Within the first week, Level 3 extended watched the audition tapes from the level 3s and 2s and spoke about casing for characters and production roles. We watched the level 3s and 2s in their actual lesson to see how the worked in groups and on their own to help give them the right production roles they would be comfortable and best with. In week 2 we told the level 3s and 2s which roles they would have before doing a readthrough of the script as a whole Course. During the whole group readthrough we managed to make lists of certain things that we would need in the future for the performance. We made a list of props we would need to buy as well as ideas for set. We then started to get the performance up on its feet by starting with the first song after the interval. Once they sung the first song after the interval we jumped straight into blocking act 2, scene 1. We started with act 2 because last time we did our final major project, the second half had less effort put into it.
In week 3 we continued to work on act 2, scene 1. We rearranged people on stage and tried to figure out entrances and exits for people coming on and off stage. We also focussed on the first dance in the performance which is revenge is gonna be mine. Dominika and Raegan demonstrated how the dance was supposed to go before splitting them into smaller groups to make sure everyone understood the first bit of the dance. We also had our first production meeting for the fmp between us level 3 extended students, we discussed what we needed to improve on and how we would do this the following week.
Week 4, this week we continued to block scenes and work on placements on stage. We also started choreographing some of the other dances before showing them to level 3 and level 2. We worked on the placements in the dance and how to transition from the dances and then into the scenes
Week 5, this week we started singing as a group. We realised not everyone was comfortable singing so we put on Bohemian rhapsody as everyone enjoyed and knew that song. This helped lift the mood in class as well as boosting peoples confidence to actually sing. Dominika lead the vocal warmup allowing people to feel better when singing on stage. While people were singing, some of us focused on scrap bookwork or helped other cast members run lines, Later in the week we continued to run lines and block scenes.
Week 6, This week we gave people the script deadline so they could be off script and ready to play their characters to their full potential. We continued to work on blocking scenes through act 2 and started tidying it up as a whole. We also decided to add another dance at the very start of the performance to add to the storyline. While some people were learning the new dance, some of us sat together to discuss fundraising and what props we will need to bring in.
Week 7, we started to get side characters off script as well as teaching the new dance, level 3 extended sat out to watch the progress of the second half of the performance and to see what needs improving. We watched them do a full run through of the second act including dances and singing. We realised people still were not very confident with singing so we decided to go through all the songs on their own.
Week 8, This week everyone was supposed to be off script and ready to just go through the second act, we did a few run throughs of the second act off script before starting on act one. We started doing the first scene before people had to go off for maths and English, when people had gone we stared going through the dances with the people that were left in lesson. We also started doing our production roles this week meaning set was being painted and props were being brought in for the following week. We gave people the option to stay behind to progress on the dances and work on singing and dancing at the same time.
week 9, This week we started bringing in costumes and started doing dress runs. We finished dances and finished blocking act 1 so we could start doing full run throughs. we had full off script run throughs in full costume from start to finish to help Usman do finishing touches on Lighting.
Week 10, this week we did our first run through with mics to make sure everything worked well and went smoothly, we had people sing their songs and say their lines to test the mics. Once we did mic testing we started doing a full run through, but mid way through the run through some people got taken for their first makeup run. Although we had people missing we still continued to go through it all. Once people were back from the makeup run, we did our first in house performance for college students. It went quite smoothly however there was still things we had to work on the next week.
Week 11/ first show, This week was very busy as it was the first show. We continued to do full run throughs all week. We finished tidying everything up and making sure everything was perfect for the first show. The day of the first show we did another full run through in the morning before going off for makeup. When people went for makeup some people chose to add to scrapbook work or started setting up the Cafe for when our show starts. Once everyone had makeup done, we got a break. During the break I helped people go over their lines for the last time before the show started. When the show started everything went well and nothing noticeable messed up.
Week 12/ last show. For this show we did the same as the one before, we did as many run throughs in full costume, with mics and makeup as we could before setting up for the final show. We made a few final tweaks like lighting arrangements and bows before we got started doing the final performance, This show went a lot better than the one before as people were more confident and louder due to already doing it in front of audiences multiple times now!