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REFERENCES

Actors Equity. (2019) About Equity. [online] Available at: https://www.actorsequity.org/aboutequity/howweoperate/ [Accessed: 1st May 2019]. 

BBC. (2014) Sing - Learn to Sing: Warming Up. [online] Available at: http://www.bbc.co.uk/sing/learning/warmingup.shtml. [Accessed: 4th March 2019].

Daily Mail. (2007). Lord Of The Rings Musical Cancelled After Actor Breaks a Leg On Stage. [online] Available at: https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-458913/Lord-Of-The-Rings-musical-cancelled-actor-breaks-leg-stage.html. [Accessed: 1st May 2019]. 

Danceworks London. (2018). Matt Mattox. [online] Available at: http://danceworks.net/matt-mattox/ [Accessed 8th March 2019]. 

Dance Teacher. (2019). How to Prevent These 10 Common Dance Injuries. [online] Available at: https://www.dance-teacher.com/10-common-dance-injuries-2392302154.html [Accessed 21 Apr. 2019].

DOHIIT. (2019). HIIT FAQ (Frequently Asked Questions about High-Intensity Interval Training). [online] Available at: https://dohiit.com/hiit-faq/#What_is_High-Intensity_Interval_Training [Accessed 21 Apr. 2019].

Endocrine News. (2015) Energy Drinks Cause Blood Glucose, Insulin Levels to Spike and Hinder Blood Sugar Control in Teens. [Online] Available at: https://endocrinenews.endocrine.org/energy-drinks-cause-blood-glucose-insulin-levels-to-spike-and-hinder-blood-sugar-control-in-teens/. [Accessed: 3rd March 2019].

Gereg, D. (2019). Seeing Red: The Use Of Red In The Shining. [online] Available at: https://www.academia.edu/7668353/_Seeing_Red_The_Use_Of_Red_In_The_Shining_ [Accessed 21 Apr. 2019].

Guardian. (2007). Break a Leg: Accident Halts Tolkien Musical. [online] Available at: https://www.theguardian.com/uk/2007/may/31/theatrenews.theatre. [Accessed: 1st May 2019].

Guarino, L., Oliver, W. (2014). Jazz Dance: A History Of The Roots And Branches. Florida: University Press of Florida.  

Oxford Dictionaries. (2019). semiotics | Definition of semiotics in English by Oxford Dictionaries. [online] Available at: https://en.oxforddictionaries.com/definition/semiotics [Accessed 21 Apr. 2019].

Pinksterboer, Hugo (2008). Tipbook Vocals: The Complete Guide (5th ed.). New York: Hal Leonard.

Playbill. (2019). 'How Very': Laurence O'Keefe and Kevin Murphy on Collaboration and Competition While Writing Heathers: The Musical | Playbill. [online] Available at: http://www.playbill.com/article/how-very-laurence-okeefe-and-kevin-murphy-on-collaboration-and-competition-while-writing-heathers-the-musical-com-216663 [Accessed 21 Apr. 2019].

Merriam-Webster. (2019). Definition of STANISLAVSKI METHOD. [online] Available at: https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/Stanislavski%20method [Accessed 21 Apr. 2019].

Metafit Australia. (2019). Metafit Australia - About Metafit. [online] Available at: https://www.metafit-australia.com/about-metafit [Accessed 21 Apr. 2019].

Morgan, G. (1993). Plays and Players Theatre Yearbook. London: Verulam Publishing Ltd. 

Murphy, K., O’Keefe, L. (2014). Heathers The Musical. New York: Samuel French.

Robson, D. (2019). How The Colour Red Warps The Mind. [online] Bbc.com. Available at: http://www.bbc.com/future/story/20140827-how-the-colour-red-warps-the-mind [Accessed 21 Apr. 2019].

ScienceDaily. (2019). Note to Waitresses: Wearing Red Can Be Profitable. [online] Available at: https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/08/120802111454.htm [Accessed 21 Apr. 2019].

Smith, S. (2019). Breathing During Exercise. [online] Military.com. Available at: https://www.military.com/military-fitness/workouts/breathing-during-exercise [Accessed 21 Apr. 2019].

Soto-Morettini, D. (2006). Popular Singing: A Practical Guide to: Pop, Jazz, Blues, Country and Gospel. London: A & C Black.  

Yorkshire Post. (2019). Grappling With The Stereotypes. [online] Available at: https://www.yorkshirepost.co.uk/news/grappling-with-the-stereotypes-1-2424249 [Accessed 21 Apr. 2019].

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CONCLUSION

As we approach show week, I am feeling confident and content with where the show is at. Of course I have my own personal areas for improvement but I do believe that I have worked hard, consistently attended rehearsals and been punctual whilst there, which has left me in a very stable position where I now have the freedom to mess around and experiment with some of my scenes and the delivery of my lines etc, in order to finesse my character, and create a more final, well rounded performance.

CONFIDENT AREAS

- choreography - throughout all of the numbers I am definitely confident with both my knowledge and execution of the choreography. My stamina is now of a good level due to our interval training and consistent show rehearsals so I am confident in my ability to reach the end of a number without compromising my energy. 

- intensity & stage presence - I believe I have a good intensity on stage, particularly in the scene of Chandler’s death with J.D and Veronica. As a three we have a good stage chemistry. My stage presence is something I am confident in too, down to my projection, delivery of lines and interaction with others.

- initiative as an ensemble member - as part of any cast/ensemble, it is vital that we work together as a team to keep the energy raised throughout the entire show. I believe I have a good initiative and awareness to recognise when the energy might be dipping, so I always make sure to raise that back up again when I next take the stage/at the first possible opportunity, so that the other ensemble members will follow suit. I also have a good awareness of when to take a backseat so not to pull attention. Much of my scenes toward the end see me standing on the rostra at the back of the stage, which automatically puts me in a good eye line for the audience. This is great as it adds another level to the staging and gives the audience something else to look at, however if there is a scene going on below the rostra, it is important not to pull focus. For example, the scenes surrounding Lifeboat are vital to the plot - so it is important to keep movement minimal and keep most of my reactions through facial expressions.

AREAS FOR IMPROVEMENT 

- vocals - my vocals have always been something I have struggled with, I don’t have a particularly strong belt which is what is ideally required for Chandler. Throughout the show I am good at keeping in tune with and finding my harmonies, but I am someone who works a lot better vocally in a group, which can prove difficult for the high note at the end of Candy Store, which requires a lot of belt and twang. At the moment, we have compromised this by giving the note at the end to McNamara. Should I be able to deliver this note correctly and to a show level standard by show week, I will sing the note on the night of the performance. This is something I am working towards for an area of improvement. 

- posture and blocking - I want to continue to work on my posture, making sure I keep the classic Heather Chandler stance throughout, to prove that no matter what happens to her, she is unbothered, because she knows that no amount of damage anyone tries to cause to her will effect her position in the Westerberg hierarchy. I am also sometimes guilty of blocking myself and turning my positioning inwards when delivering lines to other characters instead of still keeping an open posture so that the audience can still see the reactions and also hear the line better. This is something I have became more aware of as of late and through repetition of scenes and running the whole show, it is something that is changing. 

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PLAN OF ACTION

Sticking to a schedule is important for any rehearsal process, for a number of reasons: 

allows cast members to potentially look over any scenes/songs that will be getting blocked in that coming week 

allows for productivity levels to boost and gives potential to move the rehearsal process along quicker

sticking to a timetable can sometimes help directors along who work well with a small amount of pressure, as they don’t want to fall behind their schedule 

makes both cast and crew feel organised 

implements discipline and a sense of structure in what could otherwise be a frantic process

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EQUITY & INSURANCE AS A PERFORMER

Founded in 1913, Actor’s Equity Association is an American labour union which represents over 40,000 actors/performers across the world (ActorsEquity.org, 2019). They work to support the living conditions of performers by way of ensuring they are paid a liveable wage, and are working under safe environments. Having an Equity membership when working in the professional industry is seen as a support system; a legal team of people who will fight for the working rights of you as a performer. Equity can also provide insurance for incidents/injuries that can occur in the workplace. 

In many cases, performers have been injured through no fault of their own due to technical difficulties etc, and have fought for justice/compensation which they wouldn't have otherwise been granted had they not had an Equity membership. An example of this is the 2007 Lord of the Rings Musical case where cast member Adam Salter broke his leg whilst performing the show. This happened when his leg was ‘caught between two pieces of the hydraulic stage,’ (The Guardian, 2007). Due to this Equity membership, Salter was able to gain a compensation fee, which proves extremely difficult when you don’t have representation as a performer. 

At this stage in my career, as I am still in training, I do not yet have an Equity membership. This means that health and safety is vital. I must accept that anything that may happen in rehearsals to potentially injure me, is at my own risk. This is also the same when arriving at the venue on show day for Heathers.

Upon our arrival to the theatre, we will be shown our emergency fire exits etc, which will ultimately play an important part in our safety at the venue. Furthermore, there are other steps that we can take to ensure better health and safety at the theatre, such as having no drinks on stage while rehearsing - this will prevent any slipping on stage. We must also wear a show shoe (a dance shoe or a trainer which we might be performing in later on in the night) - both these shoes tend to have better grip and will therefore lessen the risk of slipping or falling on stage. 

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HEALTH AND SAFETY IN THE STUDIO

As a practitioner of musical theatre, dance, or any performance lead discipline, health and safety both in studio and on stage is vital. In doing this, we are preventing injury of ourselves and others. Injuries can be caused by a number of hazards, such factors vary from not warming up the muscles properly to an untidy studio.

To begin a rehearsal, we should first start by ensuring the studio is clean and tidy. ALL belongings should be stored in ONE area only, in a compact manner. This is a step in the prevention of trips and falls. In addition, select members of an ensemble may feel it is difficult to concentrate and learn in a messy workspace. By instilling cleanliness and tidiness, we are creating equal opportunity for every ensemble member to learn and grow in the studio.

Secondly, there should be only water in the studio - no other form of drinks. Before prior education, many students were under the impression that energy drinks such as Lucozade and Red Bull were beneficial to their body and responsible for their energy during rehearsals. This however is not the case; the high levels of sugar in such drinks causes an insulin spike in the body which hinders the re-normalisation of blood sugar levels. According to a recent study ‘Results show that consumption of a caffeine-containing energy drink results in a 20-30% increase in insulin and glucose levels in response to a glucose load’ (EndocrineNews, 2015).

This leaves the body feeling tired - known as ‘crashing and burning’. This means that for a short level of time, the body will feel energised before feeling extremely lethargic - which is of no benefit to a performer in training. In comparison, to sustain energy, we can eat a diet including small portions of slow release carbohydrates - which will sustain energy levels for much longer. Such foods include oats, brown rice and brown pasta.

Drinks should also always be bottled to prevent spillages, which could cause students and teachers to slip and injure themselves.

Furthermore, warming up is an essential part of any rehearsal.

Singing warm ups can include:

- breathing and yawning exercise to ‘help your voice to resonate’ and open your throat.  - (BBC.com, 2014)

- release the jaw; massage the cheekbones lightly to relax and release tension - this will give you a nicer sound. Accoding to WikiHow, after repeating this several times, ‘your jaw should open without you even thinking about it and be forced to relax’.

- scales and lip & tongue trills; for lips, create raspberries, experiment with ‘h’ and ‘b sounds. For tongue, create the spanish ‘r’ sound by placing tongue behind upper teeth.

- tongue twisters; equity deputy, metabolic rate, unique New York - on a scale up and down. This will cover the element of diction and also help to stimulate the brain. This is a good exercise to conclude a singing warm up as it gives chance to implement all prior exercises.

Dance warm ups should be conducted in the following order:

- Increase blood rate - it is dangerous to exercise cold muscles. This can be achieved by HIIT (high intensity interval training) According to DoHiit, ‘is a form of interval training, a cardiovascular exercise strategy alternating short periods of intense anaerobic exercise with less intense recovery periods’. This will raise the temperature of the body, increase the blood flow around the system and warm muscles ready for the next step.

Isolations - this will mobilise and activate the joints before moving onto stretching - this should include heads incline, side to side and up and down, shoulder and arm movements (usually circular), rib and hip isolations, and a small string of ankle movements to warm up the feet. At this stage, the muscles should be ready to be stretched.

- Stretching - some examples of stretching include side stretches and lunges (a great exercise for flexibility in kicks, leaps and splits). Floor stretching - sitting in second and reaching towards the floor. We can also implement elements of our pilates and yoga knowledge to our stretching sequence, such as downward dog and pigeon.

Acting warm ups can be used to stimulate the brain and prepare for quick thinking activities such as improvisation and script reading:

- We can refer to many online websites such as Drama Resource for a series of quick and simple drama games - you can find the link HERE - https://dramaresource.com/drama-games/

Such games include Count to 20 (the group must count to 20 out loud without the same number being repeated or said at the same time. Should this happen the group has to begin again). Point of View (every student is given the same story and has to retell it from a different perspective), and Who, What, Where? (in pairs, an open ended improvisation in which students have to answer all three questions in a short space of time).

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PLAYING ON STEREOTYPES IN THEATRE

Now that I am feeling more comfortable with the script and the narrative of Heathers, I want to finesse the character of Chandler and really get to grips with the themes within the story - one of those being the use of stereotypes. I want to work on how I can show these through my portrayal of HC, and therefore enhance my performance. 

The show has a definite use of social stereotypes; something which in theatre, is relied on a lot to tell a story. A practitioner who works heavily with stereotypes  is John Godber. 

Godber is a 1956 dramatist who was named the third most performed playwright in the UK behind Shakespeare in 1993 (Plays and Players Yearbook). He has wrote a number of shows for theatre and is most known for his plays Teechers, Bouncers and Shakers. In a 2005 interview with Yorkshire Post, Godber explains that he is inspired by Brecht, who's works also rely heavily on the use of stereotypes. He states that ‘there are two fundamental questions you have to ask about theatre, is it an escape from life, or a reminder of it?’. He continues ‘my stuff is an escape, it is not real, but it is about life’ and it is here how we see how his use of stereotypes are so effective - Godber analyses the behaviours of groups within society, and exaggerates elements of their presence in order to create a comedic and identifiable performance. This includes elements such as their posture, their behaviour towards others, their gait and their mannerisms to essentially develop a character that can be correctly identified by the audience. 

This is something that Laurence O’Keefe and Kevin Murphy, the writers of Heathers the Musical, have done really well in order to re-enact a typical school hierarchy. In an interview with Playbill (2014), O’Keefe described the show as ‘incredibly funny’ because of its truthfulness. He continued ‘it told the truth that people didn't want to admit about their kids, their schools, their parents, and faculty, about the 80s. It was a great antidote at the time’. 

This can of course be seen across the duration of the show, but I believe the stereotypical characters to all be showcased together really well in the opening number of Beautiful. The more ‘misfit’ members of the ensemble are seen with closed off postures, rounded shoulders, and appear to be rushing around the stage, as if to give an out of control feeling to the audience to show how uncomfortable they are within the environment. 

The Heather’s however are the opposite - which is something I focus on a lot in the opening number due to the fact it is the first entrance and I want this to be clear straight away. I enter with a wider posture, shoulders pinched, head slightly raised, with a slow walk followed by a strut - this behaviour connotes the complete opposite of the other members of the school and the contrast between the two groups makes a very clear impression to the audience of who is in control and who isn't. 

I have found myself sometimes forgetting to sustain this posture etc as the show continues, particularly in scenes. I have realised I am not as concerned with my posture as I should be, but it is something that I really want to work on and knuckle down with to keep the character consistent throughout the duration of the show. This is something I have made a mental note of, and I realise I need to remember the characteristics of Chandler from start to finish, possessing the same fearless feeling that she has at the beginning. Even when the plot thickens and things begin to turn nasty for Veronica, Chandler is very much still in control of her status, she is very self aware and as quoted by O’Keefe, ‘she fears nobody and nothing, so she readily admits to Veronica that she enjoys hurting people because she can’ (2014). 

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STAMINA FOR CANDY STORE 

Candy Store is a song which doesn't neccesarily have an instrumental break/interlude - meaning we are singing from start to finish. The choreography is of the same nature too; so we have to be sure to maintain a good level of stamina in order to keep the number to a high standard. The most effective way to build stamina levels is with H.I.I.T - high intensity interval training. 

H.I.I.T is a popular form of interval training which consists of short bursts of high intensity exercises followed by short bursts of rest/active rest time. An average H.I.I.T workout lasts around 30 minutes and research has shown that it is ‘more efficient than steady-state moderate intensity exercise’ at building not only our cardiovascular health, but improving our blood pressure and burning body fat too (DoHiit, 2018). 

To ensure we are show fit, we have been taking MetaFit classes each week. MetaFit was the UK’s first group H.I.I.T workout programme and was designed by former Royal Marine Commando Justin Corcoran. He states that ‘it is a functional and effective, metabolic workout that will change the way you train’ (Metafit, 2019). The workouts take a classical body weight based exercise approach, including both cardio and muscular based exercises such as sprints, burpees, squats, planks and crab walks. 

I do find MetaFit to be extremely beneficial to get me show fit and aid my performance throughout the entire show - due to my fitness levels increasing I am able to maintain not only a stronger performance in dancing, but in singing and also actually maintain the energy of my character in general. 

I focus a lot on my breathing during the workout - I then transfer this into my performance of Candy Store and the other numbers within the show. It is important to breathe properly in MetaFit specifically due to the fact that interval training alone will increase the heart rate. If we don’t breathe correctly to control this, it is possible to unintentionally increase the BPM more, resulting in a build up of CO2 in the body. This makes for a higher production of lactic acid in the muscles - resulting in discomfort and soreness. This eventuality means that it is harder to continue and sustain the workout. Furthermore, shallow breathing and loss of breath control can result in a pounding heart and onset feelings of anxiety, causing the body to revert to fight or flight mode. To avoid either of these things happening, we can control breathing in a number of ways.

WAYS TO CONTROL BREATHING 

According to Military.com (2019), experts have suggested that we ‘breathe a 3:2 inhale-to-exhale ratio; full inhales and full exhales’, meaning we are inhaling more oxygen than we are producing CO2, which will naturally slow the heart rate. Furthermore, I find it beneficial to attach the breath to the movement of the exercise - this helps me also to perform the exercise correctly and with more control. For example, when doing sit ups, I will inhale when lying down and exhale as I lift. This is transferrable to any exercise and the exhale should be done at the hardest part of the said exercise. This also helps with any muscular pain we might feel. 

IMPLEMENTING THE KNOWLEDGE 

I have found using the same techniques to be beneficial during Candy Store for both the singing and the dancing, however it has been challenging to know when to take a breath and when to exhale. I have found through process of trial and error that in the more down moments of the dance, I can really make use of this time well and use it to get my breathing back to a healthy pace should I lose track of it. 

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ME INSIDE OF ME

ME INSIDE OF ME BLOCKING 

Me Inside of Me is a number which takes place after the death of Heather Chandler whereby JD and Veronica are forging a suicide note in order to cover their tracks. The song is a very tongue in cheek style comedy piece, allowing multiple characters to feature and have their moment. 

The music in the song is particularly low, with many down beats and even notes which makes for a real horror movie vibe - it is at this point in the show where the plot begins to really unfold and actually become a lot more serious - themes such as suicide, murder and betrayal, that have been suggested by the characters beforehand, are suddenly beginning to materialise, so this number is a really vital one for the plot development of the show. 

The suicide note, which has been cunningly written to sound sympathetic so that the characters will take pity upon Chandler, is read/sung by multiple characters throughout the number -  I will be delivering the following section as a solo:

‘no one thinks a pretty girl has feelings,

no one gets her insecurity,

I am more than shoulder pads and makeup, 

no one sees the me inside of me’ 

This section requires a lighter vocal approach, making for a more angelic sound - this not only emphasises the fact that Chandler is now dead, but contrasts more from the voices of Veronica, JD and the teachers who enter the scene later. Automatically this delivery will add a more comedic value to the piece due to the fact that at this point in the show, the audience are well aware of Chandler’s characteristics and in using a contrasting delivery of lyrics, we are contradicting all of her personality traits we have seen so far. 

In order to maintain the personality of Chandler, her self awareness and her sarcasm, I plan to use the lighter, indulging vocal approach in conjunction with a string of sarcastic expressions - this will allow HC’s character to shine through and therefore the audience will have a better understanding that she is mocking the suicide note but also loving the attention and reaction that it has gained. 

I am working on transition between this, and flipping back into character for the line of ‘Jesus, you’re making me sound like air supply’ where we see Chandler return to her normal self. This instant flip in delivery, and snapping in and out of the angel/dead Chandler, to the present day one, will further enhance the comedy value of the number. 

For the remainder of the song, I haven’t been given much direction so I have some room to play around with my portrayal and reactions to the situation. I am currently trying out the idea of reacting to the other characters by way of breaking the fourth wall, so it appears to the audience that I am present in the scene but to the characters, I am not actually there. This works well for comedy pieces; it not only gives the audience two separate scenarios to identify with but also allows room for a more slapstick approach from myself. Breaking the fourth wall allows a character to react however they want, almost confiding in the audience and feeling safe from the opinions of the other characters who are oblivious to the said characters presence in the scene. This method is working really well for me at the moment; for a particular section where the other characters list some memories they have of Chandler - this allows me to react, laugh, and interact with the characters without them actually knowing. I have been rehearsing this on the spot facing out front to the audience, which I think is a key aspect of breaking the fourth wall, and definitely works well to separate me from the movement and general progression of the scene.

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NOTES FOR HALF TERM

Going into half term, we have a week to reflect on our notes from the run through we did of the show so far. This week, I plan to revise all harmonies and choreography, as well as the scenes we have already blocked and I plan to get off script for the next few scenes too. 

CORRECTIONS AND NOTES

First Entrance - When first entering stage, all three Heather’s strut on - automatically this changes the atmosphere onstage due to the complete contrast from the other characters. Lucy pointed out that we are executing the walk incorrectly for the characters we need to portray - with me taking a more commercial approach and one of the other Heather’s appearing to be more showgirl like in her execution. She told us that the strut should be less dance based and instead to embody the character and their personalities more. 

The Heather’s are sexy, flirtatious and they attract attention for this reason. Because of this, Lucy explained that the strut comes more from the chest and the bum - as this sexualises the girls and therefore represents these morals physically. To alter this, I plan to use less arms and take the walk more into the hips. Furthermore, with being advised to take a less dancer based approach, I will arch my back as opposed to trying to keep a correct dancers posture, as this will ensure I stick out both my chest and bum more in order to execute the walk properly. 

Lucy told us that this will help us to pull the attention from the audience through a more collected energy instead of with our dance technique. This correction is one that I believe will push me a lot due to the fact I will have to concentrate to gain the correct intentions of having a more collected energy and still manage to intimidate the audience with a lesser, more subtle bodily entrance and I will have to channel the energy into my facial expressions - this will put me in good stead for the rest of the show. 

Scene One; Passing the Note - a small correction that I believe to be very vital in its intention - to make Chandler appear from nowhere. This section of the scene involves the other two Heather’s beginning to take the attention from H.C and chat with Veronica; H.C is quick to intervene and regain her dominance on the stage. At first, I stood next to the girls, listening impatiently to their brief and short dialogue. I then walked across the front of them, and snatched the note from Veronica. Lucy suggested that I stand behind the girls for this section, and then as I take the note, I reappear. This reinforces the ideology that Chandler is every where and the fact that just when the girls think they have a moment without her dominance, she reappears again, regaining the control over the given situation.  

Candy Store Choreography - For the small part of choreography we have done for this number, Lucy has made a few tweaks which I will revise over half term;

- bring head back to the front sooner on the opening sequence, on the second downbeat as opposed to the third. This will not only allow me to perform out front to the audience, but intimidate Veronica further by not even looking at her, proving Chandlers threatening and manipulative characteristics. 

- the ‘kicking nerds in the nose’ kick is more of a developpe and not a grand battement style kick. It is also only at a 90 degree angle and not intended to be especially high. 

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BIG FUN

FINALISING BIG FUN

In week three, we left the studio having completed the first two verses and choruses of Big Fun - so we spent our first rehearsal of this week cleaning and finishing the choreography. We managed to pick up the choreography elements within the number pretty quickly due to all of the choruses consisting of the same choreography - this allowed us to spend more time blocking the scenes within the song and also move on to adding some harmonies. 

Throughout sections of the song where the ensemble take the lead in order to create the party atmosphere, the Heather’s watch on, not interacting much with the other kids. In order to keep in character, Lucy assigned us some small movements (mostly hip movements, feet together in a bevel, hands on our hips). To begin, we faced front whilst doing this, so not to pull attention from the ensemble, however we soon realised this looked too disjointed and looked as though we were completely out of the scene. To rectify this, we implemented subtle changes to find a middle ground between not pulling focus from the ensemble but still remain present in the scene. 

We decided to move our hands to our sides - holding them slightly behind us by pulling up and pulling the shoulders back to still keep that classic Heather’s stance, and also turn down the energy in the hips and instead keep it more in the face. We turned our attention from front to the scene, looking around at the other kids at the party and attempting to intimidate them. In doing this, it actually works better to rectify the power of the Heather’s; who don’t even have to move or walk to intimidate somebody else.  

HARMONIES 

Big Fun is a number whereby we can see the kids at what appears to be one of their first ever parties - it is important to showcase this through out only choreography but vocal qualities too. The style of choreography in Big Fun follows on nicely from Beautiful; the opening number. Both of these numbers allow the audience to witness the childlike qualities that the teens possess, and we can enhance these qualities further through our vocal approach in the harmonies. 

In other songs, such as Candy Store, we are always advised to make the backing vocals sound more punchy, to not drag out the notes and listen to each other to ensure the sound is clean and we are in tune with one another. With Big Fun however, Lucy reminded us before singing it that we are supposed to be acting like children; immature, and over excited by the idea of a party whereby there will be no parental supervision. To bring this idea to life through our vocal, we can use a twang quality - which is more nasal and can help the vocal to sound more characterised and exaggerated. It can also aid us in gaining a better American accent too - perfect for Heather’s. Also, I believe that I am a visual learner and therefore by having the idea in my mind of how I’m ‘supposed’ to sound (like a child, ecstatic and hyperactive) it helps me to better achieve the required finished product.

THE SCENE AFTER THE PARTY

Immediately after Big Fun, a scene takes place whereby the Heather’s work together and begin to intimidate Martha, leaving Veronica upset. We see her challenge the Heather’s which of course, H.C hates. The scene results in her shouting aggressively at Veronica before Veronica is sick all over her. It is at this point in the show where we see Chandler lose her cool with Veronica; and all of the brewing power that has been seen by way of manipulation comes out in a rage of anger. We did not have much time to work on this scene before the end of rehearsals and therefore we haven't been given any notes to adapt and work on, but as a performer I believe we should always have things to think about ourselves without being given direction and notes to consider. 

For me, one of the things I am working hard at, is to consistently keep an intense energy in the eyes and not lose this at any point, even when I am not delivering a line but am still present on the stage. At one point in this scene, Chandler demands the other two Heather’s to take control, and she steps back, centre stage, allowing the events to unfold in front of her - this is where we see the intimidation to Martha really begin. At this point in particular I think that intensity in the eyes, along with folded arms, a strong posture and a smirk on the face, shows that ultimately, Chandler is always in control; reinforcing the over arching idea that most of the time she doesn't even have to do anything in order to get her own way. 

RUN THROUGH 

To finish before half term, we did a run through of everything we have done so far. I believe personal reflection is vital in order to achieve the best possible performance and portrayal of my character and therefore will do a separate and more detailed post on the importance of taking corrections, notes and personal growth as a performer. 

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THE IMPORTANCE OF THE COLOUR RED

Much of Chandler’s power is portrayed and emphasised by her costume, which works well to represent the character and her status at school. Most of the ensemble can be seen wearing classic 80s clothes; portraying angsty teen school kids, in loose fit clothing in darker, more earthy colours - unlike the Heather’s who automatically appear intimidating due to their pristine hair and makeup, and tailored clothes - including the staple coloured blazers they wear. Interestingly, Chandler’s jacket is red.

STATUS

The colour red has a string of connotations attached to that of love, lust, sex and power. In the BBC’s article ‘How The Colour Red Warps The Mind’ (2014), David Robson states that red is renowned for being the ‘most manipulative colour, influencing everything from your behaviour in the workplace to your love life’.

A 2004 study found that wearing red can actually ‘change your physiology and balance of hormones and alter your performance’ in sports - due to the physiological connotations that are associated with the colour red. As humans, we can burn up with anger causing the skin to turn red and flushed - making it entirely possible that the colour red/red clothing carries an association with that of aggression and dominance.

The notion that wearing red can benefit your performance was tested at the 2004 Olympics in categories including Boxing and Tae Kwon Do; results found that by wearing red, the opponent was more than 5% more likely to win. Robson continues to explain that the exact reasons for this ‘still remain a debate’, however the leaders of this 2004 Olympic study point towards separate studies including the idea that ‘people who wear red feel more dominant themselves, triggering an increased heart rate and testosterone boost that could improve their performance’. Another argument is the idea that red ‘might intimidate the competitor’.

ATTRACTION

It has also been studied that both men and women are deemed more attractive when wearing red. In a study with Science Daily, researchers Nicolas Guéguen and Céline Jacob set out to challenge this point - and using more than 270 customers in their experiment, they calculated the tips given to waitresses wearing red vs those wearing opposing colours. The experiment seen the tips increase between 14.6% and 26.1% to the waitresses wearing red and therefore proved this notion to in fact be correct (2012).

WARNING, BLOOD AND MURDER

Red is interesting in the fact that it also has a string of juxtaposing connotations to these, including blood, death and murder - all of which are themes which surround Chandler throughout the show. To help us better understand this - we can look to semiotics - ‘the study of signs and symbols and their interpretation’ (Oxford Dictionary, 2019). Semiotically, red is a powerful signifier of warning signs and danger due to its association with objects such as road signs, stop signs and red traffic lights. Similarly to this notion, red is a massive signifier of injury and death/murder due to the automatic association the brain makes to the colour of blood. 

A common work that is renowned for its use of red, is Stanley Kubrick’s 1980 movie The Shining. In his 2019 piece ‘Seeing Red: The Use of Red in The Shining’, Derek Gereg states that ‘the colour red is clearly defined within the film, from the red fire alarms, the red fire extinguishers, the red no smoking signs and the red font of the fire exit sign’. Such motifs create a pattern - that red is linked to danger. We can apply this same notion to the scene whereby the red blood is gushing through the elevator doors. Here is where we see the colour red used in excess for the first time in the film - the point being to overwhelm us as an audience and warn us once again of what is to happen to the characters should they not escape the hotel.

HEATHER AND HER COSTUME

All of the above themes are ones which consume Chandler throughout the show - but interestingly the link between red and murder, is something that is only ever studied within the horror genre; a genre which is not associated with Heathers as either a film or a musical. This, I believe actually emphasises the dark connotations of red within the show due to their change in environment; that being in an 80s teen film. 

Interestingly, in the movie, Chandler is killed whilst wearing a pink satin robe; in the musical this has been traded for a red one of the same style. It could definitely be suggested that this red robe is used to symbolise the blood on her hands; a possible theory that her death, and the deaths that come after her, would not have happened had she not lead Veronica down a dark and unsettling path in the first place. It could also be suggested that the red signifies blood which equates to the idea` of life and still living - as Chandler doesn’t ever really ‘die’ or disappear, she still continues to dominate the show and Veronica without anybody else even realising it - therefore meaning she is definitely still present. 

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PERSONAL REFLECTION

We are three weeks into rehearsals and I feel it is essential to look back at the things we have achieved so far, and also my most common corrections which I am still working to improve. 

LEARNING TO ADAPT, TAKE DIRECTION AND CORRECTIONS QUICKLY

I believe as a performer I can take both criticism and corrections well and will always take them on board in order to heighten my performance, however this week we have spent some time talking about the fact that in the industry, auditions and rehearsals alike, directors do not have time to keep going back and giving out the same corrections. For this reason, we as a class and as individuals need to learn to work faster at fixing these directions. This is a transferable and essential skill for us moving on into the industry within the next few months - a skill that will always be favoured and appreciated. 

One correction that I am consistently receiving is that I need to contain my energy for Chandler a little bit more. I can already feel myself doing this, particularly throughout scenes, however in dances I sometimes lose sight of this correction and go into performer/dancer mode and give too much energy or perform with too much enthusiasm for what Chandler is believed to have. Going forward I really want to work to correct this and allow myself to deliver a more consistent character that doesn't break whenever we go into dance or song. 

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REHEARSAL OF BIG FUN

Upon watching this footage back, I can see what I am trying to achieve however I need to be more intense in my approach and take the space more. 

In this number, I was directed to act not so much a part of the antics which the other characters are entertaining. To the other kids from school, this is potentially their first party, but by this point, Chandler is totally used to partying, underage drinking and misuse of drugs. These elements excite the younger and more vulnerable kids, but to Chandler this expression of emotion is viewed as ‘uncool’. For this reason, up until the chorus, I am trying to purposely separate myself but I don’t believe this is coming across how I want it to. I need to be more firm in my freeze frames, stay facing out front, be more expressive with my face and also improve my posture - all of this will aid Chandler in appearing like the more confident character that she is. At the moment I am appearing more like myself inside of a scene as opposed to Chandler at the party. 

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FIGHT FOR ME & BIG FUN

FIGHT FOR ME HARMONIES 

We began the week by learning the harmonies for Fight For Me - a solo by Veronica. The song follows her as she first meets J.D and watches him have a fight with the jocks. The number doesn't feature many harmonies but the ones in place compliment the song really well. 

In comparison to the more complex harmonies we have been working on, some of the backing vocals in this one have been easier to learn due to the fact that unison is used a lot more frequently. Towards the end of the song, there is a few bars of harmony which we as a class were finding particularly tricky to grasp because of phrasing and also a couple of clashing notes. To match the music towards the end of the song, the harmonies become really layered and also build up from one backing vocal to three. This happens after the line ‘So hey, Mr. No Name Kid, if some night you’re free’, as the music begins to change in tempo here and heads towards more of a crescendo. The soprano harmony (the line I am singing) starts on the down beat however the alto line starts on the off beat; making it difficult for us to both not only come in on time but follow our separate harmony lines. 

To help us visualise this, we used the keyboard. Lucy played each harmony on the keyboard and this helped to solidify the note patterns for us, making it easier for myself and others to remember at which points we move and where we move to. We did this exercise in our separate groups and repeated it several times, before recording our harmonies and then trying them out together again. This helped me personally for the same reason that graphic notation works for me; I am a visual learner and it definitely helps to have a pattern drawn out in front of me that I can follow with my voice. Going further, I will visualise the keyboard in my mind when it comes to this section of the song in order to help me continuously achieve the correct harmony. 

BLOCKING OF BIG FUN

We also began blocking the next big ensemble number in the show; Big Fun. This number takes place at a party which is held by the Jocks whereby all of the school kids attend. The number has the same chaotic feeling as Beautiful in its characterised choreography and each cast member doing their own thing; however differs in the sense that it is more relaxed - as a cast we are working to show that the kids more carefree than before, whilst spending time outside of school with their friends and drinking alcohol. 

When we first tried this out with the music, I entered the stage slightly slower than everyone else - who's characters were appearing overly excited and happy to be at a party. I wanted to set Chandler apart from this and show once again her confidence and lack of amusement at something which is so mundane to her. There is a section where Chandler goes over to Kurt and begins to dance on him - at this point I lost my character a bit and went into more of a dancers frame of mind which broke the illusion of Chandler being dumbfounded by the other kids reactions to being at a party. To solve this and regain the clarity of the character, Lucy told me I again need to give less in the body and channel the energy more into the stillness and absolute power that the character has over every other kid; inside or outside of school. This for me is a struggle as I find it hard to comprehend that stillness and movement can both give the same groundbreaking effects on stage if executed correctly. 

Going forward, I am going to reflect on the previous notes and corrections I have been given about the energy and presence of Chandler and remember these notes right throughout the show in order to help me greater achieve a more flawless and unbroken character from start to finish. 

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MATT MATTOX

The choreography within Candy Store is heavily influenced by dance practitioner Matt Mattox. Born in 1921, Mattox went on to be one of the most famously studied influences the dance world has known. He was a ballet and jazz performer working on Broadway and in many Hollywood films, including his most famous role in Seven Brides for Seven Brothers. It is said that ‘Mattox used his background in ballet technique to create his own technique for jazz dance’. He would tailor his ‘specifically designed exercises to relate to the combinations given at the end of his class’ (Danceworks.net, 2018). Mattox’s works have a more intense dynamic; much more similar to that of a jazz combination. Where palms would usually be facing away from the audience in ballet, the opposite occurs, with more of a jazz hand feel. Overall, his style possesses a technical ballet feel with a fiery jazz dynamic.

Many of the arm and leg lines in Candy Store use this Matt Mattox approach, which is something that we study in depth in our skills classes. This has been extremely helpful and transferrable into our Heathers & Candy Store rehearsals to not only help to execute the choreography correctly but also prevent injury such as lower back problems due to a poor pelvic alignment.

In the 2014 book ‘Jazz Dance: A History of the Roots and Branches’, it is explained that Mattox trains dancers to have the ‘qualities and precision of ballet, along with the isolation movement characterized by jazz dance’, therefore we must acquire the technical elements of ballet; including an extremely pulled up posture, with our pelvis in a neutral position. This works to avoid any arch in the back which could potentially lead to injury. According to DanceTeacher.com (2018), ‘dancers with lordosis (a swayed back or lower-back curve)’ are more prone to lower back pain/injury, and so to avoid this we must tuck the pelvis and lift out of the legs so our weight is carried in the correct place, meaning we aren't putting too much pressure on the back, or sitting into the pelvis. 

AN AREA FOR IMPROVEMENT 

Personally I used to struggle with my posture and pelvic alignment a lot and would suffer with lower back pain. I have however found specific exercises in our MetaFit classes such as squats, borrower squats and skaters to be extremely beneficial. This is due to the repetition of the exercises and the idea of the bending and stretching of the legs - each time I return to standing I tuck the pelvis, which has definitely helped my muscle memory and mind to muscle connection, helping me to form a good habit of always maintaining this posture through dance routines and whilst standing still/walking too. 

In doing this, I have not only aided my back problems but have potentially improved the sustainability of my career as a dancer due to the fact I am less likely to get injured. Furthermore, I have enhanced the aesthetic of my performance due to executing choreography correctly. 

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CANDY STORE FINAL HARMONY 

This is a clip from the first rehearsal of our Candy Store vocals; it is clear when watching this back that we need to watch our timing more than anything, as it appears the alto and soprano groups are not moving up the scale in time with one another - this could mean that certain notes will end up clashing/over lapping where they shouldn’t and make the harmonies sound out of tune.

To help us in achieving this, Lucy suggests that we hang back from belting when learning the harmonies, and listen to each other. This sounds like a pretty obvious element of singing as part of an ensemble, however when learning a harmony line, it is very easy to slip into just hearing your own line and not taking into consideration the other groups. Singing the harmonies in a quieter way, maybe by using falsetto, allows us to hear each other better and also not get carried away with the music and potentially end up out of time. Once we are comfortable with this, it is time to go back into belting. 

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CANDY STORE VOCALS