It goes on...

No rehearsal tonight because of big to-dos at the Jewish Community Center (JCC), where we hold rehearsals and where the Gallery Players are based. So, I will rehearse at home, do yoga, and watch The Tudors! (Oh, and take down the tree!)

Last night's rehearsal went just as well as Monday. We are ahead of schedule, so we learned some new pieces, including the Verdict, which closes Act I, and the show's Finale. We also undertook "Where Will You Stand When The Flood Comes?" which is the "angry mob" sort of piece that comes after Gov. Slaton commutes Leo's sentence from death to life in prison. If you don't know what the words are, or what's going on musically (as in, if you don't have the score in front of you), it sounds like noise for the last half. Really--it keeps modulating up, first a half step, and then a whole--with three choruses going at a time. So it has a sort of freaky effect which I'm sure will be enhanced with staging and lighting. We also rehearsed the opening number and the Funeral Sequence again (which makes me happy, because I get to sing my solo line[well, one of them]). 

Frank keeps giving us more insight on the numbers and ways to look at the characters. For vocal assistance I am also re-reading Renee Fleming's The Inner Voice, which she calls an autobiography of her voice. In it, she talks not just about her training, but about what she learned from different teachers and different roles; how she prepares, vocally, physically and mentally, and vocal technique. Every time I go to perform I tend to re-read parts of this, and right now I am just reading it over and over and taking notes on what she says. While every singer's voice and technique are different, she's done jazz and musical theater pieces, so she's extremely diverse and can use her instrument so many different ways. It helps, too, that the book is well-written. (Trivia: did you know Ann Pachett used her as the basis for Roxanne Coss in Bel Canto?)

So we rehearse again tomorrow. Next week is a bit odd, because it's seperate groups of people. I only have rehearsal on Wednesday. Leo and Lucille rehearse Sunday and Monday; Craig and Mrs. Phagan on Tuesday; me, the other Factory Girls, Mary and Frankie on Wednesday, and Angela, Newt, and Conley on Thursday.  On Sunday (1/16) we start staging. Blocking--already! Yes! 

If you are interested in attending, and/or want to buy tickets, go here.