PMT's Cinderella

Last night, I saw Cinderella.  I knew that RH was the Fairy Godmother, and that she and RG were in this show due to their apprenticeship program at PMT.  I figured that the talent level would be really high, and I expected a show that would be above and beyond what one would expect from a high school production.  

I honestly have to say that it was a good show.  RH was fabulous (even calling out to AF in her opening improv), and by far one of the best on stage.  The stepsisters were hilarious, and played their character very well.  The actress playing Cinderella I can honestly say wasn't that interesting, but it's hard.  The script doesn't make Cinderella a very interesting part.  Overall, one could tell that there was a lot of talent onstage.

My biggest complaints were in two fields: the script and the directing.  

Rodgers and Hammerstein's Cinderella is not a great show.  There are several moments where there were clear attempts at jokes that just weren't funny.  The characters are not well-developed at all, and, as I just said, the part of the lead is not very interesting at all.  There are good songs, but the lead-ins are almost cheesy, and they don't flow very well with the script.

On top of that, the directing wasn't great, specifically the choreography.  There are huge dance scenes in the ballroom, and they were simply boring.  The choreography would repeat the same exact series of steps numerous times over, and the dancing wasn't that challenging to begin with.  The dancers nailed it perfectly, but I feel that they could have been pushed a little more.  On top of that, the orchestra seemed ill-rehearsed, and the crew needed more work (there were a couple of bad incidents).

All in all, the actors were great.  I give the best congratulations to RH, RG, and AD.  I just feel a different directing team could have done a better job.

-NM

PBT's Giselle

This is going to be a habit.  When I see a show, I review it.

So, I've been excited to see this show for a while.  Thursday, at dance, Giselle was on everybody's minds, including Mr. A, who had us do ponchés and pirouettes with our arms across our chest, like the Willies.  Yesterday, the day of, I mentioned it at Little Mermaid rehearsal.  KR was jealous, and LB asked, "What is a Giselle?".  And a minute later, "Oh wait, isn't she that princess from Enchanted?"  Me and KR had to explain Giselle to her afterward.

The show was incredible.  The moment the curtain opened, and I saw the set, I knew that it was going to be a good show.  The costumes were all perfect, and beautiful.  But the dancing was the best of all.  This show was another reminder that the best dancers are in ballet.  The opening peasant dance at the beginning was so together, but they were doing jumps that I know from experience are far from easy.  The choreography shined, and the acting was great.  The man who played Hilarion was so good for his part, and the Giselle and Albrecht were incredible as they worked together.  When Giselle went crazy, you could really tell she was going crazy, and her death was incredibly dramatic.

Of course, then came the famous second act.  When the willies first entered with the veils over their faces, chasing Hilarion, you were freaked out.  And when the willi queen did her solo, it was amazing. But the best part was the entire group of willies.  They were so together, legs at exactly 90 degrees, right on the counts, arms exactly the same as everyone else's.  Plus, the acting was again great.  The final scene, at dawn, was extremely moving, when Giselle had to return to her grave.  The audience would not stop clapping.  In fact, the leads even came through the closed curtain to take a second bow.

Overall, it is one of the best shows I have ever seen.  I ran into IR after the show.  We agreed, "Yeah, we do those steps in class, just not all at once."  You really have to work hard to be in professional ballet.  If any one of those dances would have been done in a broadway style show, the crowd would have been in thunderous applause right after the number.

The only thing I don't understand is why PBT waited eight years since the last time they did the show.  I hope they don't wait that long again.

-NM

Mr. N

Today was a typical day in orchestra.

Basically, it started with ER complaining that she couldn't sleep last night because she had the Triangle dance stuck in her head, and Mr. N responded with the fact that they had just talked about her mental status on Monday.

We began with a warm up in the High Tech book.  Although he keeps making us doing really boring études in complete unison, at least he realizes that we all hate it.  We then turned to the Geometric Dances.  This dance contains a section which goes, according to Mr. N, something like this:

Da, Da, Da da da, Da, Da, Da, Da da da, Da, Da da da, Surprise!!!!!!

The entire class cracked up laughing.  Fortunately, he was able to get our focus back to play the next piece.

Everyone that either is in/has been in orchestra has an opinion of Mr. N.  I love him.  He may not be a orchestra specialist, but he makes a good effort to learn what he needs to learn.  Also, being a piano guy, he knows a ton about the theory behind each of our pieces.  I imagine he is a great teacher of the AP Music Theory class.

Also, his sense of humor is incredible.  Part of the humor is in the fact that when he presents a fact, he is normally all over the place.  Also, he will occasionally crack a really cheesy joke, and make it clear that its cheesy (he and NS worked really well together).

Some people complain that his sense of recruitment is overdone, but that makes sense.  The size of the orchestra is ridiculously small.  I can't imagine the band is much better.  The problem isn't him, the problem is that we don't do anything.

He is one of the major reasons I stuck with orchestra this year.  It's getting smaller and smaller.  I really don't know why.

-NM

The Wizard of Oz

So, my faithful readers will know that today was the night that my Wizard of Oz performance closed with WAS.  I want to say a few words about how it.

It's a completely different kind of show from what I'm used.  With so much of the cast being members of WDA, the expectations from the performance are different.  There were so many differences from this show to others.

• The huge size and age range.  This means that people of different ages/abilities are going to be cast in different numbers.  Your audition hardly means anything, it's where you can be grouped.  Also, the other problem of the age range is that you don't feel a general cast connection.  I honestly didn't know the names of half the people in the production, because they were either Munchkins or Ozians.
• The presence of parent chaperones.  Always backstage helping out.  They're always in the dressing room, making sure the costumes were hung up, and that everybody was ready for their number.  Seriously, we were not responsible for knowing what was happening on stage, we pretty much were waiting for someone to tell us, "Get ready for curtain call!" or something like that.

I could go on and on, but I'm going to fast forward to the biggest difference.

The audience

During the high school show or PAC, what generally happens is you're in the show with a lot of your friends, but there are other people you know who aren't in it.  They come see you and all the other people in your group of friends, and you end up seeing a lot of other people who you didn't expect.

Now, this style of show resembles for the the dance recital audience.  Everyone in the audience is part of three categories.  They are either family members, people who are part of your class and just didn't do the performance, or people who used to be part of the studio and graduated/stopped class/changed studios.  If anyone else shows up, it's a huge, huge surprise.

That being said, did anyone who didn't fit these categories come to the show?

No.

In fact, in the past 4 years of WAS shows, only one person who didn't fit these descriptions has every come to any of the shows.

The difference is this year, unlike last year, I didn't expect anyone to.

-NM

School Spirit

The following represents the approximate amount of school spirit there is at QVHS.











































There may be less, this is just an approximation.

-NM

WAS Show

So, I can't believe that I haven't mentioned this yet.  And its this week.

The WAS is located in the same building as WDA, and uses the same rooms, but run independently.  It was started when WDA moved into the new studio, and has expanded ever since.  Since, 2009, they have put on a fall show every year, with auditions the previous June, and I've been in all four.  It's an interesting experience, due to the fact that the age range goes from about 5 to 25.  The shows to date...

• 2009: Seussical Jr.: This, their first show, was an interresting experience.  The studio was small enough that, even though I was only in 8th grade, I was able to earn the part of the Mayor.  My wife was a junior in high school, and I'd guess the average age of any of the Whos was 8.  The show came together really well, but the talent pool was just not really there.  I asked around, but no one from QV came to see it.
• 2010: Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat: This was a great experience.  Although we were officially combined with a local church, the auditions were open to the public.  Our director, Miss S, is the director of the NA musical, and a lot of her actors did the production.  A lot of them got leads, but they completely deserved them.  It is probably the best quality show that I have ever been in.  I told a lot of people about it, but only KM came (who knew RM, playing Judah).
• 2011: Beauty and the Beast Jr.: This was the beginning of the NA dominance in the show.  Returning to our own acting studio, our Belle, Beast, and Lumière had played Eponine, M. Thenardier, and Marius in NA's production of Les Miserablès the previous spring.  I was Maurice.  The show had a lot of potential, and I told a lot of people about it.  In one of the worst scheduling conflicts of my life, AM's surprise birthday party was the same day.  The show day was one of the worst days of my entire life.  Not only did the show go terribly (that's what you get when you can't tech anything until two days before curtain), but no one from QVHS came to see it, not even the matinee, which didn't conflict with the party.  All the NA people were there, but no one from QV.

Which brings us to this year.  The Wizard of Oz.  There are way too many people in the show, and if you're not a dancer or a lead, you're on stage for about 30 seconds and you bounce up and down.  That's what is happening to OS.  Fortunately, I'm the head of the winged monkeys (we can't actually fly), a crow, and a jitterbug.  Most of the roles are double-cast, and still almost all the leads are from NA.

I really haven't been asking for an audience.  Maybe it's just because I'm not as confident the show's going to turn out.  Maybe it's because I have just a small part.  Maybe it's because it's this Saturday and Sunday, homecoming weekend.  Maybe it's just because I know that no one would come anyway.

If you want ticket info, please comment, but it's really not a big deal.

-NM

Social Judgement

My family keeps telling me.  I do some things that are very socially awkward.  They're just habits.  It's too hard to break them.  My habits are a part of what makes me me.
My main habits...

• Shoulders back! - This one has been going on for several years.  I have always had a slouching problem.  It's become common nature when my mom or dad corrects me, but now that J's starting to get involved, its becoming annoying.  My mom has finally realized within the past year that I'm not the only one.  Now, she claims its her goal to get out entire generation unslouched from the backpacks and texting.
• Stop twirling your hair! - This one has died out.  I first noticed it toward the end of Joseph rehearsals freshmen year, when I had to grow my hair out way too long.  My whole family has gotten into this one.  One day, in the car, we were deciding on code words, so they wouldn't have to keep saying it over and over.  I think it almost ended for good when I cut my hair for Guys and Dolls, but I even noticed myself twirling today.
• N, You need a haircut. - On the same note, this one is probably the most annoying.  My dad and J are the main critics, who have always had short hair.  They're athletes.  I doubt that I even have the longest hair of my friends.  I have never heard anyone my age I should keep my hair short, even when I had it cut for Guys and Dolls.  I agree, its maybe a little long now, but it doesn't need to be really short.
• Stop Pacing! - This one has also been going on for a long time.  I can't stop moving.  This is the only one, however, where someone outside of my family has really noticed (thank you OS).  I just like to keep moving.  Though I do realize it is a problem, I don't know what I can do about it.  It's just a habit.

Those are the biggies, but there are other small things that crop up occasionally.  Just today, my parents spent about 5 minutes lecturing me because I turned my back on them at the wrong time to go take my shoes off.  They keep telling me its a wonder I have any friends.  Somehow I manage, but sometimes I think they're right.  I'm never invited to as many things as anyone else (though MM seems to think its because I don't have a Facebook), and I'm always the last to know on almost everything.  The people I text the most are 7th grade girls.  I doubt they text me more then anyone else.  Is this really the source?

Please, somehow show me.  But don't be annoying.

-NM

BF

Come on, I just couldn't not write about her.

From the audition's at Millie, I knew she was something special.  She was energetic, motivated, and clearly loved what she was doing.  When she was cast as a stenog, you don't know how excited I was.  Even though she had not tap experience, I knew she would be excited to learn, and that she could be fabulous.  I had a good hunch, but she exceeded my expectations.  I never would have expected to be hugged as I first entered the auditorium every rehearsal, loved like only BF can love, and just feel happy.  She was present on the happiest day of my life (see "Year in Review"), and is partly responsible for making it such.  

Since then, our meetings have been scattered.  Just the occasional running into each other after school, or being in the same show as JF, but I've always enjoyed this.  I've learned that she started dance classes (apparently at WDA, though I've never run into her).  I don't know why she wasn't taking them already.  She could be a fabulous dancer, if she took it seriously enough, and she will.  I know she will.

Little Mermaid's been great, even though I've only seen her three times.  On audition day, she was the first to hug me, in addition to doing well in her audition.  At the callbacks, I got several hugs.  Even though she didn't nail the callbacks, we knew she was definitely going to be a mersister.  On the read through of rehearsal, it literally took about two seconds for her to come running to hug me after I put my cape on.  I can't wait to work with her in "Under the Sea" and "She's in Love".

Now, I found out she has a blog.  The most recent post was about a week ago on the Little Mermaid auditions and casting.  In it, she wrote, "And, I got to see N, which I only really see during drama season and high school concerts!  He's fabulous, as always."

It's nice to be admired like that.  It doesn't happen to me that often.

-NM

The Cape

The following is a brief history of my favorite piece of clothing.

It started at drama club.  For my role as a "magician", I had to wear a cape.  I brought it into school with the intention of showing it to AF, the show's director, but she didn't want to see it.  Not wanting to waste a day of bringing it in, I wore it to rehearsal for Millie, and so it began...

Although the original purpose was for drama club, I associate it more with the Middle School Musical.  There, the cape is loved, appreciated, and adds a fun element to the atmosphere.  As much as I love it, I have only worn it a few times.

• That first day when I didn't show it to AF.
• Rehearsals and show days for the drama show (plus Eat 'n Park after the drama show).
• Once to Millie rehearsal on the day of a drama practice
• The entirety of the cast party of Millie.
• My 16th birthday
• Once for French class, when it was part of a skit.

I have loved wearing the cape all of those times, except maybe the last, because our skit was terrible.  I have never been made fun of, though sometimes questioned, yet I am still complemented.  It just gives me an overall feeling of happiness.

I have been waiting for the perfect opportunity to wear it again.  Tomorrow's the first day of rehearsals for Little Mermaid.

-NM