The Music Man

This month I have been considering which show to concentrate on, and finally decided on The Music Man, which is a selfish choice and a sensible one. I am currently in rehearsals with Loughton Operatic Society for a performance of this show at the end of April, and am therefore becoming more and more immersed in the story and characters. I am taking part in the chorus, and helping to source the required props (including brass instruments for the Boys' Band).

The Music Man is the story of a travelling salesman in Mid West USA (Iowa) who comes to town to sell instruments and uniforms to the parents of the town's children, by persuading them that they need to form a Boys' Band to “keep your young boys pure”.  The story tells of his efforts to woo the town's librarian to his cause, and how he changes attitudes within the town, together with his personal tale of falling in love and therefore not being able to leave when he normally would to avoid the wrath of the townspeople, who have been “conned” by his charm into spending lots of money on instruments and uniforms.

This is my second time of venturing on stage with The Music Man, the first time as a young dancer making the most of the energy in “Shipoopi” and miming my way through the library scene; this time I am a more mature (and larger) lady of the Del Sarte dance troupe led by Eulalie Mackechnie Shinn. I am having great fun with the possibilities of comedy moments in this pastiche of Isadora Duncan's style of dance. ( At least that's the way I am playing it!)

More next week.... I have to go in search of some more books. How many constitute a library I wonder?

West Side Story (2)

Both productions of West Side Story that I was involved with performed in a community hall, with no raked seating, no fly tower, and only minimal lighting, so everything had to be hired in. The set consisted of scaffolding platforms to give two levels on stage, and a couple of trucks that set the scenes: a graffitti wall for the prologue, a door and mannequins for the dress shop, Maria's bedroom set on a high platform to one side of the stage, reached by a ladder from the wings. A very stark and basic setting with an eye to safety in its construction, and as much space as possible available for dancing. The lighting designer had a real task to perform, and for the first production our follow spot operators were housed on a high scaffold platform at the back of the auditorium. By the time of our second production there had been provision made for them in a room on the second level with a hole in the wall to allow follow spots a reasonable field of operation. A great advance.

Costumes were hired in for the most part, although there was a vast collection of costumes in the company wardrobe, it was a new venture to be using “modern dress” although not modern enough for us to be able to wear our own clothes. My dress as Graziella should have fitted me perfectly, however the lady for whom it had originally been made was a buxom size 10, I was anything but buxom, and had to take huge tucks in the bosom of the dress to make it stay in place. As I was dancing the exhibition dance in Dance at the Gym I could not keep hitching up the shoulder straps or fidgeting with my underwear. Luckily I had a sympathetic wardrobe mistress, who helped me to make it fit, and added a line of sequins to the side split in the skirt to draw the emphasis to my legs.

With the second production I was luckier , and was given a fantastic 50's design halter-neck dress with a tiered skirt in a bright yellow, that I would love to have taken home and kept, because it fitted beautifully without any adjustments and made me feel like dancing as soon as I put it on. Just like a child with a new party dress!

For me, the whole event from first rehearsals to final performance is a joy. Building on the learning of lines and dance steps at the beginning through to the fun of first run-throughs where very little goes as you expect it to, and on to being fitted for costumes, hearing the band for the first time at band call, and then to tech rehearsal, and dress rehearsal. Even when things go wrong, that is what brings the cast together as a team, and the addition of the technical expertise raises the game to another level. Until by first night the sense of working together brings something special to a performance, and invites your audience to join in and enjoy a special event.

By last night, no-one wants it to end.

At that point, last performance, was when our company gave “show presents” to our partner, other members of the team, and “Thank you” gifts to all those who helped to get us on stage. Those of us who had time made little presents, my most memorable being a tiny handkerchief embroidered with “Graziella – West Side Story – 1976” packed into a gift box, which I still have tucked away in a Treasures Box. Others bought sweets or little trinkets, just token souvenirs for our colleagues, and clubbed together to present larger gifts to our director, choreographer and MD. From this is where my own business grew.

And then of course, the de-rig. That had to be done before the exodus to the after show party, or at least, most of it had to come down and be packed ready to be dispatched back to the suppliers. No-one would want to be getting up early Sunday morning to be taking down lights or sorting costumes, so it would be all hands on deck to clear away as much as possible, before the hall caretaker insisted it was time to lock up. Sunday morning was still for clearing, but the more we could get down the better.

Many of you will recognise this series of events, for it is much the same with any show, as is the anti climax afterwards, and the need to get together again in the following week, whether to pass on audience congratulations, see the show photos, or start on the next project..

More next week

West Side Story

A real challenge for any society, West Side Story has everything, dancing, singing, love scenes, fight scenes, tragedy and comedy. So where to start? The first time I was privileged to be a part of the team performing this fantastic musical we started with 2 months of exercise and dance training, learning steps and upping our stamina to be able to cope with the rigours of this energetic show.

As with any amateur company we had differing levels of experience, some with all round “triple threat” talents, others learning all from scratch. I had been a dancer for a long time, but my principal training had been in ballet, and I had to learn the intricacies of back drops and rock and roll lifts, plus I had never learned to read music, so singing was also a new experience, especially the lovely harmonies required for the Quintet (Tonight).

I was lucky to take the part of Graziella (Riff's girlfriend) which meant I was included in the “Cool” number, (which position is swapped in the stage version to the film with Officer Krupke, so Riff sings it in Doc's store before the War Council) and part of the “Jets”. Even now I am surprised by how quickly one identifies with one's gang.

The second time I was in West Side Story I belonged to the Shark girls, and had to completely re-think my attitude even before starting rehearsals, almost to the point of deciding not to take part. Almost, but not quite, the pull of the show is such that I would sweep the stage just to be part of the production, so a small matter of changing sides isn't going to stop me.

The emotional connections made by immersing myself in rehearsals for 6-8 months at a time to the music and lyrics have stayed with me ever since, and I am often to be found quoting lines of dialogue or lyrics in all kinds of situations. “It's when I don't look that it happens” is a favourite taken in or out of context!

So much so that in rehearsals for other shows afterwards we ended up with a “Quotes” box (like a swear box) for every quote that did not belong to the current production. A small way of fund raising and maintaining concentration!

To be continued ...

Myra

If you have a story to share about West Side Story please add a comment or contact me via the website www.thedramaqueensdrawers.co.uk