Lately I have done a lot of busy work at the computer. Work that doesn't take a lot of intense brain power. So, for companionship, I have been listening to a lot of pod casts. One was a biography of a famous Broadway composer/lyricist named Jerry Herman. He is famous for writing some big shows like "Hello Dolly" and "Mame."
Jerry Herman is a name I remembered from when I saw the movie version of "Hello Dolly" when I was a teenager. My mother bought the song folio and had me learn many of the songs to sing on shows around town. Wonderful music!
But something about that movie didn't work for me. I loved the songs and dances, but I found that seeing a young Dolly going after an old Horace Vandergelder was off-putting. Still, I had heard that the original Dolly Levi on Broadway was an actress named Carol Channing. I knew her from another movie musical I loved, "Thoroughly Modern Millie." The difference I guessed was that Carol Channing was older and you could tell that she loved everyone.
Then, when I was in college, I was part of the stage version of "Hello Dolly." The actress who played Dolly in our cast was more like a Carol Channing. She just exuded LOVE. That is the key to performing that character. She just has to love everyone and cause people to love her back. That was crucial in making the show work.
Children's Theater productions, especially those for very young inexperienced actors, cannot depend solely on the developing talents and abilities of the cast members. The material needs to be good enough to read well for audiences whether or not the actors have the needed chops. Of course, every director hopes that the right talents show up to be able to cast the show in the best possible light. But, usually, as a director, you have to hope the material will "carry" the performance.
That's why I discourage Elementary School directors from using some of the very famous Broadway Junior shows. Those shows were written for adult actors who already have developed talents and abilities that can sing the songs, dance the dances, and actually act the parts believably.
Jerry Herman is a name I remembered from when I saw the movie version of "Hello Dolly" when I was a teenager. My mother bought the song folio and had me learn many of the songs to sing on shows around town. Wonderful music!
But something about that movie didn't work for me. I loved the songs and dances, but I found that seeing a young Dolly going after an old Horace Vandergelder was off-putting. Still, I had heard that the original Dolly Levi on Broadway was an actress named Carol Channing. I knew her from another movie musical I loved, "Thoroughly Modern Millie." The difference I guessed was that Carol Channing was older and you could tell that she loved everyone.
Then, when I was in college, I was part of the stage version of "Hello Dolly." The actress who played Dolly in our cast was more like a Carol Channing. She just exuded LOVE. That is the key to performing that character. She just has to love everyone and cause people to love her back. That was crucial in making the show work.
Children's Theater productions, especially those for very young inexperienced actors, cannot depend solely on the developing talents and abilities of the cast members. The material needs to be good enough to read well for audiences whether or not the actors have the needed chops. Of course, every director hopes that the right talents show up to be able to cast the show in the best possible light. But, usually, as a director, you have to hope the material will "carry" the performance.
That's why I discourage Elementary School directors from using some of the very famous Broadway Junior shows. Those shows were written for adult actors who already have developed talents and abilities that can sing the songs, dance the dances, and actually act the parts believably.
Shows that work better for young actors are those written expressly for young actors. The songs are in ranges that work for young voices. The dance sections don't go on and on and on, but are short and work for kids with limited dance training.
The characters and their lines are not so complicated and nuanced that young children cannot possibly be believable in those roles. AND there can never be a full out romantic LOVE STORY!
Stick with shows that have characters that can be played by children, for children, and also enjoyed by parents and grandparents.
Here's a song from "The Tale of Chicken Licken" sung by the mother Goose to her daughter and two little sons. Enjoy!
The characters and their lines are not so complicated and nuanced that young children cannot possibly be believable in those roles. AND there can never be a full out romantic LOVE STORY!
Stick with shows that have characters that can be played by children, for children, and also enjoyed by parents and grandparents.
Here's a song from "The Tale of Chicken Licken" sung by the mother Goose to her daughter and two little sons. Enjoy!
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