Singing 25/03/19
We listened to "Time Warp" from The Rocky Horror Show. We then sung it as a group because we haven't auditioned for our parts yet. We sung the three part harmony for the chorus: "Let's do the time warp again" - I'm singing the low harmony -I find that once I have heard all three harmonies, it's difficult to remember my harmony but I know that once we spend more time learning this song, it will become easier.
Singing 04/04/19
We spent majority of this lesson learning the song "Science Fiction/ Double Feature" for the Rocky Horror Show performance on May 23rd. Alex, who plays Usherette/Magenta in the play, is the lead singer in this song. However, there are a lot of harmonies/ backing vocals so everyone has a part in this song. I play Columbia in the play and that means in this song, I get to harmonise on my own in the chorus of this song. Charlie said there is a call and response part between the Usherette and Columbia which we will learn after the Easter Holidays.
Singing 29/04/19
We warmed up with "Time Warp" and went over "Science Fiction/ Double Feature" and "Floorshow/ Rose Tint My World" to check if the key of the backing tracks were suitable for us. With "Science Fiction/ Double Feature", we had to find another backing track because the first one we tried required us to sing below our range so we found another backing track that suited us easily. However, we discarded the version where I harmonise in the chorus because it was very confusing with extra harmonies that did not match up with the backing track we fou We found a suitable backing track for "Floorshow/ Rose Tint My World" so we spent the lesson learning that song
Singing 02/05/19
We went over "Time Warp" where I missed my cue for my solo as the lyrics in the script I received showed an extra chorus the backing track skips out - I will remember this for future lessons. We then sung "Floorshow/ Rose Tint My World" where despite having a cold, I sung with as much confidence I could and stayed in character - with a squeaky voice.
When debating what song we should sing, I suggested we practise "Eddie's Teddy" as everyone sings the chorus for that song and we ended up spending a lot of time on it and everyone was told what harmony they would sing. I found it very difficult to remember my harmony when it came to the chorus. I will practise my harmony over the weekend and sing it with the song and then the backing track so I will be prepared for next lesson. I am pushing myself to learn the songs as quick as possible due to having only three weeks left until the performance.
Jazz/ Musical Theatre 02/05/19
After doing our own brief warm ups, we went over all choreography that had already been done to get Shannon's advice on it and to refine it. We recapped "Time Warp", "Floorshow/ Rose Tint My World" and "Touch-A Touch-A Touch-A Touch Me". I missed the day here we learnt the choreography for "Time Warp" so this was a great opportunity to learn it.
She said that the 'tap break' I choreographed was good which gave me confidence in my choreographing skills. We learnt Leah's choreography to "Hot Patootie" where I am dancing with Eddie (who sings this song). It was a challenge for me to keep on dancing in my character and letting go of my personality for so long. I am proud of my efforts and the result - I will need to go over the dance in my own time and know exactly where I should be and what dance moves I will be doing because if I improv even a small section, I will risk making mistakes on stage which I know from our last production, Little Shop of Horrors where I improvised small sections which looking back, would have been much better if I had the exact movements in my head.
Acting 07/05/19
Alex ran through Science Fiction. There was no choreographing for this because we don't think it needs any dancing, just acting and singing - of course, she will be moving, walking around the stage. She plans to act as an Usherette, giving out popcorn to the audience whilst singing which I thought was a great idea and made me realise that I should think creatively whenever pondering what I should do on stage.
We went through most songs and nearly all the script. We were told to be off-script for this lesson. I know all my lines but I need to learn my cues. It was a really successful lesson - Monique was telling us that we grew so much from our last production saying that this time our energy is up and we are performing well.
09/05/19
Today, we went through the entire script and all the songs. We learnt our positions in "I'm Going Home" and started learning Ghazall's choreography to Sword of Damocles. I find that even if I'm not actually dancing, but just moving, I struggle to sing because I am out of breath. For example, in "Time Warp" when doing all the choreography, by the time it comes to my singing solo, I am out of breath and I sound terrible - I will work on this outside of lesson time, so I will be prepared for rehearsals next week. I asked where on stage I should be in "Sweet Transvestite" and I was told not to join Magenta and Riff Raff who were dancing with Frank, but to stay near Brad and Janet. I find it difficult when I don't have any choreography on stage because I have to decide what I will do so I need to think about what would be entertaining for the audience whilst staying in character. There is a part in the play where Magenta, Columbia and Riff Raff carry Frank off stage. Alex (Magenta) and I took the top half and Leah (Riff Raff) took the legs. I was genuinely scared I would drop Ella so we decided that one person should take the top, one should take the middle and the other the legs.
Character Development
Something I should have done a long time ago is create a backstory for Columbia to help create more depth for my character which will make it easier to portray her. I know Columbia is a very excitable character but she can also stand up for herself which is shown when she tells off Frank. This shows she has a more moral side; she doesn't like that Eddie and Rocky were used just for sex. Does she take drugs? I think that it is likely with her experimental lifestyle which could actually be seen as rebellious as everything she was doing was looked down upon by society.
It is important to note that unlike Frank and the other servants, she is not an extraterrestrial which makes her more of an outsider - she didn't get beamed back to their alien planet at the end of the play. Maybe she was brought up in a very strict household and was forced to adhere to rules that made her life a misery. Perhaps she escaped from home in her mid-teens and met Magenta who brought her to Frank's castle. There she probably felt at home which is why she stayed and was so grateful to Frank that she obeys his every word (or at least up to a point).
15/05/19
We went over "Time Warp" and I focused on my singing but I still sounded out of breath and a little flat - I just have to keep practising. I also kept forgetting certain parts like that my tap solo came right after my singing solo so I really need to go over it in my own time so I have it in memory. I also stayed in character throughout the dance but I forgot to sing like my character - with an American accent and a higher pitch.
We then went over "Eddie's Teddy" where I focused on my expressions and connecting to Columbia's character as much as possible. We all needed to recap the choreography and refine it so we now know it much better.
We went over "Sword of Damocles" where there was a lot of confusion surrounding the choreography. We asked Ghazall, the choreographer, about certain parts of the dance and she developed and refined the choreography. She also mentioned we need to exaggerate our expressions and reactions to Rocky so I am trying to make my facials and body movements bigger but the struggle is trying not to worry about looking foolish.
Singing 16/05/19
We did singing in the dance studio today so we could do the choreography that goes with it. We did all songs in order from "Science Fiction/ Double Feature" to "Science Fiction/ Double Feature (Reprise)" because "Time Warp (Reprise)" has not been edited to fit the bows yet. I thought we all did well today and sung our songs well.
Jazz/Musical Theatre 16/05/19
Today we went through the whole of Rocky Horror Show, including all songs and transitions into scenes without pausing in the middle for notes or to redo anything. This was incredibly helpful because I could figure out when and where I go on and off the stage and simply seeing all scenes and songs in order made me feel like I knew what I was doing whereas before I felt a little lost. It also showed all of us we can get through the whole show which was a big relief for me since we are performing it next week.
The main critique for me was to pronounce my words better in my solo in "Time Warp" and to work on my breathing so I could manage to sing every word. I was also told that I stayed in character very well. In almost every song, we were told to fix the choreography because many mistakes could be seen and for the killing scene, Shannon said she wrote a question mark next to it. This means we have to go over that scene and develop it as soon as possible.
We went over whatever we could in the remaining lesson time. We did "Time Warp" several times and I worked really hard to create a pleasant sound and to make sure every word could be heard clearly and afterwards Shannon said it was an improvement.
Tech Rehearsal 17/05/19
The main aim of today was for the production team to get the lighting and sound ready for the performance. For me, it was to understand the spacing of the stage, where I will be standing, how far I have to move to get where I need to be. For example, in "Hot Patootie" I have to bring Ghazall Down Stage quicker because she has to come off the Q- Build which takes longer. Also in "Floorshow/ Rose Tint My World" I have to hold my pose on the lower step of the Q-Build whereas before all I knew was I had to be Stage Left. I find Tech Rehearsals necessary for knowing these details as it makes the performance of a higher standard.
We practised the killing scene at the end of the play which both Monique and Shannon have told us needs the most work. We all now know what we are doing for that scene and also for the final "Time Warp Reprise" which is where we bow as a company.
Something that I was concerned about was slipping on the theatre floor in my tap shoes; I also had not yet practised my tap break wearing my tap shoes since it would scratch the floor in the studio. However, the floor was not slippery at all! My tapping sounded loud and clear and my tap shoes were not too loud to walk in (this is a relief as I have to walk in my tap shoes for the first part of the play since there is no time to change from my character shoes). I will be able to change into my character shoes for the rest of the play when I exit the stage after "Time Warp" and "Sweet Transvestite".
Tech Rehearsal 20/05/19
Today we practised with head microphones. I have microphone number five. We went through all solo songs and then the group songs "Time Warp", "Floorshow/ Rose Tint My World" and "I'm Going Home". I made sure to focus on my breathing when I sing my parts because I find it hard to get words out and when I asked Shelley, she said I did well. I have noticed in some choreography, details such as which way we turn need to be sorted out but I think that can be done when having lesson time that focuses on the performance rather than the technical side of it.
Tech Rehearsal 21/05/19
I had a one-ear head microphone today which as much as I tried to adjust it, kept falling off. I have to apply face tape to make sure this does not happen. We went through the whole show from start to end with minimal pauses for the second time. My voice was stronger today and I tried to make my facial expressions more apparent. I forgot to go back on stage in the scene after "Touch-A Touch-A Touch-A Touch Me" - I have to go over my script again and make sure I know all my cues to go on stage. I thought I did well in saying my paragraph at the end of the play. I almost forgot my last line but I managed to make it through and I said every sentence like I meant it. The only thing I didn't do was walk off stage in character and that was because my whole microphone fell to the floor and that distracted me. I will make sure if something goes wrong on stage, to keep on going, to stay in character and fix whatever needs to be done off stage.
Dress rehearsal 22/05/19
We were told that we would not be using microphones for the performance tomorrow because there were not enough for all of us and it would be less complicated without them. Performing the show like it was the real thing just without an audience but still in costume, using props and with full production was really useful in refining the performance and making it a higher standard as small details like when to add an extra sound effect was clarified.
Creating the poster
I helped Bethany and Nehemie create the poster by designing, painting and cutting:
I am really happy with how it turned out and think it gives off the vibe of Rocky Horror.
23/05/19 Matinee performance (14:00)
I had nerves about this performance but apart from a few mistakes, it went well:
Evening performance (19:00)
I felt like I got all my nerves out in the first performance and felt more ready for this second performance:
This is not the full performance but it is enough to show the difference between the matinee and the evening performance.
Acting 30/04/19
We went through all scenes excluding songs which proved very difficult as there are many songs in Rocky Horror that once choreographed, will tell us where each character will be positioned on stage.
After going through the script, I was told that the one paragraph I have near the end was very good and I feel like I have developed as an actress after working hard on our last production, Little Shop of Horrors. I feel like I can get into character more easily than I used to and am more knowledgeable in terms of how much energy I should have in order to over-dramatise it.
We were then explaining to Monique that were stressed out about how much of the production needs to be sorted out and at first she said we were doing very well until we told her that we have only three weeks left, including the actual performance week. She then said we all have to be off script by next week. After this lesson, I think the little amount of time we have to put this production on stage has sunk in and we are all ready to work our hardest and do our best to create a great entertaining performance.
Singing 02/05/19
We went over "Time Warp" where I missed my cue for my solo as the lyrics in the script I received showed an extra chorus the backing track skips out - I will remember this for future lessons. We then sung "Floorshow/ Rose Tint My World" where despite having a cold, I sung with as much confidence I could and stayed in character - with a squeaky voice.
When debating what song we should sing, I suggested we practise "Eddie's Teddy" as everyone sings the chorus for that song and we ended up spending a lot of time on it and everyone was told what harmony they would sing. I found it very difficult to remember my harmony when it came to the chorus. I will practise my harmony over the weekend and sing it with the song and then the backing track so I will be prepared for next lesson. I am pushing myself to learn the songs as quick as possible due to having only three weeks left until the performance.
Jazz/ Musical Theatre 02/05/19
After doing our own brief warm ups, we went over all choreography that had already been done to get Shannon's advice on it and to refine it. We recapped "Time Warp", "Floorshow/ Rose Tint My World" and "Touch-A Touch-A Touch-A Touch Me". I missed the day here we learnt the choreography for "Time Warp" so this was a great opportunity to learn it.
She said that the 'tap break' I choreographed was good which gave me confidence in my choreographing skills. We learnt Leah's choreography to "Hot Patootie" where I am dancing with Eddie (who sings this song). It was a challenge for me to keep on dancing in my character and letting go of my personality for so long. I am proud of my efforts and the result - I will need to go over the dance in my own time and know exactly where I should be and what dance moves I will be doing because if I improv even a small section, I will risk making mistakes on stage which I know from our last production, Little Shop of Horrors where I improvised small sections which looking back, would have been much better if I had the exact movements in my head.
Acting 07/05/19
Alex ran through Science Fiction. There was no choreographing for this because we don't think it needs any dancing, just acting and singing - of course, she will be moving, walking around the stage. She plans to act as an Usherette, giving out popcorn to the audience whilst singing which I thought was a great idea and made me realise that I should think creatively whenever pondering what I should do on stage.
We went through most songs and nearly all the script. We were told to be off-script for this lesson. I know all my lines but I need to learn my cues. It was a really successful lesson - Monique was telling us that we grew so much from our last production saying that this time our energy is up and we are performing well.
09/05/19
Today, we went through the entire script and all the songs. We learnt our positions in "I'm Going Home" and started learning Ghazall's choreography to Sword of Damocles. I find that even if I'm not actually dancing, but just moving, I struggle to sing because I am out of breath. For example, in "Time Warp" when doing all the choreography, by the time it comes to my singing solo, I am out of breath and I sound terrible - I will work on this outside of lesson time, so I will be prepared for rehearsals next week. I asked where on stage I should be in "Sweet Transvestite" and I was told not to join Magenta and Riff Raff who were dancing with Frank, but to stay near Brad and Janet. I find it difficult when I don't have any choreography on stage because I have to decide what I will do so I need to think about what would be entertaining for the audience whilst staying in character. There is a part in the play where Magenta, Columbia and Riff Raff carry Frank off stage. Alex (Magenta) and I took the top half and Leah (Riff Raff) took the legs. I was genuinely scared I would drop Ella so we decided that one person should take the top, one should take the middle and the other the legs.
Character Development
Something I should have done a long time ago is create a backstory for Columbia to help create more depth for my character which will make it easier to portray her. I know Columbia is a very excitable character but she can also stand up for herself which is shown when she tells off Frank. This shows she has a more moral side; she doesn't like that Eddie and Rocky were used just for sex. Does she take drugs? I think that it is likely with her experimental lifestyle which could actually be seen as rebellious as everything she was doing was looked down upon by society.
It is important to note that unlike Frank and the other servants, she is not an extraterrestrial which makes her more of an outsider - she didn't get beamed back to their alien planet at the end of the play. Maybe she was brought up in a very strict household and was forced to adhere to rules that made her life a misery. Perhaps she escaped from home in her mid-teens and met Magenta who brought her to Frank's castle. There she probably felt at home which is why she stayed and was so grateful to Frank that she obeys his every word (or at least up to a point).
15/05/19
We went over "Time Warp" and I focused on my singing but I still sounded out of breath and a little flat - I just have to keep practising. I also kept forgetting certain parts like that my tap solo came right after my singing solo so I really need to go over it in my own time so I have it in memory. I also stayed in character throughout the dance but I forgot to sing like my character - with an American accent and a higher pitch.
We then went over "Eddie's Teddy" where I focused on my expressions and connecting to Columbia's character as much as possible. We all needed to recap the choreography and refine it so we now know it much better.
We went over "Sword of Damocles" where there was a lot of confusion surrounding the choreography. We asked Ghazall, the choreographer, about certain parts of the dance and she developed and refined the choreography. She also mentioned we need to exaggerate our expressions and reactions to Rocky so I am trying to make my facials and body movements bigger but the struggle is trying not to worry about looking foolish.
Singing 16/05/19
We did singing in the dance studio today so we could do the choreography that goes with it. We did all songs in order from "Science Fiction/ Double Feature" to "Science Fiction/ Double Feature (Reprise)" because "Time Warp (Reprise)" has not been edited to fit the bows yet. I thought we all did well today and sung our songs well.
Jazz/Musical Theatre 16/05/19
Today we went through the whole of Rocky Horror Show, including all songs and transitions into scenes without pausing in the middle for notes or to redo anything. This was incredibly helpful because I could figure out when and where I go on and off the stage and simply seeing all scenes and songs in order made me feel like I knew what I was doing whereas before I felt a little lost. It also showed all of us we can get through the whole show which was a big relief for me since we are performing it next week.
The main critique for me was to pronounce my words better in my solo in "Time Warp" and to work on my breathing so I could manage to sing every word. I was also told that I stayed in character very well. In almost every song, we were told to fix the choreography because many mistakes could be seen and for the killing scene, Shannon said she wrote a question mark next to it. This means we have to go over that scene and develop it as soon as possible.
We went over whatever we could in the remaining lesson time. We did "Time Warp" several times and I worked really hard to create a pleasant sound and to make sure every word could be heard clearly and afterwards Shannon said it was an improvement.
Tech Rehearsal 17/05/19
The main aim of today was for the production team to get the lighting and sound ready for the performance. For me, it was to understand the spacing of the stage, where I will be standing, how far I have to move to get where I need to be. For example, in "Hot Patootie" I have to bring Ghazall Down Stage quicker because she has to come off the Q- Build which takes longer. Also in "Floorshow/ Rose Tint My World" I have to hold my pose on the lower step of the Q-Build whereas before all I knew was I had to be Stage Left. I find Tech Rehearsals necessary for knowing these details as it makes the performance of a higher standard.
We practised the killing scene at the end of the play which both Monique and Shannon have told us needs the most work. We all now know what we are doing for that scene and also for the final "Time Warp Reprise" which is where we bow as a company.
Something that I was concerned about was slipping on the theatre floor in my tap shoes; I also had not yet practised my tap break wearing my tap shoes since it would scratch the floor in the studio. However, the floor was not slippery at all! My tapping sounded loud and clear and my tap shoes were not too loud to walk in (this is a relief as I have to walk in my tap shoes for the first part of the play since there is no time to change from my character shoes). I will be able to change into my character shoes for the rest of the play when I exit the stage after "Time Warp" and "Sweet Transvestite".
Tech Rehearsal 20/05/19
Today we practised with head microphones. I have microphone number five. We went through all solo songs and then the group songs "Time Warp", "Floorshow/ Rose Tint My World" and "I'm Going Home". I made sure to focus on my breathing when I sing my parts because I find it hard to get words out and when I asked Shelley, she said I did well. I have noticed in some choreography, details such as which way we turn need to be sorted out but I think that can be done when having lesson time that focuses on the performance rather than the technical side of it.
Tech Rehearsal 21/05/19
I had a one-ear head microphone today which as much as I tried to adjust it, kept falling off. I have to apply face tape to make sure this does not happen. We went through the whole show from start to end with minimal pauses for the second time. My voice was stronger today and I tried to make my facial expressions more apparent. I forgot to go back on stage in the scene after "Touch-A Touch-A Touch-A Touch Me" - I have to go over my script again and make sure I know all my cues to go on stage. I thought I did well in saying my paragraph at the end of the play. I almost forgot my last line but I managed to make it through and I said every sentence like I meant it. The only thing I didn't do was walk off stage in character and that was because my whole microphone fell to the floor and that distracted me. I will make sure if something goes wrong on stage, to keep on going, to stay in character and fix whatever needs to be done off stage.
Dress rehearsal 22/05/19
We were told that we would not be using microphones for the performance tomorrow because there were not enough for all of us and it would be less complicated without them. Performing the show like it was the real thing just without an audience but still in costume, using props and with full production was really useful in refining the performance and making it a higher standard as small details like when to add an extra sound effect was clarified.
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| Alexandra Green in the role of Usherette, singing "Science Fiction Double Feature" |
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| Brad and Janet, played by Tilia Lawson and Bethany Doherty, look for the castle they saw "down the road a few miles back" |
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| The castle gives them the creeps |
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| "Let's do the Time Warp Again!" |
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| Riff Raff played by Leah Bradshaw |
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| "Sweet Transvestite" |
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| Muscle man Rocky played by Nehemie Babadi |
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| "Sword of Damocles" |
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| Columbia is intrigued by Rocky |
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| Frank and Rocky get married |
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| "Touch-A Touch-A Touch-A Touch Me" |
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"Tell us about it Janet" |
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Frank tricks and seduces Brad    
"He locked the door and threw away the key"
|
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| "What's come over me, woo, here it comes again" |
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| "Floorshow/ Rose Tint My World" |
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| Wild and an Untamed Thing |
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| "Your Lifestyle's Too Extreme" |
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| "Wait, I Can Explain" |
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| "I'm Going Home" |
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| Columbia loved Frank |
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| Columbia, Frank and Rocky are killed by Riff Raff's laser guns |
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| "Science Fiction/ Double Feature (Reprise)" |
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| Finale |
Creating the poster
I helped Bethany and Nehemie create the poster by designing, painting and cutting:
I am really happy with how it turned out and think it gives off the vibe of Rocky Horror.
The poster that was printed had added information on it and was hung in front of the theatre and the college building:
We also made a programme with the help of Mandy:
The draft:
The actual programme:
23/05/19 Matinee performance (14:00)
I had nerves about this performance but apart from a few mistakes, it went well:
Evening performance (19:00)
I felt like I got all my nerves out in the first performance and felt more ready for this second performance:
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