Chicago- Lesson 12

Chicago- Lesson 12

Today’s lesson was our dress rehearsal. In today’s lesson everyone was there which was really good as we had not had a proper run through with everyone there. We used lights and microphones so we could get use to these for the real performance. We thought that a dress rehearsal would be useful for everyone because it would be helpful for us all to get into character and we could get us to quick changes if anyone had them.  Also in this lesson we had Ralph playing the piano which meant this was our first rehearsal with him and a piano.

We started running through the whole performance and our first song was “All That Jazz”. We all had the same costume which we had all bought in which I thought looked really good because we all looked the same which was what we were going for. Our first run through of this song was good as we had not run through with Ralph before so we had to make sure everything was in the same place for both of us. For the song “Cell Block Tango” I was in the same costume which meant I did not have a quick change. This run through did not go as well as it could of because some people forgot what we were doing which then made it difficult to see whether Ralph was in time with us.

Another thing which we needed to work on were our transitions between scenes and songs as at the minute they were taking a long time which meant in the real performance if they took that long then audience would get bored and it would not look professional.

Chicago- Lesson 11

Chicago- Lesson 11

In today’s lesson we worked on the whole show as we have not done this yet and we need to do it as the performance is not far away. We focused a lot on the acting as we had not really done this as we had focused more on learning the whole show and learning the songs and dances.

For me. I am finding it really hard to do an American accent as I feel embarrassed to do it as I cannot do it properly. I have never felt confident with accents and I know I need to work on it. Although I do not have large speaking part I feel as though I need to get it right. A part from the accent, I feel like I had learnt my lines well enough now and I just needed to keep going over them. My monologue I found easier to remember now I just had to make sure that I got one line correct which would then make me remember the rest.

The other small section I am in as a reporter and a boy went well as I now knew where I had to be for a reporter we just all need to work on entrances and exits. 

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Chicago- Lesson 10

Chicago- Lesson 10

In today’s lesson, we worked on sections that were weaker than others. The first song we worked on was “Cell Block Tango”. Personally, I think that this song needs a lot of work as it was very messy. IT was difficult because different people kept missing different lessons which meant we had not all leant it together. Today all the girls were here which meant we could do a proper run through off the whole song and make sure we all knew the choreography well. We also kept messing up the choruses and singing them in the wrong order. Some people were singing really loudly which did not help as they were singing the wrong lyrics Also, we need to work on tuning because there is a slight key change which some people cannot do. Personally, I feel like I can do this quite well as I have practiced it a lot and I know the song quite well.

Also within this lesson e talked about costumes and what we all needed to bring in. For me for “All That Jazz” and “Cell Block Tango” I was going to be wearing the same costume which was a black crop top or black leotard and black booty shorts with fishnet tights. We were also going to wear black character shoes as they looked like heels and are good to dance in. I decided that I was going to wear a black crop top which I knew I had with my black dance booty shorts as I think this would look best. I need to order some fishnet tights as I do not own any but I know they are cheap so this is not a problem for me.

Chicago- Lesson 9

Chicago- Lesson 9

In today’s lesson, we worked on the second half of the musical. I am barely in the second half which meant I had time to run through the other pieces I was in in the first half of the musical. In the second half I am a reporter and this scene happens before the song “Roxie”. I had missed the lesson where they had blocked this which meant that I did not know where I was standing and where I had to move places to. Also, I still need to learn my line properly for this section as I keep forgetting it even though it is really simple. After this small scene, I am a boy in the song “Roxie”. This song has not been set yet which meant we did not know what we were doing.

When I had some spare time in this lesson, I looked over my lines to make sure I had learnt them completely. I was finding it difficult to learn my monologue which is in “Cell Block Tango”. This monologue was longer than the one I had auditioned for which through me off completely as I could remember that one. There was one line which I kept forgetting which then made me forget the rest. I was also struggling with the American accent, I have never liked doing accents and I could not get it right and I felt embarrassed doing it. This is something that I need to keep working on.

Chicago- Lesson 8

Chicago- Lesson 8

Unfortunately, I had missed the last two lessons due to a dance exam and being ill which made me feel like I had missed quite a bit. Luckily, the girls in my class let me know what they had done in the two lessons so that I could catch up and learn what I had missed. In the first lesson that I missed, the blocked out entrances and exits but again the girls told me where I was going on and off which is very helpful. In the second lesson which I missed they ran through the songs with backing tracks so that people could make sure they knew the lyrics well. I feel like I know most of the lyrics to the songs well I just need to go over them in my own time to make sure I am fully confident.

In today’s lesson, firstly we ran through “All That Jazz” which we had finished learning the choreography to a couple of lessons ago which means we had to make sure that we had remembered it. Overall, most of us remember the choreography well and the positions which we move to throughout the dance. One section we all struggle with is the acting scene in the middle of it as it has not been set yet and it makes it hard for us to learn when to come in with the dance when this section is uncertain.

After this, the girls who are in “Cell Block Tango” ran through the dance. Before the lesson started we met with Bryony so that we could finish learning the choreography which we needed to do. Unfortunately, some girls did not turn up which made it difficult to learn but we still done it as we were running out of time. In the lesson, all of us girls were here so the girls that come before the lesson taught what we had learnt to the other girls. This was quick which we were hap about so that we could learn more. We finished learning the choreography to a basic level we just need to rehearse this song a lot.

Chicago- Lesson 7

Chicago- Lesson 7

In today’s lesson we finished learning the choreography to “All That Jazz”. As some people were not here the previous lesson we had to go over a couple of new parts which we had learnt. After that we finished off learning the dance. The dance was not hard and it had easy choreography so that everyone could pick it up quickly as we did not have much time. Also, simple choreography can look really effective if everyone gets it right. We were still using the backing track as we had not had a rehearsal with the piano yet which made it ever more difficult. We filmed ourselves after we had finished learning the whole dance and after watching it back you can see that there are stronger sections than others and some parts really need to be worked on. Also, some people are more confident with this dance than others and the stronger people are the ones who have attended every lesson so they know what they are doing. Personally, I feel confident with this dance as the choreography is simple and for me I found it easy to learn,

Also, in this lesson we ran through what we had learnt in the previous lesson of “Cell Block Tango”. Again, this is easy choreography with chairs but should look effective and show off all of our characters well.

Chicago- Lesson 6

Chicago- Lesson 6

In today’s lesson we started looking at “Cell Block Tango”. All of us was not here which made it harder to start learning it as we had one person missing. Within this song there are six monologues, mine being the second one. We all started with chairs which we sat on in the same position. Again, the movement for this dance was not going to be complex because it was more about portraying out strong characters as we all had them. This song is about six women who all kill the husbands/ partners. This song is shown in a comedic was but has a dark undertone as it is about killing people. Some people found some parts of the choreography more difficult than others which meant we had to keep going over sections which was just taking up a lot of time. We had learnt up just after my monologue which was the second monologue. I think this is good because it meant that we had all finally picked it up. For me personally. I did not find any of this choreography hard as I have a lot of dance behind me and this dance was not complex.  The only problem we have is that we are going to have to teach it to the people that were not in the lesson.

Chicago- Lesson 5

Chicago- Lesson 5

In today’s lesson we worked on the choreography for “All That Jazz”. Before we started to learn the choreography, we done a warm up to make sure that we had stretched and warmed up all of our muscles.

In the song “All That Jazz” we were all in it but Claudia was playing the main solo in it.  The rest of us were her backing dancers. The choreography was not difficult it was more about looking effective and it made it easy for people to pick up if they struggled with dance.  To start off with we all had to pick a move which we had to stay still in until we started slightly moving to the music. These movements had to be strong so they looked effective. After this we all had to move into a triangle. I was in the second row to the back du to it being in height order. I felt like I picked up the choreography easy as none of the moves were complex. I helped other people in my row as well to make sure they all knew what they were doing and if they had struggled then I could help them. Overall, I think that when we finish the dance it will look really good to the audience and I also feel like I remembered the choreography well.

Chicago- Lesson 4

Chicago- Lesson 4

In today’s lesson we all got given scripts. We also started to learn “All That Jazz” which was in the first half of the musical and we were using this song to open with.

To start with we watched “All That Jazz” so we could all get an idea of what they were looking for and what our characters needed to be like. Before we started singing we done a vocal warm to make sure that none of us would hurt our voices.  We also warmed up our muscles because it is important to do this as well as our voices. Luckily, I already knew this song as I had performed it before with the theatre school I use to attend. Some people had not heard of the song before so they found some bits slightly trickier which did distract some other people at some points but the more we rehearse it the more everyone will get used to it.

Next lesson we are going to be learning some of the choreography for “All That Jazz” which meant we all needed to go away and make sure we all knew the words which would then make learning the dance easier.

Chicago- Lesson 3

Chicago- Lesson 3

In this lesson we all found out which characters we got. I got a part in “Cell Block Tango” of Annie which is a bigger speaking part than what I auditioned for which made me really happy. I also got the part of a reporter and a boy in the song Roxie. It has put more confidence in me getting a slightly bigger role than what I auditioned for as it made me think I can do this.  I now need to work on my strong character and bigger movements.

My character Annie in the song “Cell Block Tango” is talking about how she killed her husband with arsenic. Her character is a very strong character as you need to portray how she does not care about how she killed someone and act like it is normal.

Chicago- Lesson 2

Chicago- Lesson 2

Today’s lesson was the lesson in which we all had to audition for the character we would like to play in Chicago. The audition was in front of our whole class and it was also recorded.  There were three parts of the audition; the dance, singing and our monologues.

My character was a very strong character who is portrayed to me as someone who does not care what anyone thinks as she killed her husband but is telling it in the song in a comedic way but obviously it has a dark under tone.

For my audition I was very nervous as I always get for auditions as unfortunately I think this showed in my audition. I think that the dance part of the audition went well for me as I remembered everything and danced as strongly as I could. This audition was in small groups but still in front of the rest of the class. It then came to my monologue and singing audition. I started with my monologue which went okay as I remembered all my lines but I did not use any movement and I did not do the American accent.  Overall, I think they went okay but if I had more time I could have made them better and worked on more movement and the accent.

Chicago- Lesson 1

Chicago- Lesson 1

In today’s lesson we each given a character in which we wanted to audition for Chicago.  Unfortunately, I had missed the first lesson which meant I did not get given the assignment brief but before the lesson which we were in today I made sure I went to my teacher to get the assignment brief so that I knew what we were doing. It was also helpful that my friends in the class had also let me know what we were doing so that I could prepare a little bit.

After we had been given the character list I decided that I wanted to audition for June who was in the song “Cell Block Tango”. I decided to go with this character because I think that I would be able to act her the best. I have never been strong on my acting skills as I have always focused more on dancing and singing but still enjoyed drama. This character was not one of the main characters and did not have a huge role but I knew that would be best for me as I stress a lot about getting things right so I knew this would be the right character for me.

I need to practice my American accent because again I am not very strong in this area. To help me with this I am going to keep watching the section Annie is in in “Cell Block Tango” so I can get it correct. Between now and the audition which is next lesson I need to make sure I have learnt all my lines and learnt the chorus from “Cell Block Tango” as we also have to sing this in our audition.