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Royal Ballet Analysis

Name of piece: Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland

Company: The Royal Ballet, choreographed by Christopher Wheeldon.

Style: Ballet

As a company, the Royal Ballet is made up of approximately 100 dancers, so there are around 100 performers in this show. The roles of each cast member vary from principles, such as Alice, the white rabbit and the Hatter, to ensemble roles, for example different types of flowers, playing cards and wildlife such as birds and hedgehogs.

Use of space

I feel that this show used spacing in a way that was effective in helping to tell the story of Alice in Wonderland. The amount of space in which the dancers would use changed for specific parts of the show to help communicate meaning. For example, once Alice has fallen down the rabbit hole and was faced with a tiny door, a small rectangular frame of wood appeared in the center of the stage to show the contrast in size between Alice and the size of the door. The character of Alice then began trying to squeeze herself through the frame by putting the top half of her body through it whilst her legs were spread either side of the frame behind her. By using only a small amount of stage space here, it successfully created the illusion that Alice was too big for the room she was in.  

Dynamics

The dynamics applied in this show were a vital part in portraying the mood and emotions of different scenes and characters - different characters used contrasting dynamics. For example, the character of Alice danced at a regular pace with a sense of fluidity for most of the performance to represent her youth and curiosity, however in contrast to Alice’s dynamics, the Mad Hatter moves to more of a staccato rhythm. He uses lots of sharp movements, such as pointing his finger and gesturing with his hands to represent the difference between Alice’s normality and his madness. The Hatter also dances a different style of dance to Alice – he dances tap. The dissimilarity between Alice’s ballet dancing and the Hatter’s tap dancing is significant in portraying the madness of the Hatter’s personality and Alice’s confusion.

Another example of differing dynamic between characters is the difference between the Red Queen and the cards that act as her servants. Where the Red Queen glides across the stage, the characters of the cards and queen’s men move quickly and cautiously. The difference in this dynamic helps to emphasize the relationship between the queen and the cards – the queen is the boss and the cards are scared of putting a foot out of line for fear of getting punished, so it shows the element of power that the Red Queen.  

Timing

I observed that all the performers had good musicality – they were able to successfully execute routines in time with each other and the music during group numbers, such as the flower section where the dancers were performing duets before they transitioned into a group number. The timing of the dancers is important because it means that they are all in the right place at the right time, potentially preventing any collisions with each other on stage or with any set pieces that might move during scene changes.  

Costume

The costumes in this production were immensely vibrant and detailed and, in my opinion, added so much to the piece. Each character’s costume was different yet exciting. For example, the character of Alice wore a purple dress that came just below the knee with pale pink tights and ballet shoes. This costume is different to what Alice wears in different version of the story, for example in the classic Disney film she wears a blue dress with a white apron, white tights and black shoes, and in the Tim Burton film, Alice wears a long blue dress. The choice to dress Alice in purple for this production is interesting as it is different to what has been done before, but the costume designer Bob Crawley may have done it to represent Alice’s social status. For centuries, the colour purple has been linked with power and wealth because purple dye used to be very rare and expensive, and in the book by Lewis Carroll that this production is based on, Alice is portrayed to be a middle-class Victorian girl, so the purple colour of her dress could be to represent her wealth.  

From the simplicity of the dress that Alice wears, the costumes vary into more extravagant pieces, such as the Mad Hatter’s outfit. The Hatter is dressed in a pale green shirt, a light blue waistcoat with floral detail embroidered onto it, a long pink dinner jacket with more floral embroidery on the panels, tight fitting, aqua with dark blue striped trousers that flare at the bottom and pink and black tap shoes with a green top-hat. The eclectic colours of the Hatter’s costume symbolise the Hatter’s madness and frivolous personality.  

The ensemble costumes were just as interesting as the principal roles. For example, the characters of the flowers weren’t dressed as literal flowers, they were dressed as people, but their costumes helped to portray the idea that they were flowers. The women were dressed in white dresses with different coloured tutus with white tights and a headpiece that matched the colour of their tutu. The different colours of tutu produced the idea of flower heads, and each colour represented a different flower. The men wore a white shirt and a long white coat with coloured ties and waistcoats that matched their duet partner’s tutu.  

I particularly liked the female cards’ costumes; they were simple yet effective. They wore a white leotard and tights with white ballet shoes, but their tutu was in the shape of one of the four playing card suits, (black club and spade, red heart and diamond) and their headpiece was their card number.  

Lighting

The lighting changed with every scene in the show, for instance, for the scenes with the caterpillar there would be a wash of blue light with spotlights on Alice and the head of the caterpillar. The blue light worked with the caterpillar scenes because the caterpillar was blue, so it helped to emphasise the character’s presence. In contrast to this idea, the lighting for the Red Queen’s scenes was a harsh white. This could be to contrast the Queen’s personality – white is generally seen as a colour of purity and innocence; however, the Red Queen is mean and selfish, punishing people for not doing things her way. During the flower scenes, the lighting has a gentle yellow tone to it, which could be to represent the glow of the sunshine. Most of the show is brightly lit, but the Cheshire Cat scenes only have a dim spotlight on Alice and the Cheshire Cat puppet. I think the lack of lighting here is effective because not being able to see the rest of the stage symbolises the mystery and wonder that the cat leaves Alice with every time they disappear.  

Accompaniment

This production is accompanied by the Orchestra of The Royal Opera House. I liked the orchestra as an accompaniment because it was able to change its sound to fit around different scenes. For example, for the gentle scenes such as the flower garden, there was soft, gentle strings, but for one of the Red Queen scenes there was a sharp string section with woodwind and drums to create an intense, dramatic sound to represent what was happening in the scene.  

Performer Relationships

The performer-to-performer relationships were strong as they were all aware of where they were in relation to others on stage, meaning that they didn’t collide with each other. This links with the performer/space relationship as the performers had to be aware of their spacing, both where they are on the stage and what’s around them, as when they are dancing and extending through their arms and legs they need to be aware of any set and other cast members that are around them. The relationship between audience and performer wasn’t really there, the performers looked out into the audience but there was no breaking of the 4th wall. The performers’ relationship with the accompaniment meant that they were all in time with each other and the orchestra as they knew their musical cues and timing for movements.  

Themes

One of the main themes in this production was politics. This was shown particularly during the trial scene, where the Red Queen is trying to decide who stole the tarts. It shows the power that the Queen has over everybody else in Wonderland and the divide between those that have power and those that don’t. In this scene everyone is trying to prove themselves to the queen so that they can protect themselves and stay alive, making the power that the queen holds over the people seem very intense.  

This production is based on the original book, ‘Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland’ written by Lewis Carroll. I feel that there are many similarities between the show and the book, such as when Alice falls down the hole and has to drink the potion and eat the cake. I like that it isn't too far-fetched from the classic story that everyone knows because it makes the performance easy to follow and enjoyable to watch.  

In summary, I enjoyed the Royal Ballet’s production of Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland. I thought that the vibrant costumes made it interesting and engaging because they really helped to tell the story by making it easy to distinguish between characters. The orchestra was a good accompaniment to the piece because it fit the style of the dance and the story. The different sections of the orchestra, such as the strings and woodwind, were able to create a sound that fit the fantasy element of Alice in Wonderland. The set and lighting design also played a crucial part in creating the fantasy, dreamlike atmosphere by being abstract and non-naturalistic; there was lot of brightly coloured lighting and set pieces, such as a giant house of cards, which helped to portray the contrast between real life and wonderland because it was so out of the ordinary. In my opinion, I would rate this performance an 8/10.

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Character Profile

For this project, I am playing the role of a daisy. During rehearsals so far, I have begun to develop the different aspects of my character, for example the way she moves, her posture and her tone of voice, by taking part in a character workshop. We used different scenarios to explore different aspects of our characters, including both physical traits and their inner emotions, and how they changed depending on the scenario.  

The first scenario we explored was drinking a cup of tea from a table that was in the middle of the circle. We had to travel to the table as our character to help us get a feel for how they move. The first time I travelled into the center, I explored the idea of my character having a strut to show that she was confident and a little bit arrogant and I liked this idea, however, I decided to try out a more classy and self-centered personality. I did this by employing the Laban effort of glide in my walking. I chose to experiment with glide as I thought it would work with the idea of my character’s self-centered personality because it helps to give the impression that my character walks with pride as though she thinks everyone is watching her all the time. After doing this exercise I decided that the second walk I did, using the effort of glide by walking softly and taking big strides to create a smooth movement, fitted my character a lot better than the strut I had previously tested.

We then did the catwalk exercise to further develop our characters. I found that this really helped me to further my character as it enabled me to consider more than just how they walk, allowing me to think about their stance and other mannerisms that they have. When walking down the catwalk, I played with the egotistical aspect of my character by moving quite slowly, having an upright posture and occasionally stopping and posing to allow the audience to look at me, hinting at the idea of my character being full of confidence and thriving from attention. When the situation changed to a dark corridor, I had to think about how my character would deal with a situation in which they felt uncomfortable but still wanted to maintain their confident, classy persona. I did this by changing my posture slightly so that my character was slightly more hunched and closed off to show their loss of confidence in a situation that was out of their comfort zone. After both exercises, I decided that I would stick with the strong, confident persona because I felt like I could develop it further and make a more exciting character than the slightly less assertive version.  

To consider our character’s tone of voice and their way of speaking, we produced a video that our character would put on a dating profile. To stick with the classy aspect of my character, I established a formal, well-spoken tone of voice. This enabled me to develop a sense of self-assuredness for my character. I feel that during this activity, although I was confident in my character’s voice, the physical aspect of my character was lacking because I was performing my character in front of everyone for the first time and so the confidence I had within myself was lacking.  

Overall, I feel that every aspect of my character developed significantly from the original ideas I had. For example, at the beginning of the characterisation process, I walked at a fast pace because I thought it would suit my character, however after developing ideas for my character I decided that walking at a slower pace would fit with the personality I was trying to get across. My character’s posture developed slightly - I was set on the idea of standing tall and strong to represent confidence from the start, but I feel that throughout the process I have built a solid posture that fits my character’s intent. I chose to use the Laban effort of ‘glide’ as a foundation to the way my character moves. Since I first applied this to my character’s walk, I feel like it has developed and become stronger as I have become more confident with moving in a way that’s completely different to how I normally walk. I think that I need to continue developing my character’s emotions because I have mainly focused on the physical aspects of my character so far.  

At this stage, I feel like my character is coming across to others as I want them to – confident and self-obsessed, however, I believe I can continue building my character’s personality to create a more interesting and entertaining character.  

Smart Target:

I will carry out more research into my character. By doing more research I will be able to develop the emotional aspects of my character which will help me to build my character. I will do this by looking into other productions of Alice in Wonderland and see how other performers portray my character. This is relevant as it will help me with my characterisation of this project. I will have done some more research by the end of the week.  

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Showcase Logbook

Monday, 21st September 2020 – Physical Theatre

Lesson Objectives:

Find a sense of neutrality – a sense of readiness in the body.

Develop awareness and articulation of the body through observation and repetition.  

During this lesson, we balanced bamboo sticks on our heads and moved around the room to help us find our own state of neutrality. The technical skills we used were balance, focus, posture. I would say that posture was the skill that I began to develop more during this lesson because it was important that I had good posture in order to keep the stick balanced.  

My responsibilities within this lesson were to make sure that I used my spatial awareness to make sure that I didn’t walk into anybody or knock anybody else’s stick off balance.  

Whilst we predominantly walked around the space whilst balancing the bamboo, there were some adaptations made to the task, such as changing the pace of which we were walking, having to squat and touch the floor, shifting our balance onto one leg and walking backwards. This helped us to think about shifting our posture and balance to keep the stick on our head, making us shift into a neutral state as we tried to focus on nothing but keeping the stick balanced.

The purpose of balancing the bamboo sticks was to make us forget about being ourselves and rather to focus solely on balancing the stick. This enabled us to find our sense of neutrality because as our focus wasn’t on ourselves, we were relaxed, meaning that we could have easily created a character if we were tasked with doing so because we had become a blank canvas.  

The health and safety aspects of this lesson were simple; trying to keep a distance from each other because of the Covid-19 guidelines and being sensible with the bamboo sticks to avoid somebody getting hurt.

Our feedback as a group was that we generally had good focus and were able to keep the stick balanced when walking through the space. One of my strengths during this rehearsal was my ability to keep the bamboo on my head when increasing the pace that I was walking, but an area of development would be to improve my balance when squatting to touch the floor, as I struggled to get back up without the stick falling off my head.

SMART Target for this rehearsal:

S – I would like to work on improving my posture.

M - I want to improve my posture so that I can easily and quickly get into a state of neutrality when beginning to develop a character.

A - This is achievable now that I have experienced what being neutral feels like.

R – This is relevant because it will help me in the future when developing and creating characters.

T – I will have this done before my next physical theatre lesson.

Thursday, 24th September 2020 – Singing/Musical Theatre Ensembles

Lesson Objectives:

What makes a good ensemble?

What is the benefit for a performance?

Identify performance and characterisation skills from a performance.  

This lesson was an introduction into musical theatre ensembles. We watched a video of the cast of the 1999 revival of ‘You’re a Good Man Charlie Brown�� performing a song from the show called ‘Beethoven Day’ and analysed the characterisation and performance skills the cast used, such as childish voices.  

Then we analysed the skills that make for a strong ensemble. As a class we decided that for a good ensemble, the energy of everybody on stage should match so that they look uniform as a group and their voices should blend well to create a strong sound.  

During this lesson, we began to block our musical number for the showcase, ‘Happiness’. There were many responsibilities for each of us individually, such as being focussed so that we could follow our musical cues and listening to the director to ensure we can bring their vision to life on the stage. It is important that as a group we established strong characters and relationships with the each other because this would enable us to create the idea of unity within an ensemble.  

The health and safety aspects of this lesson were simple, we had to try to keep a distance from each other due to the current Covid-19 guidelines.  

The feedback I received was that I need to work on strengthening my character and staying in character throughout the whole piece, especially when I’m waiting for my next line.

I think a strength of this rehearsal for me was that I was able to quickly pick up the blocking and where I needed to be on stage at certain points of the song.

An area of development is that I need to work on making my character stronger.

Smart target for this rehearsal:

S - I need to develop my character to.

M – I need to develop my character so that I can give a stronger performance during the piece.

A – This is achievable because I now have the knowledge of how to create a character to be a strong member of an ensemble.

R – This is relevant because it will help me be a part of a strong ensemble for our October showcase.

T – I will establish my strong character in time for next time we develop our musical number further.  

Monday, 28th September 2020 – Physical Theatre Lesson objectives:

Employ problem solving strategies to develop trust as a group.

Identify the importance of trust in an ensemble.

The skill we developed in this lesson was trust. It is important that we have trust in each other as an ensemble because it means that when we are performing as a company, we are comfortable in knowing that we are supported by our cast if somebody forgets a line or misses their cue.

To develop our trust in each other, we were partnered up, one of us was blindfolded and we had to guide them across the stage by telling them how far to walk, when to turn etc, navigating them through chairs that had been placed randomly prior to this activity. During this, my responsibility was to concentrate to make sure I didn’t direct my partner into a chair. This task was a good way to develop trust because as we were blindfolded, we couldn’t see and so our partners almost became our eyes, and if there was no trust in that relationship then we wouldn’t be confident in walking and it would make the task more difficult.

The health and safety aspects of this lesson were to try and keep a distance from each other because of the Covid-19 guidelines, and to be sensible when blindfolded to avoid injury to ourselves and others.

My strengths within this lesson were that I was able to successfully communicate with my partner to make sure that they could get through the chairs without walking into them. I was also able to listen to my partner when they were giving me directions and trust that they were guiding me the right way.

Tuesday, 29th September 2020 – Singing

Lesson Objectives:

Identify parts of the vocal anatomy

Identify realistic use of breath control

Recognise what skills are being used in your showcase number

The technical skills we used in this lesson were breath control, characterisation and timing. At the start of the lesson, we labelled the parts of our body that we use whilst singing, such as the diaphragm, epiglottis and lungs. This helped us to understand where the breath goes when we sing, further developing my understanding of why breath control is important.  

After we had discussed the components of our body we use when we sing, we did a vocal warm up. It is important that we warm up before we sing to make sure our vocal cords are ready and it also helps to clear your throat, helping the air to get through more easily, making for a better sound. This is a health and safety aspect of the lesson – by warming up, we ensure that our voices are ready to sing and it prevents straining the vocal cords when using different parts of your vocal range.

We used this rehearsal time to continue staging our musical number for the showcase. A strength for me during this time was that I was able to remember the blocking and where I needed to be from the previous lesson, meaning that I could use this rehearsal to focus on my character development and working out where I need to breathe during the song. An area for development for me would be my breath control, as I struggled to sustain some of the longer notes.  

Our feedback as a group is that we could have been even more focused, meaning that we potentially could have achieved more during this rehearsal.

Smart target for this rehearsal:

S – I will work on my breath control.

M – I need to work on my breath control so that I can sustain notes without running out of breath and feeling like I need to stop singing.  

A – This is achievable because I know how to carry out breathing exercises that will help me to control my breath more effectively.

R – Working on my breath control is relevant because it will enable me to give a better performance during our showcase.  

T - I will do breathing exercises every day to improve my breath control.

Friday 9th October 2020 – Acting

     Lesson Objectives:

Create content for your devised piece.

Collaborate as a team.

Utilise 2 physical theatre techniques, including tableaux.

In this lesson, we began putting together our devised piece for the showcase. As a class, we chose the stimulus of the ‘Harriet’ poem and then split off into three groups, dividing the poem up so that each group had a section to devise from. The main skills we used during this session were communication and focus. It was important that we had good communication with each other because we were all putting our ideas out into the group, so we had to be able to listen to and respect each other’s ideas. By having strong communication and focus within the group, it allowed us to efficiently work to build our piece because we were all on the same page; we knew the idea and what we wanted to achieve with our piece.  

My responsibilities within this lesson were to put forward my ideas and collaborate with my group so that we could devise an effective piece. I was also responsible for learning my lines and remembering my blocking so that I knew what I was doing for the next rehearsal.  

The health and safety aspects of this rehearsal were following the Covid-19 guidelines, such as not unnecessarily being in close proximity to each other and sanitizing any props we touched, like the bamboo sticks and black boxes.

As a group, our feedback was that we needed to explore our staging as it was very simple and a bit boring; we all ended up in a line across the front of the stage. We fixed this by changing where we were standing, for example the narrators delivered their lines downstage and then moved upstage whilst the character of Harriet moved downstage to act her scene. My personal feedback was that I need to change the tone of my voice to create a creepy character.  

A strength of this rehearsal is that as a group we were able to devise and block our section of the poem in the short rehearsal time we were given. An area for development would be that I need to work on my characterisation to create a character that fits with the creepy yet humorous theme of our piece.

Smart target for this rehearsal:

S – I will develop my character of ‘narrator’.

M - I need to change the tone of my voice to create a creepy, engaging character.

A – This is achievable because I have the knowledge of how to effectively change my voice.

R – Developing my character’s voice is relevant because it will allow me to create an engaging character.

T – I will work on my voice ready for our next rehearsal.

Thursday 15th October 2020 – Technical rehearsal for Showcase.

Objectives for today:

Demonstrate focus, concentration and listening skills.

Contribute to a professional and productive rehearsal.

Demonstrate the ability to follow instructions.  

Deliver material to a high performance standard.

During the technical rehearsal for the showcase, we were all responsible for making sure we were listening and paying attention to make sure we knew where we were in the running order of the show so that we could be ready to go on stage. It was essential that we knew what numbers we were in and our lines/choreography within that number so that the numbers ran smoothly, enabling us more time to put the tech in place. We were also responsible for staying quiet and patient when a number was being staged with lighting, whether we were in it or not. This is because the directors were having to communicate with the people on stage, so we needed to be quiet so that they could hear each other.  

The health and safety of this rehearsal was making sure that we were warmed up, so our vocal and physical warmups for the day were led by the second-year vocal coaches and dance captains.

The strengths of this rehearsal were that we were able to tech every number in the show, however we didn’t have time to run all of them through so some of them were just walked through. I think the areas for development for this rehearsal would be that as a group, we could have been quieter whilst numbers were being teched because then we might have had time to run the show in its entirety. Our transitions between numbers could also have been quicker, again meaning that we might have had time to run more numbers through in full.

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Choreographer Research

A choreographer creates dance and movement routines for productions.  

Who is a choreographer responsible for?

A choreographer is responsible for the whole cast; they must make sure that they can perform phrases of dance and movement effectively. They are responsible for every member of the cast knowing every piece of choreography that they need to.  

Who and what is a choreographer in charge of?

A choreographer is in charge of every piece of movement that is in the show. They are the ones that have to create and then teach the cast phrases of movement, whether that’s a piece dance or just a movement sequence. A choreographer is also in charge of making sure that the movement they create correlates with the director’s creative vision. Generally, a choreographer is the person in charge of leading the physical warm up at the start of a rehearsal session, as they are in charge of the cast knowing the choreography.  

What qualities would a good choreographer possess?

A good choreographer would have to be creative and have a good imagination as it is their responsibility to create movement that is reflective of the director’s creative vision. The movement they create has to fit the narrative of the production, so they have to be creative to choreograph phrases that effectively tell a story whilst engaging the audience.  

A choreographer needs to have high energy and belief in what they are doing. By being energetic, it can help to motivate the cast during rehearsal and encourage them to work hard during rehearsal, especially if they are learning a difficult piece of choreography. It is important that a choreographer has belief in what they are doing because then it means that they are confident in the knowledge that their choreography matches the director’s creative vision.  

Patience is another quality that I would expect a choreographer to have. It is important that a choreographer is patient and understanding because each member of the cast will have different abilities, for example some of them may be strong dancers and others may have no dance experience, so they need to be patient when teaching pieces of choreography because some may find learning it more difficult. Choreographer Jamie Neale said that the hardest part of the rehearsal process is “getting your ideas across physically to the dancers”, so choreographers may have to be patient with themselves as well when trying to think of ways to explain the meaning behind the movement.

What paperwork should a choreographer create and work from?

A choreographer should read the script of the production so that they know the plot, making it easier for them to choreograph movement that helps to tell the story. A choreographer could also create a plan of what they need to choreograph movement for so they can keep to a schedule and have everything choreographed on time. It might be helpful for a choreographer to film bits of choreography as they make it so that they can watch it back and make changes if they need to.  

Key stages for a choreographer:

The first major stage for a choreographer would be meeting with the director to discuss their creative vision, so that they can understand what they need to achieve with their choreography. Once the creative vision is understood, the choreographer would then begin to explore ideas for movement sequences. Once they have solid ideas for movements, they will begin to choreograph solid routines. When they are happy with the movement and feel like it works with the narrative and the director’s vision, the choreographer will begin teaching it to the cast and working on blocking and spacing.

Tools, equipment and materials a choreographer might need:

A choreographer would need a space to work in, such as a dance studio, so that they have room to create choreography and get the cast in to teach it to them. They might also need a phone or an iPad to play any music that they need as an accompaniment to a dance. They will need a drink of water because they will be dancing and moving around a lot so they will need to keep themselves hydrated. It is important that the choreographer has appropriate attire, such as sportswear, because they will be incredibly active, so they need to be in comfortable, suitable clothing.

Bibliography

https://getintotheatre.org/blog/what-does-a-choreographer-do-in-theatre  [7/10/20]

https://study.com/articles/Choreographer_Job_Description_Duties_and_Salary_Info.html#:~:text=Ballet-,Job%20Description,revising%20or%20combining%20existing%20routines.  [7/10/20]  

https://www.londontheatredirect.com/news/interview-with-up-and-coming-choreographer-jamie-neale  [7/10/20]

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Director Research

A director is somebody that creates a piece of theatre. Their role as part of a production company would be to orchestrate the elements of creating a performance, such as casting and blocking.

Who is the director responsible for?  

Although a theatre director works closely with many other creatives, such as producers, stage managers, set, lighting, sound and costume designers, playwrights, choreographers and, if the production is a musical, musical directors, they are responsible for overseeing the creatives’ work to ensure that it matches with their directorial vision.

The director is also involved in the casting process, so they will also be responsible for casting the right people for the show.  

Who or what is a director in charge of?

A director that is putting together a piece of theatre is in charge of a myriad of things. They have to call judgement of major decisions, such as who gets cast, fix problems that may arise, organise the structure of their days so that they use their rehearsal time effectively, and guide the actors within their performance to bring their directorial vision to life.  

What qualities should a director have?

In my opinion, I would expect a good director to be responsible, level-headed, have strong communication skills and be confident in their vision. By being responsible, the actors and other creatives will have trust in their director as they will know that the, making the process of putting a show together a more enjoyable experience. If a director is level-headed and has good communication skills, they are more likely to be more patient with the actors during processes such as blocking, which will make the process run more smoothly. It is important that a director is confident in their vision because if they weren’t, it would be hard for the cast and creatives to trust them if the director can’t trust their own decisions.  

What paperwork should the director create/work from?

A director should work from a script, and if the production they are creating is a musical, it would be necessary for them to have a copy of the musical score as well. It is important that the director takes into consideration the playwright’s intentions as well as their own; as Australian theatre director George Ogilvie once said, “we must serve what has been written, that’s what we’re there for.”  

I believe that it would also be useful if a director wrote a plan of what they wanted to achieve in each rehearsal session so that they could use their time effectively.

What are the key stages for a director?

The first major stage for a director would be to establish their creative vision. In this process, the director would outline things such as the emotional tone for the show. Next, the director would have to start holding auditions in order to put together a cast for the production. It is important that the director doesn’t rush the casting process to ensure that they cast the right actors for the different roles within the play. Once the cast is together, most directors will do a readthrough of the script with the entire cast before beginning to block it. After the blocking has been complete, the director might choose to do complete run throughs of the show from start to finish to make sure that the actors know what they’re doing, but it is also a good opportunity for the director to see if there are any issues with things like staging. Once the director is happy with the staging, the show will begin to add the technical side of things, for example lighting and sound design. The director oversees all of the technical decisions.  

Tools, equipment and materials a director might need:

Stationary such as a pencil and a highlighter to annotate their script and make notes during the blocking process.

A folder that contains the script and score would be useful so that it can all be kept together in one place and easily accessible.

A way to communicate with the other creatives that are working on the production when not in rehearsal, such as a phone or email.  

Bibliography

https://www.stagemilk.com/what-does-a-theatre-director-do/  [22/09/20]

https://www.encoretickets.co.uk/articles/whos-who-in-a-creative-team/ [22/09/20]

https://www.prospects.ac.uk/job-profiles/theatre-director [23/09/20]

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Stage Manager Research

A stage manager is the person that is responsible for the general running of a theatre company. They coordinate every aspect of a production, such as rehearsals, building and creation of sets and costume and the technical side of things.  

Who is the stage manager responsible for?

The stage manager is responsible for pretty much everyone involved with the theatre company. It is their job to liaise with actors, lighting and sound technicians, the costume and wig departments to ensure that everyone is following schedule and that everything gets done on time, such as wig and costume fittings. If there is a problem within one of these departments, it is the stage managers job to help them get it fixed to make sure that the show can go ahead smoothly. They must make sure that the actors are arriving for any rehearsals and dress runs that they are needed for.  

Who and what is the stage manager in charge of?

The stage manager is in charge of everybody below them, like the assistant stage manager, stage crew and the cast. They must make sure that everybody is in the right place at the right time. Stage managers are generally in charge of making sure that the actors are on stage when they are supposed to be by calling their cues. The stage manager is also in charge of calling the lighting and sound cues of the          show, making sure that the stage is set for the performance and that any props needed for the show are set in the correct places backstage, whether that be in the wings, on stage somewhere or on a prop table. It is important that the stage manager always remembers to put the props in the correct place before a show so that the actors know exactly where they are when they need to grab them during the performance. By having the props organized, it prevents the actors having to panic about not knowing where their props are, meaning that they can remain calm and focused before they go on stage.

As well as dealing with the technical side of the running of the show, the stage manager is also in charge of the wellbeing of the cast and crew. For example, if a dancer twisted their ankle during a number on stage, they would be able to go to the stage manager to get an ice pack to put on it.

They are also in charge of overseeing the ‘get in’ and ‘get out’ of the production in a theatre. This is where the set, lighting and sound devices are installed in the theatre.  

What qualities would you expect a good stage manager to possess?

Being a stage manager is an important job, so I would expect somebody in this role to be organized and responsible. Stage managers need to be organized because there is so much for them to coordinate: rehearsal schedules, where everything needs to go backstage such as props and pieces of set and what the rest of the company needs to be doing, such as the technicians installing the lights and set. Stage managers should also be able to work well under pressure as there will often be unexpected problems that arise during a show, such as somebody getting injured. They will have to tend to the injured cast member whilst keeping the show running. They should also have good communication skills because they need to speak to a variety of people, like the director, fellow crew and the cast.

What paperwork should a stage manager create and work from?  

The stage manager should firstly create a rehearsal schedule so that they can know what is being rehearsed and when, meaning they can easily keep track of what props/ set pieces will be needed when rehearsing specific scenes and which cast members need to be in for each. They should also make a note of any lighting or other technical cues, such as when a set piece needs to go on stage, as they will need to call this cue when the show’s run starts.

Stage managers often call the cues show, although sometimes this job is given to an assistant stage manager. For this to be done correctly, they should have a copy of the script that has all of the lighting and sound cues, along with any other technical things like smoke or pieces of set that don’t have to be manually put on stage, annotated on it. This is often called a prompt book. It is important that the stage manager has the cues written on their script correctly because if they don’t then there could be missed cues, such as a light not going on at the right time which could effectively ruin the director’s creative vision.

What are the key stages for a stage manager?

The stage manager’s job begins when rehearsals start. They are responsible for making the rehearsal schedule and organizing the people that need to be there. The next key stage is ‘getting in’ to the theatre. It is the stage manager’s job to arrange and supervise the installation of the set and lighting, to make sure the actors are allocated their dressing rooms and the other departments (costume, wigs and sound teams) know where they are based. They will be there to solve any problems that may pop up during this process. Once the theatre is ready for the performances to begin, the stage manager will oversee the technical and dress rehearsals, making a note of anything that goes wrong, whether that is a missed cue, an actor forgetting a line, or an issue with blocking, so that they can fix the issue. After the tech and dress rehearsals, the next key stage for a stage manager is the show opening. Once the show has opened, the stage manager is in control – everything that happens is their responsibility.  

Tools, equipment and materials a stage manager might need:

Torches – having a torch with them backstage would be useful because it will be very dark.  

A first aid kit – in case of injury caused by a prop, a piece of set etc.

Different types of tape – there will be many wires running across the floor and up the wall backstage because of the lighting, so tape to stick them down and keep them held together will be handy to avoid anybody tripping over and injuring themselves. Tape can also be used to make a mark on the stage where a certain piece of set needs to go.

Bibliography

Get into Theatre [30/09/20]  

https://getintotheatre.org/blog/what-does-a-stage-manager-do-theatre#:~:text=A%20Stage%20Manager%20organises%20the,smooth%20running%20of%20a%20production  

Get in Media [30/09/20]

http://getinmedia.com/careers/stage-manager

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Vocal Coach Research

A vocal coach is the person that helps actors and singers prepare their voices for a performance.  

Who is a vocal coach responsible for?

A vocal coach is responsible for anyone that speaks or sings, in a performance. They must make sure that they warm up properly before a performance and take care of their voices properly. They are also responsible for coaching the cast so they can use their voices properly when performing, for example using correct diction and accent to fit their character.

Who or what is a vocal coach in charge of?

A vocal coach is in charge of guiding performers to develop their vocal skills. They have to work with cast members to grow their understanding of techniques, such as breath control, articulation, pitch, pace, tone and resonance. They generally do this by leading warm-ups and technique sessions. The vocal coach is also in charge of working with performers to use these vocal techniques to help them develop a character.  

What qualities would a good vocal coach possess?

A vocal coach needs to have a strong understanding of the vocal anatomy so that they can give performers guidance on how to use their voice correctly to avoid straining and causing injury to it, but also how to improve their technique.  A vocal coach also needs to be enthusiastic, especially when working with actors, because their enthusiasm can encourage the performer to build and develop a character. Vocal coaches also need to be patient; a singer might be struggling to hit a high note, or an actor could be struggling with an accent and the vocal coach would need to be patient to help them work through it and improve. Vocal coach Jaime Vendera says that the most rewarding part of their job is that “I’ve had hundreds of people email or call me telling me how I saved their voice”.  

What paperwork should a vocal coach create and work from?

Vocal coaches should create a plan for their warm-ups so they know what they need to include, for example, if they were leading a warm-up for singers, they should include exercises such as vocal scales/slides to warm up the singer’s range, and if they were leading a warm-up for actors, they should focus more on exercises such as tongue twisters to work on articulation. It would also be useful for the vocal coach to have a copy of the score of the show if it is a musical, so that they can work on the numbers with the cast.  

Key stages for a vocal coach:

Sometimes vocal coaches are present at auditions; they can be there to help performers prepare for their audition by leading a warm-up or going over their audition piece with them to make sure that they are ready and confident in what they are doing. The vocal coach is normally then at rehearsals to assist the performers with the vocal aspects of their performance. They can coach them with their accent, diction, tone, pitch, pace, breath control etc. to make sure they are using their voice to the best of their ability and really getting the most out of it.

Tools, equipment and materials a vocal coach might need:

When leading a warm-up, a vocal coach might like to have a piano to play scales for the performers to follow, or they might prefer to have a device to play accompaniments from, like a phone or an iPad. They might need to have a copy of the musical score if they wish to play the music themselves. It would be useful for them to have a drink of water as they will be using their voice a lot by demonstrating and giving feedback to the cast, so they will need to keep it hydrated.

Bibliography

https://www.musicgateway.com/blog/how-to/vocal-coach-or-singing-lesson-what-is-vocal-coaching  [14/10/20]

https://blog.sonicbids.com/10-qualities-to-look-for-in-a-voice-teacher  [14/10/20]

https://jobshadow.com/interview-with-vocal-coach-jaime-vendera/  [14/10/20]

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Showcase Evaluation

My main responsibilities for my role as a performer in this project included being present and prepared for all rehearsals, such as being on time and having the correct kit, helping me to be focused, meaning I was able to understand and remember the choreography and blocking of numbers. Another responsibility of mine was to make sure I knew what I needed to do for each number I was in. For example, it was my responsibility to learn the lyrics for our musical number ‘Happiness’, making sure I was comfortable in knowing the choreography for ‘don’t touch my hair’, asking for help from my peers if I needed to go over a section of it or if I didn’t know the timing, and learning my lines for our devised pieces.  

I effectively collaborated with members of the production team, such as the directors, dance captains and vocal coaches. I listened to feedback from the directors and took notes I was given on board in order to improve my performance. I also took part in warm-ups led by the vocal coaches and dance captains at the beginning of rehearsal sessions, and before the show, to get my voice and body ready for performing.

I believe that my actions made a positive impact to the overall production. I was always on time for rehearsal wearing the correct kit, meaning that I was always ready and prepared for the rehearsal session. I remembered all choreography and blocking, meaning that I was able to help anyone that might have forgotten it or that was having trouble with it, such as ‘don’t touch my hair’. I think that this made a positive impact to the overall production because I was able to help and support others to ensure that we all knew the choreography.  

I positively responded to the weekly deadlines. I started each research topic at the start of the week and worked on it throughout the week to ensure that I handed it in on time.  

I applied a variety of technical skills in each number I performed in. For example, during the dance number I had to think about my spatial awareness; I was aware of where I was on stage, who and what was around me, such as the curtain or another performer, so that I could avoid colliding with them. I also needed to be aware of where I needed to get to, for example to my space in the line downstage, any obstructions, such as other people. It was important that I was aware of my surroundings so that I didn’t have to look around during the performance, meaning I looked, and felt, more confident in performing. For our devised piece, the technical skills I used included characterisation. I successfully changed aspects of my voice, for example reducing the inflection, to make it more monotone to how I normally sound, enabling me to create a character that fitted the creepy theme of the piece.  

I used a variation of performance skills in every number, such as projection, facial expression and musicality, however, the way I used them varied for each one. For example, during our devised piece, I kept a serious, emotionless facial expression to create a plain, creepy character, yet for ‘happiness’, I maintained a gentle smile throughout, creating the image of a childlike, happy and content character. I had to use my projection during both the devised piece and ‘happiness’ so that the audience could hear. I feel that my projection could have been stronger during ‘happiness’ as I felt like when I sang my line I didn’t have enough power in my voice, meaning that the audience might not have been able to understand me clearly. I could have improved this by having better breath control – if I had more breath support, I would have been able to sing with more power.  

I felt confident in most aspects of this project - I knew the blocking, choreography, and my lines for each number and felt confident in performing in the showcase. The aspect I lacked confidence in was the dance number because I don’t have much dance experience, however I overcame the lack of confidence and I was able to successfully perform the number.  

For the most part, all three shows went very well; I remembered all of my lines and the movement content and was able to perform to the best of my ability. The moments I was worried about, such as the dance number because of my lack of confidence, went really well and I felt good about it when I came off stage. There were a few moments that I was concerned about, for example the devised piece. This was because we decided to alter the staging during our final rehearsal of the show, so my positioning moved from stage right over to stage left, meaning that when preparing to go on stage I had to remember that I needed to enter from the opposite wing. I was nervous about this change because it changed everything I had been doing in rehearsal, but I managed to pull it off for the actual performances.

Individually, I could have improved my performance by exploring my vocal techniques more to create a more exciting character for our devised piece as I felt as though I could have played around with it more, for example I could have changed the pitch of my voice so that I created a character that was more unlike myself. As a team, I felt that our performance could have been improved by connecting more with each other during ‘happiness’ to create the idea of union between the group. Although there were strong moments of interaction, such as the part where we were all in a close group downstage left, there could have been more little moments such as exchanging a smile when moving around the stage, just to solidify the theme of friendship and togetherness of the piece.