Freida’s Second Critique

We need a public performance on March 1 at 1PM. See if you can work this in your schedule that day. It is important to me.

Props needed
Coats/shawls in meeting scene
Glove, muffs, hats, parasols, heels – society
Paper boy – bags
Pregnant belly
Crates
Purses – girls
Real food
Newspapers
Factory girls putting on aprons, scarves around some heads.

I combined Freida's, mine, Ms. Border's, and Alli and Kara's comments.

1. Opening – see silhouettes and hear music as the curtain is opening.
2. 4 women, step out in unison - a long step.
3. There is a clump of people center stage during the meet and greet. Louder village people. Meet and greet.
4. Society girls walk through, noses in the air. Stop DSL and sit on bench. Research what they would do in a park, a town that is different.
5. After the shirtwaist girls have their scene, all villagers stay on and move furniture into the next scene in character.
6. Josh, JUST. This is for everyone. GET as well
7. Everyone is too stiff. Have good posture, but be flexible. Stage business as girls are moving and speaking. fix hair, put on a shawl, an apron.
8. Roth, color your script - red for louder, anger, shorter; yellow for everyday; blue for slow, sad, etc.
9. Roth, think about each line. What are you saying? What is meaningful?
10. Margaret, bigger with arms.
11. DO NOT MESS WITH COSTUMES!
12. Society women, PLEASE research movies, go to the Internet, learn all about their lives and what makes it different from the villagers. When you are around regular people, pretend like they smell, not in a rude way, that it is unpleasant to be around them.
13. Factory girls are standing in a line - Move Margaret up so that she will not be upstaged. Margaret, great job. I could see the fear in your face.Move DSL so that you and Ruth and Teresa are not on the same plane.
14. Anya - speech - Girls BEAT Don't discuss. Need levels. See your dad talking to you in your eyes.
15. Lannon, much better job. Work on mannerisms that set you apart.
16. PIG*****
17. Guys, see Joe go to Anya and murmur loudly.
18. Look at Joe as he leaves.
19. Joe, don't run to catch her.
20. Joe, good job seeing your changing attitude toward Anya.
21. Why were we arrested? Could not hear that.
22. Josh - Alina - fight dance - ask Alli and Kara.
23. Sit up straight. Good posture needed for everyone.
24. Violet, louder.
25. Pan banging was great. Do it more with more enthusiasm.
26. "Get married..." **** BEAT Anya, and lower vocal to answer
27. Joe, turn and turn back. Can't grasp it.
28. Clara was powerful today.
29. Thugs, better entrance. We need to be thuggier. JP, you are too stiff as the thug.
30. Girls, react when the thugs get them.
31. Sounds are important in this play - within the subtext of everything the author has written.
32. Make yourselves real on stage.
33. Men, tip hats and take them off in the buildings. - hearing, union meetings, etc.
34. Freeze faces. Scowl, thugs. Rehearse this Sunday.
35. The fight scene - quick and slow must be more of a contrast. The quick should be faster and the slow - bigger.
36. Roger, good smile. Work on bigger arm movements.
37. Video the dance scene.
38. Careful pushing girls in jail.
39. Loud shoving.
40. In the jail, all girls are on the same level. MOVE. When Joe comes in, Bridget, jump up and be ready to fight because you think it is another strike breaker.
41. Bridget, sit on bench and think about Ms. Vanderbilt. see the expression when Joe says obituaries. Joe, see the girls first, the surroundings, the dirt, the urine on the floor, and we have to feel your heart going out to them. Put your cap to your chest and BEAT. Ruth, cheat toward the audience, so that everyone is not looking straight ahead toward CS.
42. More spirit, Bridget. Increase the intensity so that - WIll you wait for me sounds as good as Not on your life.
43. Need a feeling of rain and cold going to Cohen's meeting.
44. Whisper going to Cohen's meeting. Women, pick up belongings, move strike signs so no one will steal them.
45. Joe - of course - step out.
46. Joe, touch Anya... I move.... support her.
47. There should be more individual reactions in Cohen's meeting, and if we can get Violet in another outfit - shawl, hat, we need her in the scene as well.
48. When the seconds are going on, how does Cohen feel? Cohen needs a different accent.
49. Society women, practice walking with a book on your heads. Watch My Fair Lady, Pride and Prejudice. Wear heels on Sunday. Lenore, pick up coat and glance back at Clara once more.
50. Boyfriend's line needs to be deeper. All people in this segment need to be doing stage business.
51. Alina, we need crazy clothes and a new pregnant piece for you.
52. Group needs busy work and say the lines from the heart.
53. The hearing - a different attitude from each person on stage. How does each one feel about the hearing, the justice system, etc. Use improvisation. Roth, tell Stolle to move the bench. Need 3 benches right stage.
54. As Cohen, use more character - forceful, but more refined than Stolle.
55. Joe, better at the hearing today************
56. When the society girls enter, murmur from everyone. In the hearing scene and union scene, more people turn toward the person behind him/her so that the audience can see you. Society girls move around left instead of right going to the judge.
57. Violet, both hands on Anya's in court.
58. Some need to react to 2 months. All need to react to Blackwell's Island.
59. Crazies, crawl/slither out, so that you are a surprise to the audience.
60. Roth, color your script. My father died. sit. No place in the world... look at judge.
61. Roth, doll in hand. Let us see the reaction of your sister's face with the feelings in your face.
62. Dance, Clara - twice cartwheel.
63. It's a dream - Roth, dance movements on exit.
64. Lost energy after ballet. Have stage business. Rehearse Sunday.
65. React bigger, Ladies, when Anya gives up.
66. More thoughts with lines - moldy bread.... etc.
67. Singing, Lenore and Violet, remember that you are still society girls. Sit straight, shoulders back, chins up.
68. Clara - "for, cough, This is the women's signal to stop talking/singing and be aware of Clara. We need some girls on Clara's left.
69. Clara's death.... amazing. Anya, you don't want to let her go. Ruth, hold her.
70. Surprise to see Joe in the tombs. React to him. He might have good news. He needs to bring in food. Share the food with the weaker girls first. When Joe enters, everyone needs to enter in character left stage.
71. If you have read this far, explain this. To be a star, you must shine your own light, follow your own path, and don't worry about the darkness, for that is when the stars shine brightest. Light on the judge -
72. Joe, good - father said.Great Anya and Joe when she touches you.
73. News guys in back. Josh L Stage and let's try Nathan in that part Sunday, JP.
74. Reporter, work on this. Let's put you LCS.
75. Judge, GET married. Stole sitting on bench DLS.
76. Roth, better
77. Roth - not in tombs - slower
78. Joe, has --- pay to audience. When Joe delivers his last lines, we need a cheer, hugging, etc.
79. 
    Glenda Jackson: Acting is not about dressing up. Acting is about stripping bare. The whole essence of learning lines is to forget them so you can make them sound like you thought of them that instant.
80. At end, freeze in different positions and one beat then lights out.
81. Be ready for Sunday. Isn't this a great way to work?

Love you guys!