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Making Adjustments

6/23/2022

Often times going into a show I know many of the children. Then again, even the children I have known grow and make big changes from year to year. I learned long ago something about creating a Children's Theater Musical --- create the characters in terms of age or size groups. That way going into production you already have an idea about how to cast. You just need to make final adjustments when you see the kids.

First, I organize the enrollees into age groups. Then I look at their heights. Some of the younger children may have to play an "older" character because they are tall for their age. This play has two definite populations --- adults and children. Obviously, the smaller children must play the children. This time, we have one very tall 12 year-old girl who will be a head taller than the other girls near her age. She will even be taller than all of the boys. We decided to give her a featured role where her height will be an asset, not a liability.

Over the years I have done "A Successor to the Throne" quite a few times. I have collected costumes for that show in many size ranges. I ask the families to send in the heights of their children even before they turn in their Registration Forms. That helps me organize the costumes to make sure I have enough that will work.

For example, this show has many dance numbers for the girl population. Five pink Spring dancers, two yellow Summer dancers, three Autumn dancers, and 4 Winter dancers. Because of the sizes of the kimonos, I know which age groups I must pull the dancers from. Practically all of the girls sing and dance in these numbers, but the featured dancers need to fit into those particular costumes.

Of course, for some of the characters, the final decisions cannot be made until I actually meet with the kids. If a character has a solo, he better be chosen from the boys who can sing well. If a character has a bigger line load or must play comedy, she better be picked from the girls who can do those things.

This show has many featured roles with speaking lines and solo songs. No one character has to "carry" the show, though. The lines and songs are distributed fairly evenly amongst many characters. That's why we can presume to produce this show from start to finish in just 30 hours of concentrated rehearsals. The trick is to have enough adult specialists to help. Two of my daughters and some nieces will be helping me this show. I am so blessed!

Character Values

6/17/2022

Kindness, Honesty, Sincerity, Integrity, Courage, Gratitude, Appreciation -these are but a few of the important Character Values we acknowledge are needed in society. Good parents hope to instill these values in their children. Many schools have incorporated programs such as "Character Counts," advocating and teaching these values. But in many areas, these values are forgotten.

Before I began writing Musicals for Children's Theater, I was in a position to need to choose vehicles for our youngest population in our Theater Camps. I searched and searched to find material we could use that fit our criteria. We needed shows with Flexible Cast options. (Usually we had many more girls than boys who enrolled.) We needed shows with Featured Parts for every cast member. We needed Engaging Stories and Singable Songs. We needed shows that could be mounted successfully with a Limited Budget yet worthy enough be mounted on the main stage with all the bells and whistles.

I got frustrated that so much of the material out there did not fit our mission and criteria. The shows "talked down" to our youngsters. The songs and lines were quite "baby-ish" and dumb musically. Almost every story featured a boy as the Lead character. Most had only a few featured parts with lesser ensemble parts. Some had Love stories -- a huge no-no when working with this age group! And a lot of these stories were built on way-out fantasies. The costume potential was fun, but in reality, they had no other redeeming features.

As I was searching for Children's Musicals for the very young, I saw mostly shows using Grimm's Fairy Tales, Aesop Fables, and other folk tales, But, the good productions of these stories tended to be for older casts. I also noticed that most of these productions lacked "heart." They were so shallow, just skimming over the greater significance of the tales.

Why do a show for kids, performed by kids, unless it is useful to those kids?

So, I have made it my mission to write Children's Musicals that are entertaining and fun but clearly have "heart," or an overarching moral or value that is never preached but is nonetheless present.

"A Successor to the Throne" - Honesty, Integrity
"Never Cry Wolf" - Sincerity, Work
"The Adventures of Dick Whittington" - Kindness
"Momotaro" - Bravery
"Stone Soup" - Cooperation
"The Country Mouse and the City Mouse" - Appreciation
"Parizade's Quest" - Love, Reuniting of Family
"The Ants and the Grasshopper" - Planning Ahead, Gratitude
"The Three Billy Goats Gruff" - Patience
"The Musicians of Bremen" - Optimism, Dealing with age and Change
"The Tale of Chicken Licken" - Overcoming Fear

Enjoy "Worthy to Admire" from "A Successor to the Throne" sung by Mitchell Bailey age 10.

The Extra Dance Number

6/13/2022

We were driving along, when my son suddenly burst out singing "Shapoopie" from "The Music Man." Something had prompted him to start singing his own alternate words to this comic dance number. He got us all laughing hysterically. Then he said that he really didn't understand why that song was even included in the movie which is possibly already the longest musical in history. Besides, it is so silly.

My sister explained that sometimes an extra dance number is needed in a musical to perform certain functions. In a live stage show, an extra dance number might be used to cover complicated set changes or costume changes. It might serve as a time when the ensemble gets another needed chance to perform, or it can just provide some comic relief. "Shapoopie" serves all of those roles as well as giving some plot subtext to help develop the "love" story between the main characters.

Having an "extra" dance number for the ensemble is actually tremendously important. The performers need to feel properly utilized when they do a show. There is nothing worse than being cast in a very long show where most of the ensemble members just sit backstage playing cards for hours. Besides, the energy infused into the show by colorful dance numbers is felt and usually greatly appreciated by the audience. When a show's energy lags, an "extra" dance number is just what perks it up again.

My Summer Theater Camp Show this year is actually filled with many dance numbers. "A Successor to the Throne" keeps the entire cast busy from beginning to end. Many of the dancers are especially busy with quick costume changes and picking up specific dance props such as parasols, fans, ribbon wands, and farm tools (yes, farm tools are used in a dance about working in the summertime). I have been busy trying to figure out who gets to dance in which numbers and how they get on and off our little patio stage!

Fifth Generation Soprano

6/9/2022

On our hike up the canyon yesterday, I managed to sneak a short video of my granddaughter singing a bit from "Frozen II." She is still very young, only 2 1/2, and yet she has begun to sing actual songs on pitch. Granted, the three note motif from the siren voice in "Frozen II" is built on intervals that are judged easiest for young children to imitate. The starting pitch descends first down a half step and then down a minor third. However, my granddaughter even tries singing it in different modulations just like on the soundtrack. Pretty good for a toddler!

My daughter and I were musing yesterday about how this little girl marks the fifth generation of fine sopranos in our family. (We are only counting the mothers and grandmothers I have known personally.) So, starting with my mother's mother Lora (her operatic voice spanned 5 octaves) to my mother Carolyn (beautiful lyric soprano), myself Betsy (another lyric Soprano), my daughter Cami (also a huge vocal range), to her daughter Camilla (destined to sing soprano, too). That makes five generations of soprano voices.

Of course, that is only counting one direct line, and not even mentioning the many fine singers in her generation. (I have 25 grandchildren and they all sing well!) We have stories from our more ancient history of many fine singers and entire families of singers and musicians on down through the extended family lines. We are just happy to continue the tradition of SINGING and playing/composing music.

Camilla, or CJ as she is called, goes around the house singing her own soundtrack. She favors us with many songs from movies and a lot from "Daniel Tiger's Neighborhood." Because I am her Nursery Leader at Church, I am noticing that she is picking up more and more phrases and melodies from the Primary songs we teach her. She is sometimes the only child in Nursery, so we sing a lot.

It is clear that this toddler loves music and so does her 1 year old brother Peter. In Church he also has to have his own hymnbook open so that he can "sing" and wave his arms directing the music. Their mother started her conducting career at age 2 by sneaking onto stage when the extended family was singing a choir number. She stole the show while imitating the conducting of her great-great aunt Janie Thompson.

Toddlers should be allowed to show their developing talents!

Celebrating Seasons

5/31/2022

Memorial Day 2022 was the coldest I have ever experienced! We went to decorate the graves wearing sweaters and rain jackets. Our mountains got some fresh snow. It was cold. The Memorial Days of my past were marked by getting to finally go to the swimming pool and coming home for a cookout and s'mores. Well, instead, this year we turned on the heater and had a fire in the fire place.

My yard loves the cold rainy weather, though. The roses are getting ready to explode. In a couple of days we should see the bright pinks, reds, peaches, and yellows of all of our roses. I am hoping they bloom quickly so we can enjoy them for a couple of weeks before I have to do some serious pruning. The bushes have grown so tall that they will block the view of our patio "stage" if I don't do something drastic.

Our Summer Camp show this year "A Successor to the Throne" is all about celebrating the different seasons as the story rolls around a full calendar year. We start out with the song "Spring Is Here" where the girls dance with pink parasols and colorful flower wands. I feel sad that I will have to prune back the roses so dramatically. They would add lovely Spring color to the set. The flowers would look nice for the song "Summer Comes," too. But I guess they just wouldn't fit the orange color scheme of "Autumn Lingers on the Breeze" or the whites and blues of "Wintertime."

We also have a stone step walkway that right now is almost blocked with the thorny branches of the roses. When it is cleared, it will become the parade entrance for the Emperor and his entourage. The story revolves around the old Emperor's plan to let the flowers choose his successor. I really should have pruned more energetically in the fall. But alas. I didn't. Hopefully, I won't have to cut back all of the beautiful roses. We really should leave some for the Emperor's Palace Garden.

I love how Nature provides the most beautiful set decorating!

Never a Dull Moment

5/28/2022

The man next to me on the plane just barely made his connection. He was a little flustered mentioning that he hoped his luggage also made it onto the plane. I just nodded and smiled. I didn't want to say how annoyed I was that the plane had already been delayed twice. Oh well. That guy was talkative and went on to tell me that he and his wife were on their way to babysit their first grandchild while the parents took a short vacation. He said how delighted his wife was to jump at the chance to see their new granddaughter.

I mentioned that I was discovering how being a grandmother was a full-time occupation, but I didn't really give any details. He nodded. (I make it a policy not to say I have 25 grandchildren. That is a sure fire way to end a conversation.) I just told him that I was returning home from an action-packed two weeks visiting my daughter's family in Pennsylvania.

He didn't need to know that each day was packed with rehearsals, concerts, baseball games, graduation activities, and so much more. My grandchildren (7 of her 8 children still at home) in that family were involved in doing a lot!!!!!!! I always feel that I get a real bang for my buck as a grandma when I go visit them.

Fun stuff included Elementary, Middle School and High School Band and Chorus concerts, an assembly where the High School Indoor Percussion ensemble and Jazz Choir performed, Seminary Graduation where my granddaughter sang a solo, my daughter's Piano Students' Recital, the D.C. Temple Open House and so much more!

There was never a dull moment!

But probably the time my grandma heart was filled to overflowing was hearing their Family Band play Leroy Anderson's "Fiddle Faddle" at the Recital. The older kids have been playing in bands for several years. (However, Makayla picked up a new instrument - Alto sax - just to fill in the middle part.) But the younger ones are just beginning to learn their instruments. Maya (trumpet) is 10 and Thomas (drums) is 7. The High School band teacher who attended the Recital was impressed that little Thomas could already play swing!

Enjoy this little clip.

Color

5/18/2022

COLOR is an interesting word. In Art, it can mean different VARIATIONS of pigment as seen in nature or the color wheel. Other meanings also denote VARIATIONS, but in MUSIC could be in sounds or dynamics, in POETRY and PROSE could mean variations in tone or word choices. Usually, COLOR means seeing extra depth of BEAUTY.

Artists and designers talk about COLOR THEORY all the time. They make choices based on what they have learned about CONTRASTING (colors opposite on the color wheel), MONOCHROMATIC (using only a few similar hues), or PRIMARY (using red, yellow and blue or colors all in the same SATURATED TEMPERATURE) color schemes.

Color theory principles can also apply to MUSIC and the other arts. For example composers try to use CONTRASTS, TONE VALUES, and LIKE or DISSIMILAR INSTRUMENT CHARACTERISTICS for interest and variation. They also use TEMPERATURE VALUES in PHRASING, building to a CLIMAX, and for DYNAMICS.

When writing musical settings for lyrics, composers may try to WORD PAINT. They try to translate the meanings of the words into matching musical ideas. Some composers are extremely good at this. Others, not so much. And sometimes, as in the case of hymn texts, some are matched with hymn tunes that seem to have no relation to the meaning of the texts at all.

When writing songs for a musical, successful composers try to come up with THEMES to set the tone of the story, to identify characters, and to move the plot along. Even in Children’s Shows that rarely have UNDERSCORING even during action sequences, musical themes help deepen the understanding of the audience and give them clues about the characters' emotions.

"A Successor to the Throne” is a Children’s Musical that just cries out for COLOR. Studying the costumes and architectural styles of ancient China give plenty of ideas for use in mounting a production. Ancient Chinese dances employed the use of dance props such as parasols, ribbon wands, dance fans or scarves. Children can learn simple techniques using these to create beautiful visual pictures on stage. Imperial pageantry calls out for dramatic instrumentation such as gongs and bells. Pentatonic scale tricks also help place this story squarely in ancient China.

Writing this Musical was quite satisfying because it offered so many ways to make it COLORFUL! For example, some of the THEMES in this show illustrate emotions such as:

ANTICIPATION —- “Successor to the Throne’” sung by children
MELANCHOLY — “Autumn Lingers on the Breeze” sung by Mothers
DISCOURAGEMENT —- “O Little Seed” sung by Deshi
LONGING —- ”Wintertime” sung by children

Enjoy!

Travel Thoughts

5/9/2022

Far away places, distant lands, exotic locales, vacation get-aways --- these words creep into our imaginations the closer we get to summertime.

Travel and sight-seeing is uppermost in many people's thoughts this time each year. I am at a point in my life when I have the time to travel any time of year, though I prefer Spring and Autumn travel the best. Yet, I haven't chosen to travel to exotic locations much in my life. (I mostly go visit family whenever I get the chance.) But, I confess, I still like the idea of world travels.

My experience of world travel seems to be through my research and imagination. Many shows that I have written needed exotic locations --- not only in place but also in time. Writers like me are lucky that we can draw on the experiences of so many historians, artists, journalists, photographers, and even musicologists to help us create the settings for our shows.

As I look back on writing Children's Theater Musicals, it seems like each was like traveling to a distant land. I had to immerse myself in the writing, art, archeology, climate, fashions, foods, and music of these locations in order to get inspiration. Some of my favorite settings have been ancient Greece, ancient Persia, Renaissance England, Paris anytime, and the American Old West. It is safe to say that I have physically visited NONE of these locations. But it was fun visiting them in my imagination.

As I have catalogued the songs from my shows, I found I have accumulated quite a list of travel-related songs.

"A View from the Highest Mountain" from "Never Cry Wolf"
"As the French Say" from "The Country Mouse and the City Mouse"
"Off to the Races" from "The Tale of Chicken Licken"
"Off to Seek My Fortune" from "The Adventures of Dick Whittington"
"Over the Briny Sea" from "The Adventures of Dick Whittington"
"Over Yonder" from "Stone Soup"
"I Love the City Life" from "The Country Mouse and the City Mouse"
"The Quest" from "Momotaro"
"Bremen Town Musicians" from "The Tale of the Musicians of Bremen"
"What Is It Like?" from "The Country Mouse and the City Mouse"

But one song really sums up the idea of transporting the audience to another place and time. The show is "Parizade's Quest - a Tale from the Arabian Nights." Jamileh, the apprentice storyteller, invites the audience into the story as she weaves her tale. The Opener "Come with Me" also introduces all of the characters of the show. Enjoy!

(So fun watching these kids try to subtly adjust their positions to make a better "stage picture." This was Opening Night. They got their Proximity, Planes, and Levels worked out better by the end of the run.)

Delivering on Great Expectations

5/7/2022

Elaborate sets definitely create for the audience some great expectations. That being said, I have seen school productions done with elaborate sets and have still come away disappointed. The show just didn't deliver what was advertised. I have also gone to school shows with barely any sets and have been satisfyingly entertained. The sets, costumes, props and scenery cannot make up for the lack of well-prepared acting, singing, and dancing which is the result of good direction.

This week I attended a semi-professional production of "Camelot" done in a tiny theater with just a handful of actors, with barely any sets, and no scenic backdrop. Obviously, there was no build up of any great expectations there. However, I knew enough by reputation of this theater group to wonder just how they would do a show that usually depends on color and pageantry to pull off this grand Lerner and Lowe Musical. Well, they did it with inspired direction, fine acting, beautiful singing, and regal costuming --- okay, and a few props. But mostly, the audience members were invited to use their imaginations. What they did with so little was impressive!

In contrast, the elementary school show I attended this week had an incredible set that was in full view of the audience when they walked in. So, already, by just walking into the gym, my expectations were set pretty high. I had done a show at that school five years earlier. So, naturally, I felt some jealousy because, for that show, the school administration wouldn't even allow the stage to be cleared of all of the junk they had stored on it. We had to figure out how to work around all that stuff, create a "backstage" with drapes we hung ourselves, and deal with not having entrances onto the stage except from the front. And we barely had any budget whatsoever.

When the show started, though, I remembered how tragic the sound and lighting situation was. The air conditioning system on the ceiling of the gym was exceptionally noisy. The stage lighting only lit up the deep stage, nothing down front of the stage. (And half of their usable set was in front of the stage!) They somehow had gotten eight lavalier mics, but only a couple actually worked at the right times.

Anyway, where the kids sang well on the songs they did together in unison, there were unfortunate sound issues on the solos. So, as an audience member with no previous knowledge of the play, I really couldn't understand the words, and so I had trouble following the plot. Also, the kids did what most untrained school kids do on stage --- they turned their backs on the audience. Most of the time, we couldn't tell who was talking or singing and we definitely couldn't read their lips.

A far better return for their investment would have been to teach the kids to "cheat" out to the audience, be aware of "Proximity, Planes, and Levels," and use proper gesturing to pull focus when giving a line or singing. Maybe they could have utilized their stationary mic better through tasteful blocking.

It is sad that the audience members usually come not really expecting much. They stoically clap and bring flowers to their child performers to give them validation for their hard work. Wouldn't it be better to give these kids some actual training so they could give a polished performance?

My understanding is that this show was mounted purely by untrained volunteers. Too bad. The school should have hired at least one professional. Clearly there is available talent in the school population! With what the people in charge did with donations and volunteering from the school community to create the set this go around, by rights they should be able to do a top notched show in the future, one that can deliver on great expectations!

Updating

5/3/2022

The older I get, the harder it is to do all of the updating necessary to stay current in the world. Technology really is great. I am not complaining about the interesting technologies that clever people have created to make our lives better. I guess the hard part is seeing previous technological advances (that I worked hard to learn) suddenly become obsolete. Just as you are finally secure in using the functions you need, somebody decides to create an entirely new set of protocols. ARGH!

There are times, though, when I must eat my own words. I appreciate the look of new furniture, fresh paint, manicured gardens, newly completed buildings, and many other "updated" things. So, I really shouldn't complain about having to update my technology over and over.

Anyway, there is a Pioneer Museum in my town where I help occasionally as a docent. The building is crumbling and creaking, there are barely any ADA accommodations, and the exhibits are displayed in the same 1940's glass boxes that have sat there unchanged for several generations. It pains me to see this museum in such a sad state.

Our committee members (mostly age 75+) have had talks about doing some updating. They have the idea of applying for grants to get "technology" to help visitors get more information about the exhibits. While the idea is good, it is but a drop in the bucket of what needs to be done. The museum's mission is to tell the story of the Utah Pioneers who settled our area (1847-1900). The story we are supposedly showcasing is of that very specific time period. So why do we have so many random collections of knick-knacks and kitsch from the mid-20th Century on? Space is at a premium, so we should be very selective about what we display.

Just like I need to update my computer and smart phone and software every couple of years, even a museum should do updating, and may I add editing. The trouble isn't just funding, it's overcoming the older generation's fear of change. If we truly want to maintain the artifacts and tell the stories of our ancestors, we must update the way we preserve them and present them to younger people. We shouldn't let the artifacts deteriorate before our very eyes. And we should find engaging ways to tell our ancestors' stories for new generations.

The mini-musical "The Musicians of Bremen" is on just this theme of the difficulties of Age and Change. This song is sung by the Donkey, Dog, Rooster, and Cat. They set out to leave the farm before the old man and woman have them... ahem... "edited." They always wanted to be musicians due to their "beautiful" voices. So, they head to the musical town of Bremen where they hope to be graciously received. Enjoy!