Happy Halloween!! We had a great class tonight on this All Hallow’s Eve. Our acting ensemble came in and they were dressed to scare. Andrew was a very strong Iron Man. Lucy was a majestic Maleficent. Sam R was a basketball player and Sam F quite the swashbuckling pirate.
The focus of tonight's class was to finish off a Christmas Carol, and to learn a new song. We started out the evening with a very Halloween dance party, including Ghostbusters the Monster Mash and Thriller. Claire’s zombie walk worked perfectly with the music. Braden then let us through on warm up. He told us that he had a magical ball. It could be turned in any shape to do anything you can imagine. We had a great time passing this magic ball around the circle and coming up with new inventions. Anna made fireworks, Andrew made Iron Man's energy source, Sam F made a pillow and took a nap.
After warming up Kaylie led us in our check in question, “What is your favorite Halloween movie?” There was a lot of love for the Nightmare before Christmas, Harry Potter and Hocus-Pocus. Our next task to lock in as an ensemble was to play the counting game, we had to count from 1 to 10, one at a time without repeating or speaking over each other. Our first attempt was a success, but repeating the process proved difficult. Or next ensemble game we called stage pictures. We have to create a thing or environment (a stage picture) by each person creating a different element of it. The first one fit into a Halloween theme and it was a werewolf. Sam R was it’s nose, Andrew it's fangs, Ben and Anna made up the legs. Sam was the wagging tail. Colleen started off the next picture of a strong man, Sam R made the muscles, Colleen was the base, Claire was the weightlifting belt, and Sam F was the flowing mullet. Our final picture was started by Lucy, a police station. She started out as a prisoner, Sam R the handcuffs, Colleen the night court judge, Andrew the bars, and Sam F the radio. Claire and Anna drove the police car.
Before finishing off the play we wanted to review the characters, we all took a look at the posters on the wall to refresh our memory and then played a round of from here to there. We made our way across the room as each individual character. After this refamiliarization we each took turns going across the room as a character and not telling the group which character we were. It was then up to the ensemble to decide which character we were. Are actors showed a great understanding of the different characters that make up this wonderful Christmas story. As they made strong choices for each character so much so that guessing was a snap. After the final walk it was time to finish a Christmas Carol. Scene five starts out with Scrooge coming out of his house dressed to the nines. At the beginning of the scene Scrooge is played by Lucy. Ben plays an errand boy running through the streets. Scrooge in his iconic way ask the boy for the date to which he replies, “Well it's Christmas Day.” Scrooge in his exuberance pays the boy to go pick out the largest turkey from the shop and have it sent to the Cratchit home. Sam F then took over the role of Scrooge as he travels to his nephews house. There he is greeted by a very surprised Bess and his nephew Fred has he tells them he regrets having turn down their generous invitation and hopes to spend Christmas with them which they joyously accept. The very last part of the play takes place in the Cratchit home. It begins with the Cratchit enjoying their tremendous feast, Tiny Tim believes that Scrooge must've given them the turkey, everyone else find this ridiculous, however, in bursts Scrooge. He seems angry and asks Cratchit why he's not at work. “But you gave me the day off,” Cratchit replies. Scrooge's grimace lightens as he tells Cratchit that he will then have to give him a raise. And he's going to make sure the Tiny Tim has all of his medical needs met. With that the play is done.
Our next task this Halloween night was to learn a new song. And by learn a new song I mean refresh one that everyone knows. We sang Jingle Bells. It is not one that we will have to spend too much time on as everyone chimed in immediately. After working on Jingle Bells we went back to Carol of the Bells a more challenging fair as it is in the round. After some good work it was time to check out. We reassembled our circle and we asked the question "Now that we have finished the play what is your favorite part?” Andrew likes it when Scrooge helps Tiny Tim. In fact Scrooge’s transformation seems to be a favorite of many. With our checkout question done Sam R lead I Take from the Heavens. Next week we hold auditions for Christmas Carol. Be sure to look over your packets and be ready perform your three favorite characters.
