...where I'm hard at work on my next performances. I'm blessed with talented and delightful colleagues, staying with lovely people in a warm "college town" community which has me entirely charmed, and we've even had beautiful weather! Life is good.
It's funny that my last post was about preparation... because sometimes all of that goes right out the window and you just have to roll with the unexpected instead! I arrived here to discover that the translation was getting some last-minute tweaking which, in the case of my role, resulted in a LOT of changes (probably about 75% of the entire part). The changes themselves are very much for the better and in and of themselves small and seemingly minor, but having spent quite a lot of time practicing a completely different set of words, both my memory and my voice are confused! As our supportive (and, in the case of the text, apologetic) director said, "It changes the process". It sure does!
That said, now that I've lived with those changes for 5 days they're sinking in and starting to obliterate what was already there, so I can hopefully begin to relax with it a little bit, and my brain can go on to the "multi-tasking" process which is usually creating a role (and perofrming, for that matter). Singers, more so than any other kind of performers, have to be able to think about many, many things at once when onstage:
1. first, there's the "nuts and bolts": the notes, words and rhythms. This is the part that needs to be most securely burrowed into the brain so that for the most part I don't need to consciously think about them at all - they're simply there and available for use automatically.
1a. Staging. I call this "1a" since ultimately one WANTS it to be as automatic and ingrained as the notes, words and rhythms by the time we get to performance, but in early rehearsals, it's of course being learned from scratch; it's also an "organic" process that grows and changes in response right up to the time we step on the stage. In this production I'm blessed with wonderful colleagues who enjoy the "acting" side of things as much as I do, so I have no doubt that as we grow into the production across the next week things will be changing as we respond to each other! That is, of course, the fun part...
2. Character building. As of last night we got the blocking and actual "traffic pattern" worked out, so now it's time to really build the character. A lot of that comes out of the music itself, but in this case, the High Camp which can be added into the "Witch's Brew" is an entirely additional dimension to play with. The interesting - and challenging - part of doing this with the role is that while the it's definitely a "character" role, the music/vocalism itself doesn't HAVE to be sacrificed to do so, and the role is written so that it can really be sung. HOWEVER... it's really diffficult to get your body/face/manner to do one thing while your musical mind/voice does another! This is one of the longstanding challenges with this role and one I was prepared to face, but determining the actual ways in which I'm going to do that is still something which I am having to figure out; there has to be an organized plan so that I can selectively add some physicalizing mannerisms to my body language, without letting those appear in my sound.
3. Vocal technique. Yup, all the while this other stuff is happening, part of the brain still needs to be attentive to the physical mechanics of producing sound. Posture, breathing, mechanics of vowels, intonation, larynx, tongue... all the technicalities.
4. Music-making, and being attentive to the conductor and orchestra nuances! Our maestro really has a wonderful understanding of how the orchestra and singers can work together at a "pure music" level (in other words, without the added implications of the text, just based on the harmonies and musical phrases themselves) - a coaching yesterday offered a chance to talk about these things which has given me still more to think about! It's exciting stuff, although working at the high speed in our compressed rehearsal period (about a week shorter than the norm) means it's a tad overwhelming!
Of course, this is also what makes it fun - yes, it's hard work and the rehearsal process can sometimes be stressful and exhausting, but it's beyond rewarding when you realise you've moved beyond the basics and cooked it up into something that takes on a life of its own. I'm not quite there yet, but it's well on its way. I'm looking forward to the next few days!
Welcome
Thursday, November 5, 2009
Sunday, October 18, 2009
Doin' the job
People outside the singing world often wonder exactly how one goes about preparing an operatic role. Many think that it all happens in rehearsals, yet nothing could be further from the truth!
The preparation process may sometimes have begun YEARS before a role is even performed - most of us have "core repertoire" that we learn and work on even without any kind of offer in sight, the idea being to have them learned and ready to go in case somebody wants to hear them, or an oppportunity to "jump in" to a gig at the last minute emerges. A lot of time and energy goes into deciding repertoire both for auditions and "roles in preparation"; most singers have one list of "wishlist roles" (the roles they really want to sing and feel are best suited for their voices and temperament, usually the leads in operas from where their audition repertoire is drawn), and another comprised of roles they "should" know (usually easily-marketable repertoire that they know they could get called upon to sing at short notice, or in specific career-building situations, or supporting roles that might not be "first choice" roles, but which have a place in their repertoire). You can never really know too much repertoire - it's surprising how many singers have landed important contracts simply by being ready "just in case"!
When an offer comes in for a role which isn't yet in the repertoire, work begins immediately. Getting hold of the score (sometimes harder than it should be!), translating the text if need be, listening to as many recordings as possible to get some ideas of the overall "shape", various tempi and how others may have interpreted the music, and generally familiarizing oneself with the words, notes and rhythms. I personally like to read through the score at the piano a few times - I'm no great pianist, but I can paddle through it well enough in my own way, and becoming familiar with the orchestra part (even in a piano reduction) helps me learn the *music* rather than just my part.
After that, the real work begins: "singing it in". This is singer-speak for working through every single note and phrase largely for vocal and technical reasons, planning (and practicing) exactly how each note and vowel will be approached to get the best possible sound, building muscle memory and stamina along the way. This process has about as much to do with "making music" as a ballerina on a treadmill. It's physical coordination, nothing more or less. Sure, decisions as to vowel choices, breathing points and other details may be based on eventual musical/dramatic interpretation, but at this stage? It's about the mechanics of producing the actual sound. This is the longest phase for me at least - while I can do it quickly (I'm a quick study and have had to learn more than one role at lightning speed!), I'm happiest when I have several months so that I can do this work gradually and incrementally rather than trying to cram it all into a few intensely physical days or weeks; the longer time period gives the voice time to stretch and adapt to the particular physical demands of any role (singers always talk about their voices in the abstract, "the voice" - I've never quite understood why, but it's pretty standard parlance!). This is usually also the best time for me to work through the role with my teacher, who is wonderful at guiding those physical choices so that I can build the role into my voice the way I want from the beginning.
Because I have a good musical memory, I'm lucky in that the repetition of the singing in process usually also cements the text and music itself into my mind, so by the time I've done a fair bit of this technical work, I'm ready to coach the music.
In the classical voice world, "coaching" is not the same as a "voice lesson". While there is of course some crossover between them, the latter deals primarily with the kinds of mechanics described above - HOW the sound is produced. A coaching, on the other hand, is more about the music itself, exploring the expression, polishing the interpretation and musical shape. It's also great to work that music through with a pianist and get a feel for how ensemble changes things, even just with two - it's very easy to unintentionally "bend" the music to your own internal rhythms when you work it by yourself, but getting together with a pianist quickly points out where you may have been unintentionally cheating and have to get back to what's written!
Lastly, memorizing. Unlike straight theater where it's assumed you'll have the script in your hand when staging starts and complete the memorizing process as you rehearse, opera productions expect you to arrive off-book and ready to roll. Hopefully by the time one has done all the previous phases the role is largely in the memory already, but there are always places that need specific work, and this is the time to work those out. For me, the music is usually thoroughly in my brain, but words sometimes don't stick as well - I find writing it out longhand often helps with this, so you will often see me with a steno pad scribbling away....! Also, it can sometimes be helpful to work repetitions with a pianist simply to run through it for memory. While I'm a good study, credit where it's due: I'm blessed in having an "in-house" pianist, and my husband puts up with many hours of bashing through music I'm preparing with me as I get them sung-in and memorized. It's an incredible luxury, and one for which I'm profoundly grateful. The fact that he can sight-read just about anything makes it even better!
So, before the singer steps into the rehearsal room they're ready to start staging and shaping their interpretation with the Maestro and stage director. It's a collaborative process, of course, but an awful lot of the work happens alone, and a long time before the gig begins.
The preparation process may sometimes have begun YEARS before a role is even performed - most of us have "core repertoire" that we learn and work on even without any kind of offer in sight, the idea being to have them learned and ready to go in case somebody wants to hear them, or an oppportunity to "jump in" to a gig at the last minute emerges. A lot of time and energy goes into deciding repertoire both for auditions and "roles in preparation"; most singers have one list of "wishlist roles" (the roles they really want to sing and feel are best suited for their voices and temperament, usually the leads in operas from where their audition repertoire is drawn), and another comprised of roles they "should" know (usually easily-marketable repertoire that they know they could get called upon to sing at short notice, or in specific career-building situations, or supporting roles that might not be "first choice" roles, but which have a place in their repertoire). You can never really know too much repertoire - it's surprising how many singers have landed important contracts simply by being ready "just in case"!
When an offer comes in for a role which isn't yet in the repertoire, work begins immediately. Getting hold of the score (sometimes harder than it should be!), translating the text if need be, listening to as many recordings as possible to get some ideas of the overall "shape", various tempi and how others may have interpreted the music, and generally familiarizing oneself with the words, notes and rhythms. I personally like to read through the score at the piano a few times - I'm no great pianist, but I can paddle through it well enough in my own way, and becoming familiar with the orchestra part (even in a piano reduction) helps me learn the *music* rather than just my part.
After that, the real work begins: "singing it in". This is singer-speak for working through every single note and phrase largely for vocal and technical reasons, planning (and practicing) exactly how each note and vowel will be approached to get the best possible sound, building muscle memory and stamina along the way. This process has about as much to do with "making music" as a ballerina on a treadmill. It's physical coordination, nothing more or less. Sure, decisions as to vowel choices, breathing points and other details may be based on eventual musical/dramatic interpretation, but at this stage? It's about the mechanics of producing the actual sound. This is the longest phase for me at least - while I can do it quickly (I'm a quick study and have had to learn more than one role at lightning speed!), I'm happiest when I have several months so that I can do this work gradually and incrementally rather than trying to cram it all into a few intensely physical days or weeks; the longer time period gives the voice time to stretch and adapt to the particular physical demands of any role (singers always talk about their voices in the abstract, "the voice" - I've never quite understood why, but it's pretty standard parlance!). This is usually also the best time for me to work through the role with my teacher, who is wonderful at guiding those physical choices so that I can build the role into my voice the way I want from the beginning.
Because I have a good musical memory, I'm lucky in that the repetition of the singing in process usually also cements the text and music itself into my mind, so by the time I've done a fair bit of this technical work, I'm ready to coach the music.
In the classical voice world, "coaching" is not the same as a "voice lesson". While there is of course some crossover between them, the latter deals primarily with the kinds of mechanics described above - HOW the sound is produced. A coaching, on the other hand, is more about the music itself, exploring the expression, polishing the interpretation and musical shape. It's also great to work that music through with a pianist and get a feel for how ensemble changes things, even just with two - it's very easy to unintentionally "bend" the music to your own internal rhythms when you work it by yourself, but getting together with a pianist quickly points out where you may have been unintentionally cheating and have to get back to what's written!
Lastly, memorizing. Unlike straight theater where it's assumed you'll have the script in your hand when staging starts and complete the memorizing process as you rehearse, opera productions expect you to arrive off-book and ready to roll. Hopefully by the time one has done all the previous phases the role is largely in the memory already, but there are always places that need specific work, and this is the time to work those out. For me, the music is usually thoroughly in my brain, but words sometimes don't stick as well - I find writing it out longhand often helps with this, so you will often see me with a steno pad scribbling away....! Also, it can sometimes be helpful to work repetitions with a pianist simply to run through it for memory. While I'm a good study, credit where it's due: I'm blessed in having an "in-house" pianist, and my husband puts up with many hours of bashing through music I'm preparing with me as I get them sung-in and memorized. It's an incredible luxury, and one for which I'm profoundly grateful. The fact that he can sight-read just about anything makes it even better!
So, before the singer steps into the rehearsal room they're ready to start staging and shaping their interpretation with the Maestro and stage director. It's a collaborative process, of course, but an awful lot of the work happens alone, and a long time before the gig begins.
Wednesday, October 14, 2009
Sigh
I've had several monster posts on all sorts of subjects kicking around my head recently, but somehow real life seems to keep the thoughts in my head instead of flowing out my fingers onto the screen. Soon, I promise.
In the meantime, greetings from H1N1 central.
I admit it: last spring, I pooh-poohed the hyperbolic alarm over swine flu as the usual media irresponsibility, but after 5 days of living with it - my daughter, not me (yet) - I have to say that it really is a whopper. She is currently heading into the worst phase of the illness, which starts out as "ordinary" flu. But after a day or so of seeming recovery, it turns into a brutal pneumonia. We're not quite at that stage yet, but she's certainly having the relapse today, frighteningly going into a near-hypothermic state tonight (apparently one of the body's defenses is to LOWER temperature as well as to cook the infection out with a HIGH fever).
So, back to the vigil tonight - my husband and I are watching her like a hawk; so many kids around here have been so sick that it's hard not to feel like we've regressed back a century or so, and hard not to feel just as scared as those parents nursing their children through scarlet fever, diptheria and other life-threatening conditions. Ok, so this flu may not be quite THAT dangerous, but there's no doubt that it's a rotten one and when it reaches the acute pneumonic phase progresses aggressively and very fast. No fun.
So from us: heed the public advice on handwashing, and stay away from anybody suspected to have the illness (and if you already have it, keep your germs at home, please!). It's definitely one to avoid!
In the meantime, greetings from H1N1 central.
I admit it: last spring, I pooh-poohed the hyperbolic alarm over swine flu as the usual media irresponsibility, but after 5 days of living with it - my daughter, not me (yet) - I have to say that it really is a whopper. She is currently heading into the worst phase of the illness, which starts out as "ordinary" flu. But after a day or so of seeming recovery, it turns into a brutal pneumonia. We're not quite at that stage yet, but she's certainly having the relapse today, frighteningly going into a near-hypothermic state tonight (apparently one of the body's defenses is to LOWER temperature as well as to cook the infection out with a HIGH fever).
So, back to the vigil tonight - my husband and I are watching her like a hawk; so many kids around here have been so sick that it's hard not to feel like we've regressed back a century or so, and hard not to feel just as scared as those parents nursing their children through scarlet fever, diptheria and other life-threatening conditions. Ok, so this flu may not be quite THAT dangerous, but there's no doubt that it's a rotten one and when it reaches the acute pneumonic phase progresses aggressively and very fast. No fun.
So from us: heed the public advice on handwashing, and stay away from anybody suspected to have the illness (and if you already have it, keep your germs at home, please!). It's definitely one to avoid!
Saturday, August 15, 2009
Transitions
I find transitions are always popping up to be negotiated both as a parent and as a singer. Moving from one phase to the next, from one place to another, from musical style to style, from supporting role to lead, from one group of people to a completely different cast sometimes in as little as a matter of hours, not to mention the scheduling variations (and conflicts!) as one switches worlds between the domestic tranquility (?!!!) of motherhood and the sometimes emotional hurly-burly of performing.
This autumn is shaping up to have some previously unencountered adjustments to navigate. My own schedule and expectations were so badly derailed by external forces earlier this year that I was forced to transition into what felt like a completely different lifestyle than I have experienced in a long, long time: instead of bound by external schedules and commitments, I was pretty much completely on my own timetable for the first time in many, many years. Sure I had plenty to do, but it wasn't necessarily ruled by the clock. In fact, I had more free time than I've had in over 10 years. That it wasn't entirely by choice, of course, rather tainted the pleasure that could be found in it, but (shhhh...) I can't deny that it WAS kind of nice to have more than a few snatched and jealously-guarded minutes of each day be "me time" and I've become used to it.
Now that the autumn's schedule is returning to something I can recognise as normal (or as normal as a singer's life ever gets!) I can see a lot of adjustments looming, not least of which giving up some of this re-discovered down-time. A couple of decent gigs have rolled in (which is, of course, WONDERFUL news), and I'll be getting busy again as we move into the fall; it will be back to the crazy shuffling of family, students, auditions and rehearsals, trying to be in too many places at once, and wondering how on earth to fit everything in. (and there's probably another blog post in here somewhare about "WHy does it always have to be feast or famine?!?!", but I'll leave that for another day.....). Don't get me wrong - this is the way it needs to be and SHOULD be - but after the slower pace of the last few months, it's definitely going to be an adjustment.
This year, in addition to the usual scheduling, we'll be adding a wild card into the mix: middle school. Is there any parent who hasn't had absurdly mixed feelings about this particular milestone? This, perhaps even more than those early days in preschool and kindergarten, feels like it's time to let go; it's certainly when the fledgeling wants to start flying solo, and that raises all sorts of questions! The change in schedule - 30 minutes earlier every morning (in this house, that's a big deal!) - changes in expectations, routine, work load and no doubt a social merry-go-round (both good as well as frustrating, noe hopes!) raises a bunch of questions too, for none of which I have answers until we adjust to the new environment, the new directions and the inevitable new challenges. I have no idea at all how this will all work yet.
But, in the meantime, the last days of summer. Last week wrapped up three weeks of camp so we're transitioning (that word again!) into a week of downtime... although some out-of-town friends, a couple of unexpected invitations, and boring domestic catastrophes (including a leaking washing machine demanding repair) mean those few days of respite are going to be slightly delayed.....
But no doubt we'll adjust, as we always do. I wonder, however, how a few months to reflect on a slower pace and really take life in will affect perceptions; I'm interested to see my own reactions as I get back into the thick of things. We'll see!
This autumn is shaping up to have some previously unencountered adjustments to navigate. My own schedule and expectations were so badly derailed by external forces earlier this year that I was forced to transition into what felt like a completely different lifestyle than I have experienced in a long, long time: instead of bound by external schedules and commitments, I was pretty much completely on my own timetable for the first time in many, many years. Sure I had plenty to do, but it wasn't necessarily ruled by the clock. In fact, I had more free time than I've had in over 10 years. That it wasn't entirely by choice, of course, rather tainted the pleasure that could be found in it, but (shhhh...) I can't deny that it WAS kind of nice to have more than a few snatched and jealously-guarded minutes of each day be "me time" and I've become used to it.
Now that the autumn's schedule is returning to something I can recognise as normal (or as normal as a singer's life ever gets!) I can see a lot of adjustments looming, not least of which giving up some of this re-discovered down-time. A couple of decent gigs have rolled in (which is, of course, WONDERFUL news), and I'll be getting busy again as we move into the fall; it will be back to the crazy shuffling of family, students, auditions and rehearsals, trying to be in too many places at once, and wondering how on earth to fit everything in. (and there's probably another blog post in here somewhare about "WHy does it always have to be feast or famine?!?!", but I'll leave that for another day.....). Don't get me wrong - this is the way it needs to be and SHOULD be - but after the slower pace of the last few months, it's definitely going to be an adjustment.
This year, in addition to the usual scheduling, we'll be adding a wild card into the mix: middle school. Is there any parent who hasn't had absurdly mixed feelings about this particular milestone? This, perhaps even more than those early days in preschool and kindergarten, feels like it's time to let go; it's certainly when the fledgeling wants to start flying solo, and that raises all sorts of questions! The change in schedule - 30 minutes earlier every morning (in this house, that's a big deal!) - changes in expectations, routine, work load and no doubt a social merry-go-round (both good as well as frustrating, noe hopes!) raises a bunch of questions too, for none of which I have answers until we adjust to the new environment, the new directions and the inevitable new challenges. I have no idea at all how this will all work yet.
But, in the meantime, the last days of summer. Last week wrapped up three weeks of camp so we're transitioning (that word again!) into a week of downtime... although some out-of-town friends, a couple of unexpected invitations, and boring domestic catastrophes (including a leaking washing machine demanding repair) mean those few days of respite are going to be slightly delayed.....
But no doubt we'll adjust, as we always do. I wonder, however, how a few months to reflect on a slower pace and really take life in will affect perceptions; I'm interested to see my own reactions as I get back into the thick of things. We'll see!
Friday, July 24, 2009
A trip to a beach...
... that until this week I didn't even know was there. Ok, so it's not exactly the Pacific (or even the Atlantic coast), but it's got sand, tides and saltwater, and is only about 15 minutes from home! We had a good time.
(click image to see slideshow)
(click image to see slideshow)
Friday, July 17, 2009
Perfect foods
Currently, I'm prompted to reflect on the two foods which I have long considered perfect.
The first is toast. Is there a more versatile food? Meal, snack, pick-me-up or just because, toast always holds its own. Toast with butter, toast with jam, toast with cheese, toast soldiers under egg, toast with cashew butter... the list goes on. Toast after a long winter's walk, providing the perfect warm pick-me-up after being out in the cold. Toast for breakfast with a cup of tea or coffee. Toast easing us back into health after a bout of illness. Toast as a meal; toast as a snack. What's more perfect than that?
Well, in summer, the answer is this:
In our house, blueberries take over in July. I'm the truly violet one in the family (there are rumours that I turn a delicate shade of purple some time in August), but my husband and daughter also enjoy them, if not with quite as much gluttony as I do. My mom buys them in bulk at Costco and makes care-package deliveries (sometimes even out of season, bless her heart!). We have two small bushes in the backyard, but, unfortunately, the birds get up earlier than I do, so we haven't been able to enjoy what little they produce. No, we are forced to buy them to indulge the passion, which means waiting and watching until the glut begins..... Our supermarket currently had a 4-punnets-for-$5 special (limit 4 per visit) and we made multiple trips each day to ensure an adequate supply. There is seemingly no limit to the quantities of these fruits that we can consume; blueberries on cereal, blueberries with greek yoghurt or blueberries by the handful as a snack - doesn't matter, as long as they're fresh, ripe and plentiful.
The only thing I haven't tried yet is blueberries on toast. Hmm... jam, anyone?
The first is toast. Is there a more versatile food? Meal, snack, pick-me-up or just because, toast always holds its own. Toast with butter, toast with jam, toast with cheese, toast soldiers under egg, toast with cashew butter... the list goes on. Toast after a long winter's walk, providing the perfect warm pick-me-up after being out in the cold. Toast for breakfast with a cup of tea or coffee. Toast easing us back into health after a bout of illness. Toast as a meal; toast as a snack. What's more perfect than that?
Well, in summer, the answer is this:
In our house, blueberries take over in July. I'm the truly violet one in the family (there are rumours that I turn a delicate shade of purple some time in August), but my husband and daughter also enjoy them, if not with quite as much gluttony as I do. My mom buys them in bulk at Costco and makes care-package deliveries (sometimes even out of season, bless her heart!). We have two small bushes in the backyard, but, unfortunately, the birds get up earlier than I do, so we haven't been able to enjoy what little they produce. No, we are forced to buy them to indulge the passion, which means waiting and watching until the glut begins..... Our supermarket currently had a 4-punnets-for-$5 special (limit 4 per visit) and we made multiple trips each day to ensure an adequate supply. There is seemingly no limit to the quantities of these fruits that we can consume; blueberries on cereal, blueberries with greek yoghurt or blueberries by the handful as a snack - doesn't matter, as long as they're fresh, ripe and plentiful.
The only thing I haven't tried yet is blueberries on toast. Hmm... jam, anyone?
Sunday, July 12, 2009
Following the tradition
It's been a fascinating month. My daughter was asked to join the chorus of a local light opera company, and watching her find her way through her first semi-professional appearance has been interesting and enlightening indeed.
One curious thing is that everybody(myself and my husband included, I'm sorry to say!) has made an assumption of prior knowledge simply because she's our daughter: she already osmotically knows all those complicated staging processes, scheduling conventions and company protocols, right? Not necessarily....! For sure, she's had experience onstage in her childrens' groups and a great deal more exposure than many her age, but the specific nuts-and-bolts of mounting a full production in professional adult theatre.... she's never needed to know that before; in many ways, it's been a brand new situation and she has had to learn a lot. We've all had to remind ourselves that, like any other young person, she's needed certain things explicitly spelled out to her so that she could truly understand how it all works and act according with expectations. She's done a wonderful job adapting to this new environment and "flying solo", and we're extremely proud of her!
Additionally, I was beyond proud that she took some suggestions from me after I sat in on one of the dress rehearsals. At age 11, it's getting harder for her to accept that Mom might still know a thing or two (funny how moms go from "knowing everything" to "knowing nothing" in the space of about, oh, 3 months!) and there has sometimes been resistance to any comments I might make. Imagine my delight when the next time I was there I saw that she had incorporated every single thing I'd mentioned and, most importantly, in her own way. No blind "doing as she was told", but a clear indication she'd processed the information given and made it her own. What a wonderful warm-fuzzy for a parent!
It's been a wonderful experience for her, I think - the company also has a mission to nurture young performers and thus has provided a nice, safe environment for a first time out on her own and she's really enjoyed herself. It was a thrill to see her so focused and involved onstage at last night's successful opening performance.
************************************************************
In other news, I'm delighted to share that I've just been cast to perform the Witch in Hansel and Gretel later this year, a plum of a role I've been wanting to do for ages. The production sounds like it will be great fun, and I'm thrilled to start preparing it. Things finally seem to be looking up!
One curious thing is that everybody(myself and my husband included, I'm sorry to say!) has made an assumption of prior knowledge simply because she's our daughter: she already osmotically knows all those complicated staging processes, scheduling conventions and company protocols, right? Not necessarily....! For sure, she's had experience onstage in her childrens' groups and a great deal more exposure than many her age, but the specific nuts-and-bolts of mounting a full production in professional adult theatre.... she's never needed to know that before; in many ways, it's been a brand new situation and she has had to learn a lot. We've all had to remind ourselves that, like any other young person, she's needed certain things explicitly spelled out to her so that she could truly understand how it all works and act according with expectations. She's done a wonderful job adapting to this new environment and "flying solo", and we're extremely proud of her!
Additionally, I was beyond proud that she took some suggestions from me after I sat in on one of the dress rehearsals. At age 11, it's getting harder for her to accept that Mom might still know a thing or two (funny how moms go from "knowing everything" to "knowing nothing" in the space of about, oh, 3 months!) and there has sometimes been resistance to any comments I might make. Imagine my delight when the next time I was there I saw that she had incorporated every single thing I'd mentioned and, most importantly, in her own way. No blind "doing as she was told", but a clear indication she'd processed the information given and made it her own. What a wonderful warm-fuzzy for a parent!
It's been a wonderful experience for her, I think - the company also has a mission to nurture young performers and thus has provided a nice, safe environment for a first time out on her own and she's really enjoyed herself. It was a thrill to see her so focused and involved onstage at last night's successful opening performance.
************************************************************
In other news, I'm delighted to share that I've just been cast to perform the Witch in Hansel and Gretel later this year, a plum of a role I've been wanting to do for ages. The production sounds like it will be great fun, and I'm thrilled to start preparing it. Things finally seem to be looking up!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
