Rataplan Rataplan

Now, what you see above is what a rehearsal room SHOULD look like. If you remember my initial posts when we started "La Fanciulla del West," you'll know why this set up makes me much happier. The maestro can sit in the middle of the room, I have a full table upon which to spread out, I am at a vantage point where I can see everything that's happening and I don't think that singers are going to fall on me whenever they come downstage to sing.

Today was not about fancy sofas and harpsichords, as you see in this picture, however. Today was about military-style marching and drum corps rifle work. I don't think my poor chorus had a clue when they walked in this morning that most of the singing they were doing in this show was going to be accompanied by marching and, sometimes, gun twirling. The most difficult of these formation-style chorus sections, is one that only involves the male chorus in a march and the Corporal shouting orders. The song, for the most part is the word "rataplan" (rat-a-tat in English) sung over and over again, sometimes being shortened to "plan." Every change in the music results, in terms of Dottie's staging, in a different formation, but because the words never change, it's hard to articulate when these changes happen for the singers. One of our choristers asked Dottie and I, "what am I singing when we circle the guns?" as he tried to figure out where in the music he was. The only viable answer for us, because the music is so unchanging, was "rataplan plan plan plan plan plan plan . . ." So frustrating when you are trying to explain where movement happens to a group of non movers. Thank goodness for scores where we can all make notations.

Confused? You should have seen us trying to get the information across in rehearsals.

Dottie added in one bit of heinous ROTC rifle work that kicked a couple of chorister's asses. She taught it to me and one of the stage managers this morning so that we could pull people aside and teach it as the day wore on. By the end of the day, every person involved in this show could be seen in a corner or off to the side trying to twirl their rifle, turn it around, slam the butt on the ground on the right count. As we ran through the number, I was standing on a chair, barking orders, waving my hands around and pointing in the direction they should be marching, mirroring all of them as they did the rifle work. As crazy as all of this movement is for them, this is when I feel the most confident and on my game. This is when I feel I can give the most to the production.

The boys will look great. They just need continual pep talks and encouragement to get through the more intricate bits.