Critiques for Thursday Night

The time to get serious passed a long time ago. We do not have the time to repeatedly tell seasoned actors to focus. You set examples for the entire cast and crew. I reread this and it was harsh. So, I thought I would say that I do love you guys, just a little disappointed. BUT, I have never had to yell before, so I am counting my blessings.

For the critiques - they were lengthy - too lengthy for this time in the season. I will write the ones that are the most needed. We have three public performances and eight rehearsals left. Contest is in four weeks. On Sunday, I will look at scripts. I expect to see GESTURES written in and your speeches color coded. On entrances in exits, I expect to see where you are coming from and where you are going to. Just simple words will work. This is for the understudies as well. Kara and Alli, write in simple costume additions or deletions by each character's entrance. A lot of work, I know. See if you can divide the script up and get Mica, Garrett, and Keri to help. Alli and Kara, work it out.

1. DICTION - you have to make this a priority.
2. TIME - One second over and we are disqualified. So, you must end one scene and immediately begin the next.
3. Bridget, come in earlier on your first line. The audience "gets" that we have a village scene. We also need the voices to be loud enough in that scene that Bridget's line does not seem contrived. We need to see Bridget's struggle, then decisive action to speak.
4. Actors, remember what Newt said. Show us what you are thinking. If you are reminiscing about life in the old country or life in New York, use gestures to mold the experience for the audience. Speaking of gestures, these are immigrants. As they were learning the language, they were often misunderstood and had to revert to "sign language" to show the person to whom they were speaking what they meant. Travelers still use this when they go to foreign countries. If you use the word, think, gesture. These were survival skills that became habits. It will make your character real.
5. Anya, step on lines _I'm tired
6. A few days - Violet, step on lines. Say this as though it is true, but you are sad of the reality of it. You want the girls to succeed but feel that they will not.
7. Clara - point to the front of the factory. On your dialogue, be faster on some lines so that every line is not slow. Gesture to your temple when you say think. Point to your heart when what you say is passionate, etc. Kara and I agree on this. Clara, you maintain "being very sick" throughout the play. We need to see you becoming progressively worse.
8. More murmuring before Lannon's scene. Remember that it is hot.
9. Do not hit the curtains.
10. Roger, as the thug, bring your foot back further. We need to see tension in the slow motion kick. The kick looks authentic. The movement up to the kick does not.
11. Roth, look at lines.
12. Jail. Shelbi, move further DCR on the platform. You disappear behind Ruth.
13. Matron, move further right so that you are not behind the pylon.
14. Joe, tell the story M & M. Show us where it is with your hands.
15. Rain was good.The heat, snow and wind should be on this caliber.Some men need to block the light in the trash can, start the fire. Warm hands over it. The fire should begin in this transition and leave the fire on until the end of the play. Warm hands and backsides on the fire.
16.It is cold in the Cohen scene. Cohen, use more gestures. Get us to hate you. Keep giving exaggerated sarcastic looks toward the women.
17. Women, we need to feel your frustration, so more tears. When I get real mad at a guy, I cry and I hate myself for doing it. Especially with authority figures.
18. Brandon, have a newspaper going into Cohen's but don't let it get wet.
19. Step on lines in the society women's scene.
20. Court scene. Step on lines, Violet. Watch bride of dracula voices, all women.
21. Tombs,Crazy woman, put the fire out.
22. Shorter dance. Clara, cough and fight for air. This needs to be dramatic and almost as loud as the women dancing. STRUGGLE with breath and when you die - a blood capsule.
23. Violet and Lenore, stand watching Clara's exit.
24. Remember, as soon as one scene ends, another begins. Anya's stars line ends with the beginning of the Strike line right stage. Julie as striker woman, don't enter during the women's freeze. Enter during their movement.
Border's notes
1. Bridget interrupt the village scene.
2. Shirtwaist girls. Voices need to be LOUD so that Roth can say "angry voices" and it makes sense
3. Violet's jobs back should be more sympathetic.
4. Word from me, Mr. Roth. All need to react BIG
4. Faster transition between Anya's monologue and union scene.
4. Union scene. We NEED to see men change their mind. Remember to vary voices.
5. Arm wrestling was great.
6. Shelbi, move onto the 4 X4 during jail scene - just move more downstage right.
7. Zack, remember the umbrella. Roger, slow down.
8. Male workers, emphasize male
9. During Roth's monologue, the girls need to move slower. Joe, move as well.
10. More disheveled in tombs, girls with shirtails out.
11. Roth, buy a paper and show the judge the news in anger.
All students' notes
1. Brandon, you must enunciate. "You're still just factory girls."
1. All peddlers need to be as loud as Zack selling fish.
1. STUDY CUTS
1. Mr. Sears and Roebuck, Alina
1. Brandon, exit left stage.
1. Step on LINES
1. Yer, Zack, Chavez, Jaxson, Julie, Johnny. Jew/Chew - Lizzie, Kayla, Roger, Emily. Yerself Johnny, Julie. Or not ER UNION, not SUNION - Zack - such SHelby, work on not sounding TEXAN
2. Anya - but who? Louder
2. Men in background, slow motion. It is cold when women get out of jail.
2. IN FREEZES, we NEED EXagerated FACIAL EXPRESSIONS. During Freezes, NO ONE moves.
3. Alina, when raining, cover strike papers.(Thanks, Josh)
3. Before thugs entrance, women are in a semicircle.
3. Zack, cannot understand first thug line.ENUNCIATE.
3. IMMIGRANT is the N WOrd
3. Bridget, use nose flick in monologue.
4. Violet, lower voice when insulting judge.Pivot when insulting the judge.
5. Violet, a few days, step on Anya's line.
6. Joe, couldn't walk for months - we need to see you see this.
6. see more of Teresa's rosary
6. EVERYONE use hand gestures
6. Lana has a good suggestion - In union scenes, look at watches. I will buy one or two more, particularly for Roger and Zack.
7. Ruth, go crazy on the thug's back.
7. Bridget, RUSSO
8. Cohen, don't flip a coin. Money was precious. It was a good idea. think of another mannerism
9. When society girls come in, it is COLDER
10. Lenore, you're ill - more sympathetic.
11. Bridget, Ruth, Anya, Trial up front. Vary levels
12. Judge, Really not honestly Child of immigrants, not daughter
13.Violet, lower voice.
14. Lenore, something inside they can't break not that
15. Remember BEFORE Roth's speech, LOOK it UP, all backs upstage with girls turning one by one
16. At the end, Violet MUST be DSC beside the striking girls to the left of Alina.

Please comment after you have read this blog. If not, I will be calling people. It is important we make these changes by SUNDAY