Two weeks and counting...

Good Morning All -

Here we are two weeks away from the big audition day!  It is insane how that week sneaks up on us time and again!

I hope everyone enjoyed the snow day yesterday and that people are trying to stay healthy or get healthy once and for all, this has been a season of illness certainly.

My email address is:

chapmank@hartfordschools.net if you have any pressing questions.

If you didn't get to the meeting on the 14th of January, never fear the kids can pick up the forms you missed when they sign up for their audition time.  Which reminds me sign ups will begin _tomorrow_ 01-29-2015 in my room (ROOM 104 - Music ROOM).

The audition times will be as follows:

Wednesday 02-11-15

General Acting: 3:00-4:30PM

Lead Auditions: 4:45-6:30PM

Lead Auditions: 6:45PM - 8:30PM

The auditions for general acting is for those students that would like to be in the show but have no desire for a leading role.  They will sing with a small group for our audition panel and they will dance some and then be sent home.  Very rarely will they be asked to call backs but every once in awhile this does happen so I ask that students that audition for the general acting plan for the possibility of Thursday's call backs as well.

The Lead scenario means that your child will sing a solo audition and dance some and may definitely get called back and then again they might not, call backs are just to see more of something or someone it doesn't really mean anything more than that, please coach your child to know that not getting a call back doesn't mean he/she failed.  Along those lines your child need only pick one of the leading audition times.

ALL STUDENTS who audition will make the play regardless of the outcome of their audition, we do not cut.  If a student auditions for a lead and they aren't chosen as a lead they will be in the ensemble.  They do not need to more than ONE audition spot.

The Thursday call backs haven't been decided just yet, but we are trying to see the best possible timing for the kids to come back.  Typically it has been a two hour window in the evening stay tuned.

Please figure the best time for your child to audition for your family.  You should plan on bringing your child to the later auditions and collecting them from the front of the middle school the only students that are allowed to stay at the end of the day will be those first auditionees in the general acting category.

Thank you very much, Kristen Chapman - Director

It's nearly here...

TONIGHT at 6PM in the HMMS library is an informational meeting for all new-to-the-musical-potentials and their parents.

If you cannot make the meeting (and it is not mandatory for participation in the play) the idea is to get a bulk of the people interested here for question and answers.

Below is the response to an email of great questions to get you all on board hopefully it helps you make your decision easier for allowing your child to be a part of the show or not.

Dates and times will be dependent on your son or daughter's role in the play and when we schedule dance rehearsals and all cast rehearsals.  The auditions will be Wednesday Feb. 11th 3-4:30 for general acting.  Feb. 11th 4:45 - 6:30PM first LEAD audition slot and 6:45 - 8:30PM for the second LEAD audtion slot Sometimes general acting people as well as a handful of kids at the leading auditions are asked to call backs which will happen on Thursday Feb. 12th times are being worked out.

The rehearsal (potential times will be) T - F every week from Feb. 23rd - April 9th no Monday rehearsals through April break.

Then following April break rehearsals will be M - F 2:30-5:00PM for ALL cast and crew April 20th - May 7th  May 8th will be a tech rehearsal which will go from 2:30 - 7PM all cast and crew.

The following week is show week that rehearsal schedule is a little trickier these times and days are subject to change the closer we are to production.

Monday - will be dark NO rehearsal unless I feel we really need it.

Tuesday will be dress rehearsal 12:30 (early release for those in the play) and we will be at the school until 6:30 PM 

Wednesday May 13th - Matinees call times will be dependent on part but that is typically an early day for hair and make up they report directly to the high school that day.  They will perform 2 shows for the elementary schools and middle school audiences and then they will go home at their regularly scheduled time.  2:30 or there after.

Thursday May 14th opening night, calls again dependent on role but the show times are 7PM (the kids are there before for hair and make up).

Friday May 15th show night same as Thursday we have Newt's stay open for ice cream this night and Thursday too.

Saturday May 16th closing.  We do one show at 7PM call times will remain the same from Thursday on.  After Saturday's show we strike set (many hands make light(er) work so it's a request that parents stay to help supervise and strike if at all possible.  Then it's cast party for the kids, movie in the auditorium and dance party in the cafe until 1:00AM (at parents discretion) pizza and goodies provided by musical funds and parent donation.  More on that later.

Hope this helps answer some of your immediate questions specific to scheduling, you should also know a change in plans means we are on for move in and set build/paint through April break, I will not be going out of town as we had hoped.  Thank you for adjusting.

As always I appreciate and anticipate another superb year!

Sincerely, Your Director Kristen Chapman