Sunday, Dec.18 Matinee:
Party Scene:
1. Family #1 girls and Marie—you need to skip further across the stage, so you end up in front of Frau Stahlbaum.
2. No touching the scrim when you are all trying to look through the keyhole!
3. Boys’ March: Elvis and Anathea, you marched too far forward, so that by the time you stopped, you were almost on the black part of the floor. Please remember to hold back so you stop in the first panel of gray marley.
4. The Boys’ March was generally sloppy. You are mostly doing the correct steps, but you have to hold yourselves strongly and do the steps as cleanly as if you were doing your tendus in ballet class! During the march is when the boys stop holding their arms firmly behind their backs, which is not good!
5. Megan, when you whisper to Fritz to pull Drosselmeier’s cape, you must be clear with your mime. Make sure your hands are around your mouth when you whisper, not just around your face somewhere, like you are REALLY telling him a secret.
6. All Party kids—boys and girls—need to show more excitement when the dolls first appear out of the boxes. Remember, you have never seen this before! Even boys should be interested and excited!
7. Sarah, make sure you don’t pull the hobby horse away from Marie too early.
8. Marie and the rest of the children were too far forward after Fritz grabbed the Nutcracker away from her. I think Maries need to be aware of coming too far forward, and Fritzes and Party kids all hold it upstage a little. When the girls kneel around Marie for the lullaby, there needs to be enough room in FRONT of Marie for the Nephew to slide the doll bed to her, without having to be on the black part of the floor.
9. ***** DO NOT TALK DURING THE DOLL DANCES!****** Javier said that today some of you were calling his name while he was dancing. That is disrespectful and distracting.
Battle Scene:
1. Sabres--- you have just got to pull that mouse! It’s not going to be easy, but you just HAVE to do it. Bend over, reach out, and grab those ankles and PULL!
2. Jenny, you can go a little closer to the Mouse King before you throw your shoe at him.
Act 2
1. Angels: Good job today! But I would love to see some happier expressions on your faces. During the Sugarplum Fairy’s variation, keep your face looking happy, and your arms lifted.
2. We had this talk already, but I’ll repeat it for all the other casts of Polichinelles and Candy Canes: NO WISPY HAIR! Spray the back of your head a lot more and use more pins. And all boy Polis need to pin their hats.
3. Polis need to watch their lines a little better- all girls in a straight line, and all boys in a straight line right behind them.
4. Candy Canes: Finale step still not exciting enough! Step out more, jump higher! Smile bigger!
