Cast, you are all so incredible! The work you put into each scene, each song, each movement is impressive. You've all grown so much! Clearly, you're trying to tie up any loose ends before opening. As a result of your work, the notes I have are far less than previous rehearsals. Let's work together to erase these notes as well. Thank you!
So Long, Farewell: Marta, your entrance was late, so your solo was behind. Be sure you come in right on time, then I know you'll nail the rest of your solo.
Kurt, better on your entrance, but keep working it. You'll have it next time, I know. Just remember you have to know the words you're going to sing before it's time.
Louisa, connect the notes in a smoother fashion when you sing "fly" on your solo.
Gretl, your solo at the end is so much slower than everyone else's. Really listen to that music to stay on tempo with it.
Climb Ev'ry Mountain: Mother Abbess, lovely!! I love your expression and interaction with Maria. Consonants are getting lost, though, because it's at the bottom of your range. Explode, even overdo, them. We can always pull back, if needed.
No Way to Stop It: All, consonants! This happens because it's low for Max and Elsa. If you explode the consonants, even if the pitch isn't totally there, at least the audience will understand what you're singing.
Max and Elsa, your singing gets lost in the movements. You must really project. Lots of support and air!
An Ordinary Couple: Maria, when you sing the word "ordinary", it's usually excellent. Tonight it relaxed too much and became "or-dnn-nary". Good job, otherwise.
Captain, when you first start singing, you're behind the beat, then you start rushing later. Keep the tempo steady throughout. The orchestration is usually right on your note, so it should help you stay with it. On that last note, just settle into it. You've done it before, so I know it's there. It's time YOU knew it!
Wedding Scene: Nuns, excellent diction tonight!!! Thank you!! Tall vowels.....just beautiful! Keep reviewing your parts. Sometimes the middle voices get lost in there. Keep listening and balancing.
There seems to be some confusion on entrance and exit. After Mother Abbess blesses Maria, they exit her office and lights will go down. As they do, the chimes will begin to sound. As soon as you hear the chimes start, that's your cue to move into position. You'll begin singing once everyone is in place. Also, at the end of the wedding scene, you must stay in place until after you've finished singing. The orchestration will come back on as your exit music.
Reprise: 16 Going on 17: Really good tonight, especially considering you had never heard the track! Nice job!
Liesl, wait just one more measure for your entrance on "I'll wait . . . " I think the orchestration is actually what's confusing you. It plays the notes you're supposed to sing first, then you echo them.
The Concert: Whoa, do we need work! The good news is that, just as Mrs. Teri said, you guys have sung it better, so we just need to get that back again. Please review your assigned parts during the day on Tuesday, and we'll work on this song as soon as Act I gets started Tuesday night.
Reprise: So Long, Farewell: Nice! Nice!! Nice!!!
Finale Ultimo: You ladies are beginning to sound very united! Thank you so much!! As mentioned tonight, the "Ah's" are overpowering Mother Abbess in the beginning. Let's change them to "Ooo's" through measure 10. As soon as Mother Abbess sings "all the love you can give", change to "Ah's", but keep it at about mp. On the next "Ah's", make those about mf. At measure 17, when you switch to words, stay at about mf, but begin a slow increase in volume until the end.
Mother Abbess, really use those consonants to get the audience to understand you, even on the low notes. Excellent job sticking the ending!
Again, Cast, you guy ROCK!!! Hugs and kisses to you all!
Much love,
Debbie Wylie
Keyboard/Vocal Artist
Cell: 832/722-5111
PLEASE READ AND APPLY!!!
To all of the fabulous, amazing, wonderful cast members, please know how pleased with all of you I am and how fortunate I am to be working with you all. Thank you for your hard work and dedication day after day, week after week! You're all incredible!!
As you read through the following notes, they might sound familiar. Why? It seems the same comments keep getting posted. Ladies and gentlemen, we MUST fix these small challenges! Now is the time with only 1 week till opening. You've all come SO far. I know it's within your ability collectively and individually to clean up these last few troublesome areas. Thank you in advance. I love you all!
Preludium: We still need to work on staying together with the varying tempos. Blending still needs work. No single voice should be heard...total unity. That can only be achieved one way. Vowels! Vowels!! Vowels!!! Monday is drop-dead day. We must unite musically. If not, we'll have to cut some of the vocalists and learn a new blend with those who remain. Apologies, ladies, but it's down to the wire, and I will not sacrifice integrity. You're all extremely talented and very smart, so let's pull together and git 'er done!
Sound of Music: Maria, you're doing such an incredible job throughout the production!! The note here is that when you get to the section that starts with "so I pause . . .", you're behind the beat. Work to stay with the beat and listen carefully for the changing tempos throughout this piece.
Maria: Very nice, ladies!! We'll work on getting the timing down with the CD on that ending.....almost there.
My Favorite Things: Maria and Mother Abbess, some back-phrasing is ok, but stay with the beat more consistently. Great chemistry.....touching watching you two!
I Have Confidence: Maria, good job trying to sing while changing clothes! Spoken "wake up" needs to stay on the beat, even if it means speaking more words before or after those two. You're working so hard--thank you!
Do-Re-Mi/Encore: Both Brigittas, sing "anything" on the same pitches as they have just been sung in the song.
Gretl, Marta, Kurt, when it comes to the section where you guys hold out "Do", "Re", and so on, don't hold on to your note quite so long. The fast "Do-Mi-Mi" section must stay in rhythm. If one of you falls behind, the rest of the group must keep going on the beat, otherwise everyone gets thrown off.
Louisa, Friedrich, Liesl, on your "So - thread . . . La - So . . . Ti - bread" section, remember you have to sing both of those pitches.
Beautiful harmony on the end, Green cast! Blue cast.....almost....please review your ending pitches and let me know on Monday if you need help there. Both casts, you are so much fun, absolutely delightful to watch!
All Von Trapp Children except Liesls, if you normally have vibrato, please work very hard to remove it throughout all your songs. Vibrato makes you sound older than you're playing in this production.
16 Going on 17: Rolf, nice!! Remember the pitch change while holding "do" on "telling you what to do". Also, work on those high notes. Think of coming down lightly on the notes rather than reaching up to them.
Rolf and Liesl, better enunciation (mostly word endings) throughout. You guys are awesome!
Lonely Goatherd: You guys ROCK! Liesl, sing a little louder on your "tah, tah, tah" part. Well done!
How Can Love Survive?: Max, incredible sound! It's darkening and sounding more mature every day. Thank you!
Elsa, beautiful voice! As we discussed, those low pitches can only come from your chest voice. Please keep working that...you'll get it. Thank you! Remember to sing out!
Both, better enunciation, especially on low pitches. Sound the consonant quickly and clearly, then get to the vowel immediately, ending with a solid consonant where required. This is a percussive song, so use percussive consonants. Almost there!
Reprise: Sound of Music: Kurts and Friedrichs, sing melody throughout the song. Liesls, sing with Louisas/Brigittas if you can and still make it up to your "solo". Martas, your solo must stay on tempo without hesitation or slowing down.
All, "Ooo" under Captain's solo needs to be much softer yet still controlled.
So Long, Farewell: All children sing on "to you"!! Friedrich, Kurt, Brigitta, Louisa, listen carefully to stay on tempo during your solos. Kurts, your solo entrance is late.....enter just a bit sooner.
Morning Hymn: Ladies, review your notes. If you need me to work with you, let me know. Confidence on your assigned part, balance, and control will bring it all together.
Also, from this song until the Finale Ultimo, please stand next to your voice part so you can hear each other better. We'll have to do some placement on Monday with taller in back and shorter in front. No names.....you know who you are. :-)
Opening-Act II: All, need to memorize who sings which line and work on your entrances.
Vocal Incidental: Liesls, please remember to have the pitch pipe ready to sound an "E" pitch.
All Children, please review which note you sing and sing it with loud, pretty, confident tone.
Captain, please remember to wait for your 2-measure intro before beginning to sing "Do-Re-Mi".
Reprise: Sound of Music: Tempo/Pitches.....nail them both down.
Reprise: My Favorite Things: Liesls, you'll need to sound another "E" here before beginning to make sure you're on the right note once the music begins.
Maria, we're working on making sure you can hear the music for your entrance.
No Way to Stop It: Elsa, again, switch to chest voice for low notes.
Max, remember to sing melody (lower notes) with Captain on the ending.
Captain, those last few notes are small steps apart from each other.....small changes.
All, I love watching the interaction on this song. Superb!
An Ordinary Couple: Maria, if you need breath in order to finish "in the fading sun", trying breathing before "in the . . .". If you need to shorten those notes for it to work, so be it.
Captain, fabulous, fabulous harmony at end! Way to go!!!
Wedding Processional: Nuns who sing on the first "Gaudeamus" must be louder (but still with beautiful tone, not forced or strained) in order to make up for the 4 big voices we're missing there. Remember, there will be a series of 6 bells before you begin. For timing purposes, we may or may not need to repeat them. We'll figure that out on Monday.
2nd "Gaudeamus", we'll work Monday on timing, staging, etc. so Sister Sophia can be our "director" for this one. Remember, it's a visual/breathing cue, not a literal direction from her.
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