Rules for Rehearsal and Backstage

After doing Alice in Wonderland I have learned to lay out some rules for both practise and rehearsal. I try to make these rules the same as the rules that would be applied once we’re in the theatre. My mom had a bit of a giggle with some of them and I hope you do too! Enjoy! More to come soon!
Rules for Rehearsal and Backstage
1. No talking during rehearsal or backstage—exception production managers, Rod, Dave, and EAs
2. If it’s not your prop—DON’T TOUCH IT!!
3. Keep your props in one spot—not all over backstage
4. No talking over each other during group discussions
5. You are responsible for your prop—so put it back where you found it
6. When someone is having a “moment” step back and let their EA handle it
7. NO horsing around during practise or backstage
8. Stay on your side of the stage unless told to move—NO switching!!
9. When changing sides or costumes in the hallway, be quiet! People can hear you!
10. Only water is allowed backstage—NOTHING else! Please leave water bottle with your props. Also put your name on it
11. During practise—No ganging up on Jenn (she needs to concentrate)
12. No peaking behind the big red curtain—people can see you and it ruins the show

Yes I am still alive and no I haven’t forgotten about you

Hello Blog Fans! I'm back!!! Sorry about the late post, I have just recently surfaced from a pile of numerous papers (got to love university life). Anyway, on to the latest instalment of my..memoirs of being Bright Lites production manager.

A few weeks ago I was sitting in the hallway between the Stage Craft room and the Drama room, with Lynden sitting next to me, avoiding work. I had some music going, Rihanna's "Umbrella" to be exact, Robbie (dear sweet Robbie) came out and started dancing and doing his own version of the moon walk like it was nobody's business. Also did you know that there are such things a black light bubbles? I didn't either! Moving on, on Friday because it was the day before Halloween, Dave brought out the disaster make-up stuff. So the kids were putting various bits and pieces through their limbs, foreheads, faces, ect, as well as giving themselves bruises in different places. They even studied a few actual bruises to make sure that they got the colour right (I love disaster make-up day. I remember walking by our member of parliament with half a pencil coming out of my arm..I've never seen someone look so stern haha). Felicia and I opted for a different plan. She and I, with keys to the kingdom in hand, we went down to the cage (aka the prop-room. This is called the cage because the door is a set of bars) and looked through the props.. As soon as I turned on the light Felicia began picking out props that she recognized from her favourite shows.

Today Colin, my Hommie G, was so cute! Joel painted a blue bear complete with matching eyebrows, onto his face with the glow paint. Then we took the handheld black light and shone it on his face so that he could see his beard glow in the mirror. He needless to say thoroughly inspected his beard by making various faces.

Also the other day, we were adding some finishing touches to a rather large prop (not going to disclose what it was, you'll just have to see come show time hehe, yes I'm evil ) and Colin and Shawn (not my bro) were helping me-those guys are so cool! Randy was watching us as he was waiting for John to take the rest of the Community Living Crew back to the centre. He seemed like he was just itching to paint, so I asked him "do you want to help paint Randy?' He of course said yes as soon as I finished my sentence (Randy is so awesome!). So I handed him my paint brush and off he went.

The Cinderella show shirts came in last week and some posters are up, so look out for them. Sean, Chris, and Lynden are in the Step Sistas poster and Sean is the Kiss dude in the other.

And now for a mushy bit, because it's my blog and I can haha:

I have learned and I am continuing to learn so much from these awesome people. I know that I have so much to learn from them yet and I can't wait tackle those lessons. It's refreshing how they take great joy from the little things in life, dance like nobody's watching, and appreciate someone more than we can even possibly fathom, just because you treat them like they're a human being. I must say that it totally makes my day to get a hug from all my homeslices, and to have Chris put his arm around me and say "I missed you buddy", because he had been working at the centre for the past couple of weeks.

 

So that's all for today, I hope you enjoyed it. I also hope that this blog helps to let those who are putting together a similar project or simply work/live with someone who has a developmental disability, that you are not alone. We all get frustrated, but those who make us frustrated appreciate us more than we can ever begin to fathum. Also remember that we need them just as much as they need us. Until another day,
Jenn

 

p.s. please excuse any grammatical errors; I'm editing this rather fatigued. It will be cleaning it up better soon.