in the dynamics looks very effective.

 Target three areas of the dance, which need improving.

Eye contact – I personally and I think there are some other people need to keep more eye contact with their partners so that the connection between the two characters is stronger.

Expression – I need to keep my expression consistent and not let remembering the movement take over. I also need to keep my expression strong so that it is noticed by the audience.

Movement Commitment – There are some movements such as the lean back where I really need to complete the movement to my full ability before moving onto the next because otherwise to atmosphere and mood of the dance gets lost.

[sallyannekerry]

Rent Song Analysis 3 - I’ll cover you Reprise

Make a copy of the lyrics to the song and enlarge

Live in my house, I'll be your shelter Just pay me back With one thousand kisses Be my lover and I'll cover you, yeah

Open your door, I'll be your tenant Don't got much baggage, to lay at your feet But sweet kisses, I've got to spare I'll be there and I'll cover you, Oh woah

I think they meant it When they said you can't buy love Now I know you can rent it A new lease you are my love One life, all my life

I've longed to discover (Oooooo) Something as true as this is, Yeah (Oooooo) (So with a thousand sweet kisses, I'll cover you) If you're cold and you're lonely (With a thousand sweet kisses, I'll cover you) You've got one nickel only

(With a thousand sweet kisses, I'll cover you) When you're worn out and tired (With a thousand sweet kisses, I'll cover you) When your heart has expired

(Oh lover, I'll cover you,) Oh Lover, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah Oh lover, I'll cover you (525600 minutes) (525000 seasons of... Love) I'll cover you, oh

What is the song about? Describe the scene. What happened before this scene to lead to the moment?

This song is sung mainly by Collins and is about expressing his love for Angel. The scene starts with Collin’s and the rest of the leads at Angel’s funeral, they all give a speech about their memories of angel and then this song follows. After a while the ensemble enter the scene. This can be interpreted in a couple of ways. The first is that everyone is at Angel’s funeral mourning his death or the second is that everyone is dotted around mourning for the life’s of various different people they know, we have chosen the second version (although we did try out both).

Previously to this scene the audience witness Angel’s death which is represented in a very abstract way through the song Contact. Angel sings his song and then disappears in a black out, the characters words then communicate to the audience that he had passed away.

What is the purpose of this song?

The purpose of this song is to build an emotional atmosphere for the audience. It is the aftermath of contact and concludes the event, confirming to the audience that Angel has died. It also in a way helps to show the audience the impact that aids had on the sufferers in the 80’s because I don’t think many people realise that you could die from it quite so suddenly and so young. It also shows just how much love Collin’s had for Angel because the lyrics are so heartfelt and the tone/light and shade of the song hit the audience really hard.

Where does the song take place? How does this affect your singing, movement? i.e in a car

The song initially takes place at Angel’s funeral but by the time I enter it is set in multiple places like lots of the show is. I am sat on one of the steps but I imagine my character is sat outside on the railings of one of the bohemian’s apartments. The location does not really affect the way I sing my vocals are more affected by my characters inner thoughts at that moment in time. Again it’s more my thoughts that effect my characters movement as there is not really much of an effect that the location can have on my movement as I am sat still and reflecting on events.

Who are you singing to?

Physically I am singing out to the audience and making eye contact with the audience in this song to convey my emotions and because there is no one else directly with me in the scene to make eye contact with. But by character is singing to her friend that she had lost from aids a few months previous and the death of Angel has stirred up many old emotions as she was beginning to get to know him quite well. My character is also singing to anyone who had dies from aids or anyone who I suffering from the effect of aids because she can relate to them so much due to her past experience of the condition.

Who or what are you singing about?

My character in this is singing about her friend that she lost from aids but also about everyone else around her who is suffering from aids. My bohemian character does not actually have aids so she is imagining what it is like to be suffering and reflecting on how it has affected her despite the fact she doesn’t even have it.

How do you feel during the song? Plot how the emotions change on your lyrics.

(This is where I enter)

I think they meant it When they said you can't buy love Now I know you can rent it A new lease you are my love One life, all my life

(Lots of sadness and pained emotion as I walk on and sit down)

I've longed to discover (Oooooo)

(Let the same emotions grow and get stronger when I start to sing, introduce a hint of anger but mostly sadness) Something as true as this is, Yeah (Oooooo) (So with a thousand sweet kisses, I'll cover you) (525600 minutes)

(Pull the emotions back a little and show more of a reflective expression, should still be sad but have small moments of happiness at the memories) If you're cold and you're lonely (With a thousand sweet kisses, I'll cover you)

((525600 moments so dear) You've got one nickel only

(With a thousand sweet kisses, I'll cover you) (525600 minutes) When you're worn out and tired (With a thousand sweet kisses, I'll cover you) (525600)

(Build the emotions till this moment where they should explode and create a strong atmosphere of sadness and slight anger) When your heart has expired

(Oh lover, I'll cover you,)

(The emotions are much softer at this moment as it is again more of a reflective moment with signs of happiness) Oh Lover, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah Oh lover, I'll cover you (525600 minutes) (525000 seasons of... Love)

(Let the emotions of sadness build one last time to explode at the last big note) I'll cover you, oh

What are the inner/outer feelings of the character in the song?

Inner – My character is reflecting on the memories she has of her best friend that she lost a few months previously so she has a mix of inner emotions. She is mainly sad about losing her friend but there are also hints of happiness when she remembers the good times they had together.  There is also a hint of anger because she fails to understand what she has done to suffer such a great loss in life.

Outer – My characters outer emotions will mostly consist of sadness but there will be small moments of slight happiness and looking content with her life as she is remembering the good times. So I suppose her outer emotions reflect her inner emotions and she is pretty much an open book in this department.

What facial expressions will you use to show what your characters are thinking or feeling in the song?

My character should look very sad during this song meaning that she should drop her head a lot and keep her eye contacts to the floor at times and to the audience at other times. Every now and again I will look upwards and give a small smile to show that my character is reflecting about better times.

What gestures will you use to show what your character is thinking or feeling in the song?

I feel that my characters gestures should be minimal in this scene. However some should be used and they should be small and slow hand movements. Occasionally I should use a sharper movement to chance my dynamics showing a contrast from my sad emotions to my brief moments of anger, but these changes should be short and not last too long.

[sallyannekerry]

Extra Rent Research - Aids

EARLY STAGE OF HIV Flu-like symptoms can include: °Fever °Chills °Rash °Night sweats °Muscle aches °Sore throat °Fatigue °Swollen lymph nodes °Mouth ulcers

PROGRESSION TO AIDS Symptoms can include: °Rapid weight loss °Recurring fever or profuse night sweats °Extreme and unexplained °Prolonged swelling of the lymph glands in the armpits, groin, or neck °Diarrhea that lasts for more than a week °Sores of the mouth, anus, or genitals °Pneumonia °Red, brown, pink, or purplish blotches on or under the skin or inside the mouth, nose, or eyelids °Memory loss, depression, and other neurologic disorders.

HOW IS HIV SPREAD?

HIV is not spread easily. Only certain body fluids from a person who has HIV can transmit HIV: °Blood °Semen °Pre-seminal fluid °Rectal fluids °Vaginal fluids °Breast milk

[sallyannekerry]

Rent - Character Sheet 2 - Homeless woman

Loves

Sister – Her older sister died of aids nearly a year ago. They were both living on the streets together but using each other as a way of surviving. She had a mental breakdown after her sister died.

 Ex-Boyfriend – Hr ex-boyfriend who dumped her and chucked her out of his apartment but despite everything she still loves him.

 Locket – A locket that was left with her and her sister at the children’s home they were left at as young children by their single mother who couldn’t cope.

 Kind People – She loves anyone who takes the time of day to say hi to her because it makes her feel like she still matters and she is not invisible.

 Hates

The System – She hates the system because she wants to get back working and earn some money but she can’t get back into the system because she never has a home address to give employers.

 Police – She hates the police because they always try to move her on when she finally finds somewhere warm and cosy to sleep.

 Other people on the streets – Other people on the streets aren’t all like her. Some people are more mentally damaged and have major psychological issues which results in her health and life constantly being in danger.

 Bohemians – Some of the bohemians pry too much and although she knows they are only trying to help it can sometime feel demeaning.

 Hopes

To live – She is fighting hard to survive and get on in life. She hopes to improve her life style and get back on her feet.

 To find a home – She wants to find a home so that she has an address to give to employers so she can get a job.

 To find love again – She wants to get over her ex and find someone knew because although she still love him she knows he was no good for her.

 To have a big family – In the future she wishes to have a big family and give them the life she never had. She want to adopt some children as she wishes she had a mother like her when she was stuck in a home.

 Fears

 Dying alone on the streets – She worries for her life most nights because living on the streets can get rough. Mentally challenged people will beat her and steel what little she carries with her. She is worried that one day her locket will get stolen.

 Losing her dignity – She doesn’t want to lose her dignity in all this which is why she hides her aids from the people around her and she is trying so hard to make a better life for herself.

Her past catching up with her – She has met some pretty rough people through her life time and had to flee from where she was staying and she is afraid these people will find her and treat her badly, that is if they don’t kill her.

[sallyannekerry]

Rent Blog 3

Since my last blog we have finished some started scenes and completed some new scenes. We have managed to finish La vie Bohemme and have started to block/choreograph contact. We have also blocked out without you which I have been bought into. In addition to this we have blocked out New Year A and B and voicemails 3 and 4. We finished off on Friday with a complete run of what we have done so far, once with Johnathan and a second time in the afternoon. 

Tech wise I have printed out a list of the props we need (one for my folder and one to keep on the props table), I have also created a props table and started to find props to tick off the list and find substitutes for props that will eventually come with the set. When setting up the props list I have decided that we don’t need to split it scene by scene as we don’t have many props and the ones we do have are used in multiple scenes. Instead we have 2 boxed for Christmas bells props (the scene requiring the most props) and a table for the remaining props. I have also started to look at rock and rock posters we could print out for the set with Becky.

What went well with the scenes?

I feel that without you when very well and that we created the desired atmosphere of sadness through our characters. I feel that each characters expression, movement and dynamics of their movement help to build the emotion throughout this scene. Also vocally Lucy and Ben are quite strong with this song.

I feel that New Year A and B are going very well because some of the leads are really capturing their character and relationships during this song. I feel it will be so much better when the whole cast is available to work with.

I feel that mine and Amy’s voicemails in the middle of New Year went quite well. I feel that we have both captured our characters well and we were both prepared for the role by knowing our lines and having a rough idea of character physicality and vocals beforehand.

 What didn’t go well with the scenes?

I feel that in without you Lucy needs a little more confidence in herself because I think she panics about the vocals and the words too much even though she knows them and then it restricts her character a little. Personally I only carry a table on stage so there wasn’t much that could go wrong.

I feel that when watching the New Year scenes I didn’t feel as drawn into the story as when I have watched other scenes being rehearsed. I feel that this is because some of the cast were missing and we had to us stand in’s which never has the same effect.

Finally I feel like my voice mail could be improved if I make my character much more exaggerated and think in more depth about the gestures I am using. Also I need to look at the rhythm for the second to last line as I got it slightly wrong.

What do you need to improve for next session?

For next session I need to look closer at the character of Alexi Darling because even though I have captured her quite well I still need to keep working on it and make her much more over the top and entertaining. I also need to keep singing through voicemail 4 to get the pattern/tune right on the second to last line.

What songs/ dances have you worked on?

The major songs/dances we have worked on this week are La Vie Bohemme, Seasons of Love and Contact.

What went well?

I feel that la vie bohemme went much better this week than previously. I feel that the changes and improvements made to blocking are more effective and give the ensemble more of an idea on what to be doing. Also the energy was bought up a level and it was clear that some people had thought more carefully about their characters since last time and had more of an idea of their given circumstances. We also made so much progress because we managed to finish the number and now the whole of act one is complete.

I feel that Seasons of Love sounds really nice vocally. I feel that we have created some nice harmonies and I feel that some people are really trying to portray their characters well in this scene as there is not any blocking as such for us to work with.

Finally I feel that contact is going well in the sense that we got quite a bit of it done in a short space of time. I feel that there are some pairs that are working really well together and have a nice connection which means that their dance sequences are running smoothly. I feel that myself and Amy are doing quite well in this area.

What didn’t go well?

In La Vie Bohemme our biggest downfall as a group is our spontaneous/improvised dancing.  All our movements are very restricted and as a result look awkward. We need to learn to be much freer with our movements.

In Seasons of Love we need to stay focused and keep our character consistent throughout. There is no blocking in this song we just stand and sing so our characters need to be strong to keep the audience interested.

Finally in Contact we need to know the movement sequences by heart so that we can start to make our characters strong and consistent.

How are you developing your character?

Over the last few weeks we have been developing character with Kerry in tutorial. We started by looking at what Bohemians and Anarchists are, I discovered the following from the urban dictionary on the internet…

Bohemian – “a socially unconventional person, especially one who is involved in the arts” “somebody who leads an alternative lifestyle, they are not hippies because they can have an extremely wide range of different tastes in music, fashion, art, literature etc they are usually very creative people. they are above all optimists, even if they can be very cynical too(it does make sense...sort of). they like wearing a mixture of weird clothes and mix different fashions together just for the heck of it. they like weed. generally very laid back and relaxed.”

Anarchist – “Anarchists are people who want to live under their own authority. political authority is what they are against, and some will go to extreme measures. anarchists are extremely peaceful, but when time comes to take action they go right ahead. they are anti-consumeristic and often times grow their own food. anarchism these days is often found in youth, particularly people around the punk rock scene.”

We then moved on to look for examples of our characters in real life to base our characters on. I looked on you tube to find interviews/videos of real life people I could base my character on and found the following…

This is an interview of a homeless woman. Within the video she talks about both living on the street and how she ended up there. What I find most interesting about this video is how much she has tried to make a better life for herself through the years. She actually has had a decent education and made the effort to try and get back in the system which shocks me because I always just assumed most people end up homeless because they give up and stop trying. She is the type of person I want to base my homeless character on because I love how nice and down to earth she seems after everything that has happened to her and she has really made me question my once quite stereotypical views on homeless people.

What ideas have you got for your role and the overall performance?

Looking at the above video has made me realise that there are different ways to play a homeless person. I feel that most of the homeless characters so far have been played the same way based upon what we stereotypically think of homeless people. However now I am going to make my homeless person as a much nicer character because I have realised that not all homeless people need to be hostile and antisocial.

I have also had some more ideas on my movement for Alexi to make my performance more exaggerated and entertaining. I have added more gestures and made the ones I already use much bigger.

What techniques have you used in the session? What effect did you use them for?

What feedback did you receive from your director/ peers?

This week I worked one on one with Kerry on my voicemail 4. She told me that I needed to exaggerate the role both vocally and physically using my gestures. She went through it with me section by section stopping me in places and helping me to brainstorm different ideas for the character.

Ensemble wise we were told to think more about our reactions in La Vie Bohemme and to make sure that our reactions don’t look too planned in advance. In addition to this we were told to make our dancing freer as everything is too small and restricted at the minute resulting in some sections looking awkward.

When I finished my voicemail on Friday a couple of my peers said that it was good and that it had come on loads since I had worked on it.

What did you think of the feedback?                      

I thought that all of the feedback given both for my individual performance and ensemble performance was true and fair. I have used the feedback to try and improve myself, particularly in the role of Alexi Darling.

What are you going to do in the next rehearsal to improve on the feedback?

I have already started to work on my roles to improve on the feedback given by coming up with new gestures and movements for the character but by next lesson I plan to become freer and more care free with my movement as my bohemian character.

Discuss Strengths and Areas for Development and set an action plan on how you hope to meet those areas for development and improve them.

Strengths:

My first strength is being organised within the tech side of the show and not just in my area as this week I bought quite a lot of costume along and I plan to bring some more for other people next week.

My second strength is that I am always alert and waiting for my next scene so I don’t end up missing my ques in songs.

My third strength is becoming my gestures and facial expressions. Quite a few photos were taken in last week’s rehearsals and I have noticed that my reactions and movement within some of the bigger numbers are really strong.

Areas for Development:

My first area for development is my facial expression as Alexi Darling, I need to make it much bigger and more cheesy.

My second area for development is my freestyle dancing in La Vie Bohemme. I again need to be much freer with this movement to avoid looking awkward.

My final area for improvement is that I need to know the lines for Seasons of Love reprise as I missed this off of my list to learn and didn’t know it when we came to blocking the scene.

[sallyannekerry]

Rent - Blog 2

What have you completed this week? If rehearsing what scenes did you work on?

Since my last blog we have gotten loads done as a group. We have finished blocking the last little bits in act one, with the exception of the second half of La Vie Bohemme. Also Jacob and Ben have blocked one of their numbers for the second half. Personally I have been working on the numbers I am already blocked into such as Rent and Christmas bells. In addition to this I have now been added into Will I?, On the Streets, Santa Fe and La Vie Bohemme. I have also been working on the part of Alexi Darling with Georgii vocally which has now been given to me as a role from Becky after I did a small informal audition for her. Tech wise I have come up with a list with Georgii and some other people on the tech team of props needed for Rent. We have then been through the list and worked out what comes with set and how to source or make what doesn’t. Personally for my tech group I have been through my script and highlighted where any prop is used and am currently making a second table that goes through the musical scene by scene listing each prop that is used. Myself, Becky and Chris have also started to source some props for Christmas bells (we started with this as we needed the most props for this).

What went well with the scenes?

I feel that one of the best things about the scenes this week was that everyone had remembered their blocking so as a result we could work on new things and polish sections instead of going over old stuff. I feel that in some of the ensemble scenes there are individuals that have really taken on feedback and improved their performance since last lesson which is really helping improve the atmosphere of the overall performance. I also feel that some of the smaller scenes between the leads are going so well because of the amount of time, focus and effort that is being put into them. This includes numbers like, What you own, Light my Candle and Today for you amongst others. Finally on of my favoured scenes and in my opinion one of the best scenes has to be Will I because of the emotion that some individuals are putting into the performance and the lyrics, I just think they hit you so hard and if everyone ups there facial expressions to the same level as their physicality I feel it could be the best scene.

What didn’t go well with the scenes?

I wouldn’t say that anything is going particularly badly within any of the scenes. There are some songs particularly some of the ensemble numbers where we are trying out different things and playing around with the scenes but I don’t think that any of the ideas we have had were bad or didn’t go well. Some of the blocking occasionally will get changed to make it look better or fit better with the music such as when we rearrange the tables and benches in La Vie Bohemme. I feel that one thing that could make the scenes run smoother and quicker would be attention, effort and punctuality, as some people are lacking in this area resulting in us having to go over old stuff sometimes.

What do you need to improve for next session?

I feel that personally I need to improve on my characterisation in Christmas bells as this is my weakest character so far. I feel that this is because there isn’t as much depth to the character as there is to my bohemian character and I need to come up with a stronger backstory to relate to my character better and have stronger inner motives as the character. I am going to complete my second character sheet on this character in order to establish a stronger personality for her.

What songs/ dances have you worked on?

This week we worked on La Vie Bohemme and Will I. We also recapped Rent and Christmas Bells whilst making adjustments to blocking and starting to polish the numbers. I have individually started to work on Alexi Darlings sections with Georgii before I was given the part so that Becky could see if I was cut out for the part.

What went well?

I feel that La vie Bohemme is going very well blocking wise. I feel that the parts that are set where we move in synchronisation are very good and there are some nice glimpses from character from some people when they are not trying too hard to remember the blocking.

I feel that the emotional atmosphere we create in will I is very strong and effective from an audiences part of view. I feel that the facial expressions and physicality in this is very strong from most people in the scene.

I feel that Rent is going much better from last week in some places. For example towards the end where we all start singing I feel that most people’s movements are starting to become a lot freer and that vocally there is more power behind our singing than there has been previously.

Finally I feel that in Christmas bells the energy is starting to get better than it was, particularly towards the end when the vocals build and we have some fantastic and very strong harmonies happening now.

What didn’t go well?

In La Vie Bohemme I feel that on the freestyling sections where we can do what we want a lot of us need to be much freer and more creative with our movements. Also we need to make sure the song doesn’t become over blocked. This is because the reactions need to come naturally and not sound planned due to the nature of the song.

In Will I?, I feel like It could have vocally been stronger, the end where we have to hold the long note is always weak as it is a hard place to control breathing and not many of us have mastered it yet.

In Rent I feel that our main problem is still with focus when the main roles are singing. The physicality is strong but we all lose the focus in our eyes.

In Christmas bells I feel that we need to keep the energy up in some places still and we need to make sure that everyone is keeping their character consistent.

How are you developing your character?

This past week I have been developing my character for Christmas bells as I was having trouble relating to her and portraying her without much background information on her. Here is a brief idea of what the character is like but I won’t go into too much detail as it will all be in my character sheet. I am playing a market/stall holder called Jane. She lives in a small apartment and is in debt and at risk of getting evicted. She sells things on her stall to pull together as much money as she can. The things on her stall include old things of her own, things she buys cheap and sells for extra and mostly stolen goods. She is constantly on edge about the fact she is selling stolen so you will quite often see her pacing around nervously and looking into the distance with a worried expression.

I have also thought briefly about my homeless character but need to go into more detail with this. I have decided that my homeless character is an ex bohemian that gave up on her dreams of fame and fortune, turned to drugs and got kicked out by her boyfriend that she was living with at the time because he couldn’t handle her.

What ideas have you got for your role and the overall performance?

For Christmas bells Becky and I have blocked out a couple of scenarios or our characters to keep busy in the background (one of these also involve Chelsea). This helps us to keep the energy of the performance up and keep our characterisation consistent.

I have tried to contrast my roles for numerous reasons. Firstly it shows of my various moods and acting skills to the audience and secondly it helps the audience to see the difference in my characters as there will rarely be time for a whole costume change.

For La Vie Bohemme I have come up with some reoccurring mannerisms and reactions for my character so that my character stays consistent. This is for the moments where the blocking is not so intense. I have them come up with some go to moves for when we are spontaneously dancing so that I don’t freeze when coming up with ideas.

What techniques have you used in the session? What effect did you use them for?

I have used lots of vocal techniques to set the mood and atmosphere of my different characters and the scene they are in. For example my tone of voice is different depending on my characters mood and my power/level of projection changes depending on the atmosphere we are trying to create.

I have also used specific dynamics for my characters. These are to help portray the different moods and personalities in the various characters I play. For example my dynamics for my bohemian and stall holder are much faster pace than my dynamics for my homeless character. And my movements as my bohemian character are much heavier than my movements for both the stall holder and homeless character.

What feedback did you receive from your director/ peers?

I didn’t receive individual feedback this week but we did receive some more general points that apply to most of the ensemble/background characters again. We were told that we need to keep the energy and atmosphere up as the chorus; this was because there were points where we break out of character or don’t give movements our full commitment. We were also told that we need to ensure we stay focused within the background of scenes. Positive feedback included the fact that some of us are now being a bit freer and more creative with our movements and that the harmonies that we are confident on are starting to sound nice and strong and are creating a great atmosphere.

What did you think of the feedback?

I thought that all of the feedback given this week was fair and truthful. I think that we got plenty of feedback in order to improve our individual performances and I feel that we got an even proportion of positive feedback and constructive criticism.

What are you going to do in the next rehearsal to improve on the feedback?

Next rehearsal I am going to come more prepared for each individual character and have a clear character plan for each number I am in. This should help me to keep my character strong and consistent which will as a result keep the energy and atmosphere of the overall performance up.