It's Getting So Close

I can't believe how close we are getting.  As the time gets closer, I am getting more and more excited and I can tell the kids are too.  We had GREAT rehearsals last week and many members of the cast asked me if we could practice on both Thursday and Friday, they were so excited. 
I am glad to announce that both Robotics and Junior Jazz are over and we won't be dealing with time conflicts any longer.  Because of this; our rehearsals this week will be a little different in terms of time.
Monday:  We will be having a longer rehearsal.  We will begin our rehearsal at 3:30 instead of 4:30, but it will still go until 6:00.  The reason for this being that we need to get through the rest of our battle scene as well as the final number of the show.  The extended time should ensure that we will be able to do this.  I need the entire cast there at the rehearsal.
Wednesday:  Mrs. Hickenlooper will be joining us on Wednesday to brush up on our vocals as well as help us practice singing with the instrumental tracks.  This will happen from 3:45-4:45.  For this portion of the rehearsal, I will need the entire cast as well as the choir.  The choir will be free to go at 4:45.  The cast will need to stay until 6:00 so we go through the final number again as well as the curtain call/bows. 
I know it is somewhat inconvenient to have longer rehearsals, but as we get closer, we just need the time.  You can also expect that as we come back from Spring Break, we will be adding rehearsals to both Tuesday and Thursday.  Please make sure that your child will be able to attend these rehearsals in their entirety.  It is so important that we go through the show all together once, and don't have to reteach and readdress things for one or two cast member.  I know it is a sacrifice for you and them, but I assure you it will be well worth it. 
One last reminder,  If you haven't started practicing with the instrumental tracks, please start doing so.  We don't want to waste Mrs. Hickenlooper's time when she comes on Wednesday.

A few announcemnts

I have a couple of announcements and clarifications to let you all know about.  First of all a clarification!  Your child should have brought home two complimentary tickets for the musical yesterday or they will be coming home today.  If you haven't seen these, please ask your child about them.  Each family has received two tickets.  On the ticket it says "Complimentary Family Ticket"  This ticket is not used for an entire family, but it is worded that way to indicated that it was a ticket given to the family of a cast, choir or crew member.  If you need additional tickets to bring your whole family, those can be purchased in the front office.  Also, these tickets can be used for one of any of the four performances.
Also, by way of announcement, I will be having a couple of workshops during spring break.  I will choose a couple of days during the break that we can come and meet at the school to work on projects that need to be done.  There will be a painting day where we will paint scenery and props as well as a sewing day where we will be finishing up costumes.  I am thinking the days I will hold these workshops will be Monday and Tuesday, but I want your input.  Please let me know if you would be interested in helping and if Monday and Tuesday are not good days for you. If I don't get any responses I will just assume that Monday and Tuesday work for most of you.  Please note that I would love cast members to come and help, but I also would LOVE parents to come and help as well.  If you are coming to the sewing day and you have your own sewing machine, please bring it to school on that day.  If you don't have a machine or you don't know how to sew, that's ok.  I could use help with cutting as well as hand work!
Thanks again!!! It is all coming so soon!

Instrumental Music

So starting Next Week we will begin to practice the show from beginning to end with the instrumental music.  From here on out when practicing the music at home, please listen to the instrumental tracks of the songs.  Also, it would be a great idea to practice the dances with the instrumental music at home as well that way when we practice at school, we will be more used to it. 
Here they are!!!!
Jungle Prologue
Kaa the Snake
Trust in Me
Night Into Day
Colonel Hathi's March
Baloo the Bear
The Bare Necessities
Monkey Business
I Wan'na Be Like You
I Wan'na Be Like You (Reprise)
Shere Khan the Tiger
Mowgli Runs
That's What Friends Are For
The Battle
The Bare Necessities (Finale)
I Wan'na Be Like You (Bows)

March 23rd and 25th

This week w are going to begin selling tickets in the front office. Each family that is participating in the musical will receive two complimentary tickets that can be used for any one of the four performances. Those will be passed out at rehearsal on Wednesday.  For any additional tickets you will need to purchase those in the front office during school hours. You will also be able to purchase tickets at the door. All tickets are general admission tickets. The prices are as follows:
Adult tickets are $5.00
Student tickets are $3.00 ( a student includes any elementary, junior high or high school student)
Children under 3 are free
We will also be selling a family ticket that includes a family of 6 (children or adults) for $20.00
Please let your friends and family know that tickets will be sold for the next two weeks before spring break as well as the week after spring break before our performance dates.
Rehearsals this week will be as follows:
Monday:  We will be working on Mowgli runs as well as That's What Friends are For. This requires the entire cast.  This rehearsal will be from 4:30-6:00. I know this interferes with Robotics but we'll just have to make it work for one last time.
Wednesday:  We will be working on the Battle scene which will also require the entire cast from 4:00-5:30.   I also want the choir there from 4:00-5:00.
Thanks again. We are getting so close.

March 16th and 18th

We have only 8 more rehearsals before we are rehearsing and performing on the stage at Frontier Middle School. The time has gone so fast and we have worked so hard. Here is our schedule for this week.
Monday:  I have been picking up a ton of material and clothing items for the last couple of weeks and I need to take inventory. I would like the cast to come tomorrow starting at 3:45 to get fitted for costumes. I do not need choir for this. Regular rehearsal will begin at 4:30. I need the entire cast at rehearsal from 4:30 until 6:00. We are going to be running through Shere Khan and Mowgli runs.
Wednesday:  again I will need the entire cast at rehearsal from 4:00-5:30. We will be working on that's what friends are for. I also want the choir to come on Wednesday from 4:00-5:00. If they need to stay until 5:30 to wait for a sibling or carpool ride just let me know. I do not need choir there for Mondays rehearsal.
Thanks again for all your hard work and support. Things are really coming together.

March 10th and 11th

This week we are going to polish up the first half of the show.  This is the schedule for this week.
Tuesday: From 4;00-4:45 we are going to be working on two new songs that are in the first half of the show.  We are going to be working on Night Into Day.  This song involves the jungle; trees, bushes, plants, rocks, Shanti, and flowers.  I also would like the K-2 grade choir to come to rehearsal to put them together with the cast.  The choir will need to stay for the whole time (4:00-5:30).  We are also going to be working on Monkey Business.  For this number we will be also be needing the same members of the Jungle. I will need to have Kaa and The Elephants to come to rehearsal from 4:45-5:30.  I don't need the monkeys to come to rehearsal on Tuesday, but they will need to come on Wednesday.
Wednesday: Mrs. Patin will be working with Baloo, King Louie, and Monkeys 1, 2, and 3 and other monkeys  on The Reprise of I Wan'na be like you.  Mrs. King will be working with Shere Khan, Baloo, Bagheera and Mowgli  on the Shere Khan song.  I would like the choir to come to this rehearsal as well, so we can polish up these songs.   The choir only needs to stay from 4:00-5:00 on Wednesday.  Members of the Jungle do not need to come to this rehearsal, however, I do need Shanti and her flowers to come and work on their flowers with Miss. Ovard during the rehearsal time.

Wednesday Rehearsal

I am excited to announce that we have worked through about 90% of the first half of the show.  The blocking of characters, and dancers has all been completed.  Tomorrow's rehearsal will be used to go through the first half of the show and to fine tune things.  I need all members of the cast to be there from 4:00-5:30.  There will be some down time for some of the characters, so if they could come with a book to read or something to do while we work through some of the kinks, that would be great.  I don't need the choir to be there tomorrow.  I also just noticed that we have a scheduled rehearsal for Friday on the original calendar that I passed out.  I am going to skip rehearsal for Friday and we will meet again on Tuesday of next week.  (There will be no rehearsal on Monday due to the fact that it is a non-school day for all students).  Also, as a reminder, please plan on attending the parent meeting tomorrow night from 6:00-6:30.

March 2nd and 4th

There are a couple of houskeeping items I need to address this week.  First of all the rehearsals are going great.  We are working so hard and I am sure this is going to be a great show.  On Friday morning, the PTA came to me stating that we had collected $1400.00 for the musical and we have spent $1600.00 already (This includes $570.00 for the play rights and $614.00 for t shirts).  After I panicked, I spent a good portion of that night going through the cast and choir list and figuring out how much money we should have collected vs. the amount of money we have collected.  There is a difference of about $900.00.  I  know I sound like a broken record, but we really can't pay for all the things we need to pay for without donations.  I understand that some of you are not able to donate.  If this is the case, please let me know and I can bring that information to the PTA.  They are willing to cover the kids that can't donate, we just need to know.  If it was an oversight, please bring me the money as soon as you can.  In saying all of this, I will be passing out t-shirts in the next couple of days to those who I have donations from.  I know this sounds harsh, but I need to either have the donation, or know that your child is one that needs to be covered by PTA before I hand out the shirts.  This is just another way for me to take inventory as well.  I am grateful to all of you who are being so patient with me.  Please keep in mind that this is our first year and there will be many bumps in the road.  I am already taking note of things that work and don't work for next year.
Also, I have bought/collected a lot of materials needed for costumes.  I know that many of you are willing to help with this aspect of the show.  I will be holding a parent meeting in conjunction with the PTA meeting that is scheduled for this Wednesday.  The PTA meeting is scheduled to start at 6:30 and the musical parent meeting will be from 6:00-6:30.  Please plan on attending this meeting, as I would love to send home materials for you to work on and bring back.

The rehearsal schedule this week will be as follows:
Monday: 4:30-6:00  We will be working on several different things on Monday.  Mrs. Patin will be working with Kaa.  Mrs. King will be working with the elephants (including Colonel Hathi and Baby Elephant).  I will be working with the main characters in the first part of the show; including Mowgli, Bagheera, Kaa, and Baloo.  Miss. Ovard will be working with Shanti and her girls in making their flowers.  We do not need members of the jungle to be here that day.
Wednesday:  4:00-5:30  We will need all members of the cast on Wednesday to go through the first half of the show.  This includes all jungle members.  I am considering having the choir come for this rehearsal as well, however I need to see how much we get done on Monday before I decide.  Choir parents, will you please check the blog sometime on Tuesday to see if there are changes made concerning the choir.
Thanks again for your support and patience.  I LOVE working with your children and I hope it is turning out to be as great of an experience for them as it has been already for me!!!