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Harvard, P., 2014. Acting Through Song. [Place of publication not identified]: Nick Hern, p.57.
Heathers, 2017. Blue - Heathers The Musical. [video] Available at: <https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=29x_U4iUE50> [Accessed 30 March 2020].
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Heathers, 2019. Never Shut Up Again: Heathers West End Cast Lyrics. [video] Available at: <https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dCyleq0EIgY> [Accessed 30 March 2020].
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Jones, E., 2020. Is Heathers Too Shocking For 2018?. [online] Bbc.com. Available at: <http://www.bbc.com/culture/story/20180803-is-heathers-too-shocking-for-2018> [Accessed 9 April 2020].
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Figure List
Figure 1- De Victoria, S. (2018). The Johari Window. [online] World of Psychology. Available at: https://psychcentral.com/blog/the-johari-window/ [Accessed 27 Jan. 2020].
Figure 2- PlaybillStore.com. 2020. Heathers The Musical Official Poster. [online] Available at: <https://www.playbillstore.com/heathers-the-musical-official-poster.aspx> [Accessed 21 April 2020].
Figure 3 - Â 2020. Epstein Theatre. [image] Available at: <https://www.epsteinliverpool.co.uk/2018/06/13/business-as-usual/> [Accessed 13 April 2020].
Figure 4 - Kenwrite, B., 2020. Heathers The Musical. [image] Available at: <https://www.kenwright.com/portfolio/heathers/> [Accessed 13 April 2020].
Figure 5 - Pinterest. 2020. 90Sbluejeans:âThe Cast & Crew Of Heathers, 1988.â | Heathers Movie, Heathers The Musical. [online] Available at: <https://www.pinterest.co.uk/pin/822258844441764812/> [Accessed 21 April 2020].
Figure 6 - The New York Times, 1989. FILM; 'Heathers': Light Look at a Dark Topic. [online] p.11. Available at: <https://www.nytimes.com/1989/03/26/movies/film-heathers-light-look-at-a-dark-topic.html> [Accessed 14 April 2020].
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Conclusion
Throughout the whole process for the major performance of Heathers, I believe that I have improved a substantial amount. I have become more confident with taking the lead for harmonies, and have put myself forward for extra parts to showcase my talent. Putting myself forward for roles paid off when I was given the opportunity to sing Heather Chandler's riff in the âCandy Storeâ. Doing this has helped my ears to pick up the harmonies, and has also improved my memory of what I needed to learn. I have noticed a large improvement within the choreography and I am now able to give more attack. My stamina has also improved, meaning that I can now give more energy throughout the show without slacking. Â Even though I still have a large amount of technique to improve on, I am proud of how far I have improved within the past weeks. Another thing to keep in mind whilst I improve my technique is to keep my pelvis underneath me. After watching a number of videos of myself rehearsing, I realised that I always let it go when concentrating. Fixing this will only benefit me.
I believe I have kept a good connection to my character and have focused on remaining in character, even throughout scenes that I am not a part of. Going into full detail of my character has helped me add more personality to the dances, which has in turn helped my character stand out to the audience. This is despite the fact that I am only doing the same as the rest of the cast. The detail and effort that I have put into finding my character within Heathers is something I will now keep in mind for future shows because it is an effective method.
Researching the production roles is something I found very beneficial since I now know what each role is employed to do. Knowing this will help me find out who I need to contact if I have a problem regarding rehearsals. I believe I gave full commitment and concentration to all rehearsals that I attended. Â I attended as many rehearsals as I could since it is important for me to be there for both mine and everyone elseâs sake. This is so spacing and traffic within the cast can be set to prevent any injury.
I feel ready to perform the material that is already set, and I am confident to go back to rehearsals to show the commitment that I have put into the production. Once we are back at rehearsals I will be one step ahead for Act Two, being able to put myself in position without being directed, and be easily moved if necessary. I have started to think about my character's outfit choice, hair, makeup and even shoes. This will save some time when it comes to costume fittings as I have the outfit ready to take into rehearsals. After Heathers finishes, I feel confident about going into the industry. Having my showreel, website, headshot and my CV ready to show agents will be my first step into the professional  world. I have also signed up for a Spotlight membership. Spotlight will allow me to apply for professional jobs, and contact those who are looking for people like myself. After spending time researching production roles and resources throughout Heathers, I now feel ready for a major production.
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Professional Targets
1. What has been the biggest lesson learned through your journey?
The biggest lesson that I have learned throughout the rehearsals of Heathers is that the production runs smoother when working as one big team, making rehearsals run at a faster pace. In turn, this keeps us ahead of schedule.Â
2. What do you need to give yourself credit for?
I will give myself credit for putting so much time and dedication into my character and rehearsals. I believe I contribute a lot to rehearsals. This includes helping other cast members with the choreography and vocals.
3. How do you feel you contributed to the process?
I feel I contributed by helping other cast members when needed, and also by giving small suggestions for scenes. For example, when discussing where Ram should get his football from in the opening number, I suggested that he takes it out of the backpack of the nerd that he is bullying.
4. Is there something you still need to work hard to improve on?
I still need to work hard on looking at myself in the mirror. Doing this will help me see my own errors before they get pointed out to me.
5. What is your short term goal for the next six months as a performer? How is this achievable?
Over the next six months I am determined to improve my flexibility and my dance techniques. This is achievable by stretching each morning and night, pushing stretches further each day. I also intend to take extra dance classes throughout the week, as well as following online dance tutorials. My final goal is to improve the extension of my hands and feet as opposed to forgetting about them during a routine and leaving them relaxed. Doing this will make my choreography look stronger.
6. How are you going to ensure you maintain professional standards over the next six months?
I will maintain my professional standards by continuing to follow a schedule. This will ensure that I can manage my skills and my fitness. I will also self-evaluate my performance by recording any individual rehearsals I do. This means that I can watch it back and analyse room for improvement.
7. What skills are you aiming to expand in the forthcoming months and how?
I am aiming to improve my dance technique by following online tutorials and taking extra dance classes. I will also strengthen my general American accent, making it clearer and more articulate. Once I have mastered general American, I would like to add different accents to my skills list. This can be improved by listening to and repeating certain YouTube videos to help you with various pronunciations.
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Personal Process of Major Performance
Before I was aware that our major production would be Heathers, I had only ever watched YouTube clips and listened to certain songs from the album. I was not a huge fan of the production at first. However, since learning the background of the musical and watching it numerous times, it grew on me and was retained as show knowledge.
I believe the style of Heathers suits me as a performer. This is because one of my skills is characterisation. Therefore creating my own character and performing helps me to be involved at all times. During the beginning of rehearsals, I struggled with holding back my character in times where the emphasis needed to be on the main roles - as opposed to the ensemble. Once I understood the concept of âbeing smallâ I finally realised what was required of me. Holding back in certain scenes helped me to become more alive and energetic when it was required in numbers like âBig Funâ. I have enjoyed the rehearsals so far as I believe that the cast has come together to ensure that the production is running smoothly. Doing this has helped us stay on top of the schedule, leaving more time for the producer to add finishing touches to the performance.
The target audience for our performance of Heathers is our family, friends and other LMA students. However, on tour productions, it is stated that audience members should be 18+, or 16+ when accompanied by an adult. This age restrction is due to the level of violence and language used throughout the show, in addition to the songs about sexual content and suicide. Despite these guidelines, myself and other cast members have younger family members that continue to attend the shows. Either you are old enough to understand the various suggestive themes within Heathers, or youâre too young and instead prefer watching the choreography and listening to the vocals. During numerous musical numbers, my character will individually interact with the audience. An example of this is during âBeautifulâ when my character portrays emotions through facial expressions. Interacting with the audience in this manner will allow them to understand my character without the need for dialogue.
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Independent Rehearsal - Big Fun
While rehearsing for âBlueâ, I was given feedback about the choreography that has been set and that I shouldn't change the movement. Despite knowing the correct choreography, I got carried away with adding character and my own personality. This meant that I was going against what had been set.
To make sure I had the steps correct, I forgot all about character and personality and repeated the steps over and over. After a few minutes, I then tried a number of different actions out while doing the set steps. The movement for the section I noticed it in is âstep, step, drag, drag, drag, dragâ. At first I was going to wave for each movement, but after consideration decided that it would get boring and unrealistic since people do not usually do this at parties. I took to my own experience of being at parties and decided to keep the wave in during the steps. However, on the drags, I changed position each time. For the first set of drags back, I decided to be dancing in a 80s fashion, rolling my arms and doing disco diva points. In the second set of drags back, I pretend to cheer with another ensemble member before chugging a drink. Finally, on the last set of drags I decided to hold my mouth and my head as though I was about to vomit. Doing different actions each time shows a story within my character, as well as within the whole number. My character is enjoying the party, although I am getting a little too tipsy to the point where I am starting to feel sick.
Below is video evidence of my independent rehearsal:
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Independent Rehearsal - Beautiful
While looking back at rehearsal footage I finally noticed an issue that I am always being notified about. My hands! Throughout rehearsals and extra dance lessons I am always asked âwhat are your hands doing?â, or get told âdo not forget about your fingersâ. Whenever I look into the mirror to fix the correction it is already fixed. This is because I have thought about the question and fixed it based upon prior feedback. However, during this rehearsal it was at just the right angle for it to stand out to me. I believe the reason I am putting so much energy into my hands is because my right hand is fully stretched, causing me to automatically add the other hand in the movement even though it is not needed. Now that I am aware when Iâm doing this and at what point, I will be able to think about it more and try to relax the hand when it is not required.
I also noticed that I can put more effort into the rehearsal. Even though at the time I felt that I was giving a lot of energy, it is clear from the video footage that I can push myself further. I know from past performances that my strengths come from the energy that I give, alongside my overall performance. Therefore, I know that I can attract more attention to myself throughout this number, in addition to supporting the main cast.
Below is footage capturing rehearsals for the opening number, âBeautifulâ:
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Independent Rehearsal - Candy Store
I found the harmonies for âCandy Storeâ the easiest to learn. This was especially once we overcame the problem with changing the vowel. The reason I found them easy is because I can hear the harmony within the track. Once I heard the key we were singing, that note was ingrained into my muscle memory and is now the first note I hear when the song starts. Being confident in the harmony gives me the courage to take the lead of the vocal group for this song, and be there for other cast members if they need help.
Myself and a few other ensemble members put ourselves forward to be heard singing Heather Chandler's riff. I put myself forward to be heard, even though this was my first time singing out loud out of my bedroom. Nervously awaiting the outcome, I sang the section first, meaning that I did not have time to be fully prepared. Despite this, I gave my best show and presented myself with confidence. During the first section of the riff, when Chandler sings âstep into my candy storeâ, I felt my voice break and was annoyed with myself. However I did not let this show me up and used my frustration to steer more power into the âwohâ line within the second part of the riff. My tutor was impressed with the power of my belt while still being in chest voice. Consequently, she gave me the chance to sing the second part of the riff for the show.
During rehearsals I have noticed that you can hear the switch between my chest and head voice. After speaking to my vocal teacher about making the transition less obvious, her answer was to smile and bring the sound forward. When we talk about placement in singing, we want to have a sense of the sound resonating forward into the front of our face, something many people refer to as the mask. Forward placement is a really efficient way to sing, and more often than not produces a better contemporary vocal sound (Belafonte, 2020). Thinking of it this way helped me make the note brighter and improved my ability to conceal the transition.
Below is a recording of myself singing the soprano harmony line and Heather Chandler's riff:
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Independent Rehearsal - Fight for Me
Throughout rehearsals for âFight for Meâ, it was clear that the position I chose for the freeze frame was not suitable. This was down to the fact that I kept losing my balance, and could not hold it for as long as I needed to. During rehearsals I found a position similar to the one I was in, the only difference being the placing of my foot. Doing this did help me to keep my balance, but hurt my thighs as I was in a low squat position. Instead of changing the position again, I knew that my thighs would get used to the position if I attacked the choreography every rehearsal, whether independent or not. Below is video evidence of independent rehearsal footage for my opening freeze frame in âFight for Meâ:
As you can see from the footage, I still loose my balance when going back down into this position. Over the next few weeks, this will be something I will work on independently to make sure I can keep my balance.
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Independent rehearsal - Big Fun
The reason that I decided to focus on the ending of âBig Funâ during my independent rehearsal time is because I found these counts the most difficult. This is down to the speed of the beginning counts, and the emphasis that is needed. While watching this footage back, it is clear that I need to support myself in all of the turns. To do this I need to get my pelvis underneath me. As a result, I will have more balance and will be able to get around with more determination. Another thing that I noticed is that I can afford to be bigger within my movements. For example, stretching my arms further out to give more attack and bigger movements.
One part of the video that iâm happy with is the performance. My facial expressions are strong, and are telling a story of someone who is enjoying a party.
In one of the rehearsal videoâs that I recorded, I added a clap while doing the drags back. The reason for this is that we initially added a clap during rehearsals, but later decided against it because 25 ensemble members clapping together is too distracting for the audience. Taking the clap out is easily done, but it became a habit after rehearsing it for so long. Now when I do the drags back, I cross my hands over to clap, as though I have missed the other hand. Doing this adds more character to my story as it could be portrayed as me having drank too much alcohol.
Below is a recording of myself rehearsing big fun:
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Act Two
With receiving an unexpected early half term we have been put behind schedule. During my extra independent rehearsal time, I have made myself confident with the harmonies so that I can sing along with the track, alongside singing the sopranos key on my own. Â I have made sure that I am confident with choreography, and have added more emphasis to the movements when needed. Doing this means that I will be ready to continue with the next scene as soon as we go back to rehearsals.
I have been watching our previous yearâs production of Heathers to get an idea of when the director will want the ensemble on stage. I went through the production with my script and wrote down all of the entries and exits. Furthermore, I also took notice of whether the whole cast exited from the same side, or if they split up. In addition, I analysed whether the ensemble left at once or whether they left through an orange peel effect. Familiarising myself with Act Two will be beneficial, as when my tutor comes to set it, I will already have an idea of what she wants. I have watched the choreography set for previous years, and have made myself aware of when they join in, whether everyone is joining in and on what counts. Becoming familiar with their movements will also benefit my knowledge when it is being set. The reason for this is because if I already know the movement, I will be one step ahead and partly know the routine. Even if the director decides to change this, I will not have a problem with learning something new.
Reading the script has also given me a better understanding of the story. In his 2013 book titled  âActing through songâ, Paul Harvard stated that âonce you have read through the script once, you will have to read it again, several times. The second time you read it will be like a detective searching for evidence. Your task is to uncover all of the clues the lyric, librettist or playwrite have provided about your characterâ (Harvard, 2014). Â
Below is a picture of my entry and exit list:
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Independent Rehearsals - Blue
I found the harmonies for this number really easy to learn, as you can hear the notes within the track. However the ending of this song has become a challenge for me, at first I was unsure why. While we are in the last section we are running around Veronica, begging her ânot to make our balls so blueâ. The first thought I had when dealing with this challenge was due to my stamina. I later came to the conclusion that this was not the case. I did not believe this was the problem since I was never out of breath within the number, and we always have resting points. The resting point for this section is when we kneel and sing âyou shake them, you quake them, you break themâ and then have a period where we do not sing.
The second thought that I had when trying to overcome the challenge was that maybe I was unsure of the lyrics. As a result I held back, making me confused regarding the placement of the key. To rule this out, I spent time singing over the lyrics with the script, except I had no track and was just singing the tune. Doing this let me focus solely on the lyrics. Once I was certain that I knew the lyrics, I sang along with the track without my script, rehearsing the choreography alone. After doing this, I realised I was able to achieve the challenge. However, once everyone else got back into position and we ran the number, I was faced with the same challenge once again.
It wasn't until a number of frustrating runs later that the group discovered there were only two sopranos in this section of choreography, meaning our voices were getting lost within the altos. I was certain that I knew the harmony, however I must not have been as confident as I thought. After singing it again within our small group, it was clear that I kept slipping onto the altos harmony after doubting myself. This showed me that I needed to spend more independent rehearsal time on the vocals for this number. Doing this will help me be 100% certain of my vocal groupâs harmony and prevent me from making mistakes in the future. Â
Below is a voice note for the end section of âBlueâ:
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Blue - Track 8
Before attending the lesson for the Heathers rehearsal, I checked up on Lucy's schedule which made me aware that she wanted to learn the harmonies for âBlueâ. Spending Monday and Tuesday nights listening to the soundtrack of Heathers whilst learning the lyrics pushed me in the direction of being one step ahead. Sopranoâs harmony is actually being sung by Heather Mc within the Broadway backing track. Because of that, it was really beneficial for home rehearsal. Learning the lyrics for âBlueâ was also simple. This is because the majority of the song is a recall, or singing along withKurt and Ram. For example, the first part we sing is âoh no oh no no noâ. We are singing this because Veronica has just asked both of the Heathers to open the car door and this is what they reply with.
During vocal rehearsals for this number, one of the vocal groups was struggling to retain their harmonies. A faster approach than graphic notation was linking the harmonies to nursery rhymes. This became an idea after a cast member pointed out a section of the harmony had sounded like âdo-re-miâ from The sound of Music. Having this technique in addition to others could be beneficial for learning more vocals within the future.
In other performances of âBlueâ, the song is usually only performed with Kurt and Ram doing a duet, alongside the backing singers, Heather Duke and Mc. Having the ensemble in this number will help keep the energy high, alongside keeping the audience engaged. By telling a story to the audience they will be entranced by the performance, leading them to enjoy the show more. Having the ensemble in this number will also make it more comical for the audience. If they have seen the show before, they will only be expecting the four usual characters on stage. Although this is true for our performance, it changes once we reach the dialogue. When we sing âoh no oh no no noâ, the ensemble are popping their heads out of their wings, hinting at a ânoâ expression by moving our index finger from side to side. After doing this three times, we then stay off stage for approximately two counts of eight, before later entering the stage to start more choreography. The movements within this dance are related to the words which makes it more comedic. For example, as we walk on the stage, we stop to sing âand a fancy colourâ. Whilst singing this we pretend to pull at a dicky bow and move it side to side. However, the ensemble are in this number to support Kurt and Ram within their song. Therefore it is important to not withdraw the focus from them, but to instead support them by ensuring their number draws attention.
While doing research on âBlueâ, I found information about the lyrics which helped me to understand how the number refers to the sexual innuendos within the song. When Kurt and Ram sing this section referring to their âballsâ, they say âThey'll wear a suit and tie, And a fancy collar! They'll sing a lullaby, La la la la la!â (Heathers: The Musical Cast - Blue Lyrics | AZLyrics.com, 2020). I found two different meanings behind these lyrics, both of which could be true or simply a coincidence. Samantha Stubbs added, âKurt and Ram know that girls usually like a guy who can be devoted and classy, as well as fit in with her family.â. This statement explains why they talk about changing from their jock uniform into a fancy suit to impress Veronicaâs parents. Continuing with her statement she states âThe lullaby part implies that, if Veronica gets pregnant, theyâll step in as father figures for the babyâ (Stubbs, 2018). As an audience we know that Kurt and Ram would not be in the best position to step up to become a father. However, this shows just how desperate they are to get intimate with Veronica. Another comment about the number stated âin âOur love is Godâ, Ram turns up wearing a tie, possibly as a joking call back to this lineâ (Azrael, 2019). Because I have not yet seen the live performance, and havenât been able to find any video footage of either the jocks in a suit, I am unable to express my opinion. However if either of the jocks are seen wearing a suit after 'Blue', I would consider it to be a connection to the lyrics. Alongside this, i'd also see it as them going the extra mile for Veronica so that they can prove themselves.
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Me Inside Of Me - Track 7
When returning to rehearsals, I listened and hummed along with the sopranos to check that I had learned the correct notes from my independent rehearsal. Once I was confident, I sang the harmonies as a solo for another soprano singer, and then asked her to listen to make sure I did correctly. Getting it confirmed by another person made me feel that little more stronger with the vocals, meaning that next time we come to sing as a group, I can project my vocals and not be put off by the other vocal groups.
Throughout this number it was really important for me to check in with my character before entering the scene. This number is all about Heather Chandler's death. J.D. and Veronica have both just poisoned her, forging a suicide note that is being handed out by the teacher, Miss Flemmings. This song is all about reading the suicide note and âreally connectingâ to it, as Miss Flemmings instructs. Doing this whilst thinking about how my character connected with Heather Chandler helped me to be in the moment during the scene. My character did not really interact with Heather, and when I did she was being horrible to me. This means that I would not be totally broken-hearted over the death, however, Heather was someone my character wanted to be liked by so. As a result, I am still disappointed to lose that chance. This number is all about portraying your emotions to the other ensemble members through body language and gestures, up until the second chorus.
During the second chorus, Miss Flemming claps her hands in a âchop chopâ motion and all the school children run to a neatly formed clump, ready to sing âno one thinks a pretty girl has feelingsâ. When singing this chorus we have small movements to go with it. Alongside this, when we go into formation we want to give the audience the impression that we have practiced this many times before. To display this, I change my body language from slouching into a straight, tall posture. Once the chorus is over, I break this new posture and go back to being slumped. This also shows the audience that I dislike doing this routine, and that it has now finished. In 2014, Nick Dong-Sik, a trained actor from Germany, stated that âunlike words or even facial expressions, the body always tells the truth. So it is essential for an actor not only to know their own body language, but to be able to use it consciously, deliberately and in various waysâ (Dong-Sik, 2014).
Below is recorded independent rehearsal footage for the second chorus: Â
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Independent Rehearsal - Me Inside of Me
I made it my priority to learn these vocals while we had the weekend break as I had missed the rehearsal time spent learning them. Receiving voice notes off of other sopranos was very beneficial, and I came up with a method that I found success with. I started off by listening to the voice note, writing a graphic notation of what I heard and then comparing it to the score. Once I had the correct graphic image,I listened to the voice note again, except this time I sang along. I took turns singing the harmony with and without the recording so that I became extra familiar with the notes. I then sang the harmony alone with the backing track, listening closely to make sure it sounded right and fitted with the music.
I found this process really challenging at first because I am used to being taught the harmonies in person. However once I got used to doing it, it became a fast process that I quickly adapted to.
Below is the voice note I was sent by another soprano singing the harmonies for me to learn:
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Scene 6
Scene six starts directly after âBig Funâ. Once the number is finished, my character stays in the ending position whilst drunkenly pointing at Veronica until Heather Chandler breaks us up. In this scene she says âOkay westerbergs, let's get this party startedâ. After this line is where we set for the scene. When Heather comes in during my ending position on the floor, I jump to my feet, wiping the dirt off of my knees. This small action shows how desperate I am to be noticed by Chandler, and how interested I am to listen to what she has to say.
During the beginning of the scene my character is not happy with how the Heathers are treating Martha. I show this when the ensemble joins in with the Heathers to chant Marthaâs name, encouraging her to hit the âlook a likeâ pinata of a pig. My character does not join in with the chanting and is seen looking around the other cast using gestures. This is to show an âI don't like thisâ and a âthis isn't niceâ expression. My character actually feels sorry for Martha, as I agree with Veronica that this time the Heathers have gone too far, so I am surprised yet happy when Veronica throws the pinata, telling Heather âYou want it? Swim for itâ (French, 2015).Â
Once Veronica tells Martha to go home, things start to get heated between Chandler And Veronica. During this dialogue my character is being nosey and curious about what is going to happen to Veronica. When Chandler kicks Veronica out of their friendship group, my character knows that she and Veronica cannot be friends anymore otherwise there is no chance Heather will look twice at me. However, my character sees this as a perfect opportunity to try and fill the space that Veronica left. My character's thought process here is that there is now a good chance Heather will look for someone to replace Veronica, and come the 4th member, they may take me onâ.
When Heather directs her line âWhere's the goddamn kegâ to the ensemble, it is the perfect opportunity for me to get drunk with Heather, and for her to talk to my character. At the end of the scene my character skips off stage chanting âkegâ alongside other ensemble members, finally giving her the chance to enjoy herself, and to potentially be noticed!
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Big Fun - Track 5
The harmonies for this number were really easy for the sopranos to learn. After the first chorus, the sopranos are an octave higher than the tune. As a result, you can hear where we sit within the backing track. The first verse and chorus is what I found to be the most challenging. This is because sopranos sing the tune for âthe folks areâ, and then suddenly ping up to sing âgone, it's time for big funâ then go back to the tune for âbig funâ, before pinging back up to the harmony for âup till dawnâ. When sopranos sang the verse as a solo, I found it really helpful for myself as I could hear where we were supposed to fit into the track. However once we sang as a whole ensemble, I kept losing the placing of the note. A technique for self-focus that I found helpful is cupping my ear or placing two fingers gently over it. By cupping your hand from your mouth to your ear and singing or speaking, you can hear yourself much clearer and listen to how you sound. Â This means that you can check whether or not you are singing in tune with one ear, whilst listening to the other voices or instruments with the other ear (Foldback - Why singer's cup their hands around their ear, 2020). Using this technique allowed me to focus on my own harmony, resulting in it being correct. During our break, I repeatedly went over the harmony on my own to cement it into my muscle memory.
Another thing that I have struggled with is the repetition of âdang, dang, diggity, dang, da, dangâ. Despite this, I will master it by the time the show comes around. I am confident with the harmonies for this section, however my articulation of the words mixes, and I end up saying something completely different. To help articulate my words, I added the section I was getting muddled up with into my daily routine after my tongue twisters. From now on, after doing my Pete Faint tongue twisters, such as âred lorry, yellow leatherâ, âsaturday matineeâ, â1,2,3,4,5â, â1,121,12321âŚâ and âchester cheetahâ I will practice my âdang, dangâ section (Faint, 2010).
The choreography for this number is extremely high in energy, and towards the end of the number I can feel myself getting sloppy with the movements. To improve this I intend to go all out with the choreography every time we perform it in rehearsals. I will also add it to my rehearsal schedule in my independent training time in order to build stamina. Stamina is the energy and strength needed to perform physical activities at your best for an extended period of time. The best way to build stamina is by doing endurance exercises that increase your heart rate (Soldo, 2017). Endurance exercises include walking, jogging, swimming, dancing, biking and jumping rope. In 2017 Laura Stanyer realised benefits of these exercises for dancers, which included:
Improves your posture and health
Enhances stamina which improves your performance ability
Increases oxygen supply to muscles - efficient functioning Improves your anaerobic ability
Reduces the risk of fatigue, enhances concentration and reduces stress levels
Boosts your immune system and reduces the risk of injury
To improve my overall fitness in all numbers, I intend to attack all physical warmups, all dance numbers, and include another endurance exercise to my daily routine for 30 minutes. Doing this much exercise will pay off once it comes to show day, as I will be able to perform the choreography of every number to my best ability, without running out of breath. Containing my breath will help me to perform the number to the whole audience, as I will have more energy to add to my facial expressions. Said energy will also allow my gestures to reach the back of the theatre.
Feedback I was given to keep into consideration while rehearsing at home was to make sure that I do the choreography that has been set, as opposed to changing any movement. At one point, I got so carried away with adding character and adding my own personality to the movement that I was doing something different to what has been set. It is important to add your own character's interpretation to the dance, however you should still keep the choreography the same. After learning the choreography in rehearsal time, I used my own independent rehearsals to think about my character at this point. The movement for the section I noticed it in is âstep, step, drag, drag, drag, dragâ. Being at a party and happy to be there, I decided on the first two steps to be waving to different people on my way past. When going into the drags, I change to a different position each time.
I feel that my character throughout this number is enjoying the party and is starting to get tipsy off the alcohol, although is not yet drunk. My character would be feeling excited as this is her first ever party, and not only are the popular kids talking to her, but they also want to dance with her. The only time my expression changes from enjoyment is when Kurt is grabbing Heather Duke. I am frightened that he is grabbing her from behind and she cannot get loose. When Veronica helps Heather Duke, I then go back to enjoying the party. Big fun is the type of number where I get to show off my character and make a statement. Despite this, it is important for me to hold back during the scenes. This is in order to draw more attention to the cast who are delivering the script.
Below is a voice recording demonstrating the vocals for the first verse and chorus of âBig Funâ:Â
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Using time effectively
There comes a time in Act one where I am offstage for a few numbers and scenes, continuing from âFight for meâ up until âBig funâ. Once the show is up and running there will not be enough time to leave the sidestage. Despite this, I will have enough time for independent rehearsals during regular rehearsals, whilst getting the scenes together and also adding movements for the numbers. Extra time during rehearsals is really beneficial as it gives me time to practice with other cast members, as opposed to when it is just me and my mirror during independent rehearsals. During this time, myself and a few other sopranos went over all of the harmonies from the top of the show, to where we last finished. Below is a video of sopranos rehearsing âBeautifulâ in the corridor while scenes where being set:
As an ensemble we made a choice to use some of this time to go over the last few counts of âBig Funâ. This is because the ending is very fast and if you do not keep your movements small and contained, it is hard to do the choreography to match the correct counts. Being completely confident with the counts, myself and Beth stood out to watch and help a few people who were really struggling. I noticed that people on the second line were struggling because I saw that they were copying the people on the front line. This is a problem as the middle line goes the opposite way to the front and back line. After noticing this, we informed those who needed help and advised that they turned the opposite way. After making this small change, they reached the correct position in time for the next section. The reason the turn stood out to me is because during the first day of rehearsal I realised that I was not reaching the position myself. This was a result of turning the wrong way. Noticing some of my own downfalls later helped me to help other ensemble members struggling with the same errors.
I also used time like this to look through the script for what I can expect for the next scene. Knowing if it is a scene or a number that I am in, I can prepare myself with words and actions. It is also useful to think about how your character is feeling during the next upcoming scenes, so that the characterisation can be there from the start.
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