Weekly Progress blog #9

MON 13

Today was our second and final tech run for the show, and this was mainly used to fine tune the lighting so it matched our directors vision and also balance the volume of the band in contrast with the singing and dialogue. This rehearsal was very much for the band and the tech team more than it was for us as a cast, but despite this it was still a very helpful run of the show. This was as by having a run that was quite chill for us gave us time to make sure we were certain of the run of the show and new notes and staging that had been changed compared to how it had been before we put it on the new stage. For me, this rehearsal was very successful as I was able to figure out when and where I would be looking if I needed to hold a freeze frame, lock in my new positions in numbers that I was in and figure out when and where I needed to be in the wings during the show.

TUE 14

Today was our first dress run of the show along with our first public performance, this being a dress rehearsal that we were performing to schools. The dress run that we did in the morning before this was very quick but I found was successful. There were minor issues that I found where I messed up a couple of times, however this may have been due to stress of it being the first dress rehearsal. After this run we were given a break in that I spent making sure that I cleared my mind in preparation for the next dress run. This being the first time we performed the show to an audience made me feel a little nervous but as soon as I was on the stage I was no longer worried and was just focused on making sure that I was on for every cue and that everything I did was up to a high standard. For me I felt this run was very successful, and although there was the occasionally error, it ran smoothly. For a first run, It left me confident for the shows ahead of us and I was able to pin point areas where I may had forgotten a cue or where and when I was supposed to do something.

WED 15

Today we did two shows, One being one performed to schools and another being one that we performed to a paying audience. For me this run went well with minor errors that were not that hard to fix, these being missing cues and forgetting a prop. For me, although I made these errors, It did not unsettle me for the next show as it just gave me more to remember to focus on. When we did the final show of the day for Rock of Ages, I was focused and ready. For me this show went really well and I made no errors, which I was impressed by. Along with this I could feel that my confidence is getting better which means that I am able to play my character believably.  

THU 16

Today we did one show for the general public which we got to college a lot later in the day. Once we all got in for the day we started off with a vocal and physical warmup to make sure that we were all physically and vocally prepared for the show. After this we then performed the show to the public. For me this show went really well however there was definitely some moments where I made some mistakes from getting to into the show that I forgot to move, however I was able to quickly recover from this. Along with this, I felt that today was the best vocally that the show had gone for me as I was able to sing all the songs in full without feeling any vocal strain. Overall, I felt that todays show went really well however I just have to make sure that I am engaged the whole time so that I don't forget any of my cues. 

FRI 17

Today we did one show for the general public which we got to college a lot later in the day. Once we all got in for the day we started off with a vocal and physical warmup to make sure that we were all physically and vocally prepared for the show. After this we then performed the final show to the public. For me this show went really well especially for a final show. For me, although it being the final show made me emotional, I was on my a game for the day and made no mistakes! This show was the best I ever felt it went, I was able to project my lines clearly and with great diction, I was really in my character which made my own individual performance enjoyable to the audience, along with this my singing felt clear and strong throughout the whole performance. Overall, the final show for the run of Rock of Ages was my best one yet as I put my whole being into performing it to the best of my abilities.

 

SMART TARGETS + IMPROVEMENTS FINAL REVIEW

When it comes to vocal range this is something that I have improved over the course of the rehearsal process for Rock of Ages as it was one of my smart targets that I focused on to improve. I know I have improved this technique as I have been able to not only hear but feel a difference from the start to the end of the rehearsal process. For me, I could see in the vocal videos that my own ability to sing the songs in full even when I had to use a wide vocal range was very strong and confident and my higher notes had gotten a lot louder. This can be seen when looking at the most recent vocal recording - https://youtu.be/ZPVfmUnvRh8 - where I was able to sing out the higher notes at the same volume as my lower notes and with less strain. Compared to the earlier vocal recording - https://youtu.be/QS6pjqM1_1E - Where some of the higher notes I struggled to be able to project effectively without strain.

When it comes to my confidence, this was a skill that I wanted to improve when it came to Rock of Ages. For me I knew that I had improved this skill not only by what I could see looking at past rehearsal videos, but how I felt over time and when we went to perform the shows. For me, Rock of Ages was a show that was out of my comfort zone not only because of its style but the character I was playing, waitress, was a character that I wasn’t the most comfortable playing. However, over the course of the rehearsal process I got more and more into character. At the start I was quite stiff with my confidence and characterisation, and this can be seen in the following video - https://youtu.be/9v6DS9Ev9Lg. However, by the end of the rehearsal process I was becoming a lot more into my character and confident through not only my body language but also my projection, and this can be seen in the following video - https://youtu.be/CB0kln5LagQ.

Along with my smart targets I also improved my accent over the course of the rehearsal process. Not only could I not really do an American accent at the start, but my diction and articulation at the start was very weak and unclear. However over the course of the rehearsal process I was able to work on this and strengthen the accent itself but also the articulation and diction when performing with the accent. 

PHOTOS FROM THE SHOW