YOU’RE A CAST MEMBER!
Congratulations! You just landed a role in the spring musical. What should you know or do to make the most of this experience?
THEATER ETIQUETTE
Show up early, rehearsed, and ready to work.
LISTEN, DO NOT TALK, and do not interact with others when your directors are teaching you or giving you notes and feedback. It is considered very rude and unprofessional to draw focus to yourself or be a distraction while your teachers are addressing you as a group. Always listen to other people’s questions, because most likely the answer will affect you. Conversely, if you have a question that only pertains to you, wait until the group situation is over to approach the teacher.
Take care of the theater like it is yours. Stay organized and neat, and always pick up trash and throw it away.
PREPARE, PREPARE, PREPARE
Listen to the songs on repeat, sing in the shower, memorize your lines as early as possible. Attend all rehearsals, be on time, be helpful, and be focused. Have fun, but don’t be a distraction for others. Be ready to LISTEN with a calm body and mind. You will receive many, many directions that you will need to rehearse and remember. Be a team player and think ahead.
ALL CAST MEMBERS
BACKSTAGE ETIQUETTE
If you are not in the scene, wait in the green room.
If you are in the wings, hide in the shadows and only whisper if you must communicate with someone.
If you have a costume change, do it immediately after your last scene is finished; do not wait until just before your next scene.
When the house opens, you must stay backstage or in the green room. Do not go out during intermission. You may take photos with family and friends in your costume after the show, but you must put your costume away before you go home.
PROVIDE & USE YOUR PROPS
As soon as possible, read through the script to find out if you need a prop. If you do, you should prepare it, put your name on it, and bring it to every rehearsal. The prop might be provided for you if the drama department happens to have it, or if the director is particular about it, but otherwise plan on providing your own.
Costumes, hair, & Makeup
Always bring your kit. Do not use other people’s supplies.
Read through the details about undergarments, shoes, & supplies here.
If you have multiple costumes, you must be very attentive to keeping the pieces together and ready for each rehearsal.
Treat all costumes with care! They are borrowed from Ms. Z and her company.
THANK YOUR CREW
Your crew members paint the flats, set the scenes, move the props, button your costumes, play the music, and turn on the lights. If it weren’t for them, you’d be in a dark box yelling into the void.
Get to know your crew and thank them every day!
ENSEMBLE
“There are no small parts, only small actors.”
Ensemble members are KEY to creating a high-impact, exciting show! These are the performers that make big numbers BIG! If your child is disappointed they didn’t get a speaking part, remind them that ensemble usually have multiple numbers (which means lots of stage time), sometimes multiple characters (which means multiple costumes and changes). Being in the ensemble is challenging & demanding in different ways than being a lead.
PREPARE, PREPARE, PREPARE
Listen to the songs on repeat, sing in the shower, memorize your lines as early as possible. Attend all rehearsals, be on time, be helpful, and be focused. Have fun, but don’t be a distraction for others. Be ready to LISTEN with a calm body and mind. You will receive many, many directions that you will need to rehearse and remember. Be a team player and think ahead.
PROPS
As soon as possible, read through the script to find out if you need a prop. If you do, you should prepare it, put your name on it, and bring it to every rehearsal. The prop might be provided for you if the drama department happens to have it, or if the director is particular about it, but otherwise plan on providing your own.
Costumes, hair, & Makeup
Read through the details about undergarments, shoes, & supplies here.
If you have multiple costumes, you must be very attentive to keeping the pieces together and ready for each rehearsal.
Treat all costumes with care! They are borrowed from Ms. Z and her company.
LEADS
You’ve just landed a lead role! This means that the director and producer believe in your abilities to focus, memorize, rehearse, and take direction. You will need to practice these skills at the highest level you can, because as a lead, you cannot hide in the back and just follow along. You must…LEAD! This also means being totally engaged and listening whenever you are given feedback and instructions. You must also set an example for the rest of the cast by being dependable, responsible, and PREPARED at all times.
VOCAL COACHING
As a soloist, you will have the wonderful opportunity to receive individual coaching from Mrs. Secrist, a longtime supporter of the theater programs. You will meet with her once a week, and she will teach you about singing, breathing, and expressing. Bring a recording device or app on your phone like Voice Notes to record yourself, so you can play back and practice what came up during rehearsals. Practicing between coaching sessions is essential to improvement.
GO BIG! YOU ARE A STORYTELLER!
Musical Theater is over-the-top, expressive, colorful, and emotional! Be fearless and try new things, fail, make mistakes, push your limits, and surprise yourself! Embrace the humor, the fear, the joy, and all the emotions of the story. Your job is to move the audience, make them feel, and take them on a journey.