Notes as of 01/19/2015

***Please read this entire e-mail and reply letting me know you received it and understand it!***

I still need a bio for Kyle and Ian. Please get these to me ASAP. 

Starting next week, I will need to have parental help with the kiddos. Please let me know your availability so that I can set up a schedule. Ideally, I would like to have one parent backstage helping per rehearsal night and throughout performances. I don't know that we need more than that.

If you haven't met with Jill and/or Marian about your costume, please be sure to do so. At the very least, we are hoping to have the family in at least one costume so that we can take publicity photos on Thursday. Everyone needs to find out which style of shoes to wear, and if you have any accessories that go along with your costumes. This weekend, we will try and set up a place for you to change in the dressing rooms. 

This is a list of what's left to get for props. Please ask around and see if anyone you know has or has access to any of these items: 

Props List: Items remaining

•          Vase w/flowers (on checkers table)
  
•          Plants in plant stand (set)
  
•          Tall corner cabinet (or whatnot) (Set)
  
•          Pictures (Set)
  
•          Various knickknacks (Set)
  
•          Package containing flimsy underwear and silk stockings (desk drawer)
  
•          1920's (or earlier) stop watch (Dad)
  
•          Five small manicure sets (Dad)
  
•          Four jack knives (Dad)
  
•          Large (1000 x 1000) cross section graph/sheet of paper (Dad)
  
•          Handkerchief (Anne)
  
•          Peanut butter & jelly sandwich (Bill)
  
•          Period appropriate papers (tests), pencil(s) and note pad (Miss Brill)
  
•          Thick manuscript (Frank)
  
•          Report cards (Desk)
  
•        Large lollipop (Lillian) – Check Cracker Barrel 
  

Thankfully, the laundry list of items to complete for work calls is getting smaller and smaller; however, there are still things to do. To those of you who have been there, thank you. We really appreciate it! Especially to those of you who have attended several. To those of you who haven't been yet, please consider stopping by to help. Remember, you don't have to stay all day and there are plenty of things to help with, so any time you can give is greatly appreciated! Not to mention, Leany's been making some souper (see what I did there) awesome soups and breads for us to eat. 

If you are one of the Gilbreth family members, please be sure to send me your baby pictures. If you want to scan them in, that is perfectly fine with me. If you don't want to or can't, bring the hard copies. I'll scan them in and get them back to you. 

If you want to practice enunciation using a tongue twister, try "Judicious Decision"!

Remember: 

• If a word is in italics, that means to emphasize that word.
  
• If there is a line after a word--- If you are the person following this kind of line, you should come in sooner, almost before the line is finished; then if you are the person saying the line, you should think of something to say after the "---" in the event that the person following that line doesn't come in in time. 
  
• Kids: remember all the times you're supposed to be noisy...and be noisy. 

Look over your lines and make sure you're saying each line correctly. Try not to paraphrase, since this could confuse someone who is waiting for your line to say theirs or enter the stage. 

Be careful not to anticipate lines, saying them before they are supposed to be said.

Make sure you're paying attention to what's happening on stage. If you start staring off into space or looking into the audience then the audience will know that you're not invested in the scene and then they'll lose interest as well. 

Make sure you fully understand the lines you're saying and make sure you're putting emotions/actions behind them. Don't just say a line because it was in the script. 

Make sure you're practicing saying your lines out loud at home. This will make you more comfortable with how you say them on stage.

Stop fidgeting, plant yourself...don't move! :) 

Pick up your cues faster. 

Try to lose your scripts ASAP. I will be on script, so if you need to call lines, do so. That said... if you need a line, say "Line." Don't stand there hemming and hawing or grumble at me or what have you. 

Okay, folks, I think that's it. If you have any questions, comments, concerns, let me know. 

You're all doing a fantastic job! Keep up the good work!

Thank you!

Jared