Rude433

People can be so rude sometimes. Dealing with competition in any form can be difficult. Other people can be ruthless and mean and spread rumors every which way.  Now In head to head sports you can be so mad you literally tackle the guy that you believe has started the rumor, or are your competition. Which is a perfectly fine way to deal with it; let it fuel you.  In show choir and other competitive performing arts we need to be a little more creative.

As you probably would have guessed, tackling someone on stage is a very frowned upon by coaches and many members of the audience. But so is talking about other show choirs badly.  My director makes it a point each year to tell us that we represent not only ourselves but also our show choir and our high school. That doesn’t stop people and performers from other schools from talking bad about us though. They may say things like they don’t like our costumes or that they thought we didn’t sing a certain part right. And when you hear that it is kind of like a blow to the chest, because you have been working your butt off to make a great performance, and all they noticed were the bad things. This is where the competitive nature comes in. You want to turn around and look that guy in the eyes and say “Listen here bud, that was a great performance.” And maybe add a few choice words. But, you can’t. It would reflect badly, and that’s how to get more fuel to the fire.

A way to deal with competition for show choir is to put one hundred percent of your energy into your performance. More than likely there would be a moody or dark song that one could act totally mad at the world, and use the competition to drive that anger. But how do you use anger, during a happy song? Well, I’ll tell you! You obviously can’t let that emotion show on your face, or it would ruin that whole song, which would just make you even angrier, which might ruin another song; it is a cruel cycle really. Well using anger in a happy song just takes a little bit of thought. First, you think how angry they made you, then you think about how good it would feel to get a score better than their group, then you think about how to do that, and then you realize that you have to at least act totally happy to win. And there you go.

Getting ready. (414)

            In all activities, every one of them, whether it be vocal, performing, running, football, or even juggling, every one needs to prepare for whatever you're doing. Of course I am going to tell you about the performing and vocal parts of the list stated above. Getting ready for a play or musical can be very different from getting ready for a show choir show or a color guard performance. Let's just be honest a lot of the prep work for these performances start months before when people try out for them. 

          For color guard, the majority of people can't practice before try outs because they don't have the tools to get a flag or rifle. So their first time ever spinning a flag would be at try outs. But to get ready for an actual performance includes warming up and running through the show, going through rough parts of the show, and stretching. Getting ready also includes doing hair. For my color guard that meant one person doing everyone's hair. Make up is next and you have a certain way to put that on just like in show choir. 

 Speaking of show choir. How do you get ready for a show choir competition. We'll the night before you have to get a good night of sleep  because you will probably be staying awake for a really long time.             In all activities, every one of them, whether it be vocal, performing, running, football, or even juggling, every one needs to prepare for whatever you're doing. Of course I am going to tell you about the performing and vocal parts of the list stated above. Getting ready for a play or musical can be very different from getting ready for a show choir show or a color guard performance. Let's just be honest a lot of the prep work for these performances start months before when people try out for them. 

          For color guard, the majority of people can't practice before try outs because they don't have the tools to get a flag or rifle. So their first time ever spinning a flag would be at try outs. But to get ready for an actual performance includes warming up and running through the show, going through rough parts of the show, and stretching. Getting ready also includes doing hair. For my color guard that meant one person doing everyone's hair. Make up is next and you have a certain way to put that on just like in show choir. 

 Speaking of show choir. How do you get ready for a show choir competition. We'll the night before you have to get a good night of sleep  because you will probably be staying awake for a really long time. 

Techs(492)

 Now, most people would think that the most important people in any theater show or show choir show would be the actual performers; the singers and dancers, the actors, the people you see, the people that get the spot light. Well those people would be wrong. Well they would be right because without any performers there would be no show at all, but without techies there would be no lights, or scene changes, or sound. With out techies there would be a show, but there would not be a very good show. Actually that show would be a rather large stinker.

People who work with the technological aspect of any show, affectionately nicknamed “techies,” take care of everything from sound, to lights, to scene changes in theatrical shows. In show choir shows they take care of costume changes, boxes being put on the stage, and props that need to be used.

Lights are important to any theater show, they are also important to show choir shows, but the techies don’t control them for that. A certain kind of lighting could give an actor when to say his or her line. Like at the very beginning of the show if the lights were supposed to come on but didn’t, there would be no way for the actor to know that he should start speaking. Lights in a show also help create the illusion that you are somewhere else, like the jungle, or eighteenth century London. By using a red light you create a look of pain or even hell, and with a bright white light you could create heaven.

Most actors and singers do not have a loud enough voice to be heard all the way in the back of where ever they are performing so it is helpful to have microphones. There are solo microphones for people who have solos, those are tapes to their heads or cheeks, and there are choir mics which are on the floor of the stage. Either way, techies run them. Scene changes would be nearly impossible with out techs. They are the ones that raise or lower a backdrop, or flip the wall, or move the stair case. They bring on tables, hand people their props, and help with costume changes.

Chow choir techs have a less stressful but just as active job. They don’t help with sound or lights but they do make sure that boxes, which people stand on for formations, are put on and taken off at proper times. They also control microphones for on stage, if someone doesn’t get a mic it’s not their own fault, but it is a techies. They aslo help with a chaotic costume change. Back stage costume changes are a mix of hurry and anxiety. Techs are always there to help zip up your dress or fix your collar.

Techs help with everything in a show, from a to z. Without them there would be no show. 

Be yourself (506)

The best advice any one can give you in the performing arts world is to be yourself. In the performing arts world people tend to compare themselves to one another. How that girl has an amazing alto voice and mine is weaker, or, he is such an amazing hip hop dancer, or even, her hair is so much prettier then mine. The littlest details can cause jealousy and bad feelings to generally nice people. Now I would be lying if I said I was never jealous of people, because I do not believe I am the absolute, unmatched, most talented person out there, and if you do, hey props, man. Other people definitely do not feel the same way about themselves, including me.

            I think people feel this way because they only see one side of that “better” person.  They know their own flaws and weaknesses and what they  need to work on, maybe singing louder or getting their acting skills up to par. While they compare themselves to somebody who needs dancing lessons but is an amazing singer or someone who is a great actress but isn’t the prettiest. People compare their good traits and bad traits to someone’s good traits and are left feeling down about themselves.

            Ways to overcome this, speaking from personal experience are not always easy. The best way, in my opinion, is to just set goals and work hard to achieve them. One of my favorite quotes is “Hard work beats talent, when talent doesn’t work hard.”  Tim Notke. I like this quote because it’s so true. If someone is talented and knows it, they tend to not do anything to further them and eventually their talent is over looked and gets boring. When someone works hard and has, maybe, half of the talent the previously mentioned someone has then they will make that talent grow and grow. They will keep getting better, maybe a slow rate but they will get there. It’s kind of like starting a race at different places, the more talented person closer to the finish line then the less talented person. Then after the gun shot or checkered flag the more talented person just stands there, twiddling his or her thumbs. While the “less talented” person runs like a maniac at the goal.

            Another way to get over being jealous of someone else’s talent is to become friends with them! Once you realize that they are not perfect you will be able to accept that about yourself too. Also enjoy that persons talent! Maybe they got a lead in a play that you really wanted. Are you going to let that ruin the entire play for you? No! If you got a smaller role you are going to rock that part and enjoy the rest from the wings!

            Really everybody has different talents. You cannot compare two totally different people. If you both love to sing then sing, in key or not. If you love to dance then you both dance until your muscles are sore and you have blisters on your feet. People need to realize their own talents. 

Support 424

                In all performing arts as with every activity the amount of support given from parents is amazing. Almost nothing would get done without them. In the world of show choir, moms and dads are the equivalent of superheroes, with super powers, and at times their own personal kryptonite. Now I’m not just talking about the moms and dads that drop kids off, although they are also very hero like. I’m talking about parents that sit through each practice, that fix the broken costumes, help set up the stage, heal a hurt student, all of this and more.

                Let us start with parents that are supporters, biological parents that is. Many people who accept a Grammy or Oscar thank their parents, this is the least they can do to express how thankful they should be. Parents are always there to be an emotional rock for their child. Their child could bring them any problem they are having, any problem at all and they make it better, or not so bad. They also know their childs health better then the child himself. Not to mention the financial stress performing arts puts on kids. Yet through all this they still support their child no matter what.

                Show Choir moms in my choir are simply called “Mama.” I don’t think there is a more fitting name for them, since our show choir is a family. They take care of getting information out, organizing committees, costumes, make up, hair choice, and little things here and there. This is a lot to put on just a few people. They come to our competitions, no matter how far away it is. They find lost items. They remind us to stay hydrated. They have two downfalls; their own children, and emotions. Although there are new kids every year the moms still get attached to the kids in the show choirs now so when they leave the moms of course feel sad.

                Dads! Dads are the muscle and technical brain to almost everything, not just show choir. They help set up the stage so we don’t go over our time. They also help tear down after the performance. And unlike moms they are back stage so they can help with costume changes zipping up girl’s dresses and pointing out boys untucked shirts.

                Without parents most show choirs would have no set, no costumes, no one to go to when someone gets hurt, and no emotional support.  Parents are the core of show choir and without them there would not be a good show. 

the show must go on 436

I think my very very first blog post was about those “oh no” moments in the general performing arts world. Well in this blog, I will be posting about small, or rather large, mishaps that happen in the theatrical musical world. Rips, tears, torn costumes, microphone defects, someone forgetting a line, all of these happen sooner or later. We actors and singers, and our directors, surely hope that they happen later, rather than sooner. Although they could hope it happens sooner, preferably not on the week of the show, but at the beginning of practices, when there is plenty of time to mend, or darn that piece of clothing, or time to learn lines as well.

Now since your reading this blog I assume that you have an interest in musicals and performing arts. Well there are some things that just add to a theatrical performance. Like sound effects or a fog machine, something of that nature. My school bought something called a scrim. It’s basically a large curtain that goes in the middle of the stage when you light it from the front you can not see to the back. It just looks pitch black, but whenever a person or object is lit, when behind the scrim they are able to be seen, it adds a very interesting depth to the show. Well those are very expensive. Upwards of a thousand dollars. At the beginning of practices our technical director even told us, do not tough the scrim. That is a no no. so everyone has been very careful to be gentile with it. But the other day we were putting on our first full show for an audience when my friend came up to me and said “There is a hole in the scrim.” With a very serious look on her face. So I go and check it out expecting something about the size of my palm. No. no that is not what I found at all. A huge, gaping hole about a meter wide and a meter tall was staring me back in the face. It seems that we had used a prop the techies never had gotten to practice with. And it just happened. Well how do you deal with something like that? The show must go on.

Ripped skirts was a personal problem of mine. The button on my skirt fell off so it would not stay up. Well it was right before a show so there was nothing we could do so I safety pinned the crap out of it and well like I said, the show must go on. 

Time360

Time management is a very good skill to have when you’re a teenager in high school because you need to be able to be in school, do homework, have good grades, be in extracurricular activities, hold down a job, have time for the social aspect of it, and let’s not forget sleeping! Wow. Wow is right.  For me those extra activities are performing arts, so it takes up quite a bit of time, actually a majority of it. Most of my friends in show choir and I would say that during competition season we spend most of our time at school or at a competition.  So I just have a few hints and tips about good time managing.

                Tip #1.) Be organized. If you have to run around trying to find something that you swear you left right on the counter you’re going to be late and therefore not very successful in what you were trying to do!

                Tip # 2.) Don’t stress too much. Most of the time people have so much stress over things they cannot control and once you learn you can’t control it you learn not to stress out about it.

                Tip # 3.) It’s okay to have a little bit of stress. it makes it so you get things done quickly.

                Tip #4.)  Don’t lie to yourself about how much time you have. You could always say “oh I can just double up on that later.” But why not do it now!

Now I have to confess something….I have been somewhat of a hypocrite while writing this because  when I do have a lot of things going on I do get stressed, So badly that I cry.  Most of the time I’m not very organized, my room is a great example of that right now.

                So who am I to be telling other people how to manage their time? Well I also wanted to make it known that I’m actually pretty good and everything I do. So being organized and all that jazz is good and it helps a lot when you can be but you can also do well just going with the flow.