Nuns in the Run
Nunsense opened last night to a small, but appreciative crowd. The show wasn't stellar but it was decent. It hung together and people were entertained. Still, it bugs me to see the few places that needed to be polished or worked that we just ran out of time to deal with.
My cast is trying hard, poor dears, but they're tired and they just don't have the voices to really sell this musical. They're nervous about getting notes right in harmonies; they're nervous about remembering dance steps (which is understandable considering we put this together in three or four weeks) and it's causing them to hold back during musical numbers. And musical numbers have to comprise 55-65% of the show.
It's such a deceptive little piece. It seems like a basic, uncomplicated bit of fluff -- some songs (straight-forward major key, melody driven, modulating musical theater affairs), some dancing, a few gags -- but actually, the demands it makes on its cast are considerable. Each performer has to have, at least a two octave range and just about everyone is expected to shift from classical tone to Merman-esque belt. Plus there's a Vaudeville number thrown in (which is another shift in tone) and an Andrew Sisters type tune (which means, tight, tight harmony). It's really a show for musical theater junkies. Too bad the Music Department, from where I've gotten our music director, only focuses on classical voice training.
I'd bet my booty that Dan Goggin (the writer, lyricist, and composer) originally wrote for specific performers, because the required skill set is so particlular. I mean there's a puppet number, a group tap number, and two ballet interludes. It seemed like this was going to be a simple, light piece going into it, but it has turned out to be quite ... complicated is not the right word ... actually, I just looked it up, and that's exactly the right word.
com*pli*cat*ted
adjective
1 consisting of many interconnecting parts or elements; intricate
Plus, it was written twenty-four years ago by a 39-year-old, gay, Catholic, male, Michiganer who had been living in New York City as a working performer/composer for 19 years. A lot of the references these young, young women and girls just didn't get. And though someone can explained these things to you, it's hard to present the tone and attitude that the piece wants to have when you haven't experienced the source material.
Still and all, the cast cares about the show and, though you may fault their skills (and such fault should go to us, their teachers) they bring a fair amount of talent to the piece. Plus they're cute as buttons singing and dancing in their little nun costumes.
Hmm ... sounds like my upstairs neighbor is having some morning sex. (I think she has a new boyfriend. Either that or he's driving a different car these days.) Huh ... It's 9:14 a.m. Just what are her work hours?
Wait. 9:14? What're my work hours? I've got to head back to the school. Ciao!
My cast is trying hard, poor dears, but they're tired and they just don't have the voices to really sell this musical. They're nervous about getting notes right in harmonies; they're nervous about remembering dance steps (which is understandable considering we put this together in three or four weeks) and it's causing them to hold back during musical numbers. And musical numbers have to comprise 55-65% of the show.
It's such a deceptive little piece. It seems like a basic, uncomplicated bit of fluff -- some songs (straight-forward major key, melody driven, modulating musical theater affairs), some dancing, a few gags -- but actually, the demands it makes on its cast are considerable. Each performer has to have, at least a two octave range and just about everyone is expected to shift from classical tone to Merman-esque belt. Plus there's a Vaudeville number thrown in (which is another shift in tone) and an Andrew Sisters type tune (which means, tight, tight harmony). It's really a show for musical theater junkies. Too bad the Music Department, from where I've gotten our music director, only focuses on classical voice training.
I'd bet my booty that Dan Goggin (the writer, lyricist, and composer) originally wrote for specific performers, because the required skill set is so particlular. I mean there's a puppet number, a group tap number, and two ballet interludes. It seemed like this was going to be a simple, light piece going into it, but it has turned out to be quite ... complicated is not the right word ... actually, I just looked it up, and that's exactly the right word.
com*pli*cat*ted
adjective
1 consisting of many interconnecting parts or elements; intricate
Plus, it was written twenty-four years ago by a 39-year-old, gay, Catholic, male, Michiganer who had been living in New York City as a working performer/composer for 19 years. A lot of the references these young, young women and girls just didn't get. And though someone can explained these things to you, it's hard to present the tone and attitude that the piece wants to have when you haven't experienced the source material.
Still and all, the cast cares about the show and, though you may fault their skills (and such fault should go to us, their teachers) they bring a fair amount of talent to the piece. Plus they're cute as buttons singing and dancing in their little nun costumes.
Hmm ... sounds like my upstairs neighbor is having some morning sex. (I think she has a new boyfriend. Either that or he's driving a different car these days.) Huh ... It's 9:14 a.m. Just what are her work hours?
Wait. 9:14? What're my work hours? I've got to head back to the school. Ciao!
posted by - caj at 8:44 AM
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