free tix

10 free tix to Roch Rep preview on Thursday, Nov 18th. Must use them to take them, see me asap.

Bee opening

What an amazing night. Thank you!

Web Postcard

Announcing the JMHS Fall Musical, the Tony Award winning 25TH ANNUAL PUTNAM COUNTY SPELLING BEE Six young people in the throes of puberty, overseen by grown-ups who barely managed to escape childhood themselves, learn that winning isn't everything and that losing doesn't necessarily make you a loser.

THE 25TH ANNUAL PUTNAM COUNTY SPELLING BEE is a hilarious tale of overachievers' angst chronicling the experience of six adolescent outsiders vying for the spelling championship of a lifetime. The show's Tony Award winning creative team has created the unlikeliest of hit musicals about the unlikeliest of heroes: a quirky yet charming cast of outsiders for whom a spelling bee is the one place where they can stand out and fit in at the same time.

Performances November 11, 12, 13th at 7:30PM. Tickets available at the door.

CAST -- grab the image and text from above, add a personal note, and send it out to ALL your email contacts (and your parents), then also post on your facebook:)

Thurs Evening update

Hi,

Great rehearsal! Those of you who have been around, I hope you can notice we're in great shape - our Wed run was so smooth and focused! We were weaker tonight with cues, but the show went well for a Thursday late. We're on track for a truly exceptional show, of which we can all be proud. I know sometimes I get so focused on what we need to clean up that I don't give enough praise. You have a lot of eyes and ears focused on what's happening and I'm confident we're not missing much. In general, trust that if you're doing something and I'm not commenting that it is GOOD and you should keep going. So, some updates. . .

My focus is now shifting to Tech, PR, and Preview audiences - now is when I begin to step back a bit more and it becomes YOUR show. You will need to step forward.

1. Erin Barlow and the poster distribution team rocks. 150 more posters coming Friday.
2. Friday: 25 minutes Decker notes, 15 minutes Quetone notes, Run Six Lang, Run Woe is me, Run show.
3. DELAYED CALL SATURDAY: We are in better shape than anticipated 3 weeks ago. Optional call at 10:30 sharp for actors to be on poster crews to hit the town (I hope we can get half the cast to this fun outing). If you can't make it or need to sleep or do homework, fine. I'll feed tech and anyone who helps out at 12:15, everyone else has a 1:00 call.
4. The tech rehearsal on Saturday will be slow and tedious. Wear comfy clothes and bring a book and/or homework. It will take FOREVER if it takes 2 minutes just to get people in places to focus for the next cue. Stay patient and helpful as we're all working for the best show possible.
5. Monday -- notes then dress rehearsal. Then out of costume, more notes, and plans for the Tuesday preview. Done at 8pm. Biggest rehearsal. Nothing stored in the House, we begin using the choir room as our green room.
6. Tuesday -- Backstage call at 8:00AM, run scenes, get in costume. 9:30AM Preview. Report back to class in the middle of 3rd period.
7. Tuesday after-school 3-8pm.
8. Wednesday. Call at 10:29 (after 3rd). Eat light and be backstage by 11:00 for 12 NOON preview. After the run, notes and work. We'll be done by 5pm at the latest.
9. Thursday - after-school naptime!! 6pm call.
10. Friday NO SCHOOL! 6pm call. Text and facebook friends to come to show.
11. Saturday 6pm call, strike after show until all is finished.
12. Sunday - sleep and homework and bask in the after-glow!
13. PAY YER $55!!

updates

Hi Amanda!

Please send to the cast, with CC's to Paul, Deb, and Becky:

1. Invite the olds and ALL their friends to the senior preview on Wednesday, November 10th, 12 noon tentative start time. Bonus points for getting an entire wing of the senior center there.
2. Thanks for your hard work. These long rehearsals are important.
3. We open in 10 rehearsals.
4. Please pay your activity fee $55 ASAP so I can focus on other things, like sound, getting a preview house, and publicity.
5. Please support each other with diligent graciousness during these last rehearsals. Notice how the senior leaders are doing this.
6. Some people deserve special thanks, as they are spending a tremendous amount of time working on this show but won't take a bow from the stage. Please thank Becca, Hannah, and Mulki for costumes. Morgan for volunteering with Deb's great choreography. The entire set crew and Paul for working hard behind the scenes. Mr. Jarvis for being heavily invested in the success of this show. The pit players, who have already had three rehearsals. Becky and Jan (just so you're aware, there is no better team in Rochester and we are extraordinarily fortunate for their expertise): they are helping you sound fantastic. Sam, Eddie, and the Lighting Pope for lighting up your lives. Activity Director Paul Cox, for continually helping make the production possible and advocating for TheatreJM. And especially, Amanda Mayberry, who has taken on tremendous responsibility and is shining like a star. This show can not happen without their valuable efforts; let's make sure they know it. "Hey, ________, I just want you to know it's nice working with you and I really appreciate your _________!"
7. If you're enjoying the show, let your parents know this is valuable to you and you're grateful for their support.
8. Begin talking up the show and asking your friends, teachers, and anyone else you know to come see it. Have your parents make plans to invite family friends. We'll be doing posters, postcards, and the PB, but big audiences happen because of people talking about it. At this point, about every fifth sentence should be a reference to the Bee. Maybe you can't see it yet, but we're on track for a truly phenomenal production.
9. Finally, thank you for playing with me on stage - there's nowhere I'd rather be than in rehearsal with you.

Mr. Decker

RCT Open Audition

Open Audition:
Irving Berlin's White Christmas
DATE: October 12 & 13
TIME: 7:00PM
LOCATION: RCT

Director: Gregory Stavrou
Music Director: Jan Matson
Vocal Director: Ann Siverling
Choreographer: Debbie Fuehrer


We are looking for.....
Many Men to play characters aged 20's -60's plus
Many Women to play characters aged 20's - 60's plus
1 Girl (around age 10)


• Prepare a song to sing at the audition and bring the sheet music for an accompanist.
• Dress comfortably for various dance movements; wear appropriate shoes.
• Bring your tap dance shoes or hard soled/ character shoes.
• Rehearsal dates will be announced at the audition.
• Any questions? Please e-mail Gregory!

Updated Rehearsal Schedule

Please Check the blog for more updates as well!
www.edecker.blogspot.com
REHEARSAL SCHEDULE - OCTOBER 11-OCTOBER 19

MONDAY - Oct. 11: 3:15 Rona & Olive #2
3:30 FULL CAST Learn #2, #5
Review #3, #1 (memory)
4;30 Barfee & Olive #16, 17b
5:00 Barfee #5
5:30 Rona, Panch - Moment #1-2-3 (memory)

TUESDAY - Oct. 12: 3;15 Schwarzy & Mitch #15
3:30 FULL CAST Learn #7, 10
Review #6, 6a (memory)
4:30 Mitch #7 (memory)

5:00-7:00 DANCE - FULL CAST

WEDNESDAY - Oct. 13: 3:30-5:30 Rehearse with Mr Decker




-THURSDAY - Oct. 14: 3:15 Coneybear #4, #11a (memory)
3:30 FULL CAST Learn#18
Review #20, 21, Good-byes 1-2-3 (memory)
4:30 Schwarzy #10 (memory)

5:00-7:00 DANCE - FULL CAST

FRIDAY - Oct. 15: 3:15 Chip #9 (memory)
3:30 FULL CAST Lean #16, 17, 17a, 17b
Review - ANY previously learned and ALL we can
4:30 Marcy (memory) & ALL GIRLS #12, 13
5:30 Olive, Mom, Dad #14 (memory)
Olive #2 (memory)

(SATURDAY - ANYONE WHO WANTS EXTRA HELP FROM ME - CALL ! 271-2327 (cell) or 281-9737 (home)



MONDAY - Oct. 18: 3;15 FULL CAST - warm up
3:30-6:00 Sing Through SHOW / MEMORIZED
(we will go til we are done)

TUESDAY - Oct. 19: 5:00-7:30 DANCE - FULL CAST

RCTC Theater Workshop

RCTC Theatre Department Hosting Professional Theatre Workshop Saturday,
October 9, 2010

Rochester Community and Technical College’s Theatre department is hosting a Professional Theatre Intensive Workshop on Saturday, October 9, 2010 from
8 a.m. – 3 p.m. at the UCR Hill Theatre.

International artist/performer and Rochester native, Ryan Underbakke, will present a session on “The Physical Actor”;

Rob Frankel, a Chicago native who now resides in New York, will present “Building A Character”

An Advanced Actor Combatant with the Society of American Fight Directors, Mike Speck will conduct “Don’t Hold the Pointy End: An Introduction to Safe Stage Swordplay”

Well-known local artists, Greg Miller and Jerry Casper will present a session entitled “Never Joke About Improv”

American soprano, Carla Thelen Hanson, will present “Musical Theatre Audition Intensive”.

The workshop is limited to 45 persons and is offered on a first come first serve basis. The cost of the workshop is $30 (plus $3 for lunch--payable when you check in on October 9). Cash or Check only. checks made payable to "RCTC Theatre".
Mail payments to: RCTC Theatre, 851, 30th Ave SE, Rochester, Mn 55904

Payment and a completed enrollment form for the workshop must be received in advance – no later than 4:30 p.m. on Friday, October 8th.

Free tap dancing lessons w. Deb!

This Sunday, October 3rd, at the Civic Theatre at 2:30 (I will be there at 2). Free tap class: they should wear hard-soled shoes, character shoes, or tap shoes, comfortable clothes and hopefully bring a water bottle.

Can't make it? Next session will be Saturday, October 9 at 4:30 to 6:30 p.m.

ideas needed

Prep Teams: Show me what you've got for the opening number.

Ideas so far: flashcard drills, going through lunch box to show off power foods available, costume adjustment, dictionary/looking up words (Olive?), stretching/vocal warm-ups/Yoga/Tai Chi).

Everyone: let's have fun thinking of things for Megan/Marcy to do during "I Speak Six Languages." My ideas are here. Bursting through a tacklers with a football, running up the steps like Rocky, making a balloon animal, judo-ing her way through six people – maybe at end of song countdown, solving a super complex math equation, conducting a science experiment that explodes, defusing a bomb, playing the sax solo (she can’t play piano), hockey shot, ballet, tap, hip-hop?


Add your ideas as a comment.

Audition Posting

The Inside Out Players (Rochester Civic Theatre) is a youth performance troupe that develops its own script. From the drawing board, to the rough draft, to rehearsal, to the final performance, this troupe creates the show from beginning to end and then tours it to area schools, businesses, and organizations. Script ideas are drawn directly from the minds of the troupe's members and are polished through an inventive creative process. In the end, a show is developed that is both educational and fun.

Auditions: October 6th at 7pm
Ages: 9-18 years
Rehearsals: Wednesdays 4-6pm

Chorus call

Full cast/chorus next Wednesday - rough staging.
Full cast/chorus next Thursday - rough singing.

Spelling Bee Page Endings

Hat tip to Sam May.
(He does know this; he did poorly last year at Nationals.)

RONA
BUT IT’S A VERY NICE
VERY VERY NICE…

2
Returning after last season’s tragic setback: William Barfee.

BARFEE
It’s pronounced Barfee; there’s an accent ague.

(MARCY enters. She’s calm, you might even mistakenly think blasé.)

3
(with hostility)
Excuse me, I’ve marked this area off with invisible tape.

4
CONEYBEAR
HOLY COW

SCHWARZY
WE SHALL TAKE A SOLEMN VOW
TO CONCENTRATE ON WINNING

5
(Rona calls names of four audience volunteers, selected through interview process before the show)

[first and last name of volunteers one, two, three, four]

6
(Line changes with theatre configuration—eg: Have you ever been in a gymnasium with chandeliers before?)

7
*[Ad lib note: “fallen ill”= occasional ad lib space.]

8
RONA
And now for the official spelling bee rules.

9
WE WILL RING

SPELLERS
YOU WILL RING

10
microphone RONA provides “color commentary,” facts about the speller purportedly from their registration forms.)

11
Leaf! Phone!

CONEYBEAR
Thanks! I got it!
Hello, Leaf speaking. Uh huh. Uh, huh. Uh, huh.
You’re kidding? I’m gonna represent the Basin in the bee? Wow, I can’t believe it.

12
Is that a word?

PANCH
That’s a word, yes.

CONEYBEAR
No way, what does it mean?

13
It’s unbelievable, I just said the first letters that came into my head, and that “y” was really…

ALL
Shhh.

14
(calling her back to spelling reality)
Boanthropy.

OLIVE
Is that from the Latin root bo meaning ox, and the Greek root anthro meaning man?

15
SHE TALKS INTO HER HAND AND TURNS ASIDE

OLIVE
SO I WILL NOT MAKE A MISTAKE AND BE DISQUALIFIED

16
(Rona gives volunteer words to spell. Speller will not act and not ask definition of word.)

17
BARFEE
Yes, of course. Lugubrious, meaning extremely sad and droopy?

PANCH
More or less, yes.

18
(to audience volunteer)
Mexican.

19
Thank you. Phylactery. P-H-Y-L-A-C-T-E-R-Y. Phylactery.

PANCH
That is correct. Mr. Tolentino.

20
Omphaloskepsis. O…M…P…H…A…L-O-S-K-E-P-S-I-S. Omphaloskepsis.

PANCH
That is correct.

21
PANCH
Spell “gerbil.”
(Coneybear spells “gerbil,” as song continues.)

22
ALL SPELLERS
GODDAMN IT!

CHIP
IT IS SUCH A CALAMITY.

23
(Audience volunteers are engineered to dance in a circle alone, while other spellers point and laugh.)

MITCH
LIFE IS RANDOM

24
CHIP OTHER SPELLERS
WIN
THEY DON’T WIN LIFE IS PANDE-MONIUM
THEY DON’T WIN LIFE IS PANDE-MONIUM
THEY DON’T WIN

25
Thithtitith? May I please have the definition of that word?

PANCH
“An inflammation of the urinary bladder”

26
SCHWARZY
Yes—

DAN DAD
Maybe it’s time for a break?

27
What’s it mean?

PANCH
“A South American rodent of the genus Myoprocta, resembling an agouti”

28
FAMILY
DUMB KID

CONEYBEAR
HOW COULD A FLEA
SUCH AS ME

29
CONEYBEAR
(stunned)
I MIGHT BE SMART.

30
OLIVE
Flagellate—um—that’s a verb right?

PANCH
Yes.

31
SCHWARZY
Honestly, I think there’s a good chance I would do okay, but it’s unlikely I’d win the whole thing, I’m a good speller, but I’m not a truly great speller, and though I have trained hard there’s so much luck involved.

32
(Rona comment from list, at discretion of actor playing RONA.

Panch/Speller ad lib on word, definition, sentence from list, at discretion of actor playing PANCH. At this point, actor playing Panch has decided which volunteer should be the last one standing and attempts to rig accordingly. The one who is

33
#5—Magic Foot

34
DON’T GO KAPUT FOOT
MAGIC FOOT MAGIC FOOT MAGIC FOOOOOOOOT!
WRITE THE GODDAMN LETTER
DOOT GA DOOT GA DOOT MAGIC FOOOOOOOOT!
COME ON FOOT, COME ON!

35
Miss Park.

RONA
Miss Park skipped fourth and fifth grades. She’s on track to become the youngest high school freshman in parochial school history.

36
PANCH
Why would you want to do that?

CHIP
I’d rather not say?

37
#6—Pandemonium (Reprise)

(can overlap above)
“If you start to spell a word you may start over…

38
(MITCH looks to RONA; RONA looks to PANCH; PANCH looks at the bell—and rings it.
Ding)

MITCH
Let’s go kid.

39
RONA comment from list, at discretion of actor playing Rona
Word given to last remaining audience volunteer. Volunteer is told there is no known definition. Audience member usually spells the word “correctly”—i.e. unless their answer is entirely implausible, they are retained, to the great surprise of PANCH and RONA, amazed at the volunteer’s good spelling.

40
SPELL WITH PATIENCE AND CARE
THAT DUDE IS MY PRAYER

41
GOODBYE!

42
HAVE BEEN
ELIM-
INATED

YOU WANNA KNOW HOW?

43
MY LIFE!

ADULTHOOD BRINGS IT’S OWN PECULIAR REJECTION
WHICH IS WHY I’M SELLING THIS P.T.A. CONFECTION.

44
BARFEE
Well it’s a disgusting fruit, and I can’t keep them down.

45
Ladies and gentlemen our final spellers. Let’s give them a hand.
We have, home-schooled from the Basin, Leaf Coneybear.

46
SCHWARZY
I HOPE YOU CAN LOVE ME, AMERICA.
I’M GUNNING FOR FIRST PRICE.
HERE’S WHY YOU SHOULD LOVE ME, AMERICA:
MY NEEDS I CANNOT OVEREMPHASIZE.

47
Don’t call her that, Carl.
CARL DAD
Sorry. Her “Birth Mother.”

48
BE SMART, BE COOL
WOE IS ME BE SMART, BE COOL
BE SMART, BE

49
BARFEE
It’s Barfee.

PANCH
Please spell PALAVER.

50
BARFEE
It’s Mr. Barfee.

PANCH
Please spell WEEVIL.

51
SCHWARZY
L-I

CONEYBEAR
V-A

52
TO ME IT BRINGS
A PLAINTIVE AIR.
I ALWAYS THOUGHT THAT LIFE WAS FAIR
I MEAN I NEVER FELT A SMIDGEON OF DESPAIR
THEY SAY A BELL CAN BREAK YOUR HEART;

53
Miss Park speaks five languages.

MARCY
(SHE’s had it with these comments)
No I don’t.

54
AS MY LIFE UNSCROLLS
UNAMAZED AM I
I DON’T LIKE TO BRAG
AND I WONT CAUSE I DON’T HAVE TO BUT
I SPEAK SIX LANGUAGES.

55
MARCY GIRLS
I KNOW SIX LANGUAGES SHE KNOWS SIX LANGUAGES
THAT’S ONE, TWO, SHE KNOWS, SHE KNOWS
THREE, FOUR, SHE KNOWS, SHE KNOWS
FIVE, SHE KNOWS, SHE KNOWS
SIX! SIX!

56
MARCY
How are you?

JESUS
I’m good. Is that your prayer, Marcy, for a more difficult word?

57
I BLEW THAT WORD SHE BLEW THAT WORD
PRAISE JESUS! PRAISE JESUS!
LIFE HAS SUCH POSSIBILITY

58
Miss Ostrovsky’s line Rona speaking. Just one minute, Logainne.
(as RONA takes the call, SCHWARZY begins to complain)

59
SCHWARZY
And are there any alternate definitions?

PANCH
Yes—a channel to drain or carry off surplus water.

60
Oh that’s no good.
(aside to Schwarzy)
No, no, let that dry.

61
I apologize for that incident. In my defense I’d like to point out that I am lactose intolerant. Miss Ostrovsky.

OLIVE
(to Rona)
What did my dad say?

62
WHEN YOU WERE A BEGINNER.
YOU WERE THE PERFECT CHILD.

WE ALWAYS KNEW, WE ALWAYS KNEW, YOU WERE A CHAMPION.
YOUR SADNESS FILLED MY ROOM.

63
I THINK DAD IS ANGRY, MA,
AND I DO NOT KNOW WHAT TO DO.
MAMA, MAMA, MAMA
SHANTI, SHANTI, AND OM.

64
I-I-I LOVE YOU
I LOVE EVERYTHING ABOUT YOU BABY (DEAR)

MOM
AND I SWEAR IT’S TRUE.

65
(tries to get BARFEE’s attention to warn him about the sticky spot on the floor)
William. William.
(RONA and PANCH shush SCHWARZY.)

66
BARFEE
Ew. C-R-E-P…U?
(spells rest of word quickly thinking he’s missed on the “u”)
S-C-U-L-E. Crepescule.

67
So simple?

PANCH
So simple.

68
15b—Rona Moment #3

69
(for Olive’s benefit)
Zoonosis. Yes, of course. Does that happen to be the longest word that can be turned upside down and it’s still the same word?
70
TO THINK THAT I MIGHT WIN IT
IS ASTOUNDING NEEWS
AND I’M ABOUT TO BURST.

BARFEE
R-O Astro

71
SECOND I WON’T COME IN… AHH
I WON’T COME IN… AHH
SECOND AHH

72
BARFEE
(turns and notices OLIVE)
You…
(It’s really the first time HE’s thought about how someone else might feel.)

73
YES, SECOND SECOND IF FOR EVER EVER EVER
I WILL COME IN SECOND SECOND I WAS ALWAYS STUCK IN SECOND
OOH WILL I COME IN SECOND
OOH WILL I COME IN
OOH

74
exception!
(PANCH is the only one to notice OLIVE in background looking very sad.)

75
(to Barfee, at end of reception line)
Good bee.

76
Vice Principal Panch found a new passion in life. Her name was Rona Lisa Peretti. After courting her tirelessly for over two years, she took out a restraining order on him. Still, he was grateful for the opportunity to experience love.

77
came in 42nd. (Top 50) In later years he grew up to be incredibly handsome and to gain fame and notoriety for his pioneering efforts in the combined scientific fields of psychiatry and podiatry, otherwise known as: poschietry.

78
COMPANY
25TH ANNUAL
PUTNAM COUNTY SPELLING BEE.
(The COMPANY bows.)