Actors–
–Lillie and Genevieve, you get into position on stage in the dark while Porter is delivering her monologue so the light can go out on her and up on you almost simultaneously
–Atlee, please make sure you move quick enough to beat Kellie’s line. “There’s someone at the door,” which is in response to the first ringing of the bell. You don’t need to put on your coat or scarf. I blocked it that way, but it’s delaying you too much, so just go straight “outside.”
–No gum when you are on stage, please. Just don’t bring any to the theater.
–Brynnli, find the light.
–All church ladies, hang up the phone before you move to exit. The sound of the hanging up phone makes sense when you are still in the light in your position on stage. It becomes a distraction when you are exiting in the dark.
–Josiah, please be louder. You are having to get your voice past the other actors on the stage and you are seated. It takes more volume to be heard.
–When the curtains close between the Bradley’s house and the church, the baby angels and sheep that are waiting just inside the curtain need to stand further up and offstage, so their feet are less visible and no one should be sitting or kneeling on the stage.
During the reading of the Bible story scene:
–Everyone please review your lines. Cues are being missed and that makes it more difficult for the other actors to know when they are supposed to speak. You have yet to be so loud that I would ask any of you to pull back. The scene needs more volume.
–Nate, when you’re talking about your dad not having a bathrobe do not look upstage at Tristen. I know he is answering your question, but please keep yourself cheating out towards the audience.
–Carter and Waker, please ask your questions immediately after Kellie mentions the thing you ask about: What’s a manger? and Frankincense–what’s that? myrrh–What’s THAT?
–Porter when you hang the cross on the proscenium wall, please push the bottom of the cross into the space between the two “columns.” It helps the cross to hang straight.
–All Herdmans review your lines in your Revenge in Bethlehem cross. Those need to be delivered in quick succession, not spread out. Don’t just work on your lines, make sure you are hearing or at least reading through everyone else’s, and doing your blocking, so you absolutely know when your lines are, what you are saying and you are doing before, during, and after them.
Costumes–
–All the angels will have wings, halos and belts ; all the shepherds will have head pieces, ties that hold them on and bathrobe belts; Mary and Joseph will have head pieces; the wise men will have crowns; sheep will have headbands with ears.
–Please make sure if you are supposed to be in costume for the dress rehearsal, that you are ready with your robe/gown/halo/head pieces, etc. Actors who should be in costume for that scene are: Mary, Joseph, Elmer, Alice, Maxine, Mila, and Evanjaline.
–For all rehearsals you will put these robes and such over your regular clothes and return them to the hangers and hang them on the rack at the end of rehearsal.
–In Act Two everyone enters in their pageant costumes (shepherd, sheep, angel, etc). The only pageant children who appear on stage without them in Act Two are Tristan and Porter who have the scene with their parents first. Their robes and other bits need to be hanging backstage left for them to put on.
Lighting and Tech–
LX-please set the lighting cues so all the instruments in that cue turn on at the same time. Along with that, the cues for Beth’s monologue should be full on, full off, if that is possible.
Bradley house–
–The casserole pan should be set on the floor upstage at the stage left side of the cabinet. Tristen, you need to cross all the way to the stage left end of the counter, grab the hot pads that are now right in front of you and act like you are bending over to open the oven and pull out the casserole.
SX-please wait the first doorbell ring until Atlee’s “outside.”
LX-On Porter’s monologues, please wait for her to be in position before turning her light on. She needs to get there. This is an issue with her scene following Mrs. Armstrong in the wheelchair who is in the same spot on stage . She needs time for Penny and wheelchair to get out of the way, so she can get to the right spot.
First rehearsal–
Two piles of books on the cabinet, hymnals on top of the two Bibles.
Two folding chairs in front of the cabinet.
Actors removing chairs at the end of the Bible story scene–Faith, Genevieve, Porter, Lillie. Please don’t forget them. If you remember after you’ve left the stage, go back and get them. I thank you and so does the tech crew.
LX–instant black out after “I’m an angel” at the end of that scene