| HOW THE REHEARSAL/SHOW PROCESS WORKS: Depending upon the show, I will come to your school for rehearsals once per week, usually beginning about 12 weeks before the show. I work with ALL students in the show at once – usually in a gym or large room – kids sit on the floor, I conduct from a piano and use overheads – hence, I need a good piano and a good overhead projector. If requested, I will provide tapes of the songs as well for teachers to use in their classrooms with the kids. In the past, I have worked with as few as 2 classrooms, and as many as 6 classrooms. 3-4 is ideal, but I am very flexible, and I adjust the show according to our resources. Every classroom teacher (and music specialist, if available) will receive a script. These are included in the residency price. The script has the following: - list of parts to be assigned - entire acting parts - music score - words to all songs in the back (set up for making into overheads.) For the first 4-5 weeks, we work exclusively on learning the songs. Somewhere around week 4 (can vary, especially by show), I will come to school and audition children for any singing solos or choruses. This usually takes about 20 minutes per classroom. Around week 4 or 5, we will also have a meeting (usually after school) with parents that may be interested in helping us. We need a considerable amount of help – especially with costumes, stage managing, acting coaching, dance choreography, publicity/programs and scenery. These tend to be fun tasks, and many parents really “get into it” in a wonderful way. The usual pattern is that the classroom teachers get together and divide the show, by scene, and allocate different scenes to different classrooms. The teachers then pick the children in their classrooms that will do these parts. Sometimes teachers run off scenes from the scripts for the kids to read in their class – i.e. they hold their own “tryouts” – other times they make their decisions based on the reading group level of the child. The script then needs to be copied (good job for parent volunteers) for those kids with acting parts (often schools just copy the scene or scenes that particular child is in, rather than the entire script). As your director, I offer you firm guidance to make the rehearsals work in a smooth, productive and positive manner. I throw in a lot of humor into the rehearsals, and I’ve found that the children (and teachers) really enjoy the rehearsal process. I have a considerable amount of experience in this – from over 35 years singing in choruses, being on the staff of the Oregon Symphony, and also doing numerous shows each year. |
| Ralph C. Nelson Artist in Residence Composer Ralph Nelson is an Artist in Residence and goes into schools and produces musical shows which closely dovetail to the curriculum units used throughout the Portland Metropolitan area. These shows include: 5th Grade: "Ring Out the Bells of Freedom" -- a 1 hour, 15 minute "American History pageant" focusing the American ideal of Freedom. Includes portions of The Declaration of Independence, The Gettysburg Address, and Dr. King's "I Have a Dream" speech. This show is written for a large cast (80 speaking parts). 4th Grade: "My Oregon Report" (1 hour): The teacher has asked each student to come up with a project on Oregon history. This delightful one-hour show covers Oregon history with scenes that include: A Native American Potlatch, Louisiana Purchase, Lewis and Clark (and of course Sacagawea), Dr. John McLoughlin, the Tillamook Burn, The Dams on the Columbia, Celilo Falls, the Civil Rights movement during the '60s, and Oregon's protection of our natural resources. There are parts for 60 kids, and 4 major dances plus singing solos. 4th Grade: "Lewis and Clark, Journey of Discovery" (1 hour); Take a journey with the Corps of Discovery as we closely follow what Lewis and Clark wrote in their journals. Great for the 2004-2006 Lewis and Clark Bicentennial Celebration. 3rd Grade: "Portland, A Musical" (1 hour). This is Mr. Nelson's first and still most popular show about the history of Portland. Includes 17 original songs, and scenes depicting such events as the "Coin Toss", Vanport, "Stumptown" and much more. 2nd Grade: "Habitats" (40 minutes). Our school "plane" takes us to four different habitats -- Wetlands, Tundra, Desert and Forests. Lots of dances and fun songs that teach about each habitat and the importance of preserving habitats for wildlife. Kindergarten: "Harvest Festival Time" (30 minutes). It's time for a harvest festival -- songs about fall, pumpkins, leaves, trees, apples, and much more! I Shows are also available for rental -- contact Mr. Nelson for more information. |
| The Best Way to Organize Costumes for a Show! Dec. 2004 By Susan Nelson/Mary Laws (Kelly School) and Renee Breuer (Stephenson School) EQUIPMENT: 1. SHOPPING BAGS: YOU NEED AS MANY SHOPPING BAGS AS YOU HAVE KIDS THAT WILL HAVE COSTUMES. BEST BAGS ARE THE ONES WITH THE HANDLES (WILD OATS/NATURES). START COLLECTING NOW!! 2. LAUNDRY BASKETS: YOU NEED AT LEAST 2 BASKETS PER CLASSROOM OF KIDS – THE FINISHED BAGS WILL GO IN THE BASKETS. YOU MAY NEED 3 BASKETS PER CLASSROOM IF THE CLASS SIZE IS LARGE. 3. BRIGHT 8 ½ X 11 PINK PAPER (OR OTHER BRIGHT COLOR) TO STAPLE ON BAGS WITH “CHANGES” -- YELLOW PAPER FOR ALL OTHER BAGS – AND MARKERS TO WRITE KIDS’ NAMES ON – PLUS A STAPLER. 4. COSTUMES (WE’LL GET TO THAT PART!) 5. SCHOOL DIRECTORY (TO CALL PARENTS WHEN NEEDED) HOW TO COSTUME A SHOW: a. Find out what part(s) each child has/ make a master list b. Figure out what that part should wear – and communicate it with the parents c. Ask that child’s parent(s) if they have any of these items (via letter home) d. Find out if there are any costumes that can be borrowed for this part (Mr. Nelson has some costumes depending upon the show – esp. for the 5th grade show). Create/sew costumes if needed (not all that often). e. Assemble the costumes at the school – try them on the kids during rehearsals or at other times as approved by the teachers. THIS SHOULD BE DONE AT LEAST ONE WEEK BEFORE THE SHOW – KIDS SHOULD BRING IN THEIR COSTUMES (IN BAGS). Identify which kids are in “trouble” for costumes and call parents and/or help find costumes. f. Keep track of all the items that each child has, and if borrowed, who it is borrowed from. g. Put the finished costumes in a bag – with the following information on it: 1) child’s name and part(s) 2) all items in the bag 3) CLASSROOM TEACHER’S NAME IN PROMINENT VIEW 4) any items that need to be returned to someone else other than the child’s parent 5) IMPORTANT: if there is more than 1 part – put A PINK SHEET on the bag – this bag is going to have to be backstage so that child/helper can find it during the show and get the child changed into the next costume! h. put all the bags in laundry baskets by classroom. Separate out “yellow” from “pink bags. Arrange for where children will get changed (one room boys, one girls) i. help children get dressed for the dress rehearsal and the day of the show; help backstage with any costume changes. After dress rehearsal and “daytime” show, fold costumes and check bags. j. collect costumes BEFORE the kids leave after the evening show (and put back in the bag). Kids check out with classroom teacher before leaving for home. k. separate the items in the bags and returning the items to the proper owners. |
Shows
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