Velma Takes The Stand – Part Two

We’ve now had a few weeks of rehearsal and we are really getting this show whipped into shape! Last week we had our first choreography rehearsal for “Cell Block Tango,” which will be a BEAST of a number once we polish it up. We worked for three hours straight and by the end our brains were fried and our feet were tired. But the whole number is blocked! It was a huge accomplishment!

Our choreographer, Rachel, and our director, Andrew, like to work in tandem to create the best picture they can. Lots of different ideas get tossed around, including some by cast members, and everyone’s opinions are considered. It’s a wonderful, incredibly creative environment I am so proud to be a part of.

When I’m rehearsing, I have so many different thoughts flying through my mind that it can be a struggle to focus on the most important. Andrew helps me tremendously by being encouraging and fostering a safe environment where it’s okay to experiment and even *gasp!* fail.

Sometimes I fail in a BIG way, but he and my other cast members are always there to laugh with me while we try to find a better way.

At this point in the rehearsal process, I am focusing on learning my lines and connecting it with my blocking. It’s easiest for me to do that when I’ve sat down with my script, gotten comfortable with the scene but not entirely memorized, and then had a blocking rehearsal. As soon as I know if and where my character is moving on a line, I can start to discover why I’m doing that action. That helps me build the character organically.

When it comes to choreography rehearsals, I tend to work the same way, but in the case of Chicago, I’m trying to be completely off-book (memorized) on my music before we start dancing. Notice “trying” is not always “succeeding!”

If there is one thing that I have taken away from these last few weeks, it’s this: Don’t be afraid to try new things! Sometimes the best discoveries are made when things go wrong!